Australian classic rockers Little River Band play with orchestra at Penn’s Peak in Jim Thorpe on Oct. 16
From a press release:
It was announced this week that Australian classic rockers Little River Band will perform with a seven-piece orchestra at Penn’s Peak in Jim Thorpe on Friday, Oct. 16 at 8 p.m.
Tickets, which are $41.50 for regular reserved seating and $47.50 for premium reserved seating, go on sale next Friday, March 20 at 10 a.m. at all Ticketmaster outlets, the Penn’s Peak box office (325 Maury Rd., Jim Thorpe), and Roadies Restaurant and Bar (325 Maury Rd., Jim Thorpe). Penn’s Peak box office and Roadies Restaurant ticket sales are walk-up only; no phone orders.
The late Glenn Frey, a founding member of the Eagles, knew what he was saying when he dubbed Little River Band “the best singing band in the world.”
Through the 1970s and ’80s, Little River Band enjoyed huge chart success with multi-platinum albums and chart-topping hits like “Reminiscing,” “Cool Change,” “Lonesome Loser,” “The Night Owls,” “Take It Easy on Me,” “Help Is on Its Way,” “Happy Anniversary,” “We Two,” “Man on Your Mind,” “The Other Guy,” and “It’s a Long Way There.”
Their worldwide album and CD sales now top 30 million. In 1982, LRB set a record for having Top 10 hits in six consecutive years – in fact, they were the very first band to achieve that remarkable plateau. According to BMI, “Reminiscing” has garnered rare status with over five million airplays on American radio, and “Lady” is close behind with over four million airplays.
Bassist/vocalist Wayne Nelson joined the band in 1980 and worked alongside founding members with some of the most distinctive harmonies and vocal abilities, creating the unique Little River Band sound. In 1981, Nelson was recognized by world-renowned Beatles producer Sir George Martin who, while producing their sixth studio album, 1981’s “Time Exposure,” chose Nelson to record lead vocals on two of the band’s biggest hits, “The Night Owls” and “Take It Easy on Me.” Later that same year, guitarist extraordinaire Stephen Housden joined LRB, bringing a rock element into the band’s sound and helped contribute to their string of Top 10 hits. As band members departed one by one, Housden and Nelson worked together to bring LRB into the new millennium.
To date, Nelson’s vocal and bass guitar talents are included on 23 Little River Band albums. Although Housden has retired from touring, the band continues to perform to sold-out audiences, and Housden continues to write and participate in all things Little River Band.
In 2004, LRB was inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association Hall of Fame at the 18th annual ARIA Music Awards. In 2015, the band was awarded Casino Entertainer of the Year at the G2E Gaming Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Early 2014 saw the release of Little River Band’s “Cuts Like a Diamond” on Frontiers Records. “What If You’re Wrong” went to No. 1 and stayed there for three weeks, Jim Shoe of ClassX Radio said. “Forever You, Forever Me” and “You Dream, I’ll Drive” both climbed to the station’s Top 3.
In 2016, LRB released “The Hits… Revisited” on Wurld Records, a CD consisting of nine rerecorded hits along with two new songs. Country Music Hall of Famer Kris Kristofferson attended one of their concerts in California. He came backstage after the concert and told LRB that their harmonies are “better than The Beatles.”
2017 brought the release of “The Big Box,” a box set consisting of six discs and a DVD with live footage from their 40th anniversary tour.
Now in 2020, lead singer and bass player Wayne Nelson is celebrating a personal milestone of being a member of Little River Band for 40 years.
Bringing their vocal and musical energy along with great arrangements to their timeless classic hits, each show creates new memories for the audience. The band enjoys watching their fans fall in love with the songs all over again as they are swept up by the show’s powerful performance and the volume of hits from LRB’s history. The current lineup features keyboardist Chris Marion, lead guitarist Rich Herring, drummer Ryan Ricks, and guitarist Colin Whinnery.
Playing, singing, and conducting from his riser, Marion is a Dove Award-winning producer and the creator of all the orchestral arrangements and charts on “The Big Box.” Herring is a highly skilled player, singer, and producer of many Nashville artists as well as a great songwriter. He and Nelson have co-produced every LRB project since he joined the band.
Ricks has locked down the rhythm section and rounds out the vocals with his incredible range, an important part of their vocal blend. Whinnery from Nashville plays rhythm and lead guitar and shares lead vocal duties with Nelson. He brings a brand new voice and a fresh outlook to the rhythm section.
With over 80 dates scheduled on their 2020 tour, Little River Band is hotter than ever, selling out shows, making music from coast to coast, and continuing their legacy of being “the best singing band in the world.”
