Series of four free concerts benefits club service projects and End Polio Now
WILSONVILLE, OREGON, APRIL 11, 2022 — The Wilsonville Rotary Summer Concerts benefitting End Polio Now will return for 2022 with a lineup that features pop/R&B vocalist CJ Mickens, blues band Sister Mercy, guitar virtuoso Jennifer Batten with her band Full Steam, and ’80s music tribute Radical Revolution.
The four outdoor concerts will take place as usual in Wilsonville Town Center Park on consecutive Thursday evenings starting at 5:30 p.m. The dates will be July 21 (Mickens), July 28 (Sister Mercy), August 4 (Batten) and August 11 (Radical Revolution). The series is produced by the Wilsonville Rotary Foundation, with net proceeds going to support the service projects and programs of the Rotary Club of Wilsonville.
“The Wilsonville Rotary Summer Concerts are where people get together to have a great time and hear great music,” said Curt Kipp, president of the Rotary Club of Wilsonville, who co-chairs the series with fellow Rotarian John Holley. “All four of these bands are crowd pleasing and engaging, and when it comes to musical ability, they truly deliver. The same is true of the opening acts that we’ve lined up. I think this is one of the best lineups we’ve had in the 20 years we’ve been producing this series.”
All shows are free to attend, thanks to generous sponsors, as well as (pending City Council approval) a tourism development grant from the City of Wilsonville. The premier sponsors are Wilsonville Carpet and Tile, and Findlay Wilsonville Jeep Ram. Gold sponsors include Academy Mortgage, Kyle Bunch Agency Goosehead Insurance, EyeHealth Northwest, J. Hill Property Group, The Laue Team Real Estate, Marquis Companies, Nichols Family Agency Allstate, OnPoint Community Credit Union, Oregon Tech, Jay Puppo State Farm Insurance, Swire Coca-Cola USA, UltraTape, Parker Johnstone’s Wilsonville Honda, and Wilsonville Subaru. Event partners include Event Savvy, Garden Rose Consulting, Professional Sign & Graphics, and the Wilsonville Spokesman newspaper.
Those attending will have the chance to make a voluntary donation to End Polio Now, a program of Rotary International that immunizes children against polio, a disease that can cause irreversible paralysis and sometimes even death. The program objective is to eradicate polio forever. The series in 2021 raised more than $7,100 for this cause. Donations are matched two-for-one by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
“The global fight against polio is progressing, and in 2021, there were just five cases worldwide,” Kipp said. “Nonetheless, our efforts must continue because every year new babies are born who are completely vulnerable until they are vaccinated. Outbreaks are always possible until we can eradicate the pathogen. There’s a global strategy in place to do that, but of course it takes money. We as Rotarians are proud to raise attention as well as donations so we can end polio forever.”
For details on the series, go to www.WilsonvilleConcerts.com. To keep up with the Rotary Club of Wilsonville, see www.WilsonvilleRotary or follow the club on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn.
About the performers
CJ Mickens will perform on July 21, with Michele Van Kleef opening. CJ is a pop/R&B vocalist performing modern hits from the 70s, 80s, 90s, aughts and today — think Bruno Mars, Justin Timberlake, Stevie Wonder, Ed Sheehan, Prince, Marvin Gaye, Taylor Swift, Paula Abdul and more! He performed on American Idol and later was the winner of Portland Idol. He and his top notch band deliver a high-energy, upbeat performance. (Johnny Limbo and the Lugnuts were originally scheduled, but regret that they are unable to perform due to illness. They plan to return in 2023.) Opening will be Wilsonville rock vocalist Michele Van Kleef, who follows in the footsteps of legendary female rock vocalists Janis Joplin, Joni Mitchell and Stevie Nicks. She performs an assortment of covers and her own original compositions.
Sister Mercy will perform on July 28, with Sonic Tonic Band opening. Led by powerful vocalist April Brown, the talented five-piece band brings together elements of the blues, R&B, rock and funk to create a mesmerizing and compelling performance that reaches the soul while getting you up on your feet. Opening will be Sonic Tonic Band, formerly known as Crooked Corner Band. They are a highly skilled four-piece band with strong harmonies and musicianship, performing classic rock tunes as well as their own originals. Lead guitarist Paul Douglas is in the Oregon Music Hall of Fame as a member of Wheatfield.
Jennifer Batten and Full Steam will perform on August 4. Jennifer is a groundbreaking guitar virtuoso who served 10 years as lead guitarist for Michael Jackson on three of his biggest world tours for the albums Bad, Dangerous and HIStory, including performing at Super Bowl XXVI. She has also performed on multiple albums and tours with the legendary Jeff Beck. She’ll perform with her band Full Steam, featuring vocalist Pat Yadon. The band concentrates on rock, pop and R&B tunes of the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s. Opening will be Rob Rainwater, an Aurora-based singer-songwriter who performs bluesy Americana tunes of his own creation. He is frequently seen and heard at local pubs and wineries.
Radical Revolution will perform on August 11. This popular and tight ’80s tribute band moves seamlessly between every genre that was popular in the age of MTV, from rock to pop to dance to new wave. They are led by local concert and festival promoter Jason Fellman. Their message is simple: “We rock, we have fun rockin’, and people like rockin’ with us.” Opening will be Wilsonville-based singer-songwriter Christina Cooper, who as a vocalist has drawn comparisons to Bonnie Raitt, Ann Wilson and Linda Ronstadt. performs Americana-tinged originals and covers.
About Rotary
Rotary brings together a global network of volunteer leaders dedicated to tackling the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges. Rotary connects 1.2 million members of more than 36,000 Rotary clubs in over 200 countries and geographical areas. Their work improves lives at both the local and international levels, from helping those in need in their own communities to working toward a polio-free world. Through Rotary’s disease treatment and prevention programs, members educate and equip communities to stop the spread of life-threatening diseases like polio, HIV/AIDS, and malaria. For more information, visit Rotary.org
About the Rotary Club of Wilsonville
The Rotary Club of Wilsonville was founded in 1975 and is dedicated to friendship and service projects. The club carries out several signature service projects throughout the year, including the innovative Through A Child’s Eyes program at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility, the annual Wilsonville Rotary Summer Concerts, several Good Eggs omelet and pancake breakfasts throughout the year, the Wilsonville First Citizen awards program, a strong portfolio of youth service programs including an international student exchange, and much more. The club meets weekly, Thursdays at noon, and has 37 members. Log on to www.wilsonvillerotary.com for more information.