The Lettermen at the Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse -- May 9.
Monday, May 9, 1 & 7:15 p.m.
Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse, 1828 Third Avenue, Rock Island IL
With gifted vocalist and ensemble leader Donovan Tea currently celebrating his astonishing 38th year with the group, the beloved pop vocalists of the Lettermen make their long-awaited return to the Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse on May 9, their ever-popular springtime engagements overflowing with timeless hits such as “When I Fall in Love,” “Put Your Head on My Shoulder,” “Hurt So Bad,” and “Shangri-La.”
Composed of Tea (who joined the group in 1984), Bobby Poynton (who came aboard in 1990), and Rob Gulack (who joined the trio following a nationwide talent search in 2019), the Lettermen were originally formed in 1960 by the recently retired Tony Butala and two students from Brigham Young University: Jim Pike and Bob Engemann. After signing with Capitol Records and releasing their first single “The Way You Look Tonight,” the Lettermen's close-harmony pop songs with light and easy arrangements made them successful with adult audiences at a time in which changing styles and tastes made many older listeners feel somewhat left behind in the world of music. “The Way You Look Tonight” peaked at number three on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart and its follow-up, “When I Fall in Love,” made it all the way to number one, with other top-10 Lettermen hits in the 1960s including “Come Back Silly Girl,” “Theme from A Summer Place,” “Secretly,” “I Only Have Eyes for You,” and the mash-up “Goin' Out of My Head / Can't Take My Eyes Off of You.”
Since releasing the trio's 1962 debut A Song for Young Love, The Lettermen have gone on to record more than 50 additional albums, with 11 of them gold-certified, and a consecutive 32 of them placing on Billboard's Hot 200 chart. Additionally, the group has been nominated for five Grammy Awards, an Andy Award, and a Cleo Award, with the singers' enduring legacy including two 21st Century Hall of Fame citations: 2001 induction into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, and 2012 induction into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame. On February 24 of 2020, the Letterman also finally received their very own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the acknowledgment presented in part by iconic recording star Connie Stevens.
The Lettermen will perform matinée and evening concerts on May 9, with the 1p.m. show preceded by a plated lunch, and the 7:15 p.m. show preceded by a plated dinner. Tickets are $55.85 for the afternoon performance and $62.15 for the singers' evening engagement, and more information and reservations are available by calling (309)786-7733 extension 2 and visiting Circa21.com.
