Aztec show draws good crowd
By Donnie A. Lucas
The walls of the Aztec Theater echoed the sounds of singer-songwriters on Saturday during a musical review of sorts presented by a group of local singers, their first such show in two years.
Skipping last year due to the COVID pandemic, about a dozen local singers and musicians presented selections from a variety of music genres honoring the talents of the “Troubadours – Songs of the Singer-Songwriter.”
The evening of music as attended by around 200 audience members, with proceeds benefitting AMP (Albany Mainstreet Playhouse).
The Aztec is currently undergoing a mostly external restoration, but construction was halted briefly for the show to be set and performed.
“It was spectacular,” the evening’s narrator Pam Davis said. “We wanted to do something so people could finally get together and enjoy a casual, wonderful evening of music, and it was all stellar.”
The production was organized by Sandy Abel, who along with her son, Marc Sanders, provided keyboard accompaniment. Several local musicians also backed up the singers on guitar, banjo, and percussion to round out the stage band.
“This basic group of performers has been working together for quite a while,” Abel said. “They are like a family, and they definitely pulled it together and hit the mark – they’re all pros.”
Davis said that she and Abel are going to meet this week to review the show and start planning for the nest one.
“Sandy found the songs and then matched the songs to the singers,” Davis said. “She always does such a great job of picking music, directing, and accompanying.”
Roughly the same group presented “Road Trip: A Musical Journey” two years ago, and “Troubadours” had originally been planned for last year before such public events had to be postponed due to the pandemic.
Singers included Lorna Ayers, Kaisley Bartee, John Caldwell, Jeff Davis, Brittney Harmon, Zach Harmon, George Harvick, Kirstin Hilliard, Ginny Ivy, Mimi Ivy, Kayla McCauley, Randall Palmore, Carley Price, and Marc Sanders.
Band members included Sandy Abel, Marc Sanders, John Caldwell, Keith Kniffen, Zach Harmon, Randall Palmore, and George Harvick.
Lighting was manned by Wade Jones, while Russell Canney did the sound.
