LOVING AVERY: A Musical Salute to Avery Sommers

Marjorie Waldo, President & CEO of Arts Garage, today announced a very special upcoming concert: LOVING AVERY: A Musical Salute to Avery Sommers to be headlined by singers Rob Russell and Anthony Nunziata—along with special guests Copeland Davis, Patty Chamberlain, Tony Siders, and Meri Ziev, backed by Music Director Phil Hinton (piano) with Frank Derrick on drums and Val Shaffer on bass. Sponsored by Legends Radio 100.3 FM, this one-night-only, entertainment-packed benefit will be held on Sunday, July 23, at 7 pm.

“I adore my good friend and singing chum Avery Sommers and look forward to hosting this benefit along with some special surprise guests,” promises Rob Russell. Tickets to LOVING AVERY are $75 per person and are available for purchase by calling the Arts Garage at 561.450.6357 or by going online to www.ArtsGarage.org. LOVING AVERY: A Musical Salute to Avery Sommers is being organized by veteran publicist Gary Schweikhart and producer Ellen Wedner, who recently collaborated on both PRIDE LIGHTS 2022 and the inaugural Donald M. Ephraim Palm Beach Film Festival. 

Avery Sommers

In deep recovery mode since a serious fall last winter, Avery Sommers is a South Florida treasure with a “powerhouse” voice” (The New York Times) and a charismatic stage presence. She appeared on Broadway in Ain’t Misbehavin’ replacing Nell Carter, Chicago, Showboat, Broadway, and Platinum; and was in the first national tours of both The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (starring Ann-Margret) and Chicago, for which she won a Los Angles Ovation Award for Best Supporting Actress. A frequent headliner at The Colony Hotel’s Royal Room, Pelican Café, Kravis Center, Palm Beach Institute for the Entertainment Arts, and more, Sommers is both a Carbonell Award winner and a seven-time nominee. In addition, she is the recipient of a Silver Palm Award for Outstanding Contributions to South Florida Theater, and the Best Supporting Actress Award at the 2010 Monaco International Film Festival. Currently, she serves on the boards of directors for both the Carbonell Awards and the Maltz Jupiter Theatre, and on the Honorary Board of Advisors for The Society for the Preservation of the Great American Songbook

Rob Russell (Photo by Clare Coco)

Widely recognized as “Mr. Palm Beach,” Master Showman Rob Russell, is now hosting the popular monthly musical series Rob Russell’s Open Mic at Café Centro in West Palm Beach. From his years as the polished front man at the distinguished Governor’s Club at Phillips Point to his nearly two decades as producer and emcee of the world famous Royal Room Cabaret, to his recent years as a singer, recording artist (his popular CD Hello Again), and—after graduating top in his class at the Connecticut School of Broadcasting—Dick Robinson’s fill-in tune-spinner on Legends Radio 100.3 FM, Rob Russell has amassed numerous fans of his audience-wowing musical talents and flashy show biz anecdotes. 

Anthony Nunziata

Following his recent sold-out performance at Manhattan’s Café Carlyle, Anthony Nunziata, who has been dubbed “America’s new romantic singing sensation,” returns to Arts Garage for this tribute to Avery Sommers. Hailed by BroadwayWorld for capturing “the authentic songwriting passion of a young Billy Joel with the soulfulness of Ed Sheeran,” Nunziata has been described as “an explosion of love and entertainment” with his signature take on classic love songs from Broadway, jazz, classic pop, Italian arias, and originals from his critically acclaimed, award-winning jazz/pop release, The Love Album. He has headlined over 400 concerts over the past decade from small jazz clubs to two sold-out performances at Carnegie Hall with the New York Pops Symphony Orchestra. His songs have been featured on MTV, Comedy Central, CBS News, NBC News, and more, and recently appeared in the Netflix film The Last Laugh opposite Chevy Chase and Richard Dreyfuss.

The night will conclude with other special guests like, COPELAND DAVIS, Emmy-nominated pianist, Tonight Show performer, inducted into the Las Vegas Entertainers Hall of Fame. PATTY CHAMBERLAIN, singer, writer, producer and star of a musical play based on the life and lyrics of Dorothy Fields directed by Avery Sommers, host of  Through the Musical Lens on Legends Radio.  TONY SIDERS, singer/songwriter, maestro of The Palm Beach Super Choir, lead singer of gospel group Tony Siders & Company. MERI ZIEV, singer with “golden pipes” (Jeff Harnar) and “a radiant performer” (Theater Pizzazz), co-founder of South Florida Cabaret Singers. Avery Sommers Tribute Band members are PHIL HINTON, Music Director, pianist, arranger, orchestrator and conductor who has worked with Shirley Bassey, Andrew Lloyd-Webber, and Paul McCartney. FRANK DERRICK, virtuoso drummer for The David Letterman Show, and numerous shows and legends from Della Reese to Donna Summer VAL SHAFFER, bassist for Copeland Davis, Chuck Flores, Robert Navarro, and Donald Vega, among others.

Tickets are $75 per person and are available for purchase by calling the Arts Garage at 561.450.6357 or by going online to www.ArtsGarage.org. To contribute to this recovery effort, please make out your check directly to Avery Sommers and mail to:  GCPRC-AS, P.O. Box 8553, Delray Beach, FL 33482. All support is gratefully appreciated.