Whether it be a singing valentine, a Sinatra-style crooner, or old school country-rock band, there are options for you in the coming days, as its all about the music:
— If you want something truly unique for Valentine’s Day, the St. Croix Valley Croix Chordsmen Chorus is there to charmingly sing what who knows, you otherwise might have a touch of difficulty saying.
On Tuesday, Feb. 14, the Croix Chordsmen will send a Barbershop Quartet, appropriately and specially attired, to sing for your Valentine at a home, office, classroom, restaurant, or almost anywhere else, searching out and serenading your spouse, sweetheart, family member, child, grandparent, friend or other loved one, also bearing three added things: A rose, box of candy, and card for the occasion.
All this, which will help you rule the day for your sweetness, for only $40.
The singing valentines leave only this to imagine: From out of the blue, four men bearing flowers appear to serenade your sweetheart at the location of your choice, saying something like: “Suzanne, Raymond has something special he’d like to tell you…” Then out pours a sweet, tender love song, in gentle close harmony. Throughout North America, hundreds of barbershop quartets stand ready to provide a Valentine’s Day gift that will be remembered forever. Locally, all just by following a few easy online prompts that really personalize the experience.
These Valentines Day gifts are terrific for, not just your wife or girlfriend, but also husband or boyfriend, and don’t forget mom, or that certain someone who doesn’t know about their secret admirer…
Go online at www.stcroixvalleychapter.com, or contact Tyler Smith at (651) 439-4527, or Dick Kelm at (715) 425-2793, to make arrangements.
The St. Croix Valley Croix Chordsmen Chorus is located at 611 South Holcombe St. in Stillwater.
— Gary LaRue, who will perform at The Bungalow Inn in Lakeland on Valentine’s Day, specializes in singing and crooning and playing the popular songs of the Rat Pack era, made famous by legends such as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Nat King Cole, Perry Como, Andy Williams, Bobby Darin and Jack Jones. His smooth vocal style has been described as a cross between Mel Torme and Chet Baker, and considered quite a compliment. And as it fitting for Valentine’s Day, which is Tuesday, Feb. 14, all the while he smooshes with the ladies. He says he also can accomodate almost any request. If you want a vocalist to sing background music “off to the side,” or instead to be the “main attraction,” he adds he can perform that way. Despite being Rat Pack at heart, LaRue’s style is called hard to categorize. But while listening, you and your sweetie can indulge in a steak or seafood dinner.
— The Blind Dog band, while not masters of grammar, are none-the-less — and maybe because of — entertaining. They will play the Willow River Saloon in Burkhardt on Saturday night, Feb. 11. They include on their play list Lynard Skynard, that being their (halfways with the y’s) spelling not mine, and a tune made famous by a man with Hudson ties, Tommy Tutone and Jenny 8675309, although their version with its lack of punctuation is that done by Blink 182. The two Skynyrd songs (with spelling unlike that invoked by my late colleague Willis Miller in a fan’s Hudson Star-Observer obit, where he opted for the standard English version), are Gimme Three Steps (to which I first cut my teeth on an open mic night at the old Sandbar, and soon ran out of verses due to the house band’s extended guitar solos), and Sweet Home Alabama.
— New to the local scene, but gaining traction regionally, is Free Fallin, a Tom Petty tribute band with other like-minded songs, that is becoming very popular around the metro. They play the Smilin’ Moose for perhaps the first time on Friday night.