September song
WARWICK — On Sunday afternoon, Sept. 15, Dick Wells and the Jim Perry Band drew another huge crowd for the last concert of the 2013 free summer concert series at Railroad Green sponsored by the Village of Warwick.
And once again he and the band received a standing ovation that lasted several minutes.
The concert ran a little over two hours during which Wells, who always manages to arrive at each performance with a fresh repertoire, sang many old favorites including “The Lady is a Tramp,” “The Summer Wind” and “Let me try again,” which has become his theme song since his heart attack six years ago at the same concert.
Credit to former publisher
Mayor Michael Newhard welcomed the audience and recalled that in the 1960s a proposal to turn Railroad Green into a parking lot was defeated when Ed Klein, the publisher at that time of the Warwick Advertiser, featured a front-page editorial in opposition to the plan.
Wells, who always appears wearing his trade mark red socks, is well known from his Saturday program on Warwick Radio WTBQ.
His fans also know that his long singing career includes performances with famous orchestras like the Harry James Band and legendary entertainers like Frank Sinatra as well as an appearance on the Johnny Carson Tonight Show.
All of the band arrangements were that of retired Sgt. Major Jim Perry, former group leader and lead alto saxophonist with the United States Military Academy Band Jazz Knights at West Point.
Playing in the bands
During the performance Wells introduced Lynn McCune, a Manhattan big band singer as well as an actress and voice over artist, who often works with Jim Perry.
McCune sang several songs from various decades including the 1945 hit “Shoo Fly Pie, Apple Pan Dowdy,” first recorded by Dinah Shore.
Many of the musicians with the Jim Perry Band are veteran performers who had appeared with famous band leaders and entertainers like Benny Goodman, Gene Krupa, Lionel Hampton, Bob Crosby and Paul Simon.
Some of the members of the band also play with 18-time Grammy winner and Florida resident Jimmy Sturr, who was in the audience.
Just before the concert, Wells slipped on the pavement and displaying his typical good humor quipped: “I guess I’m getting off on the wrong foot. But worse than that, the Yankees lost to Boston.”
- Roger Gavan