NEWSLETTER #100
by Wendel Werner

           
HELLO AND WELCOME TO THE WENDEL WERNER NEWSLETTER #100

Happy 2008 everyone!!

Well, here we are. NEWSLETTER 100!! Considering that the first one was sent by snail mail to about 10 people, I never thought I'd be still doing this more than eight years later. It's for me to say how many people get this now because I know that many of you forward your newsletter on to others. I know that some of you post the newsletter on your myspace page. Some of you just wait and look at it on the www.wendelwerner.com website. No matter how you receive the newsletter, thanks for reading it faithfully.

SO...what's in store for 2008? Well, there are already some major and exciting things on the books. Allow me to give you a glimpse of what is coming throughout the year before I get to the month of January...



*I think the next album will be a double-cd. It will be called "Oxygen Supply" and it's due to be out in early November. I'm in the middle of finishing all the compositions for it right now. I'm planning for a major tour during the summer of 2009. In between, I hope to do performances in out of town cities...but only one at a time. EXCEPT...



*In late May, I will be touring the state of South Carolina in a joint tour with a dance company called The Wanda Project. Singers Sandra Porter, Abbe Andrews, and Ashley Sizemore will be joining me. We are in the final process of firming up the tour, but there are some dates that can be filled so if you are in the fine state of South Carolina and want to discuss a performance, then get in touch with me.



*In February, I'll be in Saginaw, Michigan doing a week long residency at Delta College working with the choirs there in preparation for a concert that week that will include pieces of mine.



*In April, I'll be in Lynchburg, Virginia doing a week long residency at Randolph College working with the choirs there in preparation for a concert that week that will be premiering a piece commissioned by Randoplh College called "The Women."



*WENDEL WERNER AND THE HOUSE BAND COME TO KNOXVILLE...this is the 9-member blues band that performed in Crossville, Tn. last fall that i told everyone about. This will be one of those "please-don't-miss" performances. April 11, 2008 and the Knoxville Museum of Art.



Alright...I should go ahead and start discussing January. There are some huge things coming...



SUNDAY, JANUARY 13, 2008
ALAN ELEAZER AND WENDEL WERNER
ELIZABETHON, TN.
SUNDAY MORNING CHURCH SERVICES

Okay, so I have to be honest here. I'm not sure where these performances are just yet. But, I plan to be finding out within the next couple of days. If you'd like to attend, get in touch with me and I'll give you the information needed.



THURSDAY, JANUARY 17, 2008
ALAN ELEAZER AND WENDEL WERNER CONCERT
HIAWASSEE COLLEGE
MADISONVILLE, TN
7:30PM

It has gotten to the point in our schedules where "Alan and Wendel" concerts are pretty rare. Mr. Eleazer is using that to his advantage here in having a fundraising concert for his choral program at Hiawassee College. This means we'll probably pull out all the stops...they've never seen a full "Alan and Wendel" concert before.



SUNDAY, JANUARY 27, 2008
WENDEL WERNER CONCERT
THIRD CREEK BAPTIST CHURCH
6PM
FREE

So, my first concert of the new year is going to be a big one. How big? As of this writing, i have about 25 people performing with me. I think it will end up being about 30. Want to see what the big deal is? Come to the concert.




FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2008
SHARON MOSBY AND THE WENDEL WERNER QUARTET
(featuring Terry Schmidt, Tim Paul, and Harold Nagge)
5:30PM-8PM
$6 FOR MEMBERS

This is the start of a huge weekend. First of all, most of you know that if you are planning on hearing Sharon this evening, you need to arrive early. You might have a hard time finding a seat by 6pm. After that performance, go home and get some sleep and prepare yourself for the concert the next night...



SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2008
DON-AID 2008 (fundraiser for the HOPE FOR SUDAN organization)
TRINITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
7PM

Okay...so here's what happened. Don Thomas, the pastor at Trinity Methodist, was asked to go to Sudan for a couple of weeks in March to do some mission work. It will cost him about $5000 to do so. So, his wife contacted me and asked if I'd be interested in doing a benefit concert to help with the funds. I agreed and that started the ball rolling. As of now, some of the special guests we have at this concert are:

*Sheryl Howard (former Just In Time member, music director of several shows in the area, has

played with several symphonies in the area)

*Rachel Schlafer-Parton (former Just In Time member, member of Circle Modern Dance, has

played with several symphonies in the area)

*Aaron Stone (the star of several musical productions in East Tennessee, teacher of music at

Farragut Middle School)

*Sandra Porter (featured singer in a lot of my projects)

*Alan Eleazer (you ALL should know who he is)

*the Knoxville Jazz Youth Orchestra (yes...you read right)

Now....none of this includes the musical surprises we are planning that evening. THIS IS GOING TO BE A REALLY BIG DEAL!! Please bring your friends and your wallets and help us get Don to Africa so that he can serve a wonderful and meaningful cause.



I'll be looking for you sometime during this month.

Thanks for your support.

And...thanks for allowing me a reason to have had 100 newsletters.



Wendel Werner