The Post-Crescent from Appleton, Wisconsin • 38

FHIUMT- ENCORE PAGE 4 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1998 IT? Mm HI in li Sawyer Brown connects on its first Christmas CD 1 By Tom Richards Post Crescent staff writer "ark Miller, the lead singer for the venerable country band Sawyer Mi Brown, is looking lorward to to the Fox Cities. That's because Appleton is the hometown of one of his heroes. Eugene "Torchy" Clark. Clark was Miller's basketball coach at the University of Central Florida. For years, Clark coached basketball and football at Xavier High School in Appleton.

He was high school coach of Rocky Blier, who went on to fame in professional football. "He's like a hero to us," said keyboardist Gregg "llobie" Hubbard in a telephone interview. Miller is passionate about basketball. He tried out for and signed a contract with the Fort Wayne Fury, a CBA team. He plays whenever he can.

though he acknowledges that basketball would never replace music. The Torchy Clark connection, of course, is a nice fringe benefit, but not what brines WHO: Sawyer Brown WHEN: 7 p.m. Dec. 10 WHERE: Pickard Auditorium, 1275 Tullar Road, Neenah TICKETS: $27.50 to available at Starshow Ticket Centre. 566 12th Menasha or by calling SAWYER BROWN is touring behind its first Christmas CD, "Hallelujah He Is Ron Van Groll, 7-11 p.m.

Friday. American Legion Club, 3220 W. College Appleton. Open Mic with Calypso Phil and Friends, 7-11 p.m. Sunday, Apple Pub, corner of College Avenue and State Street, Appleton.

Dirty Denny and Sloppy Joe, today; Jimmy Liban His Hot Rockin' Blues Combo, Friday; Bobby Evans the Alimony Blues Band, Saturday, Automatic Slim's. 302 N. Commercial Neenah. Doug Wheeler and Green Apple Folk Society, 8-10 p.m. today, Between the Pages Coffee Shop, Conkey's Book Store, 226 E.

College Appleton. Karaoke, 9:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. Friday, Saturday and Wednesday, Brandy's, 1203 E. Wisconsin Appleton. Frenzy, 9:30 p.m.-1 :30 a.m.

Saturday, Break-A-Way, N2921 County Clmtonville. Happy Schnapps Combo, Saturday, Checkered Flag Sports Bar, N225 Stoney Brook Road, Appleton. Rivers Edge, 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Friday: New Edition, 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Saturday, Cimarron, one-quarter mile east of S.

Oneida Street on State 114. Groove Hogs, 9:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m. Friday, Emmett's Bar Grill, 139 N. Richmond Appleton. Big Band Reunion, p.m.

Tuesday, Frank's Pizza Palace, 815 W. College Appleton. Starlight Productions Karaoke, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Sportsman's Tap, 430 Sherry Neenah. Bill Steinert, 7:30 p.m.

to midnight today, Friday and Tuesday; Bruce Koestner, 7:30 p.m. to midnight Saturday and Wednesday, George's Steak House, 2208 S. Memorial Drive, Appleton. Ryan Korb Trio, 9:30 p.m. today.

The Globe Cafe Bakery, 107 Algo-ma Oshkosh. Stardust, 2-6 p.m. Sunday, Golden Nugget, 401 Main Pine River. Chris Gerard, 5-9 p.m. today and Friday, Golf Central, 5850 N.

U.S. 45, Oshkosh. Blue VI Jazz Band, 8 p.m. Friday; Stumblers, 8 p.m. Saturday, The Granary Restaurant, 50 W.

Sixth Oshkosh. Trina's Be A Singing Star, 9 pm- 1 a.m. today, Jockey Club, corner Gruenwald and Jefferson, Oshkosh. Night Shift, 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Friday: Vanesky Acoustic Duo, blues and rock, 8 p.m.

to midnight Saturday, Lord Rumbottom's Pub, 129 N. Lake Neenah. Clamhammer and Open Mic, 9 p.m. today, Marina Bar, 2020 Augustine Kaukauna. Gary Hill Show, 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Menominee Casino, Keshena. the material, nothing could have gone better. "We wanted to focus on the spiritual side of Christmas, and there's no shortage of things you want to write about at Christmas. We didn't want another 'Frosty, the Snowman' album." He hastened to add that he wasn't knocking that music, but that it wasn't what Sawyer Brown wanted in a Christmas album. "It was really such a joy to work on," Hubbard said.

"It's my favorite season of the year. You want to get in there and write." In fact, the material came so readily that the band ended up with way more songs than would fit on a single album. "Finally, we said, 'This is enough'" he said. Hubbard said that in the last three years, Sawyer Brown has cut way back on its number of shows a year, back to about 125. That is down from 275-300 when they first were getting started.

"The way we've approached this is to get out there and work." he said. "You never turn away any jobs in the beginning. You need to do this, and we enjoy doing it. We probably felt like the Fuller Brush men of music, but it kept the spark going for us." It was a conscious decision to cut back, Hubbard said. "It gives us a little more time just for being a human being.

It has worked out well for us." He said that even now it is exciting to see fans enjoy themselves. "You know they've spent their money to come and see you. It's a good kind of pressure to give them a good reason to have left their house that night." this band to the Valley. They will perform a Christmas concert next Thursday at the Pickard Auditorium in Neenah. Sawyer Brown may well be the last country music act on the planet to have recorded a Christmas album.

It comes 15 years and 15 albums into a career. "We've been blessed to hang in there for a while," Hubbard said. "And pleasantly surprised. Our goal was to do this as long as we had music in us." It was, he said, worth the wait for the album that is titled "Hallelujah He Is Born." "For me personally, it's my favorite," he said. "Everything fell into place, the writing, "I waukee.

Bill Cosby: March 5 at Pickard Auditorium, Neenah. 969-2260. Tom Jones: March 9 at Weidner Center. Green Bay. 8003283587.

Willie Nelson: April 13 at Weidner Center, Green Bay. 8003283587. The Manhattan Transfer: April 16 at Weidner Center, Green Bay. 8003283587. Country USA: June 24-27 at Sunnyview grounds in Oshkosh.

Alabama, Brooks Dunn and more 969-2260 or 800326-7469. AT RYAN'S: The Tragically Hip, touring behind their latest release, "Phantom Power," is coming to Ryan's Ballroom in Combined Locks. The band, with opening act The Why Store, will be at Ryan's on Dec. 1 1. Tickets are available at Ryan's (788-9580), Media Play, Ticketmaster outlets or by calling 920-494-1414.

Other pop, rock and country concerts on the horizon: Sawyer Brown: Dec. 10 at Pickard Auditorium, Neenah. 969-2260. Wayne Newton: Dec. 13 at Pickard Auditorium, Dave Matthews Band: Dec.

14 at Bradley Center, Milwaukee. Pat Boone: Dec. 15 at Weidner Center, Green Bay. 8003283587, Oak Ridge Boys: Dec. 16 at Pickard Auditorium, Neenah.

969-2260. Colors of Christmas: Dec. 17 at Weidner Center, Green Bay. 8003283587. Sold out.

Alabama: Dec. 18 at Brown County Arena. 920-494-3401. Sold out. KISS: Dec.

20 at Bradley Center, Milwaukee. Lorie Line: Dec. 22 at the Weidner Center, Green Bay. 8003283587. BoDeans: Dec.

29 and 30 at Weidner Center, Green Bay. 800-3286587. Unless otherwise noted, tickets are axailable through Ticketmaster, 920-494-1414. Neenah. I Rolling Stone 19.

at Please see LIVE MUSIC, 5 4 3 3 i.