Philadelphia Legends Perform Concert to Honor Joe “Butterball” Tamburro

For one night only the sounds of Philadelphia are coming too Parx Casino, Pennsylvania's #1 casino, this Memorial Day Weekend. The casino's brand-new Xcite Center is set to welcome multiple talented acts with Philadelphia ties coming together for one night only at Xcite Center The casino welcomes The Sounds of Philadelphia featuring The Stylistics, The Delfonics, and Harold Melvin's Blue Notes. 105.3 WDAS FM radio personality Patty Jackson will co-host the show that also pays tribute to late WDAS FM radio legend Joe "Butterball" Tamburro. Five dollars from every ticket will be donated to the American Diabetes Association. The legends of the classic sound of the City of Brotherly Love take the stage on Saturday, May 26, 2018 at 7:30pm. Tickets cost $35-$75. All concerts at Parx will be performed at the Xcite Center at Parx located at 2999 Street Rd, Bensalem, PA 19020. Tickets for these and future shows are available now at the box office or by visiting www.Parxcasino.com.

Parx Casino heats up the unofficial start of summer with three talented acts with Philadelphia ties coming together for one night only. For over 30 years, Russell Thompkins, Jr.'s impeccable falsetto voice led The Stylistics to international fame and recognition, recording such hits as "You're A Big Girl Now," "Stop, Look, Listen," "You Are Everything" and "Rockin' Roll Baby." They've earned various awards, including a Grammy nomination for "You Make Me Feel Brand New" and a plaque on the Walk of Fame in 1994, in Center City Philadelphia. In May 2004 they were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame. The Stylistics hit the Top Ten at the top of the Seventies. Shortly after their initial chart success, they were put together with the songwriting and production team of Thom Bell and Linda Creed. That pairing would lead to a string of major hits over the next few years that would put The Stylistics indelibly on the R&B map.

The Delfonics caught the rising tide of R&B and pop music at just the right time in the late 1960's when young male groups were coming into their own. They made the charts with their hit songs, "For The Love I Give To You," Ready Or Not Here I Come," "I Try Over And Over Again" and "Trying To Make A Fool Of Me. The Delfonics had 18 songs that reached Billboard's Top 20. The Delfonics style of song and dance steps caught the world by storm as a top attraction in concerts, college campuses and The Apollo Theater in New York. The motivating force of the group is William (Poogie) Hart who was inspired by groups like Frankie Lyman and The Teenagers, Little Anthony and The Imperials, The Temptations and Gladys Knights And The Pips. The song that put The Delfonicsname in the Philadelphia area was "He Doesn't Really Love You" which became an instant hit. "La La Means I Love You" became an instant hit peaking at #2 on Billboard's Top 100. "Didn't I Blow Your Mind This Time" was an overnight hit and #1 on the Billboard Top 100 won a Grammy for the best R&B song of 1970.The Delfonics hit songs have continuously been covered over the years by well known artists including: Aretha Franklin, Regina Bell, New Kids on the Block, Swingout Sisters, Manhattan Transfer, Silk, Bette Midler, Prince, The Jackson 5, Angela Bofill, The Fugees, Patti Labelle, Grover Washington Jr. and more.

Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes were a charismatic Philly band whose roots date back to long before a leap into stardom during the 1970's. They reeled off a series of hits that included "If You Don't Know Me By Now," "The Love I Lost," "Where Are All My Friends" and "Bad Luck." Unfortunately, Harold Melvin died in 1997, but his spirit and legacy lives on - as to pay homage to Mr. Melvin, the group name was changed to Harold Melvin's Blue Notes. The Blue Notes continue to tour and dazzle crowds with the same array of groovy rhythms and soulful ballads that led the original band to fame.

The Sounds of Philadelphia will pay tribute to late WDAS FM radio legend Joe "Butterball" Tamburro. Tamburro died on Friday, July 27, 2012. Although the cause of death was not released, he suffered from heart disease and diabetes, according to Loraine Ballard Morrill the Director of News and Community Affairs at iHeartMedia in Philadelphia. WDAS FM radio personality and friend of Tamburro, Patty Jackson will co-host the show and share memories with the audience. "It's going be a great night of classics and great music plus paying tribute to one of greatest radio jocks in Philly History, my former colleague and dear friend Joe 'Butterball' Tamburro," said Jackson.

Tamburro started his career at WDAS in the advertising department in 1964. Months later he graduated to an on-air opportunity alongside the great radio DJ legends of the time, including Georgie Woods, Jacko Henderson and Hy Lit. Former WDAS programming director Jimmy Bishop hired Tamburro and gave him his nickname "because he was a little overweight". Tamburro was later promoted to programming director of WDAS FM and later of WDAS AM, when it launched in 1971. Tamburro's career spanned nearly 50 years and he was well known for "breaking" some of the biggest known artists. WDAS FM was in the process of arranging a 50 year celebration for Butterball at the time of his passing.

Five dollars from every ticket for the Sounds of Philadelphia will be donated to the American Diabetes Association in Tamburro's memory.

Tickets for this show are on sale now for $35-$75 through www.parxcasino.com. All shows at Parx Casino are for audiences 21 years old and older. All shows will take place at the new Xcite Center at Parx Casino.

ABOUT THE XCITE CENTER

The Xcite Center is part of the $50M expansion at Parx that includes the opening of the new poker room, and two new restaurants (Oliveto and Liberty Bell Gastropub). The showroom was designed to attract top caliber entertainers like Chicago, Reba McEntire, Rascal Flatts, Wayne Brady, Dane Cook, Third Eye Blind and many others. The space is 30,000 square feet large and features over 1,500 seats, state-of-the-art sound and technology, 26 automated crystal chandeliers, gold fabric on the walls, three 16 ft x 9 ft IMAG giant video screens, and a 65-foot-wide and 30-foot-deep stage. Every seat in the house is designed to provide an excellent view - even the last row of seats provides a perfect view of the stage.

ABOUT PARX CASINO

Parx Casino is owned and operated by Greenwood Racing, Inc. Parx Casino is conveniently located 20 minutes north of center city Philadelphia, I-95 exit 37 or PA Turnpike exit 351 (westbound), exit 352 (eastbound) onto Street Road in Bensalem. Parx features over 200,000 square feet of gaming; over 3,300 slot machines and 133 live table games; over 80 poker tables; live racing & simulcast action; Parx Grill, an upscale signature restaurant; Foodies quick service dining; Chickie's & Pete's Crab House and Sports Bar; 360 bar and live music venue; Jacks sports bar; Circle Bar; Bamboo Noodle House; Earl of Sandwich; Lounge, ultra modern luxury lounge and complimentary Parking for over 5,000 cars. In January 2018, Parx debuted a $50M expansion that included the opening of the 1,500 seat live entertainment venue the Xcite Center; The Liberty Bell Gastropub, farm-to-fork inspired menu; Parx Poker, the brand new poker room moving inside the main casino. For more information on Parx Casino, visit www.Parxcasino.com.

To post a comment, you must register and login.