Guest Artists

Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Peter Cetera has enjoyed two distinct musical careers – from 1968 thru 1986, as a singer, songwriter and bass player with the legendary rock group Chicago and since 1986, as a solo artist.

In his time with the group Chicago, Cetera recorded 18 of the most memorable albums of a generation, including such hits as “If You Leave Me Now,” “Hard to Say I’m Sorry,” “Baby What a Big Surprise” and “You’re the Inspiration.”

As a solo artist, Cetera has recorded 10 time-honored CD’s. His #1 hits include the Academy Award-nominated song “The Glory of Love” from The Karate Kid II, “The Next Time I Fall” with Amy Grant, “Feels Like Heaven” with Chaka Kahn, “After All” with Cher from the motion picture Chances Are, “No Explanation” from the mega-hit film Pretty Woman and the unforgettable “Restless Heart.” Recently, Cetera has been performing both his acclaimed Symphony Tour and a string quartet version of the show with his 5-piece unplugged group for audiences around the world. He has also announced the return of his classic “7 Piece Electric Band,” adding another exciting performance format to the music that continues to touch the lives of so many people.

Melinda Doolittle, a household name since appearing on season six of American Idol, continues to thrill audiences with her debut album, Coming Back To You. Garnering rave reviews from critics, including The New York Times which hailed Doolittle as one of the most “phenomenally gifted voices” in years, Coming Back to You is a torch-passing musical revelation. A worthy heir to rhythm and blues immortals Gladys Knight, Aretha Franklin and Tina Turner, Doolittle emerges as the most authentic new ambassador of R&B.

Raised in St. Louis and Tulsa, Okla., Doolittle studied music at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn. She perfected her craft as a back-up singer for such stars as Michael McDonald, Aaron Neville, CeCe Winans and the Gospel group Anointed. This experience helped build the necessary vocal confidence to tackle the challenges that lay ahead.

Since her time on American Idol and her transition into the spotlight, Doolittle has wowed audiences everywhere with her “big voice” and “soulful” performances--from the White House to the Musicians Hall of Fame, from the Kennedy Center to the Today Show.

Only her spirit outshines her musical accomplishments, as she dedicates much of her time to numerous charities, including Malaria No More. Traveling to Africa twice on behalf of this cause--once with former First Lady Laura Bush and again as part of a Presidential Delegation-- Doolittle believes that education is the key: “Malaria has the potential to be eradicated in our lifetime. If America knew that 1 million children die every year from malaria and that one bed net costs only $10, I believe we could wipe out this preventable disease and give these children a chance at a long and happy life.” Following her recent appearance on The USAF Band’s 2010 Guest Artist Series, she spent time with recovering service members at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Chalk it up to their Texas-meets-Tennessee grit and tenacity, but there is nothing Lonestar loves more than a challenge. So, when it came time to record their 10th album, Party Heard Around the World, their years of hard work and creative growth naturally led them to write and produce it on their own for the first time in their career. Lead guitarist Michael Britt explained in a recent interview, “We feel that this album is a complete reflection of the group. It’s personal and powerful music that reflects the core values of Lonestar through lyrics, performance and production.”

Writing eight of the album’s ten songs also meant that Lonestar fans would get a firsthand look into the hearts and minds of the group’s members. From the anthemic title track to the show- stopping “You’re The Reason,” each song reveals the personalities, emotions and inspirations that collectively and individually define the band.

In the past two years, Lonestar has played over 500 concerts. To date, the group has sold over 10 million albums, with 10 #1 country hits, as well as nine Top 40 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 charts including “I’m Already There” and “Come Cryin’ To Me.” The group’s hit song “Amazed” spent eight weeks at the top of the country charts, as well as reaching #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Essentially, after crossing over from country to pop and back again, they topped both charts at the same time. This dual win made them the first country act since Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton’s “Islands In the Stream” in 1983 to accomplish this career milestone.

In 2010, Lonestar hits the road with a national tour that takes them across the country and back again.

Blair Underwood has distinguished himself as an award-winning actor, director and producer, showcasing his talents in the world of film, television, theatre and literature. In 2009, Underwood received an abundance of accolades including a Grammy award for Best Spoken Word for former Vice President Al Gore’s album An Inconvenient Truth. He received his second Golden Globe nomination for Supporting Actor in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television for his role in HBO’s drama In Treatment. He was also nominated for four NAACP Image Awards, receiving his sixth overall.

Underwood has appeared in numerous high-profile television projects, including roles in Dirty Sexy Money, In Treatment and The New Adventures of Old Christine. In five episodes of the final season of HBO’s hit series Sex & the City, Underwood played “Robert Leeds,” earning him two NAACP Image Award nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor. Underwood also starred in CBS’ 1998 miniseries, Mama Flora’s Family, earning him an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Television Movie/Miniseries. He is also well-known for his passionate portrayal of “Jonathan Rollins” in the NBC series L.A. Law.

People magazine named him one of its “50 Most Beautiful People” in 2000 and four years later designated him as one of the “Sexiest Men Alive.” In 2007, Underwood shot his directorial debut with Bridge to Nowhere. Additionally, he produced the TLC series Million Dollar Christmas. Underwood's other film credits include his portrayal of a space shuttle flight navigator in Deep Impact, as well as roles in Just Cause, Gattaca, Posse and Set It Off. He co-starred in the hit Madea’s Family Reunion and the romantic comedy Something New. Underwood won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Film for his starring role in Rules of Engagement.

Underwood’s theater credits include the New York revival of the musical Purlie, Measure for Measure, El Negro en Peru, The Game of Love and Chance and Love Letters opposite Alfre Woodard. Underwood published his first book in 2005, a non-fiction bestseller called Before I Got Here. In 2007, he co-authored his first detective novel Casanegra. This work and the subsequent novel, In the Night of the Heat, received rave reviews.

Underwood is involved in numerous charitable organizations. His support of The Muscular Dystrophy Association won him the 1993 Humanitarian Award, presented by the Los Angeles Chapter of MDA. He is also co-founder of Artists for a New South Africa. On Sep. 10, 2009, the largest non-profit HIV/AIDS healthcare provider in the U.S., AIDS Healthcare Foundation, announced the opening of the AHF Blair Underwood Clinic--their first AIDS treatment center in our nation’s capitol--in recognition of his longtime advocacy.