THE PARAMOUNT THEATER PO Box 1358 Burlington, NC 27216 336.222.5001 www.burlingtonnc.gov/paramount

PARAMOUNT ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR 15TH ANNIVERSARY For Immediate Release Contact David Wright 336.222.5001

The Paramount Theater, the City of Burlington’s performing arts and multipurpose center, will celebrate the fifteenth anniversary of the facility’s renovation and restoration with performances next month by two popular regional music groups. Gravel Road, a Carolinas-based bluegrass/country/pop trio, will highlight a concert on Sunday, February 10 at 3:00PM, followed by Carolina legends, Ken Knox and Company, formerly “The Chairmen of the Board”, headlining a Friday, February 15th concert at 8:00PM.

Gravel Road is made up of Burlington natives and Williams High School graduates Lisa Manning Deakins (fiddle and vocals) and Meg Monroe (vocals). Derek Deakins, Lisa’s husband handles guitar and vocals. The group’s varied musical backgrounds have converged into a style unique and innovative in the acoustic music scene. Lisa played fiddle for over five years for country music stars Pam Tillis and Bill Anderson. In addition to performing with the legendary bluegrass group, The Osborne Brothers, Derek worked with country superstar Blake Shelton for four years. Meg has lived and performed in musical theatre in New York City and appeared on the MTV show “Legally Blonde, The Series: The Search for Ellie Woods.” The group splits time now between Charleston, SC and Greenville, NC.

The Chairman of the Board began as a -based group featuring the unique vocal styling of General Norman Johnson. Their hits from that era included “Give Me Just A Little More Time,” “Dangling on a String,” “Everything’s Tuesday,” and “Pay to the Piper.” The group disbanded in 1976. Johnson reformed the group in 1978 and began playing to Carolina Beach Music crowds. Their hit “Carolina Girls” and their consistent, crowd-pleasing performances led to their induction into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in 1999. Johnson died in 2010, but the group, made up of Ken Knox, Thomas Hunter and Richard (Richie Rich) Carey Figueroa, continue to perform in sold-out venues throughout the region as “Ken Knox and Company, formerly ‘The Chairmen of the Board.’”

(more) Both concerts are sponsored by the City of Burlington/Department of Recreation and Parks, Oldies and Beach 920/WPCM, The Hampton Inn of Burlington and the Alamance County Arts Council.

Ken Knox and Company concert holds special significance, in that it is a fund-raiser for the Cancer Center at Alamance Regional Medical Center. Keyboard player Lonnie Dodson underwent successful cancer surgery at the local hospital. The members of the group felt the need to say “Thanks!” for the treatment and the quality of care their friend received and approached The Paramount about doing a fund-raising concert.

“We jumped at the chance,” says Paramount Managing Director David Wright. “I told them that if we could schedule it during our fifteenth anniversary week, the world was their oyster. We got it worked out and it’s a win-win-win. We get a great concert to go along with Gravel Road for our anniversary, our patrons get to see this all-time favorite group and ARMC gets some much- deserved recognition and a nice donation.” The Cancer Center will receive half of all ticket sales for the Sunday concert.

The events, along with a reception prior to the February 15 concert, sponsored by the Arts Council, will help mark fifteen years of the theater’s operation following a four-year long process of planning and construction that resulted in the rebirth of the long-time downtown landmark. Theater records show that nearly four thousand uses of the Paramount have been logged since the facility formally reopened on February 20, 1998 with a performance of Much Ado About Nothing by the National Shakespeare Company.

Advance tickets for the Gravel Road concert are $12 for orchestra and $10 for balcony seats. Prices at the door are $15 orchestra and $12 at the door.

Tickets for Ken Knox and Company are $20 advance and $20 at the door and are tax deductible.

Credit card reservations for both shows can be made by call the Paramount reservation line at 336.222.TIXS. The Paramount Box Office is open Monday thru Saturday from 12-3PM and one hour prior to any ticketed event.

The Paramount Theater is located at 128 E. Front Street in downtown Burlington. More information about the theater is available at www.burlingtonnc.gov/paramount or on Facebook at facebook.com/Paramount Theater of Burlington.

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For more information contact: Lisa Deakins 615.406.1173 Ken Knox 704.819.4001 David Wright 336.222.5001