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Robert Plant & the Sensational Space Shifters - 2015 gigs/tour dates


Patrycja

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I was at the gig last night. According to Robert this was the last gig of the tour and where they/he were going next was anyones guess. He said they've spent the last three years together and he referenced what a special night it was for them and for us. It really was a beautiful night along the lake front of Lake Michigan and a beautiful backdrop for the band as they watched the moon rise across the sky as they played their set. 

The set list was much like all the others, but highlights for me were Rain Song, Dazed and Confused, Fixen to Die, Rainbow, and Lemon Song to which he thanked Jack White for inspiring him in Brazil. 

This was the 4th time I've seen RP, the first being in August in 1983 at the Rosemont Horizon just outside Chicago. I enjoyed the show very much and believe Robert did as well. He was very chatty, and name checked lots of Chicago blues influences (both artists and labels). 

The most puzzling thing for me Juldeh Camara and where/how he fit in the band. While there were some tracks where I think he added just the right amount of color and there were others where it was really just annoying. His playing was at times more of a distraction than contribution. 

IIRC, Juldeh Camara played on the No Quarter album and toured with Page/Plant in support of that album.

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^^ Thanks for your impressions of the Chicago show, TOWTF!

Before some final show info, there are reviews of previous ones still trickling in, like this one from the Lock'n Festival:

Robert Plant uproots Lockn’ Festival

Arrington music gathering welcomed former Led Zeppelin frontman

by Ryan Waligora | Sep 24 2015

aerobertplantjayblakesberg

Photo: Jay Blakesberg

 

Building on the success of its past two sessions, Lockn’ Festival attracted thousands once again this year to its jam-band focused shindig in the fields of Arrington, Va. Featuring the talents of home-grown acts like Lord Nelson as well as the likes of Carlos Santana, storm clouds shaded a parade of artists with all manners of songs to share.

Likely many of the thousands were drawn to this year’s lineup by the presence of a member of rock’s old guard, an aristocrat of the industry, Robert Plant. The former Led Zeppelin singer took the stage Saturday evening surrounded by his current backing group, the Sensational Space Shifters.

The audience swelled in anticipation of the set, and Plant arrived to the cheers of the masses eager for the sounds of classics. The people got what they came for.

The Sensational Space Shifters and their frontman brought on a slew of covers punctuated by Led Zeppelin staples, and the presence of “Whole Lotta Love” and others showcased Plant as any longtime fan knows him: full of energy and enraptured by his music.

Despite all the years that have passed since Zeppelin first shook the world with its heavy versions of British folk and American blues, Plant still managed to shake the muddy ground outside Arrington as “Trampled Underfoot” reverberated through the humid air. Plant raised his hands in unison with the audience and let them take the lead on the chorus of “Black Dog.” All present witnessed his ability to connect with people is as strong as ever.
 
Plant was very much at the center of the band’s presentation and indulged the audience in the history of the covers and the source material of the set while knowing music is living history — it can tell stories like nothing else.

Less of Zeppelin’s famous back-and-forth rapport between band members was present, and though the band clearly has chemistry, Plant’s singing is very much the Space Shifters’ driving force.

His influence makes the old records shine even more by taking them in new directions, as with the “Whole Lotta Love” medley performed in Arrington. Rather than brandishing a violin bow on a guitar, the lyrics danced around the hum of an African one-string fiddle. The passion for sounds unique to regions and people outside of their home country lives on, with Plant’s new ensemble giving special attention.

After the band made a quick exit, keeping in time with Lockn’s efficient two-stage operation, the spell broke and many shuffled away. The sunset granted festival-goers a fantastic view, as well as a chance to experience one of the only ways to get semi-authentic Led out in a live setting. So much of Plant’s offering was classic Led Zeppelin that in spite of all his resistance to actual reunions, watching that sun descend left one wondering what the future holds for a musician with so much of his past still living around him.

Here’s hoping the sun rises with Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones (not the basketball arena) standing beside him on-stage.

http://www.cavalierdaily.com/article/2015/09/robert-plant-lockn-2015

 

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And here it is, the set list and a review from the last show (as far as we know) of 2015 for Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters. Thanks for the music, gents!

FirstMerit Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island, Chicago, IL (23-9-2015):

  1.  
  2.  
  3.  
  4. (Plant included lyrics from Sea of Love)
  5. (Willie Dixon cover)
  6.  
  7.  
  8.  
  9. ([traditional] cover)
  10. (Bukka White cover)
  11.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
  12. Encore:
  13.  
  14.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/robert-plant/2015/firstmerit-bank-pavilion-at-northerly-island-chicago-il-6bf4822a.html


Robert Plant showed why Zep snub was a good thing

Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters

Photo: Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune

Bob Gendron Chicago Tribune
 
SEPTEMBER 24, 2015, 10:16AM
 
Robert Plant spent 90 minutes Wednesday at Northerly Island proving again why his refusal to reunite with Led Zeppelin remains sagacious despite the promise of big money. Backed by a superb band, the Sensational Space Shifters, the singer approached the wildly diverse concert like a restless radio operator with hundreds of stations at his disposal. He and his mates regularly changed frequencies and dialed into music from multiple continents. Intrigued at how all the pieces might fit, Plant and company connected the dots among outwardly disparate styles without once sounding forced or stiff.

Aside from the lines across his face and gray in his facial hair, the iconic frontman never let his 67-year age show. While his range doesn't reach the regions it hit during Zeppelin's heyday, Plant was in tremendous voice and up for adventure. He even unleashed a few signature wails and cries, demonstrating he can still draw on reserve lung power when needed. Yet Plant seemed more interested in exploring subtleties, playing with textures and exercising restraint. The approach heightened the mysticism of familiar favorites and conveyed a curiosity manifested in the group's blend of Welsh, African, Appalachian and Southern strains.

Singing in pliable, honeyed tones that traced the sensual curves and cosmic contours of the songs, Plant mixed styles and updated traditions. Save for a stripped-down "The Rain Song," each Zeppelin number performed featured reconfigured architecture and surprising twists. "Trampled Under Foot" welcomed funkier passages that wouldn't have been out of place on a disco floor. "Black Dog" teased with a slower tempo before slithering to a viscous groove. "Rock and Roll" jumped and jived to bagpipelike melodies provided by Gambian instrumentalist Juldeh Camara's ritti (a one-string violin).

In the same way the band's fresh takes on Zeppelin tunes rescued them from languishing as abused classic-rock staples on FM airwaves, overhauled renditions of Willie Dixon's "Spoonful" — complete with keyboardist John Baggott's haunting electronic twitter — and Bukka White's "Fixin' to Die" reveled in the kind of exotic tension long absent from downtown's tourist-minded blues clubs. Plant and Co. had no time for any such nostalgia or convention.

 

But even as the musicians navigated unmapped territories in which deep drones, polyrhythmic beats and country reels intersected, they honored their roots. Plant thanked local institutions Chess, Delmark and Vee-Jay Records as well as gospel greats the Staple Singers for influencing him. For the vocalist, who dubbed the evening a "benediction of spirit and soul," the acknowledgments brought everything — including his tour, which ended here — full circle.

Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters

Robert Plant

Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters

Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters

Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters

Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters

Photos: Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/ct-robert-plant-review-ent-0925-20150924-story.html

 

 

 

 

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I went to the New York City show last Friday. It was a lot of fun. I didn't like one of the guitarists; is that the person mentioned a couple of posts back here? I thought it was a good mix of tunes between Zep and non-Zep. Even though Robert's voice does not much resemble the Zep days, he has maintained his swagger and I enjoyed that. He related well to the crowd.

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^ Fantastic! Thanks for posting. I love these compilations; Dave Smith did a great job putting it together. "Until next time..." - intriguing and hopeful. Looking forward to hearing what eclectic mixes next time brings!

Until then, some more photos have surfaced from the show in Boston (20-9-2015):

Indie Minded Gallery: Robert Plant – Blue Hills Bank Pavilion – Boston, MA – September 20, 2015

All Photos were taken by Gary Alpert from Deafboy Photography.

RobertPlantSept202015 (9)  

RobertPlantSept202015 (31)

RobertPlantSept202015 (32)

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See the rest of the photos here: http://indieminded.com/2015/09/robert-plant-blue-hills-bank-pavilion-boston-ma-september-20-2015/

 

 

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Well this is a kind act. Fresh off a long tour, Robert's going to lend his voice in support of a children's charity:

 

ROBERT PLANT TO PLAY CUMBRIAN GIG

Kate Wright

Last updated at 17:10, Wednesday, 30 September 2015

Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant is set to blow Cumbrians away with an historic one-off charity appearance.

Robert Plant

Children’s charity CKDCF has pulled off one of the biggest coups in Cumbrian music history by securing the talents of the Zep’s charismatic front-man, Robert Plant, for their annual fundraising concert to be held in Egremont Market Hall later this month.

The CKDCF, a small charity based in Egremont which provide grants and charitable donations to help Cumbrian children in need, was founded by Francis Dunnery of It Bites fame. Francis met Robert Plant in the early 90s when he was asked to audition for, and later became, guitarist in Plant’s band.

The pair have remained friends ever since but when Francis asked him if he might be able to help support the charity he says he did so reluctantly. “Robert gets asked for his patronage all the time from various organizations throughout the world,” explains Dunnery. “He is a contributor to various charities including the Nordoff Robbins music therapy fund in the USA.

"The fact that Robert agreed to travel all the way to Cumbria after recently finishing a three year stint on tour, rehearse, perform and take part in our charity, is a testament to his character. I am truly indebted to the man. Everyone at the CKDCF is excited beyond belief and this year's fundraising has already surpassed the previous 13 years.”

Since the announcement of Robert Plant’s scheduled appearance, tickets for the concert have sold out, with hundreds of people set to attend. Alongside Robert Plant, other performances at the fundraising concert include: Big Big Train, Peter Jones, Dorie Jackson, John Mitchell, Andrea and Bennedetta, John Gilmour Smith, John Bentley, Materya, John and Wayne and of course Francis Dunnery himself.

"If you were fortunate to get a ticket for this year's event,” said Francis, “then you can look forward to a fantastic performance and if you were too late, perhaps next year you will consider adding the CKDCF fundraising weekend to your annual calendar so as not to miss out on the fantastic fun that we have every year.”

The CKCDF Annual Benefit Concert takes place at Egremont Market Hall on Saturday 24 October.

If you want to find out more about the charity or make a donation, visit www.ckdcf.org

http://www.cumbrialive.co.uk/home/robert-plant-to-play-cumbrian-gig-1.1228249

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Robert will be performing a show at the Celtic Connections music festival on Sunday, January 31, 2016 to honour Bert Jansch (https://twitter.com/BertJanschFdn/status/656404087324430336) which will support the Bert Jansch Foundation - http://bertjanschfoundation.org/

Songs of Joni Mitchell and a tribute to Edith Piaf make up some of the many other intriguing musical choices available for lucky fans who attend the 18-day event in Glasgow. Check out the Celtic Connections website for more info on artists and dates: http://www.celticconnections.com/Pages/default.aspx

Robert Plant to star at Celtic Connections 2016

Robert Plant is making a one-off appearance at the festival. Picture: Getty

 Picture: Getty

BRIAN FERGUSON

13:22 Tuesday 20 October 2015

ROCK legend Robert Plant is to be one of the star attractions at Glasgow’s Celtic Connections music festival - in a line-up also featuring a night in honour of Joni Mitchell’s songs, a tribute to the life of Edith Piaf and a celebration of Paul Simon’s groundbreaking Graceland album.

Plant will be making a one-off appearance in a tribute night to late Scottish guitar legend Bert Jansch, who passed away four years ago this month.

The Led Zeppelin frontman’s performance at the 1000-capacity Old Fruitmarket - along with indie-rock guitarist Bernard Butler and Glasgow-born Jansch’s former Pentlangle bandmate Jacqui McShee - is expected to be one of the hottest tickets at the 18-day event, which will be held across 26 stages in January.

Artistic director Donald Shaw has unveiled a string of shows marking landmark anniversaries, as well as an expansion into two new venues, for the festival, which attracts sells more than 100,000 and is worth around £10 million to the city’s economy.

A clutch of South African township musicians who played on Paul Simon’s groundbreaking Graceland album will appear in a special concert marking 30 years since its release. The show at      the Royal Concert Hall, the festival’s base, will be fronted by Edinburgh band Bwani Junction after Mr Shaw spotted the band performing its songs at a tiny nightspot in the capital this summer.

Scottish author James Robertson will be joining forces with folk singers Karine Polwart, Dick Gaughan and Annie Grace to “reimagine” Joni Mitchell’s classic album Hejira to mark its 40th anniversary, while some of of her other best-known songs will also be performed.

Shetland fiddler Aly Bain will be honoured with a 70th birthday party, which will also mark the 30th anniversary of his partnership with accordionist Phil Cunningham. Irish folk superstars The Chieftains will be behind a special concert marking the 100th anniversary of the Easter Rising in Dublin.

Fifty years on from the formation of the Traditional Music and Song Association of Scotland, one of the nation’s leading young singers, Siobhan Miller, will be masterminding a showcase of leading vocal talents for the festival’s opening night gala.

A new experimental music night is being launched at the Drygate Brewery, which will become a festival venue for the first time, plugging a gap left by the recent demise of The Arches. The city’s recently-revamped opera house, the Theatre Royal, will host a show devoted to the life and music of Edith Piaf , who was born 100 years ago in December, as part of a major showcase of French music.

American and Canadian music is being strongly championed, with They Might Be Giants, Rickie Lee Jones, John Grant, Frazey Ford, Lucinda Williams, John Grant, and Martha Wainwright in the line-up.

World music stars appearing include Senegalese singer Baaba Maal, Mongolian outfit Anda Union, Soumik Datta, a virtuoso on the Indian sarod instrument, who will perform with Austrian percussionist Bernhard Schimpelsberger, and the Afro Celts.

Scottish Album of the Year winner Kathryn Joseph will also be making her debut at the event alogng with home-grown favourites Admiral Fallow, Skerryvore, Eddi Reader, Lau, Rachel Sermanni, Blazin’ Fiddles and James Yorkston.

Mr Shaw said that securing 67-year-old Plant for the festival - which will see him follow the likes of Sir Tom Jones and the late Bobby Womack by performing at Celtic Connections - had been on his wish-list for some time.

He added: “We talked about doing a Bert Jansch night the year after he died (in 2011), but the timing was not quite right and the idea got shelved.

“We spoke with his family and said we would try to do something another time. I knew that Robert Plant was a fan and was hugely influenced by him. He was always in my mind for the show.

“I’ve met him a couple of times and he has been very complimentary about the Transatlantic Sessions shows that we do. I wanted him to hang about for them, but we couldn’t quite make the dates work for him to do that as well.

Celtic Connections will be honouring Joni Mitchell, another long-time target for Mr Shaw, less than a year after she was treated in hospital after suffering a brain aneurysm. It emerged last that the folk icon is “making good progress” as she recovers at home.

He added: “Joni Mitchell has always been in my thinking for the festival ever since I got this job 10 years ago.

“I realised two or three years ago that it was highly unlikely we would ever get her to come, due to the fact she was pretty much hiding away and not really performing.

"When she got ill I just thought that I didn’t want be doing a tribute to Joni in two or three years time. I had the idea of doing some kind of homage to her music.

“I had met James Robertson a couple of times and he had expressed an interest in the lyrics of Joni Mitchell.

“He has recreated the songs from her Hejira album into Scots folk song. The text is amazing - the songs have all be rewritten from a Scottish perspective.

“What’s going to quite authentic is that we’re bringing in the great guitarist Larry Carlton, who played on Hejira, along with Felix Pastorius, the son of the Weather Report bass player Jaco Pistorius, who was also on the album.”

The festival will be reflecting on the refugee crisis and the clampdown on migrants with a theme of pilgrimage, including the annual indie night Roaming Roots Revue, which will celebrate the great musical troubadours and a live performance of an album looking at Britain’s history of child migration. A special multi-media show will tell the story of Shetland crofter Betty Mouat, who was accidentally cast adrift in the North Sea in the 1880s and ended up being washed ashore in Norway, but survived her ordeal.

Mr Shaw said: I was thinking about the whole refugee issue and you suddenly wonder: ‘At what point did the world close the gates?’

“As a musician you think of that idea of free movement of people around the world as being something that is a huge catalyst to how music evolves.

“People come together and they hear the music of other nations. World music could never have evolved to the level that it has.

“When you think of what Paul Simon did at the time, people were telling him that he couldn’t come to South Africa because of apartheid.

“But his argument at the time was that music goes beyond all boundaries and all politics.

“It is a really sobering thought that it is actually not possible to travel freely around the world."

• Celtic Connections runs from 14-31 January. Tickets are on sale now.

http://www.scotsman.com/what-s-on/music/robert-plant-to-star-at-celtic-connections-2016-1-3921998#axzz3p6G3DS2w

 

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^ Cheers, Deb!

Hey, the charity gig at Egremont Market Hall in support of Cumbrian children in need is fast upon us (can't believe it's nearing the end of October already) and a couple of photos and a snippet (literally 20 seconds) of music are in.

 

If you want to find out more about the charity or make a donation, visit www.ckdcf.org

 

"Down By the Seaside"

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^ via the ever handy @ledzepnews https://twitter.com/LedZepNews

"Gone Gone Gone"

 

 

^ Not sure why we're seeing only half of it, but you can go to @ledzepnews or CKDCF 's twitter https://twitter.com/CKDCF to view the video in full.

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https://twitter.com/BradKavanagh

 

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(Instagram/kieran_rowe) via @ledzepnews

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(Twitter/MattCohenBass) via @ledzepnews

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Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant thrills with Cumbrian gig

Sunday, 25 October 2015

Rock legend Robert Plant has helped raise over £30,000 for a Cumbrian children’s charity with an appearance at a concert in Egremont.

The Led Zeppelin lead singer wowed the small crowd with eight songs which he performed with Francis Dunnery, of It Bites fam.

The money will go to CKDCF, a small charity based in Egremont which provides grants and charitable donations to help Cumbrian children in need, was founded by Dunnery. Francis met Robert Plant in the early 90s when he was asked to audition for, and later became, guitarist in Plant’s band.

The charity held other fundraising activities during the weekend including a dinner and sponsored walk.

Plant clearly enjoyed the gig and joked with the audience: “This is better than the big time. It’s been a treat to do this - well it was when I got off the bus and knew that Wolves had lost 3-1.”

Afterwards Dunnery spoke to Cumbria Live and paid tribute to Robert Plant who he described as “the biggest star in world.”

“This is a testimony to his humanity that he would agree to come all this way and do this. He is just a great guy.

“I’ve known him for 20 years and love him, we’ve been around the world together. He doesn’t want to be be Robert Plant the icon. He’s generous and you’ve seen tonight that he’s still got his feet on the ground.”

Fans had travelled from all over the country for the gig and local were thrilled to have such as legend at Plant in their midst.

Emma Sloan, of Frzington, described it as “surreal”, adding: “We’re big plans of Led Zeppelin, big fans of Page and Plant. We seen him all over the country so to see him here is amazing.”

Pip Martindale, of Egremont, said: “It has been superb, absolutely superb. We’re very proud that a home town lad like Francis can bring such a legend to Egremont.”

And it wasn’t just rock fans that Robert Plant thrilled during his visit.

Earlier he popped in to Cockermouth and visited Wordsworth House, posing for pictures with the delighted staff.

http://www.cumbrialive.co.uk/home/led-zeppelin-s-robert-plant-thrills-with-cumbrian-gig-1.1229372

 

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Beautiful photo, Lilith, hopefully you can post some more. I wanted to say, as well, that Robert's banter with the musicians and audience was funny, easy-flowing, and engaging as the videos above and article below attest. Looks like such a fun, down-to-earth gig. He did say, I think, that he'll be back next year, so fans - and the charity - have another amazing show to look forward to. Bringing joy and benefit - what could be better?

 

FIVE TALKING POINTS FROM ROBERT PLANT’S AMAZING GIG IN CUMBRIA

By Nick Turner

Last updated at 19:27, Sunday, 25 October 2015

Led Zeppelin lead singer Robert Plant joined a charity gig at Egremont Market Hall - and showed a funny and down to earth side to the rock legend.

Robert Plant

Robert Plant is a rock legend, but he’s a down to earth guy too

Francis Dunnery described Plant as one of the “biggest stars on the planet” and he has a point. But he was happy to be here in Egremont and chatted to the audience about how he didn’t mind being there as Wolves had been beaten 3-1 that day.

Robert Plant is funny, really funny

If he ever loses that amazing voice Plant could try his hand at stand-up comedy. He chatted: with the audience between songs and had a really witty line in banter. He told us that “Francis said to me: ‘Do you want to see Wolverhampton Wanderers lose again or come up to Egremont Crab Fair?’ I told him: You can get cream for that, you know.”

When a woman could contain her excitement no longer and shouted out: “Robert, you sexy bastard.” He was back at her with: “Mother! I’ve told you…”

Read more: Francis Dunnery pays tribute to Robert Plant and how the Led Zeppelin dropped in on a Cumbrian ourist attraction

It’s all about rock 'n' roll

Robert Plant has travelled many avenues in his musical journey, exploring all kinds of music from folk to African, but it is the rock n roll of his youth that makes his hips wiggle. He mocked Francis Dunnery for his prog rock guitar playing and said he was happy that Dunnery had discovered ‘God’s own music’ - early Elvis. Seeing them together performing Elvis’s Hunk of Love was a sight to behold.

His full set list was:

  • Gone Gone Gone
  • If I Was A Carpenter
  • Down By The Seaside
  • Rich Woman
  • Going to California
  • Hunk of Love
  • Rock & Roll
  • Don’t (encore)

Read more: see our picture gallery of the best pictures from the Robert Plant gig

Robert Plant may be 67, but he’s still got it

Plant introduced Going to California with the throwaway line of: “Here’s a song about an alternative to living in Wolverhampton.” It was an awesome performance and I can’t have been alone in the room in thinking I would remember this moment for the rest of my life.

Robert Plant was amazing, but so were lots of other people

Francis Dunnery assembled an amazing array of talent to raise money for CKDCF, a small charity based in Egremont which provides grants and charitable donations to help Cumbrian children in need. There were songs from prog rockers Big Big Train, a witty number from songwriter John Gilmour Smith and an incredible performance from singer Deborah Rose which had everyone snapping up her CDS after the gig.

And of course there was Dunnery, loving every minute of “the campfire vibe” as performers swapped around and supported each other. These also included his brother John and nephew Danny and blind pianist Peter Jones aka Tiger Moth Tales.
It was quite a night, never to be forgotten - and one which raised thousands for a good cause.

Yeah, Robert Plant and Francis Dunnery, Egremont Market Hall, Oct 24th 2015 - I was there.

 
 
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ledded1! Wow, Thank you so much for sharing the videos. Robert doing Don't by Elvis (my heart be still). He did it so beautiful...All of the videos are great especially the two Elvis, but that one put a lump in my throat. What a wonderful cause which makes it all the better. ledded again, thank you!  :) 

Lilith, thank you for the beautiful photo:-)

Patrycja, thanks for the article lady!  

 

Sam, thanks as well for the article:-) 

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