MARQUETTE - After a hugely successful CD sale to benefit the Marquette County Alzheimer's Association in 2009, Negaunee native Jeff Jennings is looking to "Inspire!" this holiday season.
He has put together "Inspire! (the concert)" - an evening of inspirational music with a flavor of the holidays - that will take place at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 3 in the Negaunee High School Auditorium.
Jennings, who now lives and teaches in Green Bay, Wis., will not be the only performer that night: His guest list includes Marcia (Nora) Paquette, Connie (Paulson) Scanlon and Kris Fisher along with the Negaunee High School Chorale and the Lakeview Elementary School chorus.
Master of ceremonies will be Mary Trolla, longtime Negaunee High music teacher and former director of the Negaunee Male Chorus.
"I was working out last summer and kicking around the idea of this concert in my mind," Jennings said. "I realized there are many people and events that have inspired me, and there are a lot of events and people that I consider my inspiration. I decided I didn't want to do something to just inspire people ... I wanted to do something to encourage people to inspire others.
"In other words, if everybody was of the mindset that they should 'do' something rather than just 'feel' something, imagine how much would get done to make this world a better place," he said.
All ticket sales from the concert will benefit the Peninsula Arts Appreciation Council. Tickets cost $4 for adults and $2 for students.
Sales of Jennings' CDs will be donated to the Marquette County Alzheimer's Association. Last year, Jennings donated nearly $1,500 to the organization from sales of the CD he released in 2009, "U.P. Christmas."
"The 'Inspire' concert will mark the official release of my sixth CD, 'Inspire,'" Jennings said. "It includes inspirational music, not religious music, but songs of different varieties with inspirational messages."
Previous Christmas CDs and a separate three-song original CD will be available for purchase at the concert. The three-song CD features Jennings' originals "Bedtime Prayers," "Christmas Decorations" and "U.P. Christmas."
The concert will include performances of these three songs and a lot more including a tribute to U.S. troops and slide presentations.
Jennings will do a duet with Fisher that ultimately earned them a fifth-in-the-nation finish in a competition in Las Vegas several years ago. Jennings also will sing songs from musicals and musical reviews he has been part of through the years including "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" and "Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Reflect Up?"
"I will also perform songs I've competed with in the state finals of the Colgate Country Showdown and the Island Resort and Casino Karaoke Championship, which I won," he said.
Door prizes will be part of the evening - including some from the Island Resort and Casino - and a hors d'ouevre and beverage reception will follow the concert.
For those who cannot attend the concert, CDs will be available through Jennings' mother, Beverly Jennings, who resides in Negaunee. She can be reached at 906-475-6893.
The price for the new CD, "Inspire" is $13. The Christmas CDs Jennings released in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2008 and 2009 are available for $10 each, while the three-song original CD is $5.
Renee Prusi can be contacted at 906-228-2500, ext. 253. Her e-mail address is rprusi@miningjournal.net.
