The Kinston-Lenoir County Friends of the Library will hold its 11th annual cruise drawing on Sunday, March 15 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the Schechter Auditorium of the Kinston-Lenoir County Public Library.
Each participant who purchases a $100 raffle ticket will receive a one-in-one-hundred chance of winning his or her choice of a Caribbean Cruise or $2,500.
The drawing will be held during a “Blast from the Past” party that will feature catered heavy hors d’oeuvres and musical entertainment from the Duke Ladd Group. Featuring Duke Ladd on keyboards, Jack Pindell on trombone, Bill Perks on tenor saxophone, and Lee Venters on drums, the ensemble will play a variety of past hits to evoke fond memories and nostalgia for yesteryear.
Duke Ladd is a versatile pianist/keyboardist who organized his band in the mid-1980s after years on the road with bands and in music school. The Duke Ladd Band has been in demand ever since. Duke has played with jazz greats Slide Hampton, Bill Watrous, and Dick Gable. At 18, Duke toured the U.S. and Canada with a 14 piece show band, backing up Hee-Haw star Roy Clark on many occasions. He received his formal education at East Carolina University and North Texas State University. Duke was a key member of the Dixieland Society Band in Wilmington.
Jack Pindell grew up under the tutelage of Raleigh jazz great Dick Gable and had his own group for many years in the Wilmington area. He is in very high demand as a trombonist and band clinician in eastern North Carolina. He is renowned for his sweet tone and wide repertoire.
Bill Perks is famous for his aggressive style and adaptability onstage. He grew up playing rock but while in the Army band, he shifted his love to jazz. Later, he honed his skills as a member of jazz organ trios and society bands. Bill’s business acumen elevated him to become the president of the Fayetteville based McFadyen Music, the largest music store in North Carolina. Bill is also a top call sax player in the Wilmington area.
Lee Venters is a freelance musician who teaches percussion and performs with several groups in addition to the Duke Ladd Band. Lee’s talents have taken him from Boston to Aruba to L.A. to Saudi Arabia. Currently, he is the house drummer for the famous Wilmington jazz club, the Rusty Nail. His first experience with Duke was performing backup for the doo-wop group, the Diamonds.
The cruise raffle is an annual fundraiser run by the Friends to support programming at the Kinston-Lenoir County Public Library. Please call 252-527-7066, Ext. 130 for more information.