Rockin’ on the River
Stage AE
September 25, 2021
6 – 10 p.m. I VIP 5 p.m.
Welcome back, Pittsburgh!
A one-night-only concert benefiting those served by Vincentian
9 great local artists under one roof!
- Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers
- Scott Blasey
- Chris Higbee
- Vanessa Campagna
- Billy Price
- Jon Belan – from Gene the Werewolf
- Jimmie Ross – from the Jaggerz
- Melinda Colaizzi
- Byron Nash
Ticket Prices
General Admission - $50 ($65 after September 1)
VIP - $110 ($145 after September 1)
- Includes open bar from 5 – 7 p.m.
- Food Stations
Event is produced by Engler Entertainment.
Website is: rockinpgh.org
For more information, email address is: rockinontheriver@vcs.org
About Vincentian:
Vincentian is a not-for-profit health care and human services organization that offers a continuum of care for more than 2,000 seniors per year, including independent living, personal care, memory care, short-term rehabilitation and skilled nursing. Vincentian coordinates three long-term senior care communities in the Greater Pittsburgh area, three personal care homes, two child care centers, two independent living communities and a charitable foundation. The system was founded in the Catholic tradition in 1924 and is sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth.
Rockin’ on the River
9 Great Local Artists Under One Roof
Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers
Joe Grushecky’s music has stood the test of time.It’s been more than 40 years since the creation of the Iron City Houserockers, and Joe continues to create timeless music.
Publications, including Billboard, Rolling Stone, Village Voice, No Depression, and countless others, have hailed him as one of rock and roll’s most-talented singer-songwriters.
In 1979 Rolling Stone magazine crowned his band’s first album, Love’s So Tough, the “debut record of the year.” Acclaimed rock writer Jimmy Guterman named Joe Grushecky’s second album, Have a Good Time (But Get Out Alive), as one of the 100 Best Rock & Roll Records of all time.
Legendary guitarist and Rock Hall of Famer Steve Cropper produced Blood on the Bricks. Rock superstar Bruce Springsteen produced American Babylon in 1995 and continues to perform with the band and has written songs with Joe, including the Grammy-winning Code of Silence. Their most recent collaboration,“That’s What Makes Us Great,” is an incredible duet and a call to arms.
“Grushecky & The Houserockers performed like they thought they were damn rock stars and, on that night, they were indeed the greatest rock 'n' roll outfit on the planet,” writes Blurt Magazine about the band’s live performances.
Scott Blasey
Scott Blasey is the lead singer, songwriter, and guitarist for Pittsburgh-based rock band the Clarks. Over a 34-year career, the Clarks have performed all over the country, sold more than 1 million albums, and toured with Steely Dan and John Mayer.
Their music has been featured in movies and television shows, including the 2015 season premiere of The Simpsons. They performed live on the Late Show with David Letterman, the 2009 NHL Winter Classic, and the Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon.
In addition to his success with the band, Scott has found an audience as a solo artist. He has released three albums and has opened shows for such rock icons as Neil Young and The Beach Boys. In 2004 Scott received the Distinguished Alumni Award for Service from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and in 2020 he was inducted into the Connellsville Area High School Hall of Fame.
Scott continues to perform with the Clarks, and his “Songs and Stories” shows draw rave reviews and keep him busy as a solo performer.
Chris Higbee
Born and raised on the family farm in Southwestern, Pa., Chris has always loved music. He took up the fiddle at age 7 and has since shared the stage as an expert with country music legends like the “Fiddle King Himself” Charlie Daniels, Florida Georgia Line, Tim McGraw, Toby Keith, Justin Moore, Blake Shelton and Chris Jansen.
In 2013, Chris released his debut self-titled album featuring the song “Fiddles Rock.” Within six years, he produced three more full-length albums and an ep. His album “Super Hero” features his son Alexander in vocals and playing the fiddle on the title track they penned together.
The chris Higbee Band is comprised of life-long friends and some of Nashville’s most-talented session players.
Vanessa Campagna
It is her commanding presence, explosive stage personality and her passion to perform, along with her dynamic and versatile voice, that have earned Vanessa the opportunity to work with some of the best in the business and perform at some of the biggest music venues across the country.
Her diversity and vocal purity won the respect of the world-renowned director and composer Marvin Hamlisch and mega-hit maker Desmond Child. Both worked with Vanessa to develop her songwriting and artistry.
She was a featured artist at the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame Awards, accompanied by Eduardo Marturet and the Miami Symphony Orchestra, where she paid tribute to Latin songwriting great, César Portllo de la Luz, by singing one of his hit songs, “Contigo En La Distancia.”
In 2013, she was a part of the OSCAR-winning team who collaborated on the music and lyrics for the Academy award-winning documentary/short, Inocente, which aired on MTV.
Vanessa has written multiple Top 10 hits on the UK Pop, Dance Charts and Billboard International charts for other major label artists. Her music has also been featured on The CBS Network, multiple ABC TV shows and promo spots for both the 2020 & 2021 NFL Super-Bowls.
Billy Price
The 2016 Blues Music Award (BMA) winner and two-time 2020 BMA nominee, Billy Price first attracted national attention during his three-year association with guitarist Roy Buchanan. Billy is the vocalist on two of Buchanan's LPs: That's What I'm Here For and Live Stock. With the Keystone Rhythm Band, the Billy Price Band, and solo projects, Billy has recorded and released 17 albums, CDs, and DVDs.
Billy’s album, This Time for Real, recorded with the late Chicago soul singer Otis Clay, received a 2016 Blues Music Award in the category of Best Soul Blues Album of 2015.
His most-recent album, Dog Eat Dog, produced by Kid Andersen, was released on Gulf Coast Records in August 2019 and was nominated for a 2020 BMA for Best Soul Blues Album of 2019. He also received a 2020 BMA nomination for Best Male Soul Blues Artist. His 2018 album, Reckoning, also produced by Kid, was nominated for a 2019 Blues Music Award in the category of Best Soul Blues Album of 2018.
Jon Belan
A native of Belle Vernon, Jon Belan been the lead guitar and lead singer for a series of bands, including Berlin Project and Punchline, both punk bands that toured nationally and internationally, before forming the rock ’n roll band, Gene the Warewolf in 2007.
Comprised of six native Pittsburghers, Gene the Warewolf Has become a staple in the Pittsburgh music scene boasting 4 remarkable #1 singles on the region’s most prestigious radio dial, 102.5 WDVE. The band has opened for such acts as Ted Nugent, Eddie Money and Blue Öyster Cult.
The band’s worldwide release of Rock ’n Roll Animal on Frontiers Records (home of Journey, Boston, Def Leppard and Toto) served as the catalyst for many of Gene the Warewolf successes, including favorable write ups in both SPIN and Rolling Stone Magazine.
Among the band’s albums are Light Me Up, Wicked Love, Rock 'n' Roll Animal, and The Loner. Gene the Warewolf also produced three singles, including 2019's one-off single "Love and Touch," on 102.5 WDVE-FM.
In November 2020, they released "I Should've Known Better," a single for the X as part of Hometown for the Holidays.
“Seeing Gene the Werewolf live is an experience, and I believe it's purposefully curated to be exactly that. It's big, it's fun, and sometimes over-the-top in a wonderfully unique way,” writes Katie on the X on her December 2020 blog.
Jon also serves as the singer and front man for guitar icon Reb Beach’s (Winger/Whitesnake) solo project.
jimmie Ross
Jimmie Ross is a Beaver County native and 1964 graduate of Hopewell High School.
In 1966, he and his friends formed a band, called The Jaggerz. In 1968 The Jaggerz signed its first recording contract and went on to record 7 albums and 11 singles, including one with legendary radio personality, Wolfman Jack.
Their first album, Introducing The Jaggerz, featured R&B covers, including, "Baby I Love You" and "Gotta Find My Way Back Home." Their second album, We Went to Different Schools Together, launched the #1 hit song, “The Rapper.”
“The Rapper” was played on every Top 40 station in America in 1970. The Jaggerz performed the song on Dick Clark's American Bandstand. They sold more than 2.5 million copies of the song and earned a Gold Record.
Jimmie’s many accolades include:
·The Jaggerz were inducted into the Pittsburgh Rock 'N Roll Hall of Fame in 2016.
·Jimmie was inducted into the Beaver County Musician's Hall of Fame in 2015.
·He was honored by Hopewell High School in 2014 for their Artist in Residence Program.
·Jimmie co-hosted The Roots of Rock N Roll at The Benedum Pittsburgh.
Melinda Colaizzi
Melinda is the lead singer, rhythm guitarist, and songwriter of the blues-rock band Melinda and the Night Sky. The band has shared the stage with iconic acts like the legendary B.B. King Blues Band, has received regular airplay on 102.5 FM WDVE and 91.3 FM WYEP, and most recently collaborated on an exclusive beer with North Country Brewing, which won the prestigious ARTBREW award.
The Pittsburgh native picked up an electric guitar at age 13 and immersed herself in the music of Etta James, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and The Rolling Stones.
She soon was playing local bars and taverns before earning a scholarship to the Berklee College of Music in Boston. There she formed an all-girl rock band called Mass Ave, but always wanted to make it as a solo artist.
Pittsburgh In Tune writes that Melinda is “armed with a powerful, bluesy voice and legit guitar chops.” Her music includes six originals and covers of The Black Crowes, “Seeing Things,” and The Rolling Stones, “No Expectations.”
Bryon Nash
Byron Nash is a well-known musician and long-time staple in the Pittsburgh Music scene. He entered the Music Industry as a writer for a local music magazine where he learned the ins-and-outs of the business, as well as marketing, promotion, and print media. That experience, which Bryon calls his "Rock N' Roll College," set him on his musical path.
Bryon is known for his love of Flying V guitars and his blistering, unique playing style that blends rock, blues, funk and soul all into one exciting sound. His voice is warm and comforting as he pours his heart into his lyrics sharing emotional experiences of his life.
Bryon has a reputation for his high-energy sets, stage presence and athletic guitar jumps (think Michael Jordan-meets-Eddie Van Halen height).