For tickets to Keith Allynn’s “The Diamond Image” tribute to Neil Diamond, contact The Center’s Box Office at 606-677-6000 or call 606-677-2906.
Tribute artist Keith Allynn
Wanting to impress a girl who loved Neil Diamond’s music, Keith Allynn called her on the telephone and, in his best Neil voice, sang “Hello Again” from the album, “The Jazz Singer.”
That song launched his career as a Neil Diamond tribute artist. Since then, he has performed on tour across the country paying tribute to one of America’s legendary singers and songwriters.
Allynn—voted Tribute Artist of the Year for 2009 and 2010 by Branson music fans—performs four shows each week at the Jim Stafford Theatre in Branson, Mo. He is bringing his show, “The Diamond Image,” to Somerset for a New Year’s Eve benefit concert on Monday, Dec. 31, starting at 7:30 p.m., at The Center.
“I have seen this show three times and each time it has been better than the one before,” Carl Skaggs, founder of Cumberland Productions, said. “Allynn does Neil the way Neil did Neil 30 years ago.”
Ticket proceeds will benefit God’s Helping Hands, a community outreach program founded by Macie Bobbitt, and God’s Food Pantry.
“We are excited to host this New Year’s Eve tribute show by one of Branson’s most talented musicians,” said Laura Glover, director of events and sales at The Center. “Ring in the new year at The Center, enjoy a spectacular show with great music, and help out a needy Pulaski County family at the same time.”
In the show, Allynn tells the story of Neil Diamond’s life through Diamond’s own songs from 1960 through today. He will be performing some of Diamond’s classic standards and No. 1 hits, including “Cracklin’ Rosie,” “Cherry Cherry,” “America,” “Solitary Man, “Play Me,” “Love on the Rocks,” “Song Sung Blue,” and “Sweet Caroline.”
The love for music runs in the Allynn family. His wife, Diana—the girl he serenaded on the telephone and later married—performed with Allynn in the show until she suffered a serious health issue about a year-and-a-half ago. Allynn hopes she will be able to start performing again in 2013.
Their seven-year-old son, Bobby Darin, has been performing with his parents since age 20 months. He currently holds the title of “World’s Youngest Elvis.”
Allynn’s tribute show is supported and sponsored by Cumberland Productions and Lake Cumberland Shell. Each ticket sold includes a chance to win four show tickets for two Branson shows and two nights lodging in Branson, Missouri’s Heart of Country Music.
Coming in January
In 2013, Branson tribute artist Tim Hadler returns to The Center on Tuesday, Jan. 22, at 7 p.m. for a new show celebrating the music of country music legend Hank Williams Sr. He brought a Somerset crowd to its feet last summer and will do so again with a mix of a dead-on Hank Sr. performance, popular cover tunes made famous by some of country music’s top stars, and some of his own hits.
Each family attending will receive Hadler’s newest CD, entitled “I’m Glad You Made It,” inspired by his visit last year to the Somerset AIM Pregnancy Center and his own son Austin’s story. The show is a benefit concert to support the work of AIM Pregnancy Support Center.
