Brian McCullough and Kelly Vohnn PRESS RELEASE 1-23-14 Contact: Mike Singer (760) 341-2883, ext. 78107 [email protected] Roy Orbison and Reba McEntire tribute concert coming to Indian Wells Theater on Feb. 15 PALM DESERT, Calif. – Tribute artists Brian McCullough and Kelly Vohnn will perform as Roy Orbison and Reba McEntire at the Indian Wells Theater at Cal State San Bernardino’s Palm Desert Campus on Saturday, Feb. 15, at 7 p.m. McCullough has been traveling and singing the beautiful and challenging songs of Roy Orbison fulltime since 1995. His tribute artist career began calmly enough, purely as a hobby during his years of being a writer and radio show host in New England - that announcer with the smooth “voice of authority” you heard in everything from familiar commercials to interactive exhibits at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. A fan videotaped McCullough singing at a club one night, and without his knowledge, sent the tape off to a Las Vegas producer. Soon after, a very surprised McCullough received a telephone call while on the air. The caller was John Stuart, the originator of the world-famous impersonator show “Legends in Concert,” and Brian's career changed overnight. Clients and fans appreciate McCullough's consistent talent as much today as when he changed from radio personality to onstage star almost 20 years ago. Since his first gig at the Tropicana in Atlantic City, he has enjoyed repeat appearances in casinos throughout the United States, and extended runs in Nashville, Myrtle Beach, Branson and resorts in Mexico. In additions, appearances up and down the Eastern Seaboard, tours with rock-and-roll shows on the West Coast and across the Sunbelt states, and even months at sea entertaining on cruise ships. McCullough has also developed a special show dedicated entirely to Orbison that is a favorite in dinner theaters - two full hours of songs from all of Orbison's eras. Vohnn is a Canadian country artist and impersonator. Though she loved growing up in the heart of the city, she developed a love for traveling when her family would take camping trips or visiting the United States. She began her career as a singing impersonator in the Keith Burton Tribute Show. Vohnn was a single mother of three young children who would come to her shows and watch her perform as Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton, Shania Twain, Reba McEntire and Madonna, as well as herself, singing back-up vocals when her fellow performers were paying tribute to other characters. She performed in this show for two years before leaving to pursue a career as a country recording artist. During this time, she started her own record label, P.A.y B.A.C.K. records. Vohnn recorded her debut CD, “A New Beginning,” under her label and her first single release was a remake of Patsy Cline’s “Sweet Dreams,” which reached No. 4 in two weeks on the Indie European charts. The second release, “Her Momma’s Eyes and Her Daddy’s Gun,” landed her a national distribution deal with Song Canada. She gained international recognition and was awarded “Canadian Country Artist of the Year” in Nashville for International Independent Artists in 1999. Upon the third release, “Waitin’ Tables,” Vohnn was awarded “Entertainer of the Year” in Nashville for International Independent Artists. Pursuing her recording career as a single mom became financially challenging so she went on the road as a singing impersonator. She traveled throughout Canada and the United States with her children and home-schooled them. Vohnn excelled at impersonating several different characters, so her good friend Keith Burton encouraged her to write and produce her one woman show called “Kelly Vohnn Divas.” After performing this show for a year, she packed up the children and moved to Las Vegas. Vohnn pursued other shows and was the lead female in “Cowboy Cabaret” and the lead in “Cowboy Christmas”. In addition to working in “legend-style” shows, she works regularly as a “Dealertainer” at Imperial Palace, impersonating an array of celebrities, with McEntire being her most famous character. In 2010, Vohnn won the Reba McEntire look-alike contest in New York City hosted by McEntire herself with the Valory Music Group. In 2011, she was recognized for her charity efforts, and received the prestigious “Chairman’s Award” and the “Chairman’s Property Award” from Caesar’s Entertainment. Tickets for the show are $35 or $40 and can be purchased by calling the Indian Wells Theater box office at (760) 341-6909. Parking is included in the ticket price. The Indian Wells Theater at Cal State San Bernardino’s Palm Desert Campus is located at 37-500 Cook St. For more information about upcoming concerts and other events, visit the Indian Wells Theater website at www.IWTheater.com. For more information about the CSUSB Palm Desert Campus, contact Mike Singer in the campus’s Office of Public Affairs at (760) 341-2883, ext. 78107 or [email protected] or visit the CSUSB Palm Desert Campus website at www.pdc.csusb.edu. -30-