THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, June 7, 1996 TAG: 9606050143
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ERIC FEBER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 50 lines
Gary Woolard will make the ghost of Roy Orbison smile once more.
The 41-year-old Chesapeake resident and 1971 Great Bridge High School graduate will again don those distinctive wrap-around sunglasses and make with the operatic tenor.
Woolard and his band Exit - Danny Lowton on rhythm guitar and backing vocals, Artie Hobbs on drums and backing vocals, and Tom DeFir on bass and backing vocals - will perform at a dinner and show June 14 to raise money for Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters.
Woolard will present his popular Roy Orbison show, where he'll cover 15 of the rock legend's biggest hits. After that, he and the band will take a 10-minute break and come back with an hourlong Elvis Presley show, starring Bob Glass, a data analyst for a defense contractor by day and a pretty keen King by night.
In fact, Woolard said he and Exit backed Glass' Elvis show at the 24th Street Stage at the recent Viva Elvis Fest II at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront.
``It was the first time he played with a live backing band, and he and the audience seemed to love it,'' Woolard said.
Woolard, a safety engineer for the local affiliate of Tarmac America, an international concrete company, is no stranger to rock 'n' roll.
``I've been performing in various rock bands in Chesapeake for the past 20 years,'' he said. ``Old time rock 'n' roll was always my favorite and that's what we play.''
He said he and his band once backed a rather lackluster Elvis impersonator several years ago. That's when he got the idea to go Orbison.
``For one thing, Roy's always been one of my favorite rockers,'' Woolard said. ``After we backed this Elvis guy, I thought I could do something like that, too. At first I thought I'd do Buddy Holly, but my wife suggested that I sound more like Orbison, so I worked on perfecting his sound.''
``I'll never become a rock star, but - hey - this is fun. Performing is our No. 1 thing. We all love it.'' MEMO: AT A GLANCE
What: A Tribute to Roy Orbison and Elvis benefit dinner and show
featuring the band Exit.
When: Friday, June 14. Doors open at 6:30, dinner at 7 and show at
8:30 p.m.
Where: VFW Post No. 4809, 5728 Bartee St., Norfolk
Cost: Tickets are $12.50 for the dinner and show. All proceeds will
benefit the Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters.
Call: More information and tickets are available by calling 546-0679
or 486-8340. by CNB