Edgar Struble and Friends to perform at West Shore

Edgar Struble

VICTORY TWP. -– West Shore Community College’s Performing Arts Series will welcome home for the holidays one of West Michigan’s favorite musical sons when it presents “Edgar Struble and Friends Holiday Concert” on Sat., Dec. 7, at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., in the Center Stage Theater.

According to Dr. Rick Plummer, WSCC Professor of Theater and Director of Performing Arts, “You just can’t craft a finer musical evening than the one Edgar and his talented musician friends provide, and I can’t think of a finer way to get into the Christmas spirit.”

From his office in Burbank, California Struble says, “I love to do live shows, and I’m especially excited to be performing in West Michigan. There’s no place like home!”

Music director and composer Edgar Struble works in a wide range of media, with a primary focus in television and film. For the past ten years, he has been music director and composer for the annual “Academy of Country Music Awards,” and is embarking on his eighth year in the same capacity for the “American Music Awards.”

Struble is also a successful film producer in association with 10 West Studios. He has brought to the big screen “Mickey Matson and the Copperhead Treasure¸” and will be releasing the second film in that series, “Mickey Matson and the Pirate’s Code,” sometime in 2014.

Joining Edgar on stage will be Nashville favorite Regina Leigh King, who has sung backup on TNN’s, “Prime Time Country” and for legendary performer Engelbert Humperdinck. She now sings in a blues band with friends on weekends and does a show in Nashville with an Elvis aficionado

Other friends of Edgar who will be featured in the holiday concert are Ken Jury, Ron Johnson, Chris Bickley, brothers Roger and Phil Tarczon, and Edgar’s daughter Sarah.

Struble’s career in music production and television was launched in the mid ’70s when he began a 15-year engagement as the music director for Kenny Rogers.

Struble was an integral part of the Kenny Rogers phenomenon from 1976 to 1991. He toured the world with Rogers in his role as conductor, arranger, instrumentalist and vocalist. It was during this time that he also worked extensively with Rogers’ touring partner, Dolly Parton. As Rogers’ musical director, he arranged for and conducted the Tonight Show Orchestra, as well as Rogers’ “Summer Pops Concerts” at the helm of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Other arranging clients included Al Hirt, Dottie West, The Oak Ridge Boys, Lynda Carter, Leon Russell, and Ray Charles.

Working closely with Roger’s manager, Ken Kragen, Struble was responsible for the musical content of many Kenny Rogers television specials, including the ABC special, “Kenny Rogers Classic Weekend,” the NBC special, “Kenny, Dolly & Willie: Something Inside So Strong;” and the CBS Special, “Kenny Rogers: Keep Christmas With You.”

It was the Rogers/Kragen connection which led to his participation as composer and/or musical director for many other projects including the CBS special, “A Day in the Life of Country Music,” the CBS Movie “Rio Diablo,” and the CBS four-hour miniseries, “Gambler V.” The Kragen association also led to his role as music supervisor, composer, and music editor for the CBS movie “Big Dreams and Broken Hearts: The Dottie West Story,” starring Michele Lee.

In 1991, marriage and family convinced Struble to leave the road. He settled in Nashville, from where he commuted to Los Angeles and other cities where his talents were needed.

In Music City, he was much in demand as evidenced by some of his more visible assignments; musical director for the Nashville Network’s series, “The Oak Ridge Boys Live from Las Vegas,” musical director for “Company’s Comin’,” another TNN special starring Dolly Parton, Vince Gill, and saluting the legendary Porter Wagoner.

He also served as musical director for TNN’s flagship program, “Prime Time Country,” a five-day-a-week effort in which he also appeared as an on-camera personality and a featured performer.

A 1999 move to Los Angeles brought Struble continued success in the TV and film business. He was called to supervise the filming of a musical scene in “The Hunley,” a TBS movie starring Donald Sutherland.

His recent composing credits include Dick Clark’s “Your Big Break” and “Greed” series, “Challenge of the Child Geniuses,” “This is Your Chance of a Lifetime” and “The First Family’s Holiday Gift to America” for FOX, as well as several documentary specials for TLC, A&E, and The History Channel.

Struble has produced recordings for Al Hirt, Michele Lee, the late Bobby Hatfield, of the Righteous Brothers, and for the comedian Gallagher’s Showtime TV Specials.

Since his days as front man for many regionally popular rhythm & blues bands, Struble retains his zeal for live entertaining. An accomplished and highly versatile vocalist and instrumentalist, he plays acoustic and electronic keyboards, trombone, harmonica, percussion and guitar. Struble performs regularly in Los Angeles and other locales.

Struble’s album, “No Rough Edges,” is a mixture of smooth jazz and pop that displays his talent as a songwriter, vocalist, and instrumentalist. Prior to that, he released “Piano Country,” a collection of top country hits performed on acoustic piano.

At home with his wife, Lauri, and their daughters, Bethany, Sarah, Hannah, and Rachel, Struble finds time to pursue lifelong interests in antiques, woodworking, gardening, and aviation. Struble is a certified private pilot with memberships in Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), and Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA).

Tickets for this concert may be reserved online at www.westshore.edu or by calling the WSCC box office at 843-5507.