Musicians who have played with stars such as David Bowie, Joe Cocker and Billy Joel will come together for a special event titled "The Big Strum" on Saturday in Essex.
Gloucester's Fly Amero, a guitarist with Orleans, organized the event of super-guitarists for the one-night-only show.
Amero said the group has a powerful songlist.
"Some of the tunes have been extended to allow for three-way 'guitar wars' jams that may twist audiences into a frenzy," Amero said.
The newest performers to the group are David Bowie drummer Mike Levesque and Billy Joel guitarist David Brown of Gloucester.
They will join Amero, and Cliff Goodwin, who played with Joe Cocker and Wolf Ginandes, a performer known to Cape Ann audiences.
"With three acclaimed monster guitars across the front line, the name 'Big Strum' now takes on new meaning," Amero said.
He said an eclectic selection of material will be performed by the band. Part of the music emanated from Joe Cocker's walk-in closet, Amero said.
Cocker was known as a hit-maker of songwriters' material presented to him in the 1960s and 1970s.
One day Goodwin, Cocker's guitarist and musical director of 14 years, was visiting Cocker's home in Woodstock, New York when Cocker opened the door to a large walk-in closet in the foyer.
"Cassette tapes, which were piled to the ceiling, spilled out onto the floor. Many of those tapes were nonpublished, home-recorded song demos by great writers such as Delbert McClinton, Jimmy Barnes, Mickey Jupp, Paul Carrack, John Hiatt and others," Amero said. "Cocker told Cliff he was welcome to the tapes."
Several years later, when Goodwin, Amero and Ginandes formed the Fly Amero Band, they fished through the old box and found some "jewels" of serious rock and roll material, which never made it to mainstream rock listeners. They brought these gems to life, some which will be played at the Saturday event.
Gail McCarthy can be reached at gmccarthy@gloucestertimes.com
If you go
What: The Big Strum
When: Saturday, May 10
Where: The former Lobster Trap Pub at 125 Main St., located behind the Woodman's parking lot in the lower floor of the Essex Room function hall in Essex. Doors open 7:30 p.m. Music will run approximately from 8 p.m. to midnight.
Tickets: $15, on sale at Gloucester Music. Tickets also will be sold at the door if not sold out.
