[StBernard] Chubby Checker to perform at the Sigur Center Aug. 14, 2010 to celebrate 50th birthday of "The Twist"

[Westley Annis]

Chubby Checker to perform at the Sigur Center on Aug. 14to celebrate 50th
birthday of "The Twist"


Chubby Checker and the Wild Cat's have chosen Chalmette to celebrate the
50th anniversary of the release of the legendary song "The Twist." The
legendary Chubby Checker and the Wild Cats will perform Saturday, August 14,
2010, at the Sigur Civic Center, 8245 W. Judge Perez Dr. in Chalmette, La.
Doors open at 6:00 p.m. with the Chalmette High Jazz Band playing at 6:30
p.m.  

 

A twist contest will follow.  Chubby starts at 8:00 p.m.  Proceeds will
benefit the "Tower of Lights Project".  All seats are $40 and are general
admission. Dress is casual.  Tickets can be purchased at any A-1 Appliance
store.  For more information contact the Office of Tourism at 278-4242.

 

Chubby, born Ernest Evans October 3, 1941, is absolutely incredible!  At 68
years of age, he looks, sounds, and dances like he's a good 20 years
younger!  

 

Music lovers know Chubby's repertoire includes decades of high- energy,
unforgettable songs and dance hits from his landmark, 60s-era, to his Rock
"n Roll showstoppers.

 

The host for the evening will be Scoot in the Morning form B97 FM Radio
Station. The Twist Concert will be Judge by Bob Walker WTIX FM Radio
Station. 

        

This will be Checker's only show in Chalmette, said Darleen Asevedo,
personal friends of Legend for the last 15 years. Asevedo is promoting this
concert along with Senator AG. Crowe. The concert currently has two
sponsors: A1 Appliance where Asevedo works and The Joseph and Arlene Meraux
Foundation.

 

In June 1959, Chubby recorded "The Twist." Bernie Lowe, president of Cameo
Parkway records was not initially impressed with Chubby's recording and felt
it may be a "B" side at best. However, Chubby felt "The Twist" was something
special and worked hard promoting the record by undertaking non-stop rounds
of TV dates, interviews and live performances. Fourteen months later, in the
summer of 1960, "The Twist" was a hit. 

 

"The Twist" was not only the number one song but it introduced the concept
of "dancing apart to the beat." Over the next few years, endless songs
incorporating "The Twist" into its name sprang up such as "Peppermint
Twist," "Twist and Shout" and "Twistin' the Night Away."

In addition, each new song brought a new dance involving "dancing apart to
the beat" such as "The Jerk," "The Hully Gully," "The Boogaloo" and "The
Shake." At the forefront was Chubby with "The Fly," "The Pony" and "The
Hucklebuck."

 

The next few years were prolific for Chubby as hit followed hit. In 1961,
Chubby recorded "Pony Time" written by Don Covay and John Berry. It went to
#1 and stayed on the charts for 16 weeks. In between recording and touring,
Chubby took time to add feature films to his portfolio with the releases of
"Don't Knock the Twist" and "Twist Around The Clock."

 

In the fall of 1961, record industry history was made when Checker's
original hit record, "The Twist," re-entered the charts and by January of
1962, it was back in the #1 position. No other record before or since has
accomplished that feat. Combining its 1960 run with its 1961-62 return, "The
Twist" spent an amazing nine month total on the U.S. best seller charts. 

 

Chubby Checker merchandise was everywhere, and included T-shirts, shoes,
ties, dolls, raincoats and chewing gum. His success continued for years with
the release of one dance record after another, with "The Fly" and "Let's
Twist Again," for which he won a Grammy for the "Best Rock Performance."

 

More hit records followed. "Slow Twistin'," "Dancin' Party," "Popeye the
Hitchhiker" and "The Limbo Rock" all came along in 1962. In 1963, Checker
returned to the hit parade with "Birdland" and "Twist It Up," after which he
followed with "Loddy Lo" and a series of other novelty type tunes.
Eventually, teens incorporated these movements to all songs that had a beat
and called these movements "The Boogie," a permanent fixture in Rock and
Roll.

 

Tickets will be $40, limited to 3,000. They are available at all A1
Appliance & Electronic stores: Chalmette, Elmwood, Gretna,
Veterans/Metairie, Kenner, Covington, Lapalco and Slidell. For store
locations visit their web site at www.a1ontheweb.com or call 504-341-9999 or
504-271-9999. For more information, Call Darleen Asevedo 504-271-9999 or
checkerbar at aol.com.

 

Any profits will go to TOWER OF LIGHTS: A Gift to the World from the
Citizens of St. Bernard Parish. For more information, visit
www.thetoweroflights.com.

 
Sen. A.G. Crowe is leading a team of community leaders to raise money to
creating the "Tower of Lights" to be displayed on the 540' Port of St.
Bernard (Kaiser) tower. 
Sen. Crowe said this monumental display of lights will be St. Bernard's way
of thanking those who came to help us in our time of great need. The "Tower
of Lights" will represent a person, a group, a church, a city, a state, a
country, a service organization and so on. In 2009, we started with
Christmas colored laser beams and as funds become available, the "Tower of
Lights" will evolve into a major St. Bernard attraction that we will all be
proud of. This gift of thanks to the world from St. Bernard will be paid for
with private contributions and donations.