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LAID BACK ATTACK NEWSLETTER

RED LION HOTEL – Olympia, WA

Host of

LAID BACK ATTACK 2015

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR LAID BACK ATTACK XIII

CORPORATE SPONSORS

MARCH 2015

Corona New LBA Presenting Sponsor The Parrot Heads of Puget Sound are pleased to

announce that Corona and Corona Light are

now presenting sponsors of the 13th Annual

Laid Back Attack.

Corona, produced by Constellation Brands in

Mexico for export to the United States and

distributed in the Olympia, WA area by Marine

View Beverage, is the top selling imported beer

in the US.

Corona and Corona Light joins the Parrot

Heads of Puget Sound, Stars and Stripes and

Exit 104 Media as presenters of the award-

nominated trop rock event to be held July 9-12

in Olympia, WA, with proceeds benefitting the

USO Northwest, serving the members of the

US armed forces and their families.

Featured performers at this year’s Laid Back

Attack include The Boat Drunks, Stars on the

Water with special guest former Coral Reefer

Amy Lee, The Calypso Nuts, Brittany Kingery

(with Rob Hill & Melanie Howe), Thom

Shepherd, Tall Paul and Crawdaddy, Girlz

Rule, Tropical Soul, Kelly McGuire, Jim

Hoehn, Kristie Bobal, Charlie Imes, Biff Moss

and Dave Roberts.

Laid Back Attack will be held at the Olympia

Red Lion Hotel and for the first time will

feature a daytime outdoor poolside music

venue!!! The event features 27 hours of live

trop rock music over three nights and two days.

To register for Laid Back Attack, to book your

hotel room or for more information, please visit

www.laidbackattack.com.

ALL PROCEEDS FROM LAID BACK ATTACK BENEFIT

USO Northwest

PAGE 2

MARCH 2015

Shelly’s Bags

Custom Embroidery & Crochet

Amy Lee Brings Her Diverse Talent to LBA

Her sound is unlike any other's — she has her own sound, her own voice and identity. She is not a copycat soloist. Pop, R&B, soul

and jazz were all musical influences on Amy, who grew up in a household filled with the radio playing all day long. "When I was a

child, my mom didn't have the TV on. She played the radio. Both of my parents aren't musicians themselves but they wanted their

children to learn an instrument and this was possible thanks to the music programs available in public schools." Amy started playing

sax at age 10. She went through the music system playing in concert band, jazz band and marching band through high school. She

became a professional musician at age 16, joining the local musicians union and playing in big bands in North Adams. She won

various district and state competitions through the school system.

"Although I was very young in the 60s, I did grow up remembering and living in the tail end of the hippy era. There was some

powerful music coming out in those times and some incredibly soulful sounds too. The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Bill Withers,

War... wow! Also mom had albums I'd spin. Louie Prima I totally dug and Henry Mancini's music too. When I was 15 my high

school band director gave me a Coltrane album, a Cannonball Adderly album and a Brubeck album. Then when I was about 17,

Coltrane clicked on in my brain. That opened up a whole new avenue of great jazz for me and I am very thankful for my teacher's

influence."

After high school Amy was awarded a music scholarship to study at the University of Miami. Upon graduation she moved to Atlanta.

She played everywhere and anywhere she could, even on the streets. It wasn't long before she connected with Charles Neville of the

Neville Brothers and began playing and arranging for his jazz group Diversity for the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. "I

played with Charles at Jazz Fest for six years. It was through him that I met and sat in with Jimmy Buffett. I continued to play with

Charles for five more years while also touring with Jimmy. New Orleans was like my second home."

Amy became a member of Buffett's band in 1991 and continued to tour and record as part of his Coral Reefer Band until 2006.

"Working with Jimmy has been an incredible learning experience. A lot of his music is simple story telling. As a soloist I've learned

to keep it simple and have patience. You can't go throwing in the hottest licks just to prove a point. You have to create a marriage of

your solo to his music. It has to make sense and complete his story and you may only have four bars to do it in so you better make it

fit. Arranging for his music has been a blast. He is so diverse in his styles that one chart may dictate something like old-style R&B

Memphis Horns and another may be for a salsa Cuban horn section.”

What Amy says about the look and sounds of her 2nd solo release Use Me: "With this project I am not stopping at anything - from

the look, to the music. I used some incredible musicians and am extremely excited about this CD." Drummer Sonny Emory,

percussionist Ralph MacDonald, bassist Ronnie Garrett, keyboardist Darrell Smith, tambourine player Jack Ashford, and guitarist

John Raymond all play on the release, along with some of her band mates from the Coral Reefer Band, bassist Jim Mayer, guitarist

Peter Mayer and drummer Roger Guth. "I have some of the best of the best playing on this CD, from Earth Wind and Fire's drummer

to Kenny G's guitarist to Motown's tambourine player."

Amy muses about the title track, Use Me, and the look of her 2nd release. "I covered Bill Withers' tune and it is so funky and

happening I wanted to make it the title of the CD."This time I'm presenting my feminine side. I'm not covering up my physique or the

fact that I am a woman. I had an absolute ball participating in a real photo shoot and getting the look I wanted. I had a lot of fun

making this CD and unmasking the image to show the world that yes this woman can really play the sax!"

When Amy Lee appears at Laid Back Attack on Friday, July 10 with “Stars on the Water”,

her diverse talents as a saxophone player will be on display.

Amy was born in North Adams, Massachusetts but left the New England cold to study

music at the University of Miami. She became a fulltime Southerner residing in Atlanta,

immersing herself into the city's budding music scene. A multitalented sax player, studio

musician, composer and arranger, Amy has worked extensively with Charles Neville and

Jimmy Buffett, and played as well with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, James Taylor and

Joni Mitchell to name a few.

Her debut independent CD Inside the Outside showcased her diverse musical talents as a

player and writer. The album brings the listener into the realms of Amy's writing styles and

playing, featuring songs ranging from contemporary and straight-ahead jazz to R&B. Her

soulful "voice" is interspersed with her unique soloing and writing styles. "I'm somewhat of

a chameleon, catering to the different styles of songs I write. I have so much music in me! If

I write a modal straight ahead tune, I play in that style, like something Wayne Shorter might

play. If I write a funk pop tune I play for that style. I love artists Stevie Wonder and Luther

Vandross so I write R&B tunes with them in mind."

THE CITY OF OLYMPIA, WASHINGTON’S STATE

CAPITOL, HAS MANY GREAT SIGHTS TO

SEE. HERE ARE JUST A FEW...

Capitol Tour

Olympia Farmers

Market

Olympia Waterfront –

Percival Landing Park

South Sound Wine Trail

Shipwreck Beads

Nisqually National

Wildlife Refuge

Tumwater Falls Park

Wolf Haven

International

Olympic Flight

Museum

Donations of auction items are needed.

If you have something you would like to donate, please contact Kathy Pompeo at

keywestheart@comcast.net.

PAGE 3

MARCH 2015

Navigate Photography

& Travel James Clark Design

Door Decorating to Add Festive

Feel to Laid Back Attack Once again, Laid Back Attack will give you

your chance to get those creative juices

flowing and help us turn the Olympia Red

Lion Hotel into a Parrot Head paradise by

participating in our 4rd Annual “Hotel

Room Door Decorating Contest”!!!

Not only will this contest give Laid Back

Attack a festive feel … but it gives you a

chance to win some great prizes … not to

mention your chance to take home the

coveted “Golden Door Trophy”!!!

Even if you do not wish to participate by

decorating your hotel room door, you can still

be part of the fun be helping select the

winners!! This year your LBA Goody Bag

will contain a ballot for you to cast your vote

for your favorite doors.

During the course of the weekend be sure to

make the rounds and check out all the great

doors … who knows … you might even be

“bribed” for your vote!!!

Laid Back Attack Schedule

PAGE 4

MARCH 2015

“Monday I went fishin’ with an old friend. Tuesday we went sailing, we

found some great wind. Wednesday I met her, so Thursday’s just a blur. I

had a “Laid Back Attack” don’t think I’ll ever go back.” Jim Morris

We would like to thank our individual sponsors for their support of Laid Back

Attack

RON & CINDY VERHEI

GUY & JEANNIE SPARKS

MIKE & ELAINE THOULD

LES & JET PARRETT

RICK SPARKS & SHANNON

NEER-SPARKS

YVONNE KNUDSON

JIM & KAREN JOHNSTON

MARTY & CAROL OLSON

KIM BURRIS & ALICIA

SMITH

GORDY BRYAN & KAREN

WALTER

SCOTT SOLINSKI

ED & KIM CALHOUN

G. JOHANNESON FAMILY

FOUNDATION

Downtown Olympia “LBA Pub Crawl” Planned for Early Arrivers

When you are planning your itinerary to attend Laid Back Attack in 2015, why not arrive

a day early and join the other early arrivers as we take to the streets of Downtown

Olympia on Wednesday evening July 8th for the first LBA Pub Crawl!!

You will be shuttled from the Red Lion Hotel, the short distance to the Downtown area

where you will get a taste of some of Olympia’s fun and unique pubs and bars while

sampling your favorite beverages or trying some of the outstanding Northwest brews.

Downtown Olympia is nestled at the southern-most tip of Puget Sound, beneath Mt,

Rainier and within sight of the majestic Olympic mountain range.

One of the oldest communities and the capital city of Washington State, Olympia, population 46,100, is

a city with a cosmopolitan flair and is rich in heritage, diversity and culture.

Parks, marinas, fountains and a popular public boardwalk await you in the waterfront area. An easy

stroll up Capitol Way takes you to downtown’s southern neighborhood, the State Capitol Campus.

Downtown Olympia’s blend of historic buildings, beautiful scenery and eclectic retail and dining

experiences offer an undeniable appeal to visitors and residents alike.

Please visit www.laidbackattack.com and click on the “ACTIVITIES” link for more information.

Visit www.laidbackattack.com to Register or For More Information!!!

Wednesday, July 8, 2015

6:30 PM – ???? LBA DOWNTOWN OLYMPIA PUB CRAWL

Thursday, July 9, 2015

6:30 PM – 8:30 PM BRITTANY KINGERY w/ROB HILL & MELANIE HOWE 9:00 PM – 12:00 PM THE CALYPSO NUTS

Friday, July 10, 2015 – “Don’t Stop the Carnival” Theme Night

10:30 AM – 11:55 AM BIFF MOSS

12:00 PM – 1:25 PM KRISTIE BOBAL w/TALL PAUL

1:30 PM – 2:55 PM CHARLIE IMES

3:00 PM – 4:30 PM TROPICAL SOUL

6:30 PM – 8:30 PM THOM SHEPHERD

8:30 PM – 9:00 PM LIVE AUCTION to benefit the USO NORTHWEST 9:00 PM – 12:00 AM STARS ON THE WATER w/AMY LEE

Saturday, July 11, 2015 – “Pirates and Mermaids” Theme Night

10:30 AM – 11:55 AM DAVE ROBERTS

12:00 PM – 1:25 PM JIM HOEHN

1:30 PM – 2:55 PM GIRLZ RULE

3:00 PM – 4:30 PM KELLY McGUIRE

6:30 PM – 8:30 PM TALL PAUL & CRAWDADDY

9:00 PM – 12:00 AM THE BOAT DRUNKS