PHOTO: Artist Clare Donohue will be performing in concert on Saturday, July 2 at Kamama to benefit the the Mentone Arts & Cultural Center!  (Contributed Photo | Mentone Arts & Cultural Center)

**Article originally featured in Mentone's "The Groundhog"**

Contributed By Randy Grider, Executive Director, MACC

MENTONE, Ala. — July is shaping up to be a hot month for the Mentone Arts & Cultural Center! 

We have two great events that are being presented by MACC.

First, we have Clare Donohue in concert on Sunday, July 2 from 1-3 p.m. at Kamama.

Donohue, who will be accompanied by Stephen Powers on guitar, Dave Schwab on the upright bass, Jim Crumble on drums and Ken Watters on trumpet, in what promises to be a great afternoon of jazz.

Donohue’s unique sultry sound easily reminds one of the greats such as: Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Nancy Lamott, Anita O’Day, Diane Schur and Keely Smith.

Her two greatest influences were Billie Holiday and Doris Day, and you can hear both of them in her voice!

She performs jazz, torch/cabaret, standards and much of the Great American Songbook. She has the clarity of Frank Sinatra as well as the heavy NY accent when she speaks!

Her debut CD was, “Torch Baby Torch”. Her second CD “Here I Go Again” was released in June. (For more info, visit wwwclaredonohue.com). She is also recording in Nashville with session drummer Harry Wilkinson and Co. And another CD of originals will be released at the end of 2017!

Growing up in Brooklyn, N.Y. Donohue sang back up for a couple of rock bands and performed all over NYC. She sang with, “The Real Joey Leone” in his original act 911 and was in the studio at 19 years of age improvising. She later teamed up with Bonnie Cameron (known for her soundtracks) doing “acoustic soul” around the village and the upper west side.

The smoothness of her voice/sound had her singing soundtracks, commercials and voice over work as well as singing background for many national rock and blues acts.

In Ft. Lauderdale the late great Fred Silver (Billboard Magazine’s Audition Doctor) accompanied her and wrote songs for her. She was the featured vocalist with the Doc Rogers Big Band and had her own duo, trio and quintet. Since moving to Deep South she is a featured vocalist with The Rocket City Jazz Orchestra and has a power duo and quintet!

Admission is $15. Call 256-674-3366 or email mentoneartscenter@gmail.com to reserve your seat. The event is sponsored by Kilgore Express Pharmacy. For those wishing to have a meal at The Wolves Den before the show, please call 256-634-3001 for reservations.

On Thursday, July 13, from 7-9 p.m., be sure to turn out at Kamama for Homemade Jam. The regular monthly event features local songwriters perform original songs in an interactive fun-filled evening. $5 per person -- participating songwriters are not charged. Proceeds will benefit the Mentone Arts & Cultural Center. Call Lydia Randolph 256-630-1597 or Ray Padgett 850-974-3271 for more information.

As for the center itself, fundraising is gaining traction! We now have a new promotional video – courtesy of Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association and Freedom Light Productions. This is a wonderful tool for our fundraising efforts. You can see it by visiting our website: www.mentoneartscenter.org.

We are also in the process of building the entryway into property where the center will be built. We will update the project in the near future!

Randy Grider is the Executive Director the Mentone Arts & Cultural Center.

"The Groundhog" is a monthly publication, covering Mentone, Valley Head, Hammondville, Menlo, and Cloudland. The publication is free, and does a great job covering happenings in the area! Copies can be picked up at many locations in the aforementioned towns, as well as The Spot, in Fort Payne.