PEMBROKE — The Hit Men have Pembroke set in their sights.
Made up of seasoned session musicians, the band’s name refers to the many hit songs its members have played on. Their handiwork can be heard in timeless tracks by Elton John, Paul McCartney, Carly Simon, The Ramones, Cat Stevens, Barry Manilow and Sting.
On April 23, the group will perform at the Givens Performing Arts Center. Chad Locklear, the theater’s marketing director, says it will be “an exciting show.”
“This show gives everyone a chance to relive some of the biggest musical hits from the 1960s through the 1980s straight from the guys who created them,” he said. “These guys are the real deal; not a cover band. They’ll provide a rare glimpse into the creation of the songs and insight on what it was like to tour and record with some of music’s all-time legendary acts.”
Lee Shaprio is a keyboardist who spent decades working as a hired gun for artists like Manilow, Frankie Valli and Paul Shaffer. Tired of playing second fiddle to the stars, Shaprio enlisted fellow session musicians to form The Hit Men in 2010.
The rest of the group’s lineup consists of Jimmy Ryan, a vocalist and lead guitarist; Larry Gates, the bass player; Russ Velazquez, a vocalist; and Gerry Polci, the band’s drummer. According to a press release, the typical setlist for a Hit Men show includes covers of “Crocodile Rock,” “You’re So Vain” and other beloved tunes.
Lumbee Guaranty Bank is sponsoring the concert, which starts at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $21 to $36. For information, visit thehitmenlive.com, twitter.com/TheHitMenLive or Facebook.com/TheHitMenLive.
Givens Performing Arts Center is located on the campus of The University of North Carolina at Pembroke. The venue will close out its current season on May 3 with “Once,” a musical adapted from the hit movie.
The show made its Broadway debut in 2012 and has won eight Tony Awards. It uses a live ensemble to recreate the soaring folk songs from the film’s chart-topping soundtrack.
For information, call 910-521-6361 or visit uncp.edu.
