THE COMMUNITY
Spotlight
“Warm” by Tony Butala
Birthday Phone Call
Page 2
Greeting Card Project
A Wonderful Success
Facebook “LIVE”
with Donovan Tea
Page 3
New Year’s Resolutions
By Donovan Tea and The Lettermen Family
Page 4
UPCOMING EVENTS
Please stay in touch with us through the LCP and our social media, including our new YouTube Channel, until we can be together again.
Click the images below to go straight to our social media accounts.
And, as a reminder, please frequently check our website for all updated tour information.
www.TheLettermen.com/tour.
Project Highlight
Birthday Phone Call
Donovan got to play “Santa” delivering a holiday surprise.
LCP member Holly Savage was born on Christmas Day, hence her beautiful first name.
Though its understandable why she always wished it was a different day, we hope this moment celebrating her birthday made her feel special.
Would you like a chance for a birthday phone call? You have to be a registered LCP member.
Registration is Free
Email your information to
LettermenCommunityProject@gmail.com
Spotlight… “Warm” by Tony Butala
“Warm…unquestionably one of the finest collections of popular music ever assembled!
It’s absolutely true and The Lettermen prove it beyond a shadow of a doubt.
Popular music can be beautiful. No, it doesn’t have to be corny…it just has to be Lettermen conceived and Lettermen performed. And that’s exactly what their newest, excitingly up- to-date and, by all odds, finest album of popular Lettermen excellence has going for it…and that’s quite a bit of beautiful!”
~ Album notes, 1967
It was January 1967 when “Warm” was released. The Lettermen had done all of the actual recording for this album a few months earlier but were now in the middle of our yearly two-week engagement at the “Holiday House”, the top, most popular nightclub outside of Pittsburgh, PA where all of the major entertainers of the day like Bob Hope, Red Skelton and Wayne Newton played..
Our record producer, Nik Venet, in Hollywood, CA contacted us and said he needed a cover photo for the upcoming album immediately and didn’t have any suitable ones from the backlog of extra photos from previous photo-shoots.
In a rush, we had no choice but to get the night club house photographer to take our photo one afternoon.
By this time, since signing with Capitol Records in ’61, we had released about three albums per year (totaling approximately seven albums up to that time) which had all made it on to Billboard’s “Top Ten” album charts.
One possible reason was that we were performing at least one hundred (100) college concerts per year to audiences of between one thousand and ten thousand students.
We were the first recording artist to notify our record label to have them coordinate with the college (or venue) to accept a few hundred of our albums, on commission, to sell at the venue during the day and/or night of our show.
Since we performed a much different type of show than the other acts doing concerts — our act was more like an interactive “night club” show — we stood out and most of the college all of our albums and wanted us to return within the coming year.
Greeting Card Project ~ A Wonderful Success
Words can not express our gratitude to all who contributed to the resounding success of the greeting card project. Just over 2,300 cards from 15 different states and Australia were collected. This allowed each resident to receive an average of 11 cards each in addition to handwritten cards and an autographed photo from The Lettermen themselves. A festive bag of chocolates also accompanied each packet of cards.
A very special “thank you” to Kim and Julia Schnaufer and the Choske Family who tied for sending in the most cards. We will be in touch with you regarding your prize.
We couldn’t say it any better than this note received from the management of Brook Grove Rehabilitation and Nursing Center.
“Brooke Grove Rehabilitation and Nursing Center residents were thrilled to receive the cards and holiday goodies delivered by David Haskell on behalf of the Lettermen Community Project! The LIFE enrichment team created a celebratory ambience by playing The Lettermen CDs as they shared these gifts of holiday cheer. “Residents were over the moon with the autographed pictures, which sparked great conversations,” notes Director of LIFE Enrichment Kandl Middleton. Two of the CDs provided will also go to lucky resident winners of a drawing planned for Christmas Eve.
Our heartfelt thanks go to the Lettermen Community Project and all those who shared their love and good wishes by participating in this card shower. We are so grateful and send our Happy Holiday wishes back to each one! Brooke Grove Foundation’s mission statement is ”We Touch People’s Lives.” During this holiday season, YOU have touched ours in more ways than you know.”
Thank you, Community, – well done!
Facebook “LIVE”
Join us for a Q&A Session with Donovan Tea
Friday, January 8, 2021
5:00 PM Pacific ~ 6:00 PM Mountain
7:00 PM Central ~ 8:00 PM Eastern
httpS://www.facebook.com/thelettermenpro
Email your questions in advance to: LettermenCommunityProject@gmail.com
New Year’s Resolutions
By Donovan Tea and The Lettermen Family
Well y’all, here we are…2021! I always love this time of year, reflecting on the past and looking forward to a fresh new year. So, what are my resolutions this year?
RESOLUTION #1.
For the last 20 years, my New Year’s resolution has been to: “TALK LESS AND LISTEN MORE.”
I’m sorry to say, I’ve never even come close to keeping that resolution. So… THIS year… I’m going to lower the bar, so to speak, and shoot for something more pragmatic.
Here it is…….In 2021, I resolve to…(drum roll)… “MAKE MORE MONEY!”
I know what you’re saying… “Gosh, I thought Donovan would have a loftier resolution than that for the New Year.” I agree with you but, I have a good reason. Like so many people this year, because of “COVID”, I’ve had to dig into my retirement savings to get thru 2020. So, please forgive my less than aesthetic resolution. It may not be lofty but… at least it’s honest.
RESOLUTION #2.
OK… No preamble this time… In 2021, I resolve to…(drum roll)… “MAKE MORE MONEY!”
Alright… Alright… I hear you! Yes, this resolution is uninspiring and… Yes, it may sound shallow but, let me explain. Darla, my lovely wife of 28 years, has informed me that she wants to move from our present home in Tennessee to a house in Florida on the beach. Like any other man who has married above his station, I am going to have to make that happen! Or… I will just have to learn to live in a cardboard box under a freeway overpass.
RESOLUTION #3.
Well… I’ve thought some more about it… so here’s my third and final New Year’s resolution… I resolve to…
(drum roll)… “TALK LESS AND LISTEN MORE.” I know…I know! You were just starting to warm up to the idea of the “make more money” resolution. But I’ll be honest. Whether or not I make more money or get a beach house, I really would like to try and be a better person in 2021 than I was in 2020. So… I guess I’ll give my 20-year resolution ONE… MORE… TRY!
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY! ~ Donovan Tea
From the rest of The Lettermen Family
To sing with the joy of a child! After not being allowed to perform for nearly a year, the joy of doing what I love will never be taken for granted. And, to never again get upset with Rob when he asks me “what song is next?” and “where do I stand on stage?”
~ Bobby Poynton
To get back on the road singing with “The Lettermen.” I’ve made such amazing memories in such a short period of time and I just can’t wait to make more. I, along with Donovan and Bobby, love sharing my gift with others and moving people toward warmth and happiness. Also, we work so hard traveling and performing for all our amazing friends I’d like to reward my family and myself with a nice RV… something to enjoy during our off time… to create new memories and traditions with my loved ones.
~ Rob Gulack
Continue my search for the perfect piece of pie.
~ Ken McKenney
Get in better shape physically and spiritually.
~ Bill Glenn
Avoid the virus and do what I can to get us working again.
~ Bruce Galloway
Spend more time outdoors enjoying nature.
~ Jeannie Graham
Focus on the positive and small, simple joys of life.
~ Tracy Clark
Contact Us
BY MAIL:
Lettermen Community Project
P.O. Box 312
Cortland, Ohio 44410
By Phone:
330-984-8708
