For Immediate Release – Lawton, OK, Nov. 18, 2005
The Johnny Hiland Band set to headline
Cameron’s Country Jazz Fusion concert
The 26th annual Cameron University Country Jazz Fusion will take place at 8 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 1, in the
Cameron University Theatre, located at 27th Street and A Avenue in Lawton.
This year, The Johnny Hiland Band will headline the concert along with the Cameron University Jazz
Ensemble and the Cameron/Lawton Community Jazz Ensemble. John Moots, professor of music at
Cameron, will direct the concert.
The concert will feature a wide variety of traditional big-band music, including Channel One Suite, C Jam
Blues, Tiger of San Pedro, and Emancipation Blues, as well as many country standards such as Just
Because, Mercury Blues, and That’s All Right Mama. The Johnny Hiland Band will also play several of their
original songs. The band is composed of Johnny Hiland on vocals and guitar, Michael Hill on bass and
Greg Strizek on drums.
“For more than a quarter of a century audiences have loved this concert because of the unique fusion of
these two popular musical genres,” Moots said. “I have no doubts that the audience will again be thrilled
with the combination of jazz and country selections, as well as the addition of the Johnny Hiland Band, who
is simply amazing.”
Johnny Hiland is legally blind. He grew up in rural Maine. As a guitar prodigy, he began touring with the
family band at age 8, winning local and regional competitions, before moving to Nashville.
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Hiland quickly began performing sessions with country music superstars Ricky Skaggs, Toby Keith, and
Randy Travis, among others. He was eventually signed to a record deal by Steve Vai and, recently, he
made his solo debut with his self-titled album.
Tickets for the 26th annual Country Jazz Fusion Concert are $10 for general admission. All Cameron
faculty, staff and student admitted free with proper identification. Tickets are available in the Administration
Building’s Business Office from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. To reserve tickets, call 580.581.2129 or
580.581.5501.
The Johnny Hiland Band is co-sponsored by a grant from Cameron University Lectures and Concerts
Series, Cameron University School of Liberal Arts, and the CU departments of Music and Theatre Arts, and
Cameron University Foundation Inc. “Friends of Jazz” and Miller Pro Audio.
Additional information about The Johnny Hiland Band is available at the band’s Web site at
www.johnnyhiland.com. The band’s manager, Mac Wilson, can also be contacted by calling Harmony
Hollow Management at 615.248.3850 and 615.497.1187 or by email at macsmaxim@aol.com.
For more information on the concert, contact the Cameron University Department of Music at 580.581.2440
or Moots at 580.581.2432 or 580.704.8543, or by email at johnmoo@cameron.edu
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Editors and Broadcasters: For more information, contact CU Government & Community Relations at
580.581.2211.