Idyllwild’s free Summer Concert Series continues its 25th Anniversary
season on Thursday, July 18, with SouthBound and Company’s Classic Rock
Double Shot. Locals Sandy Castleberry and Lily McCabe will open the
show. Next week, on the 25th, Sharon Owens performs as Barbra Streisand,
backed up by Ken Dahleen’s Big Band Staff, who will also open that show.

SouthBound and Company are one of the Inland Empire’s hardest working
classic rock tribute acts, and Idyllwild will doubtless by the coolest
gig they play this summer. They have appeared under various guises here,
last year with their Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute, Skynyrd and Friends.

Next week, on July 25th, concert goers will be treated to an evening
with “Barbra.” Dahleen calls Sharon Owens “one of the most sought-after
Streisand tribute acts in the world.” Last year he spent 7 weeks on the
road as a member of her touring band. Just this month she has performed
in New York and Florida.

Owens has been bringing Streisand to audiences since 1992. Her uncanny
resemblance to Streisand, in both voice and appearance, and her
impeccable showmanship, soon took her from cabarets and dinner theater
shows in LA to Las Vegas and the Legends in Concert series. She also
tours with “The Divas,” an all-female cast direct from Vegas.

About his band Ken says “We are all studio musicians. We all work
together in different organizations and studios. They’re first call guys
all over the Southern California area. They take the calls at casinos to
play for major stars, we’re expected to get it right the first time.”

The concerts are all free, but donations are gratefully accepted. The
funding is met through contributions from the community, and the series
always starts on a wing and a prayer. The budget this year is $49,000.
Contributions, checks payable to “Idyllwild Summer Concert Org,” may be
sent to PO Box 1542, Idyllwild CA 92549-1542. Or call (760)413-4638.

Both shows begin at 6:05 p.m. Butterfield Amphitheater, 54201 Ridgeview
Drive, access through the Idyllwild Community Center Playground Parking
lot on Highway 243 just south of town.