WHO ARE THEY: Huey Lewis and the News combined a bar band mentality, catchy songs and humorous music videos to create the perfect formula for mid-1980s success. Their 1983 album “Sports” was a major commercial breakthrough, selling more than 7 million copies and featuring the hit singles “Heart and Soul,” “I Want a New Drug,” “The Heart of Rock & Roll” and “If This is It.” In 1985 the band scored their first No. 1 hit with “The Power of Love,” from the “Back to the Future” soundtrack. The band’s 1986 album “Fore!” featured the hit singles “Stuck With You,” “Hip to be Square,” “Jacob’s Ladder,” “I Know What I Like” and “Doing it all for My Baby.”
Joe Cocker is a British rock and soul singer who first made a name for himself in late 1968 with his cover of the Beatles’ “With a Little Help From My Friends.” A year later his legacy was cemented at the Woodstock Festival, where he performed an inspired version of the song. Cocker’s first U.S Top Ten hit came in 1970 with “The Letter.” In 1975 Cocker scored another hit with “You Are So Beautiful,” a duet performed with Jennifer Warnes, which was the theme song from the film “An Officer and a Gentleman.”
WHAT TO EXPECT: They may not have been the most stylish or hip band of the 1980s, but Huey Lewis and the News were definitely one of the most successful. Their straight-forward working-class approach helped them score an impressive string of hit singles. The band’s repertoire lends itself very well to the gritty live performances that one would expect from a bar band. Huey Lewis and the News still has a loyal fan base that flocks to their shows. Fans can expect to hear all of the bands major hits including “The Heart of Rock n’ Roll,” “Stuck with you,” “Doing It All For My Baby” and “I Want a New Drug.” Also on the bill is Cocker, an artist who cemented his place in rock ’n’ roll history with a classic performance at the Woodstock Festival in 1969 with his tie-dyed shirt, unruly mane of hair and near-spastic body movements. Fans can expect to hear Cocker perform hits such as “The Letter,” “Delta Lady” and “With a Little Help From My Friends.”
WEBSITE: www.hueylewis.com; www.cocker.com
SHOW INFO: Tickets are priced at $62, $77, $82, $97 and $115, and the show begins 9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 3, at the Tropicana Casino and Resort’s Showroom.
