Celebrate Valentine's Day with The Whispers and Harold Melvin's Bluenotes at bergenPAC, 2/15

Celebrate Valentine's Day with Classic Soul legends The Whispers ("And The Beat Goes On," "Rock Steady," "Contagious," "It's A Love Thing" and so much more), plus HAROLD MELVIN'S BLUENOTES The Love I Lost*If You Don't Know Me By Now*Bad Luck - it's one spectacular night of classic love songs and entertainment at Bergen Performing Arts Center, Friday February 15th at 8PM.

Reserve your tickets now at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling the Box Office at (201) 227-1030 or by visiting the theater at 30 North Van Brunt Street Englewood, New Jersey.

THE WHISPERS

The Whispers began in the '60s, but it wasn't until 1980 that the vocal group scored its first Top 40 hit with "And the Beat Goes On." The band's lineup hasn't changed since the early '70s, with one exception. Original member Marcus Hutson died in 2000 and the four remaining Whispers have vowed not to replace him, but to continue as a quartet.

Unlike so many veteran acts born in the 60s and 70s, The Whispers have proven a thoroughbred with hit singles in almost every decade since their auspicious debut in 1964 with Dore Records. While most of their 60s and early 70s hits were mild regional West coast hits for the Dore, Soul Clock and Janus labels, their 1970's work with Soul Train and Solar Records found them hitting their stride with hits like their disco cover of Bread's "Make It With You," "One For The Money (Pt.1)," "Lets Go All The Way," "Chocolate Girl," "I Only Meant To Wet My Feet" and my personal favorite "Olivia (Lost and Turned Out)."

Despite gaining national fame and racking up severAl Gold albums, platinum success eluded the group until 1980 with The Whispers. The self-titled album sported the lovely "Lady," the Donny Hathaway tribute "Song for Donny" and their biggest crossover hit to date, the #1 Billboard R&B and Dance hit, "And The Beat Goes On." The eighties R&B charts were littered with successful Whisper jams including: "Tonight," "Contagious," "It's A Love Thing," "Keep On Lovin' Me" and the cognac-soaked "In The Mood."

Fulfilling the prophecy of their next platinum album title, 1987's Just Gets Better With Time knocked out fans with the cool, matter-of-fact title-track and the Babyface-penned smash "Rock Steady," providing the group with their second #1 R&B hit. The group had more platinum success in the early 90's with such hit singles as "Innocent," "My Heart, Your Heart," "Is It Good to You" and a critically-acclaimed album of Babyface tunes for Capitol Records in 1997, before moving into the independent label scene with their recent, most personal studio album, For Your Ears Only.

Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes are an American singing group, one of the most popular Philadelphia soul groups of the 1970s. The group's repertoire included soul, R&B, doo-wop, and disco. Founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the early 1950s as The Charlemagnes, the group is most noted for several hits on Gamble and Huff's Philadelphia International label between 1972 and 1976, although they performed and recorded until Melvin's death in 1997. However, the remaining members, the Blue Notes, were reunited in 2013 for the Soul Train Cruise.

Despite group founder and original lead singer Harold Melvin's top billing, the Blue Notes' most famous member was Teddy Pendergrass, their lead singer during the successful years at Philadelphia International.

Founded in 2003, the 1,367-seat Bergen Performing Arts Center, or bergenPAC, is the area's cultural mecca. Housed in a historic Art Deco-style theater boasting one of the finest acoustic halls in the United States, bergenPAC attracts a stellar roster of world-class entertainment. The jewel in our crown is The Performing Arts School at bergenPAC - the innovative, educational performing arts initiative that reaches more than 30,000 students annually. The Performing Arts School provides community youth, age 2 months to 21 years, with unique, "hands-on" training in music, dance and theater by industry professionals. It is through the ongoing generosity of sponsors, donors and patrons that the not-for-profit 501 (c)(3) corporation bergenPAC and The Performing Arts School are able to thrive and enrich our community.

bergenPAC is located at 30 North Van Brunt Street, Englewood, NJ 07631. For more information, call (201) 227-1030 or visit www.bergenpac.org.