'60s Pop Rock Group The Buckinghams Plays the Suncoast Showroom This Weekend

Led by original founding members Carl Giammarese and Nick Fortuna, The Buckinghams bring their signature Chicago horn sound to the Suncoast Showroom tonight and tomorrow, September 21 and 22.

The Buckinghams hit the scene in 1966 when they signed with Chicago's USA Records, recording 12 singles. They were building an audience in the Midwest with regular performances on WGN's "All Time Hits," when the single "Kind of a Drag" hit the airwaves. It soared to No. 1 on the charts and cemented The Buckinghams' role in the music industry.

In 1967, Cash Box Magazine named the band "The Most Promising Vocal Group in America," and Columbia Records offered the group national label distribution. Follow-up hits included "Time and Charges," and "Portraits," even while "Kind of a Drag" was still at the top of the charts and released as the title song of a full album. Other top-20 records include, "Don't You Care," "Hey Baby, They're Playing Our Song," "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" and "Susan."

The Buckinghams were in demand on television as well, appearing on "The Ed Sullivan Show," "The Smothers Brothers' Comedy Show," "The Jerry Lewis Show," "The Joey Bishop Show" and "American Bandstand." The band played to sold-out crowds, touring the festival circuit and sharing the bill with The Beach Boys, Sonny and Cher, Neil Diamond, America, Tom Jones, The Kinks and The Who.

In 2004, The Buckinghams joined the PBS program, "The Sixties Pop Rock Reunion" and in 2005, the band was invited to play "Twilight on the Prairie" at the Inaugural Ball at The White House. And in 2009, the group headlined the Bipartisan Illinois Agricultural Ball for the inauguration of President Barack Obama.

The Buckinghams signed with Fuel Records in 2007 and released eight original songs penned by Giammarese. Their holiday album, "The Joy of Christmas," features rock versions of favorite Christmas songs, plus new holiday songs also written by Giammarese. A DVD, "Up Close," features a live concert recording from a performance at Indiana's Star Plaza Theatre including all of their top hits.

Showtime each evening is 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available from $15.95, plus tax and convenience fees. Tickets can be purchased at any Boyd Gaming Box Office, by calling 702.636.7075 or visiting www.suncoastcasino.com.

Suncoast Hotel and Casino is a property of Boyd Gaming. Located at the corner of Alta Drive and South Rampart Boulevard, Suncoast Hotel and Casino features eight restaurants, a 16-screen movie theater, a 600-seat bingo room, a 500-seat state-of-the-art showroom and a newly renovated 80,000-square foot casino. For further information, visit www.suncoastcasino.com, on Facebook (www.facebook.com/suncoastcasino), and Twitter (@suncoastcasino). Headquartered in Las Vegas, Boyd Gaming is a leading diversified owner and operator of 22 gaming entertainment properties located in Nevada, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and New Jersey. Additional news and information on Boyd Gaming can be found at www.boydgaming.com.

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