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CONEY ISLAND

Three-Part Harmony

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After four decades of folk music, the Limeliters are back in the limelight.

154 S. Woodward, Birmingham
(248) 540-8780

three-part harmony, and that hasn't
changed."
Limeliters' fans can thank Hassilev
and Glenn Yarbrough for getting the
group started. Yarbrough, who per-
formed solo before and after being
involved with the group and is known
for his big hit "Baby the Rain Must
Fall," had purchased an interest in a
Colorado nightclub, The Limelite, with
Hassilev. The two tried appearing
together and then joined up with Lou

Halsted Village
(37580 W. 12 Mile Rd.)
Farmington Hills
(248) 553-2360

Fabulous Limeliters and Sing Out, now
combined on one CD, with original
members Gottlieb, Yarbrough and
he 40-Year-Old Waltz," a
Hassilev; and Harmony, featuring
funny folk song about step-
Gottlieb, Hassilov and Grammer.
ping through the various
Another double CD, Our Men in San
stages of life, reaches the
Francisco and The London Concert, will
. stage of The Ark in Ann Arbor as a
be released in the spring.
folk trio steps into its 41st year.
As the current Limeliters face the
The Limeliters, who wrote the
new millennium, they are going to be
waltz to reflect their-current out-
on the road a lot more than they have
look, mix the old with the new in a
in recent years. They are booking
Feb. 13 concert that
about 30 dates a year.
recalls their early hits,
"There seems to be a
such as "Lonesome
renewed interest in us,"
Traveler" and
A says Hassilev, who toured
"Wayfaring Stranger,"
with Theodore Bikel and
before moving on to -
appeared in sitcoms such as
0.
tunes as new and
Get Smart during the time
trendy as "The Folk
the Limeliter members
Rap" and "The
went in different direc-
Generic, Up-Tempo
tions. "When you outlive
Folk Song."
the competition, you
The group, which
become a semi-legend."
started in 1959, has not
One of the legendary
worked together contin-
songs performed by the
uously over the years.
trio is "Zhankoye," a
There have been stops
Russian-Jewish song from
and restarts as members
the Zionist era.
have come and gone.
"The thrust of the
The current lineup of Limeliters: Bill Zorn, Alex Hassilev and
The one stalwart has
Limeliters has never been
Rick Dougherty. "When you outlive the competition, you become
been Alex Hassilev, the
toward religious music, but
a
semi-legend,' quips Hassilev, the group's only Jewish member.
trio's only Jewish per-
we still do this Yiddish
former.
song," explains Hassilev,
" We're
Gottlieb, an arranger with a doctorate in
re trying to prolong adoles-
who attends High Holy Day services
music who set the humorous tone and
cence beyond all previously known
but considers himself a cultural Jew.
later formed a California commune.
limits," says Hassilev, 67, a semi-
"It's about an early kibbutz established
The group's biggest hit was "A
retiree who has been a record producer
in. the Crimea of the '20s and what
Dollar Down," from 1961.
and actor during the times the group
people were doing in that settlement. It
After touring together through
has gone on hiatus. "We use our
was kind of a preparation for what was
1963, the trio went on a 10-year hia--
music to promote happiness and
hoped for the Holy Land."
togetherness."
tus, and then had a comeback with
The Limeliters have no immediate
reunion tours. There was another hia-
Hassilev, a baritone who plays gui-
plans for a new hiatus.
tus until 1980, when they reformed
tar and banjo, will be joined in Ann
"As long as there's an audience for
with a new tenor, Red Grammer, who
Arbor by Rick Dougherty, a guitar-
what we do, we will continue to do
replaced Yarbrough and stayed for the
playing tenor, and Bill Zorn, a versa-
it," says Hassilev, who lives in
next 10 years, until deciding to pursue
tile performer moving from bass to
California with his wife, Gladys. "Folk
a career as a children's artist. •
tenor and guitar to banjo.
music is a great [way] to view the
Rick Dougherty replaced Grammer,
Numbers from the group's newest
world and let people know that the
CD, Until We Get It Right, will be
and Bill Zorn, formerly with the
world is a good place to be."
Kingston Trio and the New Christy
included in the concert, which also
Minstrels, replaced Gottlieb, who died
showcases the comic attitude of the
in 1996.
group. "The essence of the group has
The Limeliters will perform 7:30
"Lou passed away on my birthday,
remained the same, namely giving our
p.m. Sunday, Feb. 13, at the Ark,
and that was his last joke on me,"
audiences a rational basis for opti-
316 S. Main St., Ann Arbor.
Hassilev says.
mism," says Hassilev, the group's busi-
$17.50. (734) 761-1800. To order
Previous configurations of the
ness manager. "We sing serious folk
recordings, access the group's Web
Limeliters can be heard on still-avail-
songs and funny, satirical material.
site at www.Limeliters.com .
able recordings, including The Slightly
Our stock-in-trade always has been

SUZANNE CHESSLER
Special to the Jewish News

6527 Telegraph Rd.
Corner of Maple (15 Mile)
Bloomfield Township
1248) 646-8568

4763 Haggerty Rd. at Pontiac Trail
West Wind Village Shopping Center
West Bloomfield
(248) 669-2295

841 East Big Beaver, Troy
(248) 680-0094

0

SOUTHFIELD SOUVLAKI
CONEY ISLAND
Nine Mile & Greenfield
15647 West Nine Mile, Southfield
(248) 569-5229

FARMINGTON SOUVLAKI
CONEY ISLAND
Between 13 & 14 on
Orchard Lake Road
30985 Orchard Lake Rd.
Farmington Hills
(248) 626-9732

•

UPTOWN PARTHENON
4301 Orchard Lake Rd.
West Bloomfield
(248) 538-6000

HERCULES FAMILY RESTAURANT
33292 West 12 Mile
Farmington Hills
(248) 489-9777

Serving whitefish, lamb shank,
pastitsio and moussaka

r

AMIN MIR 11.1 IRE IWO i.- . - Ii

❑

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not to go with any other offer
with coupon
Expires 12/30/2000

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2/4
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