Latin crossover star Luis Fonsi will take the for stage two consecutive nights this fall at the Chumash Casino Resort, and rock band 38 Special has been added to the Samala Showroom schedule.

Fonsi, a Puerto Rican singer and songwriter who lit up the charts with his megahit “Despacito” in 2017, will perform on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 13-14. Both shows will start at 8 p.m., and tickets will cost $79, $89, $99, $109 and $119.

Fonsi won four Latin Grammys for “Despacito,” which featured Puerto Rican rapper Daddy Yankee. The video for the song has more than 6 billion views on YouTube, making it the most viewed video on the online platform. 

38 Special, which gained fame in the 1980s with hits such as “Hold On Loosely” and “Caught Up in You,” will perform at 8 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 22. Tickets for the show will be $29, $34, $39, $49 and $59.

Other upcoming concerts include Gerardo Ortiz, an award-winning regional Mexican singer-songwriter, on Friday, July 26, and The Fab Four, a Beatles tribute band, on Friday, Aug. 2.

Tickets for all events are available at the casino or online at www.chumashcasino.com.

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Trace Adkins, the country singer and actor who’s been a Nashville icon for more than two decades, will perform at Chumash Casino Resort’s Samala Showroom at 8 p.m. Friday, July 12.

Tickets for the show are $49, $59, $69, $74 and $79.

Adkins made his debut in 1996 with his “Dreaming Out Loud” album and has since released 10 studio albums and two Greatest Hits compilations. He has charted more than 20 singles on the Billboard country music charts, including three No. 1 hits, and has won multiple CMT and ACM awards.

Adkins’ music roots go back to high school as a member of a gospel music group. He attended Louisiana Tech University in Ruston but eventually left to work on an oil rig. He also worked as a pharmacy technician before pursuing a career in music.

His debut single, “There’s a Girl in Texas,” was released in 1996 and quickly went mainstream. Adkins went on to spend the next two decades churning out hits, releasing albums and recording and performing with other top-charting country artists such as Martina McBride and Blake Shelton. His 2005 single, “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk,” has become a country-music anthem.

In addition to his music, Adkins has made several appearances on television, including as a panelist on the game shows “Hollywood Squares” and “Pyramid,” and a finalist in 2008 and the winner in 2013 on “The All Star Celebrity Apprentice.”

He has also had parts in several films over the years, including “Moms’ Night Out,” “Traded,” “Deepwater Horizon” and “I Can Only Imagine.”

A week after Adkins’ performance, The Fray, the alternative rock band that achieved commercial success with the release of their debut album, “How to Save a Life,” will play at the casino at 8 p.m. on Friday, July 19.

Tickets for the show are $69, $74, $79, $89 and $99.

Not only did the band rise to fame with a double platinum debut album in the U.S., but the album was also certified platinum in the U.K., Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

The band achieved commercial success with their first single, “Over My Head (Cable Car),” which quickly became a Top 10 hit in the U.S. Their second single, “How to Save a Life,” charted at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. and at No. 5 in the U.K., Australia, Canada, Ireland, Italy and Spain.

Tickets for all events are available at the casino or online at www.chumashcasino.com.

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The Chumash Casino Resort has added concerts by country star Brett Young and pop legends Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons to its fall schedule in the Samala Showroom.

Frankie Valli

Young, an Orange County native who has stormed country music with his “Caliville” style, will perform at 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20. Tickets will be $69, $74, $79, $89 and $99.

Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, who lit up the pop charts in the 1960s with No. 1 hits such as “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry” and “December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night),” will take the stage at 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11. Tickets are $69, $74, $79, $89 and $99.

Tickets for Latin superstar J Balvin’s two appearances are also now on sale for Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 23-24. Tickets for each show will be $99, $124, $149, $164 and $179.

Tickets for all events are available the casino or at www.chumashcasino.com.

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The Santa Ynez Valley Master Chorale, known for lyrical and diverse choral and orchestral programs, continues to celebrate its 40^th anniversary season with spring concerts at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 11, and 3 p.m. Sunday, May 12, at the Solvang Veterans Memorial Hall, 1745 Mission Drive in Solvang.

Under the direction of Dr. Michael Eglin, the 50-member chorale, with singers and musicians from other local groups and a 17-piece professional orchestra, will begin the celebration with Joseph Haydn’s “Lord Nelson Mass.”

Originally called the “Mass for Troubled Times,” it was nicknamed Lord Nelson Mass in 1798 when it was associated with Admiral Horatio Nelson’s victory over Napoleon in the Battle of the Nile. It is considered the composer’s greatest composition.

The second half of the concert celebrates with jazz standards, contemporary tunes and rock covers including Duke Ellington’s “It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing,” Cole Porter’s “Kiss Me Kate,” Dolly Parton’s “Light of a Clear Blue Morning,” and ABBA’s “Waterloo” and “Take a Chance On Me.”

 Special guests will include Song-In-My-Heart Guitar Studio, and the concert will close with Eric Idle’s rousing and comedic “Always Look On the Bright Side of Life.”

Chorale president Shannon Casey describes the concert as “our heartfelt anniversary present to the community. We selected music that we love to sing and believe our audience would love to hear. It’s powerful, uplifting, fun, and joyfully announces our commitment to making beautiful music for another 40 years.”

Tickets purchased in advance are $30 for adults and $25 for seniors (65 and over) and youth (18 and under). They may be purchased at The Book Loft, El Rancho Market, from chorale members and online by visiting www.syvchorale.org. Tickets at the door are $35 and $30.

The nonprofit chorale’s members come from throughout the county and range from novices to professional singers and from 8 to more than 80 years old.

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The Santa Ynez Valley Wind Ensemble concert band will perform at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 24, at Bethania Lutheran Church in Solvang.

Music performed in this concert will cover a wide spectrum of genres, including classical and contemporary styles.  Since 2019 is the 150th anniversary of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad, the ensemble was inspired to include music with a railroad theme, including “Rails West!,” and “The Iron Horse Across America.” Other selections include: “Symphonic Dance #3-Fiesta,” “The Stormchasers” and John Philip Sousa’s “The Triton.”

This 30-piece group has been keeping concert band music alive in the Valley for nearly three decades, with all the musicians donating their time and talents purely for the love of music. The Ensemble invites you and your family to be part of this musical experience.

The Ensemble celebrates twenty-two years of directing by Maestra Sharon Jeskey.  Admission and refreshments are free of charge.

The Valley Wind Ensemble is proud to announce that this is their 28th year of bringing exciting and enjoyable music to the Santa Ynez Valley.  Musicians who might be interested in joining the ensemble may visit a rehearsal, held on Thursday evenings at 7 p.m. at the Santa Ynez High School Music Room, or may inquire at the contacts provided below. 

The Santa Ynez Valley Wind Ensemble is funded through member dues and community donations.   For more information, call 805-403-7732 or visit www.syvwindensemble.org .

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The public is invited to attend the 39th annual Santa Ynez Valley Concert Series featuring renowned artists performing at St. Mark’s-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church in Los Olivos located at 2901 Nojoqui Avenue.

“The opportunity to experience great artists of passion and integrity perform masterworks by distinguished composers enriches one’s emotional and intellectual life. To hear stirring music in St. Mark’s Church is especially moving and uplifting,” said Linda Burrows, who coordinates the series.

According to area music critic Josef Woodward, St. Mark’s Church is noted for stunning acoustics, serene ambiance and as “a fine place to hear serious music.”

The first event of this year’s series will feature renowned pianist Dr. Robert Cassidy and cellist Ani Aznavoorian, performing “The Beethoven Cycle Part II” at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 16.

“We created The Beethoven Project to immerse the audience in the emotional complexities and musical brilliance of Beethoven’s complete sonatas and variations for piano and cello,” Cassidy said. The featured pieces on this program are three sonatas, Op 5. No 1, Op. 69, and Op. 102 No 1; as well as the 12 variations from Mozart’s Magic Flute. The artists performed “The Beethoven Cycle Part I” at St. Mark’s in April to great acclaim.

Cassidy has assumed the newly created role of artistic director for the Santa Ynez Valley Concert Series beginning this season, said St. Mark’s Priest and Rector Dr. Randall Day.

Cassidy has received widespread acclaim for his performances and recordings of both solo piano repertoire and chamber music. A native of Philadelphia, he received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in piano performance from the Manhattan School of Music, and his doctor of arts in piano chamber music and accompanying/piano performance from Ball State University.

His recent recordings of the Debussy Preludes have received worldwide recognition for their sensitivity and insightful interpretations. Cassidy has performed nationally and internationally as a soloist and chamber musician.

In addition to his performances, he continues his active teaching career and is currently Director of Piano Chamber Music for Santa Barbara Strings. He will draw on his past work experiences at Lincoln Center, IMG Artists, and the American Pianists Association to develop innovative programming and cultivate future audiences for the Santa Ynez Valley Concert Series.

Cellist Ani Aznavoorian is described by The Strad Magazine as having “scorchingly committed performances that wring every last drop of emotion out of the music. Her technique is well-nigh immaculate, she has a natural sense of theater, and her tone is astonishingly responsive.”

Aznavoorian received both her bachelor’s and master of music degrees from The Juilliard School and continues to perform often in New York and throughout the world, including with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Boston Pops, Tokyo Philharmonic, Helsinki Philharmonic, Finnish Radio Symphony, International Sejong Soloists, Belgrade Philharmonic, Juilliard Orchestra and Edmonton Symphony. She also is a member of the faculty at summer festivals as well as the University of Illinois in Champaign/Urbana. This season marks her eleventh year as principal cellist with Camerata Pacifica.

The 39th annual Santa Ynez Valley Concert Series will present these other renowned artists this season:

• Saturday, Jan. 12: The Los Angeles Reed Quintet
• Saturday, Feb. 23: Violinist Paul Stein and pianist Bridget Hough
• Saturday, March 23: Violist Richard O’Neill and pianist Robert Cassidy

Doors for each 7 p.m. concert open at 6:30, with tickets sold at the door as well as online in advance at www.smitv.org/syv-concert-series.html

General admission tickets are $20 and student tickets are $10 with any student ID. A complimentary reception follows each concert with a chance to meet the artists.

For patron ticket purchases and any questions, call SYV Concert Series Director Linda Burrows at 805-688-7423 or the St. Mark’s office at 805-688-4454, or visit www.smitv.org or www.smitv.org/syv-concert-series.html.

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Banda Carnaval, a powerhouse Banda group composed of young, talented musicians from Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico, is coming to the Chumash Casino Resort’s Samala Showroom at 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 9.

The group was named after “El Carnaval de Mazatlán,” the biggest event that takes place every year in their hometown of Mazatlán. The band was formed in 2001 by Jesús Tirado Castañeda.

Banda Carnaval was first heard on Latin radio stations after the release of their first album “Aquí Estamos” in 2008. Their second album, “Corridos y Rancheras,” was released a year later and was a compilation of 18 songs. Among these 18 were “El 9-9,” “El Gallo de Sinaloa,” “El Asesino,” “Jorge Carrillo” and “The Special.”

In 2010, the group signed with Universal Music Latin Entertainment and recorded one of their best-known hits, “El Numeró 1.” A few months later, they promoted the single “Cuando los Huaraches se Acaban.” This track was a breakthrough for the band as it was placed within the first 25 spots of the National Latino Monitor and was heard all over Mexico.

In 2012, the album “Máximo Nivel” earned them recognition as one of the top bands in Mexico, and their collaboration with the Norteño band Calibre 50 on the track “Gente Batallosa” became the most played song of the year in Mexico. It also earned the groups a Billboard Music Award for Song of the Year in Vocal Collaboration.

Tickets are $19, $29, $39, $49 and $59, available at the casino or at www.chumashcasino.com.

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Third Eye Blind, an alternative rock band that achieved commercial success in the late 1990s, is coming to the Chumash Casino Resort’s Samala Showroom at 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 16.

At the peak of their success, Third Eye Blind topped the charts with multi-platinum hits “Semi-Charmed Life,” “Jumper” and “How’s It Going To Be.”

Formed in 1993 in San Francisco by musicians and songwriters Stephan Jenkins and Kevin Cadogan, the band recorded its first demo in 1993 and second demo in 1994 with additional band members.

The band’s third demo was recorded with funds from RCA Records in 1995 and resulted in the band gaining major label attention, including that of producer Clive Davis, the founder and president of Arista Records.

In 1996, the band signed a major label recording contract with Electra Records, reportedly the largest publishing deal ever for an unsigned artist. The band released their self-titled debut album in 1997.

The band currently consists of Jenkins, Hargreaves, Kryz Reid (lead guitar), Alex Kopp (keyboards) and Alex LeCavalier (bass guitar). This lineup recorded the band’s fifth studio album, “Dopamine,” in 2015 and the 2016 EP “We Are Drugs.” Their cover song EP “Thanks for Everything” was released in August.

In the late 1990s their “Third Eye Blind” and “Blue” were certified six times platinum and platinum, respectively, in the U.S.

Tickets are $69, $74, $79, $89 and $99, available at the casino or at www.chumashcasino.com.

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Dustin Lynch, a country singer and songwriter known for his charming looks and heartfelt lyrics, is coming to the Chumash Casino Resort’s Samala Showroom at 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 21.

The native of Tennessee began playing guitar around the age of 8 and picked it up again at 15. At 16, he performed at the Bluebird Café in Nashville on an open mic night and soon started a band.

In 2003, he moved to Nashville and studied biology and chemistry at Lipscomb University — because the university is near the Bluebird Café so he could write and play music between classes. He earned a degree in biology and was interested in going to medical school but instead decided to pursue a career in music.

Lynch released his debut single, “Cowboys and Angels,” from his self-titled debut album “Dustin Lynch” in 2012. This album reached No. 1 on the Top Country Albums chart.

In early 2014, he released his fourth single and the lead single from his second album, “Where It’s At (Yep, Yep).” This track became his first No. 1 single on the Country Airplay chart later that year. Two other singles, “Hell of a Night” and “Mind Reader” also reached No. 1 on the Country Airplay charts.

“Seein’ Red” was released in July 2016 as the lead single from his forthcoming third studio album “Current Mood” and it hit No. 1 on the Country Airplay chart in 2017. “Small Town Boy” was released in March 2017 as the second single on the album.

His concert performances have received great reviews.

Tickets for the show are $55, $65, $75, $90 & $105, available at the casino or at www.chumashcasino.com.

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Air Supply, a soft-rock duo whose ballads scored eight Top 10 hits in the 1980s, will fill the Samala Showroom at the Chumash Casino with heartfelt lyrics and moving melodies at 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28.

Best known for hits such as “Lost in Love,” “All Out of Love” and “The One That You Love,” Air Supply has sold millions of records and continues to perform worldwide.

The group was formed by singer-songwriter Graham Russell and vocalist Russell Hitchcock when they met in Australia in the 1970s. Their first release with Arista Records, “Lost in Love” was a U.S. hit in 1980.

Tickets for the show are $35, $45 & $55, available at the casino or at www.chumashcasino.com.

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