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Singer-Songwriter To Perfom In Dunedin

Cheryl Bentley/SUNCOAST

Singer-songwriter Jerry Provost will perform at a wine-tasting event next Friday at Cappuccino's Bakery Cafe, in Dunedin.

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By Cheryl  Bentley | The Suncoast News

Published: February 7, 2009

Friday the 13th will prove to be a lucky day for classic rock aficionados.

Then, Jerry Provost will provide live music at a wine-tasting event at Cappuccino's Bakery Cafe, in downtown Dunedin.

"I do different interpretations of standard songs," Provost said. "I put my own mark on a song."

Provost describes his guitar playing as "real percussive." People often start spontaneously dancing to his music, he notes.

The U.S. Coast Guard, Martha's Vineyard and Florida will come together in Provost's musical medley.

Provost ran search and rescue boats for the Coast Guard in Martha's Vineyard, Mass., for four years and stayed on for another 16 doing various jobs after leaving the Coast Guard.

Martha's Vineyard, an island south of Cape Cod, is known for celebrities who either visit or have homes there. Former President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton vacationed there. Other well-known figures associated with the island include former CBS news anchors Walter Cronkite and Dan Rather, "Late Show" host David Letterman and singers-songwriters Carly Simon and James Taylor, who were once married to each other.

Provost found living on the island opened up a rich world of music for him. He sang in the quarter at Union Chapel, on Martha's Vineyard. There he encountered classical music by the masters. Another member of the Union Chapel musical retinue, Harold Heermans, for organist for the London Symphony Orchestra, inspired him to learn to read music.

That experience caused him to temporarily abandon rock.

"I became a classical snob," Provost recalls. "I was like, 'I'm a tenor. I'm a soloist. I don't like rock 'n' roll.' "

He also was in a madrigal group whose members sang six-part harmony a cappella. Madrigals are secular vocal compositions written during the Renaissance and the early Baroque era. Madrigals often have instrumental accompaniment.

Later, he resumed his love affair with rock and participated in four rock bands. He was also in a jazz group and was involved in community theater. He now appreciates all kinds of music, he noted.

While living in Martha's Vineyard, Provost sang for Bill Clinton twice, once as a tenor in the Union Chapel quartet and another time as a member of the madrigal group.

After 20 years on the island, Provost retired and moved to Florida. Since coming to the Sunshine State, he has concentrated on singing and playing the guitar at Tampa Bay venues. He can probably play about 800 songs, Provost said. "I can play requests. People like that."

The lowdown

The monthly wine-tasting event featuring a performance by guitarist and vocalist Jerry Provost will spotlight wines from Australia. Hors d'oeuvres will be available. Admission is $10.

The event will be held 5 - 8 p.m., Friday, Feb. 13, Cappuccino's Bakery Cafe, 733 Broadway, Dunedin.

Cheryl Bentley can be reached at 727-815-1069 cbentley@suncoastnews.com.

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