Celebrate 90 years of Patsy Cline & George Jones as vocalist Staci Griesbach reimagines country classics in the style of jazz
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 20, 2023
Green Bay, WI. – Celebrate the 90-year legacies of country music icons Patsy Cline and George Jones as The Weidnerpresents Los Angeles-based, Wisconsin-native and vocalist Staci Griesbach performing selections from these two classic catalogs reimagined through a Jazz lens. Griesbach’s 90 Years of Patsy Cline & George Jones will feature selections from her two Songbook tribute albums including such favorites as “I Fall to Pieces,” “Crazy,” “White Lightning” and “Grand Tour.”
Tickets are on sale now for the concert on Sunday, March 5 at 2 pm.
“Patsy Cline and George Jones have two of the most iconic catalogs in Country Music history, and their music and life stories continue to inspire me today. This show will celebrate their life and legacy along with the incredible songwriters behind their biggest hits,” Griesbach said. “I was raised on classic country music but also love jazz, so my hope is that fans will join me and rediscover these classic songs as I present them in a fresh new way.”
In 2019, Griesbach launched her own signature spin on the Great American Songbook of Country Music, self-producing a series of albums designed to take fans on a journey by reimagining these classic, beloved songs. Griesbach’s albums, My Patsy Cline Songbook and My George Jones Songbook are the first full-length album tributes of the kind and feature songs written by some of Nashville’s most renowned songwriters including Hank Cochran, Harlan Howard, Bob Wills, Willie Nelson, Bobby Braddock, Darrell Edwards and more. These prolific songwriters contributed greatly to 20th Century American Music, much like Irving Berlin and Cole Porter contributed to the foundation of traditional standards played throughout the Jazz community still today.
“The Weidner is pleased to welcome Staci Griesbach back to Wisconsin for this exciting performance,” said Kelli Strickland, Executive & Artistic Director of The Weidner. “Her spirit as a performer, and her commitment to connecting to community members on and off stage through music is a wonderful partnership for us in our mission to make the arts for everyone, everywhere.”
The 90 Years of Patsy Cline & George Jones concert will feature local community groups opening the afternoon concert including UW-Green Bay’s own Notre Dame Vocal Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Christine Salerno as well as a special performance from the Hortonville High School Jazz Combo and Vocal Ensemble led by Justin Foth. Currently living in Los Angeles, Griesbach is a native of Hortonville and will spend time mentoring the group while back in her home state.
“It’s a dream come true to perform at the Weidner Center during the 30th anniversary season. I was a high school student when the venue opened, and I remember performing on the stage during college at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. It’s an honor to have my alma matter of Hortonville High School open the concert along with Notre Dame, and I hope it inspires some of the kids in the group to follow their musical dreams,” Griesbach noted.
Griesbach has performed at Carnegie Hall, the Country Music Hall of Fame, Birdland Jazz Club in New York City and Catalina Jazz Club in Los Angeles. Rolling Stone debuted her first single, “Walkin’ After Midnight,” calling it “a gorgeous jazz interpretation” and top jazz magazine Downbeat says, “Griesbach achieves her aim of paying tribute not through imitation, but by exploring new possibilities through new artistry.”
Patsy Cline and George Jones’ stars continue to shine even in recent years. In fact, Hollywood recently brought both stars back to the spotlight with a recent series George & Tammy (Showtime) and 2019 Patsy & Loretta (Lifetime). As this year presents a milestone 90-year birthday for Cline (Jones’ 90th was just 2021), March 5 also marks the 60th anniversary to the day of Cline’s tragic death in a plane crash in Tennessee in 1963. To honor the occasion, guests will hear directly from Patsy Cline’s daughter, Julie Fudge, with a special message during the performance.
Tickets for the performance on Sunday, March 5 at 2 pm are now on sale now through Ticket Star at WeidnerCenter.com, TicketStarOnline.com or by calling Ticket Star at 800.895.0071. For more information on Staci Griesbach, visit www.StaciGriesbach.com.
FOR MEDIA ONLY: For more information or for an interview, contact Staci Griesbach stacigriesbach@gmail.com.
About Staci GriesbachStaci Griesbach is an LA-based vocalist with a Signature Songbook Series of albums reimagining the Great American Songbook of Country Music in the style of Jazz and interpreting songs by artists like Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton, Shania Twain and George Jones. Her most recent album, My George Jones Songbook, earned her four stars in Downbeat magazine. Described as having “an instrument pitched between Rosemary Clooney sass and Diana Krall smokiness,” (Mwke’s Shepherd-Express), Griesbach has performed at iconic venues including Carnegie Hall, the Country Music Hall of Fame, Catalina Jazz Club and was selected as a 2020 SXSW Music Festival Showcasing Artist. All About Jazz calls Griesbach “a vocalist who has taken risks and succeeded,” adding, “Griesbach’s vocal range is exceptional.”
As owner-artist for her independent label Hwy 76 Records (named after the two-lane highway leading to her home farm in native Hortonville, Wisconsin), Griesbach has self-produced her recent albums and also oversees distribution, marketing, publicity, booking and promotion. Griesbach is a former VP, Worldwide Publicity for Sony Pictures where she spent nearly 14 years and holds a B.S. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she was a Singer/Dancer for the Wisconsin Singers. Griesbach currently resides in Santa Monica and is a member of the Santa Monica Arts Commission. For more, visit www.StaciGriesbach.com.
About The WeidnerThe Weidner at UW-Green Bay is known for its elegant design and the acoustic excellence of its 2,000-seat main hall, Cofrin Family Hall. It also houses two smaller performance spaces, the Fort Howard recital hall and the Jean Weidner Theatre, along with a dance studio and Grand Foyer. The Weidner has a distinct benefit in being part of a leading institution of higher learning. The Weidner is a home for UW-Green Bay Music and Theatre and Dance programs, community events and productions, and performances by visiting artists and touring companies. Beyond the large-scale touring productions that grace the stage, The Weidner also focuses on scholastic development, programming and an impactful education series — Stage Doors. For more information visit WeidnerCenter.com and sign-up for The Weidner Wire.
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About the University of Wisconsin-Green BayEstablished in 1965, UW-Green Bay is a public institution serving 9,616 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students and 95,000 continuing education learners each year. We educate students from pre-college through retirement and offer 200+ degrees, programs and certificates. UW-Green Bay graduates are resilient, inclusive, sustaining and engaged members of their communities, ready to rise to fearlessly face challenges, solve problems and embrace diverse ideas and people. With four campus locations, the University welcomes students from every corner of the world. UW-Green Bay was the fastest-growing UW school in Wisconsin for six consecutive years. For more information, visit www.uwgb.edu.
