2012 Miss America And Kenosha Native Plans To Make Celebrate Kenosha Annual Event For Her Hometown

KENOSHA, WI, UNITED STATES, September 8, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Native Kenoshan, Laura Kaeppeler (Miss America 2012 and Miss Wisconsin 2011) offers her heartfelt “thank you” to everyone who gathered at Pennoyer Park Sunday, August 29th for the first annual “Celebrate Kenosha” event. The concert, a free event presented by Kaeppeler and sponsored by ULINE, and in partnership with Carthage College, and the Health Interrupted Podcast, was briefly interrupted by a summer downpour, which delayed the festivities for about 45 minutes. Most attendees returned to their cars to stay dry during the deluge, then returned for the full show with lawn chairs and coolers in hand.

“Save a little rain, the first “Celebrate Kenosha” concert was even better than I’d envisioned!”, Kaeppeler said. “After the pandemic struggles during the past 18 months, I really wanted to present an event that gave Kenoshans an opportunity to safely gather together at an outdoor event to enjoy an afternoon of great music — and that’s exactly what we did.”

The free summer fun event featured classics from the “The Great American Songbook,” performed by an all-star cast backed by Wisconsin’s Water City Jazz Orchestra on the park’s bandshell. “Saturday Night Live” alum Joe Piscopo kicked off the show performing a Frank Sinatra-style version of “The Star-Spangled Banner” as a salute to active duty and military veterans, police, fire, and first responders in attendance. Piscopo continued his set with Count Basie-style versions of “Pennies From Heaven” and “Fly Me To The Moon,” as well as “Sing, Sing, Sing,” with Piscopo himself behind the drum set.

Haley Reinhart (platinum-selling Postmodern Jukebox vocalist and American Idol finalist) wowed the crowd with her million-selling version of Elvis’ “Can’t Help Falling in Love”, as well as kicky covers of Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots Are Made For Walkin’” an Peggy Lee’s “Fever.”

Joe Coleman (lead singer of The Platters), a last minute addition to the roster, took Kenoshans on a trip down memory lane with soulful versions of “Only You” and “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes.”

Next, Kaeppeler, former Miss America, treated her hometown crowd to a note-perfect rendition of the George Gershwin classic “Embraceable You,” which showcased her powerful vocal range, which many remembered as the talent she utilized to help win the Miss America crown. The appreciative audience gave Laura a standing ovation, in recognition of both her vocal skill and her efforts in putting together the free concert event.

The afternoon also included performances by jazz vocalist Erin Boheme, Dave Damiani and the No Vacancy Orchestra, and actor Donny Most, who will forever be known for his iconic role as jokester Ralph Malph on the TV classic “Happy Days,” which was set in nearby Milwaukee. Most surprised attendees with his powerhouse vocals on Great American Songbook classics, and with his touching tribute to his friend and late Happy Days co-star Al Molinaro (a Kenosha native).

The concert’s headliner, Landau Eugene Murphy Jr. (season six winner of “America’s Got Talent”) joined Most on stage to belt out the Sinatra classic “That’s Life.” The soulful singer tore through a set of songs and stories of his rags-to-riches story (Murphy was once homeless and working at a car wash when he auditioned for “America’s Got Talent” in 2010) before wrapping up his set with the crowd favorite, “My Way.”

Kaeppeler says she hopes to make “Celebrate Kenosha” an annual event. “This community has given me so much and helped shape who I am today. Being able to give back means the world to me.”

To read Laura’s show recap and to stay up to date on future “Celebrate Kenosha” events, visit Laura Kaeppeler’s website at https://laurakaeppeler.com/celebrate-kenosha/.

Burke Allen/ Shaili Priya
Allen Media Strategies
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Laura Kaeppeler Presents “Celebrate Kenosha”: A Recap Of The Free Summer Concert