Sunday, January 31, 1999
Raisins to reunite for Cammys show
BY LARRY NAGER
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The first official reunion of one of the Tristate's most popular and influential bands has been added to the third annual Enquirer Cincinnati Area Pop Music Awards.
The Raisins — guitarist Rob Fetters, bassist Bob Nyswonger, keyboardist Ricky Nye and drummer Rick “Bam” Powell — will perform March 14 at Sycamore Gardens (4-8 p.m.).
The group's brilliant songwriting, combined with unmatched versatility and a hyperkinetic stage show, made the Raisins the hottest local ticket from the late '70s to the mid-80s. The band enjoyed a huge local hit with “Fear is Never Boring” and seemed bound for glory.
Their big break never came. On April 6, 1985, the Raisins played their last gig. Mr. Fetters and Mr. Nyswonger joined drummer Chris Arduser in the Bears, fronted by superstar guitarist Adrian Belew. The Bears made two albums for IRS records before breaking up.
The Raisins' continuing influence can be seen in the group's offshoots — the psychodots, the Graveblankets, Ricky Nye & the Red Hots, Bucket, Mr. Fetters' solo career and a planned Bears' reunion album.
The Raisins join an all-star lineup that includes Mary Ellen Tanner with the Blue Wisp Big Band; Stagger Lee & Friends; the William Menefield Trio with trumpeters Mike Wade, Gary Winters and Brad Goode; the Tigerlilies; Katie Reider; Mood; “Shades of Blue” with the Goshorn Brothers, Marcos Sastre, Sweet Alice Hoskins and Kelly Richey; and the Michael Bany Scholarship winners with the Bany Brothers.
Tickets are $10 and go on sale at 10 a.m. Feb. 8 at Ticketmaster outlets and by phone: 562-4949. Only 900 tickets will be sold. Last year's Cammy Awards was a sell-out.
There's something about Mary
A night like this? Only happens once in a blue moon
Man trapped 6 hours by ditch collapse
Kindness pours in for uninsured family
Charter reform efforts tabled
Dems' infighting scotches strong-mayor plan
At-risk children's lives improve, by inches
Foster children need help becoming independent adults
Everybody loves work on 'Raymond'
Audience contributes punch lines
First step to a maestro: Make a list
Send us your ideas for the next CSO music director
What are qualities of top music directors
Community members could help in conductor search
TV causes blindness
Kenton Co. jailer cleaning up facility, morale
Shirey's PR exec gets the word out
Dedicated worker in a political limbo
cities may join to seek grants
Dancers stay on their toes
Ft. Mitchell cleanliness on agenda
Newsmaker Q&A with Paul Booth
Parents rush to four sites to get students' magnet choices
Portman meets voters; 'the' topic untouched
Raisins to reunite for Cammys show
Sierra Club opens local office
Super Bowl means medical alert
Teachers take tour of texts
TRISTATE DIGEST
