Doors 6:30, show 7 pm. Open Seating except for VIP Reserved seating – see below – Beer and wine available. Advance General Admission $50, Day of Show General Admission $60 – VIP – Meet and Greet, reserved seating $65

VIP Ticket gets you reserved seating (first 4 rows) and a meet and greet with the band starting at 5:45.

The Sons of Champlin appear as a 9 person band with horns! Two time Grammy winner Bill Champlin leads this legendary San Francisco band!

Bill Champlin’s musical career began in 1961 when he formed a band called the Opposite Six. A year later he began writing music. After forming the Sons of Champlin in 1967 he focused his songwriting talents on producing material for the Sons. “They were breathing fire. They were the most talented of all the San Francisco bands”, said Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead. The Sons’ first album, LOOSEN UP NATURALLY, was released in 1969, followed by six more albums before they broke up in 1977. Many of these have been re-released as CD’s and are currently available for
purchase.

After the breakup of the Sons, Bill moved to Los Angeles and worked as a session lead and background vocalist on numerous recordings from 1977-1985. Some of the artists that he has worked with include Patti LaBelle, Lou Rawls, Elton John, Boz Scaggs, Donna Summer, Nancy Wilson, George Benson, Jimmy Smith, Amy Grant, Neil Diamond and Kenny Rogers. In 1978 he released SINGLE, his first solo album. In 1979 he won his first Grammy award for co-writing “After the Love is Gone”, which was later recorded by Earth, Wind & Fire. During the Chicago/EWF tours in 2004 and 2005, Champlin was asked to perform this song with them, as lead singer.

The National Association of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) awarded Bill the Most Valuable Player peer award for male background vocalists in 1980. In 1981 he won another Grammy for co-writing Turn Your Love Around for George Benson, and released his second solo album that year, RUNAWAY. In 1982 he joined Chicago to record Chicago 16. “Bill’s exactly what we’ve been looking for,” said Chicago’s Robert Lamm . His very distinctive and expressive vocals can be heard on Chicago’s hits , “Hard Habit to Break” and “Stay the Night.” In 1988 Bill’s recording of the song, “In the Heat of the Night”, was picked up as a show opener by the television show of the same name. The following year Chicago released the song of the year, “Look Away”, featuring Champlin on lead vocals. In 1990 Bill released the critically acclaimed NO WASTED MOMENTS. That same year he was asked to perform two songs from NO WASTED MOMENTS at the Tokyo Music Festival, and was presented with their songwriter of the year award.

Additional songwriting credits:
After the Love Has Gone by Earth, Wind & Fire
For You, for Love by AWB
Lookin for You by Earth, Wind & Fire
Turn Your Love Around by George Benson
Smile Again (Dedicated to Angela from Alan) by The Manhattan Transfer
Friends in Love by Dionne Warwick and Johnny Mathis
Niagara Falls/I Believe by Chicago
Just to Be Loved by Al Jarreau

The Sons of Champlin continue to perform and consist of:
Bill Champlin—Vocals, Keys, Guitars
Tamara Champlin–Vocals
Tal Morris—Vocals, Guitar
Geoff Palmer—Keys, Vibes
Alan Hertz–Drums
Dick Mithun—Bass
Tim Cain—Vocals, Saxes
Jeff Lewis—Trumpet, Percussion
Doug Rowan–Saxes

The award winning historic Sutter Creek Theatre is an intimate 215 seat former silent film theatre with superb sound. Voted Best Indie Theatre multiple times (KCRA A-List).