Memorial Day Fundraiser at Jamestown Opera House Features Local Talent

JAMESTOWN, OH - Music and variety entertainment returns once again to the Jamestown Opera House with a special Memorial Day Concert beginning at 1:30 p.m. on Monday May 31 featuring Jamestown's own, The Brothers & Co. Entertainers. The concert will open with a special half hour of acapella vocals by "Wright State University Mens A Capella Fight Club" featuring Greeneview High School graduate Jon Holle. Tickets are $10 per person and proceeds benefit the Jamestown Mayor's Scholarship Fund.

Formed in 1995 by two sets of brothers from Jamestown and Dayton, the history of The Brothers & Co. Entertainers actually dates back to 1919 when John Sutton and his brothers played in the Lawrence County band. Today, three of Sutton's grandsons, Gery L. Deer, Gary Deer, Jr., and Ed Jones, continue the musical family traditions along with close family friend, Jim Karns, of Fairborn, performing a variety of music from country to oldies. The formal western costuming of the group is a tribute to their family and musical heritage.

Nicknamed, "The Boys in Black," The Brothers & Co. are a favorite on stages all around the Midwest including The Paint Valley Jamboree in Bainbridge, Ohio. Their repertoire includes songs by The Statler Brothers, John Denver, the Everly Brothers and many original pieces.

In addition to rich, four-part harmonies, The Brothers & Co. Entertainers' family-oriented show includes interactive variety and comedy routines. Award-winning classic magic by bass singer Jim Karns, of Fairborn will leave audiences speechless and the whip artistry of America's Got Talent feature performer and pianist Gery L. Deer of Jamestown is internationally known. Guitarist and song writer Ed Jones and lead singer and drummer Gary Deer, Jr. complete the quartet's unique instrumental and vocal sound.

"Our show is unique and has something for all ages and tastes," said The Brothers & Co. Entertainers director and writer Gery L. Deer. "We have put a modern spin on an old style of entertainment." It's no accident that The Brothers & Co. Entertainers is performing in their home town this holiday weekend. Deer and his group have a unique tie to the Jamestown Opera House.

Deer spent three years as a trustee on the Jamestown Historical Society and his family was heavily involved with the initial stages of the renovation of the opera house. In September of 2001, during the Jamestown Lions Club Bean Festival, three of the original members of The Brothers & Co. Entertainers, were the first performers to work on the stage of the Jamestown Opera House since the main auditorium was closed in 1937.

Gery L. Deer, Gary Sutton, Sr. of Jamestown, who has since passed away, and Layla Nelson of Yellow Springs, Ohio presented hourly 15-minute performances that told the story behind the history of the opera house and gave a look at the kinds of entertainment people once came to see there. The performances were presented during guided tours through the structure by members of the Jamestown Area Historical Society.

In 2002, Deer and the rest of The Brothers & Co. Entertainers produced a stage variety show to raise money for the initial repairs on the roof of the Jamestown Opera House. The show titled, "Raising the Roof," brought in hundreds of dollars towards the first steps in the building's long renovation.

The regional popularity of The Brothers & Co. Entertainers and unusual adventures aboard their tour bus nicknamed, "Noah's Ark," have spawned a series of stories called "The Adventures of The Brothers & Co." The internationally-known stories are available to read free online at the group's website, www.thebrothersandcompany.com. Podcasts, videos and music samples are also downloadable. For more information on the group and the upcoming concert in Jamestown, visit the website or call (937) 902-4857.