The Days of '47 celebration kicks into high gear this week with the annual Salt Lake Philharmonic Orchestra pops concert, under direction of Eugene Jelesnik, at 8 p.m. on Wednesday in the Salt Palace arena.
This year's special guest artist is country music performer Jim Turner, who formerly appeared on the Lawrence Welk Show. An added attraction will be the award-winning Buckles and Bows cloggers.Other featured soloists for the evening will include soprano Billie Loukas, tenor Jack Adamson and pianist Bob Davis.
Jelesnik's program will include a special finale comprising a medley of Western music and songs in a tribute to the Days of '47 rodeo.
-JIM TURNER was reared in Knoxville, Tenn., in the shadows of the Great Smoky Mountains, where he gained his early performing experience in a local band in the nation's southeastern college and night club concert circuit. He also toured Europe as soloist and guitarist with the University of Tennessee choir.
After graduating, Turner headed for Nashville, where he found success as a songwriter, session player and recording artist.
Turner auditioned for the rock musical, "Jesus Christ Superstar," and landed the role of Pilate in the original cast. After the Los Angeles run, he remained on the West Coast, but returned to his country music roots. He was soon signed to new recording and publishing contracts and joined the Lawrence Welk Show for the show's final three years.
-THE PROGRAM for the Days of '47 Pops Concert will include a mix of light classics, pop tunes and country-Western songs.
Instrumental works by the orchestra will include the overture from Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro," Johann Strauss' "Artist's Life," Morton Gould's "Hillbilly," Ferde Grofe's "Mardi Gras" (from his "Mississippi Suite"), "Orange Blossom Special," Jelesnik's own "J.F.K. March," Merle J. Isaac's "Mexican Overture" and Eliseo Grenet's "Mama Inez."
Jack Adamson, formerly of the the singing group Four Queens and a Jack, will perform "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?" "You Make Me Feel So Young" and "From This Moment On."
Loukas, well known as an operatic soloist, will sing "Ah, Forse'e Lui" from Verdi's "La Traviata," "With A Song in My Heart" and the Gershwin classic, "Swonderful."
Free tickets for the concert are available at a number of locations throughout the area, including all ZCMI customer service counters, the Marriott Hotel, Daynes Music, the Salt Palace box office, the visitors centers on Temple Square and the Tribune building.
The concert is being co-sponsored by the Salt Lake County Commission and KSL TV-Radio.