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The feature headliner for the 16th Annual Great Bend Jazz Festival will be Debi Sander Walker, jazz vocalist from Toronto, Ontario Canada. Debi graduated from GBHS in 1969 and sttended Barton Community College where she earned an Associate Music Degree in 1971. She attended Wichita State University, and graduated from the Metropolitan State College in Denver with a degree in Vocal Performance and minor in Child Psychology. Debi sang professionally in the Denver area for a number of years and moved to Toronto, Canada in 1982 where she established her own production company and performs professionally.
Debi is a multi talented performer encompassing a variety of styles including classical, country-western, light rock, jazz standards and dance music, as well as a variety of character sketches. She has toured both Canada and the United States, and has taken part in many different productions including "A Closer Walk With Patsy Cline" where she played the lead role of Patsy Cline to sold out houses the entire season. In the summer of 2004 Debi also starred in the "Tribute to Rosemary Clooney". She is the only female Big Band Jazz leader in Canada and manages her own eleven piece big band, she is also a successful composer with "A Mother's Cry' reaching # 26 on the Top 40 charts in Canada. Debi has earned many awards in Canada over the years and in 2001 was named "Musician of the Year" and nominated for Women of Distinction - "Pinnacle Award." She has received the Board of Trade's "Chairman Award" and the "Sam McCallion Community Involvement Award" for her participation in several charity events. The Great Bend All Star Combo and Prairie Winds Community Big Band will accompany Debi as she sings many familiar jazz standards of today and pop tunes of the '30's & 40's big band era set to modern stylings. Doors at the Crest Theatre, 1905 Lakin will open at 6:30 with opening show music by the Great Bend All Star Combo. Ticket prices are $10 adults and $5 students. Tickets are available at the door, at the Barton County Arts Council, 1401 Main and the Robert Feldt Law Office, 1314 Kansas. Major sponsors include the Great Bend Kiwanis Club, CPI, Marmie Ford and Marmie Motors. Officers and board members are Kurtis Koch, president, Joe Boley, Vice-president, Robert Feldt, secretary/treasurer, Warren Deckert, Mark DeWald, Steve Lueth, JB Webster and Marc Webster. |