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June 28 Release (LONG_June_28_Release.pdf) 248K

June 28 Calendar Listing (LONG_June_28_Cal_Lstg.pdf) 240K

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Long’s Park Summer Music Series Bringing Back Springsteen’s Musical Brother-in-Arms June 28, 2009.

LANCASTER, PA -- Joe Grushecky & the Houserockers will be returning to Lancaster as part of the 47th annual Long’s Park Summer Music Series on Sunday, June 28, 2009. Back by popular demand from the Steel City, he and his band will ignite the park at 7:30 pm with another fun evening of hard driving, no frills, blue color rock with his classic tough lead guitars and driving rhythm.

The free performance of Joe Grushecky & the Houserockers at Long’s Park is made possible with the help of sponsor, PNC Bank. Cosponsoring the appearance of Joe Grushecky & the Houserockers will be Smithgall Pharmacy.

When last year’s concertgoers heard shades of Bruce Springsteen in the veteran heartland rocker, they weren’t surprised to learn that Joe Grushecky began collaborating with “The Boss” in 1995. “In a better world,” wrote Jimmy Gutterman in Runaway American Dream, “Joe Grushecky would live in a mansion down the road from Springsteen’s.” Rolling Stone declared Grushecky “a new American classic.”

Across Joe Grushecky’s storied, three decade career, he has released 13 albums. His latest, “A Good Life,” released in late 2006, packs a strong punch in its dark love song, Code of Silence, which he cowrote with Springsteen. It’s one of three tracks on that album on which Grushecky performs with his old friend. As iTunes observes, “Both [men] are obsessed with understanding the lives of working people, and both sing with sandpaper growls.”

The Grushecky-Springsteen friendship dates back to the 80s when they were introduced by Springsteen band mate Steve Van Zandt. Van Zandt was working with Grushecky’s band, then known as the Iron City Houserockers, on the acclaimed album “Have a Good Time (But Get Out Alive).” Springsteen later produced Grushecky’s 1995 album, “American Babylon.”

The past 20 years have found Joe Grushecky devoting the core of his energy and passion to teaching children with special educational needs.

Joining Joe Grushecky for his command performance at Long’s Park will be the
five-piece Houserockers. Music critic Fred Mills praised The Houserockers for “the kind of roots-Americana classicism that John Mellencamp can nowadays only dream of.” Art Nardini plays bass guitar in the band. Guitarist Danny Gochnour and Joe Pelesky on keyboards join drummer Joffo Simmons and percussionist Bernie Hall.

The Long’s Park Summer Music Series is produced and underwritten by the Long’s
Park Amphitheater Foundation. Thanks to generous sponsors, private donors and proceeds of the Labor Day weekend Long’s Park Art & Craft Festival, admission and parking are free. Sponsors of the 2009 season are Lancaster General and Susquehanna Bank. Season media sponsors are WARM 103 and 96.1 WSOX. WGAL-TV is season weather sponsor.

Stevens & Lee and Griffin Financial Group are sponsoring the 2009 Long’s Park Art & Craft Festival.

Long’s Park concertgoers are invited to bring picnics, blankets and lawn chairs to the
park. A selection of food purveyors will also be in the park, offering a complete meal’s worth of family foods and desserts. Long’s Park is an alcohol-free park.

Long’s Park is conveniently located at 1441 Harrisburg Pike in Lancaster, just off Route 30 across from Park City Center. All performances are held rain or shine, except in the case of dangerously inclement weather.

Additional information and links to musical previews of Long’s Park’s performers can be found at www.longspark.org or on Facebook. For details on corporate sponsorships of the Long’s Park Summer Music Series and to learn how to make individual and corporate contributions, contact the Long’s Park Amphitheater Foundation at www.longspark.org