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BIG VOICE OF LITTLE ANTHONY AND THE IMPERIALS SET FOR BEAR'S DEN STAGE
Niagara Falls, NY, January 2005 - Seneca Niagara Casino is proud to present Little Anthony and the Imperials, live at the Bear's Den Showroom at 9 p.m. on Friday, February 18. Tickets are $20 and available at SenecaNiagaraCasino.com, Eight Clans Gift Shop, ticketmaster.com and all Ticketmaster locations, including Kaufmann's stores.
Anthony Gourdine, born and brought up in the Fort Greene projects of Brooklyn, NY, began singing as a teenager, performing on "Startime Studio" shows. By his mid- teens, he wanted to do what other teens in Boys High School were doing: singing with a group. In 1955, he put together a quartet that started singing for their friends, making appearances at local school dances before moving on to club dates. Gourdine's group, The Duponts, was signed to Royal Roost Records in 1957 and recorded "Prove It Tonight," a pop and rhythm and blues hit.
After high school, Gourdine left The Duponts to join The Chesters, a group founded by Clarence Collins, that was looking for a lead voice. In early 1958, Richard Barrett and Lou Gally with End Records spotted the group and signed them to a contract, renaming them "The Imperials." Their first record was a double-sided ballad hit. "Tears On My Pillow" launched their musical career with more than a million copies sold. The flip side, "Two People In The World," made this one of the most popular double-sided records in vocal group history.
Gourdine was sitting on a park bench in Brooklyn one evening listening to WINS radio DJ Alan Freed. The DJ announced "Here's a new record that's making a lot of noise, Little Anthony and the Imperials singing 'Tears On My Pillow.'" The nickname Little Anthony stuck and the new group name was official.
Several follow-up singles passed unnoticed until late 1959, when the group released the Doo Wop novelty tune "Shimmy, Shimmy, Ko Ko Bop." With more than a million records sold, it has become an Imperials fan favorite.
The group split up shortly thereafter but reformed with a slightly different line-up in 1964. Signing with the DCP label, they had a string of hits, including "I'm On The Outside (Lookin' In)," "Goin' Out Of My Head" and "Hurt So Bad." Two other hits, "Take Me Back" and "I Miss You," brought the group firmly into the late 1960s. Moving to United Artists in 1969, the group recorded another album that produced the hit, "I'm Falling In Love With You."
The group frequently performed on television shows, including "Your Hit Parade," "The Ed Sullivan Show," "The Tonight Show," "Shindig," "Hullabaloo" and numerous Dick Clark Shows.
In 1975, the group broke up again, with Little Anthony officially, but amicably, separating from the Imperials. Their unmistakable sound that yielded 17 pop and 12 rhythm and blues chart hits continued in the memories of their fans. In 1992, after 17 years apart, Little Anthony and the Imperials came together for their first reunion show in New York City and decided to get back together. The magic returned and audiences continue showing their approval with sold-out dates and fans singing along at performances.
Seneca Niagara Casino is New York State's first full-service casino featuring reel-spinning and video slot machines. Just a few blocks from world-famous Niagara Falls, the Casino is located at 310 Fourth Street. The 112,590 square feet gaming floor houses more than 3,200 slot machines and 97 table games. A separate smoke-free casino, Turtle Island, is also available to patrons along with the Poker Room and the high-stakes Blue Heron Room.
In addition to gaming, Seneca Niagara Casino offers several restaurants including Thunder Falls Buffet, Morrie's Place and The Western Door: A Seneca Steakhouse. The Bear's Den Showroom, a 443-seat showroom-style theater and Club 101, a unique music venue located in the heart of the gaming floor, provide live entertainment. Free parking is available to patrons through complimentary valet services, self-parking areas and a four-story garage with covered walkway. The Casino is owned and operated by the Seneca Nation of Indians.
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