Alyssa Gallant, left, and Alexis Simao perform “All I Want for Christmas Is You” on Sunday evening at the “A Maine Christmas” concert at the Franco Center in Lewiston. The youngsters are part of the L-A Premier All Girls Chorus, under the direction of Brooke Lachance. (Andree Kehn/Sun Journal)
Denny Breau finishes his set during the “A Maine Christmas” concert Sunday evening at the Franco Center in Lewiston. (Andree Kehn/Sun Journal)
LEWISTON — Christmas spirit rocked the Franco Center on Sunday night, as well-known country musicians and local groups performed at the second “A Maine Christmas” concert.
The three-hour concert was presented by the Deb Morin Entertainment Co., and a percentage of each ticket sold went to support the Edward Little High School chorus program.
Morin, who has performed in central Maine since 1977 as co-founder of the popular cover band Good & Plenty, was joined on stage by many well-known figures in the country music scene, including finger picker Denny Breau and Malinda Liberty, writer of the “Maine Christmas Song.”
Breau picked his way through an intricate medley of Christmas classics, blending diverse classics including “What Child is This” and “Christmas Time Is Here,” the seminal tune from the 1965 film “A Charlie Brown’s Christmas.”
Breau‘s Chet Atkins-inspired finger-style playing mesmerized the crowd.
Peter Allen, owner the Silver Spur dance hall in Mechanic Falls, emceed the event, and the packed crowd responded well to the performers, giving Morin’s rendition of “O Holy Night,” with guest vocals from her daughter, Brooke LaChance, a standing ovation.
LaChance, a local performer and vocal coach, led a group her students in the L-A Premier All Girls Chorus. The group performed a few Christmas classics, including Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” and a newly arranged version of “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran, transforming the Top 40 hit into a Christmas song.
The Girls of LA, a group of six local performers, sang spirited renditions of “Jingle Bells,” “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” “Winter Wonderland” and “Merry Christmas,Baby.” The group includes Laurie Sidelinger, Morin, Kathy Haley, Bonnie Edwards, Bett Sanborn, and Jeanne Martin.
Other performers included Fermata Nowhere, an auditioned ensemble made up of students at Edward Little High School in Auburn; flautist Ann Breau; and, Tim Sprauge of the Murky Water Band, a country group from Boothbay Harbor.
“We attended this concert last year, and it was by far the best concert we’ve ever seen in the Twin Cities,” Art Poussard of Sabattus said. “That’s why we came back again this year, and we’re not disappointed.”
Poussard said he was familiar with many of the performers, and had watched them all take the stage over the years.
“They gave us lots of joy in the past, and we won’t disappoint them,” he said. “We’re here to support them again.”
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