We are thrilled to have Phil Vassar performing at our 2012 festival, with opening act by rising star, Kip Moore.

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Exploding new artist, Kip Moore, will be opening up for Phil Vassar at our WQMX stage in the grandstands at this year's festival.

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This premier 1980s tribute band is dedicated to performing the innovative, new wave music from the early days of MTV. Top notch musicianship along with steller showmanship sets New Wave Nation apart from the imitators. With 7 LCD screens onstage (displaying the videos of the artists they perform...while they're performing them) the band takes you on a musical and visual journey to a time when music & style were one in the same and music videos ruled the airwaves. Don't miss their show, presented with all the flare of the '80s.

More on New Wave Nation at www.newwavenation.com

The Gene Fiocca Band hails from Akron, Ohio and is noted for the best "Dance Beat" of the ballroom bands in the Northeastern Ohio area. Their professionalism, talent and commitment give the band a versatility that can please any crowd.

This extremely popular band has become a favorite at the Italian American Festival. If you like to dance, don't miss the Gene Fiocca Band.

More on The Gene Fiocca Band at www.genefioccaband.com

Dominic Tocco started the Brotherhood in 1963 and has been entertaining audiences in the Youngstown area for over 46 years. He has remained on top by using the very best musicians and performing a variety of music. The Band currently consists of all seasoned musicians; Peter Pylypiw on keyboards & vocals, Jerry Centifani on Guitar and Steve Lawrence on Drums. Dominic refers to the band as the backbone of his performances and one of the primary reasons for his continued success.

Dominic has been selected as Readers Choice Award’s, "Entertainer of the Year" numerous times. He has performed throughout the U.S. and Canada, including the worlds fair in Montreal.

Frank Trace has made quite a name for himself in the world of line dancing. He has been teaching line dancing in Northeast Ohio for the past 10 years. He has choreographed numerous widely successful dances including Duck Soup, Happy Radio, and the international award winning Mamma Maria. His local Line Dance Classes are very popular offerings at several area School District Adult Education Programs.

Frank hosts monthly Line Dance Parties at the Richville Community Park Hall in Massillon and the Fred Astaire Dance Studio in North Canton. These Dance Parties are open to the public and attract a large following of Line Dance enthusiasts. Frank's Line Dance Party has become one of our most popular events at the Italian American Festival.

More on Frank at www.FrankTrace.com

The nostalgia of old Italy will fill your heart as the sounds of Carmelina and the Masquerade Band take you back to your homeland. Her soothing, yet vibrant tones, which captivate all generations of Italians, will lead you through a variety of music.

Carmelina Antonelli also hosts a Sunday radio show "Touch Of Italy" on Cleveland’s WELW 1330 AM. A favorite performer in the Cleveland and northeastern Ohio area, Carmelina has a very large and loyal following. Don’t miss her performance.

Born and raised in western Pennsylvania, Frank Gallo plays both trumpet and trombone, as well as doing vocals and comedy routines. Noted for versatility in blending Italian and American music, Frank has performed in many of the tri-state ballrooms, as well as Italian Festivals and dances in Pittsburgh, Warren, Youngstown, Wheeling and Indiana, working with performers such as The Gaylords and Johnny Desmond. The Frank Gallo Band gives you a unique blend of Italian music and comedy.

Oro Puro (Pure Gold) has established itself as being a powerful new band. They are perhaps the most ambitious and unique to come out of the Italian-American music scene.

This sensational band has the ability to amaze the audience and become a show just with their presence on stage. Oro Puro is a fantastic dance band. They will make you move, they will take your heart, they will capture your senses, and they will make you enjoy life.

More at www.oropuroband.com

The Tailor Made Classics sing Doo-Wop hits from the past. Each member of the group remarkably sounds like the original artist. The members of the group bring vast years of experience performing with such groups as The Ink Spots, Sharptones, The Casuals, The Debonairs, The Drifters, The Coasters and other hot groups.

Always a sell-out crowd pleaser which will have your heart pumping for the memories you still cherish.

More on Tailor Made Classics at www.tailormadeclassics.com

Eddie Paolucci has been entertaining Akron area fans for many years as part of "Phil Palumbo and Pals", then "Eddie Paolucci and the Leftovers" and now with "The Carolyn and Jim Burns Band". Along with his great vocals on a wide variety of tunes, he is one of the finest trumpet / valve trombone players ever to come from the Akron area.

Jim Burns first joined "Eddie's Leftovers" at the Tangier Restaurant in Akron, Ohio around 1968 and has worked with Eddie ever since. He has also taught public school bands for 30 years and has arranged for the jazz bands of Kent State University and The University of Akron, and The Akron Symphony Orchestra. Carolyn Burns began studying jazz and popular singing in the mid 1980's. She has mastered singing in Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, French and German and can totally captivate the audience.

The Carolyn and Jim Burns Band, featuring Eddie Paolucci, combines the talents of these three individuals into a fantastic musical and entertainment experience.

Todd Taylor was one of the most popular D.J.’s and highest rated Disc Jockey for many years while on WHLO 640 Radio in Akron/Canton, Ohio. Additionally, he was a world class programmer that received numerous Gold Records for his ability to pick hits before they were hits! It’s none other than that wild and crazy Todd T. Taylor and now he’s singing all the hits he used to play on his radio & television shows.

More on Todd T. Taylor at www.toddttaylor.com

For more than forty years this veteran blues guitarist has played throughout northeast Ohio, entertaining audiences with his blues and soul-inspired voice and guitar playing, which have sometimes been compared to B.B. King. Jeff has opened for artists such as Robert Cray, Albert Collins, the Fabulous Thunderbirds, the Nitehawks, and Southside Johnny, just to name a few. His band, the Jeff Poulos Blues Revue – Scott Grewell, Pat "Manny" Cahill, and Eugene Opryszko, local veterans as well, provide Jeff with a steady groove and vocal harmonies. Jeff and his band play not only old school blues, but a variety of blues-influenced classic rock and Motown as well.

The Prowlers are an established Memphis style classic Rock & Roll band from the Akron area. Their audience will be treated to hours of rockin' dance music from the 50s and 60s with a little Blues on the side. Gary Shreve will be performing a very accurate Elvis tribute with the Prowlers on stage for the evening performance. You won't want to miss this spectacular show.

Read about and listen to The Prowlers and Gary Shreve at www.myspace.com/theprowlersakron

After learning that his schoolmate Andrew Pileggi played the accordion, bassist Collin Mikeska approached him with the half-serious proposition of forming a band. Andrew revealed that he did in fact have a catalog of Italian music available of which he was well versed in. One thing led to another, and after the addition of drummer David Wilson and guitarist Matt Strobelt, Gli Italiani was formed.

Michael's Group has been performing together for three years. The band is a collection of musicians from various past area bands with over 200 years of collective musical experience. Genres include Sinatra, Swing, Pop, 50's and 60's, Italian, Latin and Soul. Orchestrated original music charts, along with three vocalists provide for a relaxing dancing or listening experience you will not want to miss. Check them out Friday in the outdoor pavilion from 4-7 PM. Buona Festa!!!

For more than 15 years, singing sensation Nick Costa has teamed up with everybody’s favorite Disc Jockey Bill Pirie to perform an unforgettable show. Their amazing chemistry together is immediately appreciated by the crowd and their unbelievable talent to motivate any age group to the dance floor is astonishing. Nick Costa and Bill Pirie perform from a massive library of music ranging from Big Band and Swing to Motown, Rock and Disco.

More on Costa & Pirie at www.nickandbill.com

Matt Schafer began playing the accordion at age seven and at thirteen began playing professionally with his father's band in the greater Akron area. At age twenty-six, Matt joined America's Polka King, Frank Yankovic, traveling throughout the United States and Canada.

In 1977, he formed his own band, and has been performing in the greater Akron-Canton area. Matt has served as president of the A.B.C. Polka Association and hosts a Saturday morning radio program on WZIP FM Akron, Ohio.

Cleveland born Ralph Szubski is truly the The Accordion Man. While still attending High School, Ralph was playing accordion with various bands performing at weddings, parties and dances. Having become proficient at playing keyboards, acoustic and midi accordion, he moved on to performing as a soloist.

For more than two years he has been playing one of the first Roland FR-7x Virtual Accordions in Ohio. It looks like an accordion and sounds like a full orchestra with more than a 1,000 different sounds! The Roland has its own built-in amplifier and speaker system making it completely portable and wireless!

Ralph’s good friend and percussionist, Gary Chopcinski, has been performing with Ralph for more than 15 years. Together their repertoire includes songs of many Nationalities, Swing, Jazz, Blues, Country and Classic Rock with musical and vocal arrangements.

Steve Dallas is a widely known in the Canton, Akron and Cleveland Ohio area as a musician performing for weddings, anniversary parties, company banquets, piano concerts and any occasion where fine music is needed. This Cleveland, Akron, Canton, Columbus, Ohio Musician performs the well known classics as well as the great movie themes and standard swing tunes from the 30's and 40's. Steve is a well rounded Ohio Musician who has a heart for people.

More on Steve Dallas "Timeless" Orchestra at www.stevedallas.com

Based out of Youngstown, Ohio, the JIM FRANK TRIO is a group of professional musicians who perform a wide variety of musical entertainment for your listening and dancing pleasure. The trio has performed at many Italian festivals in Ohio as well as West Virginia. They have been entertaining audiences for 27 years. Jim, the band leader, recently returned from New York City where he played at the San Gennaro Restaurant in Little Italy as well as the Hawaiian Tropic Zone restaurant in TIMES SQUARE. The band also performs at various supper cubs as well as ballroom dancing on a weekly basis.

Jim ordered his accordion direct from Italy. He has been playing his accordion since the age of six. The band members are graduates of the Dana School of Music and teach music in the public schools in Ohio. The trio plans to release a CD in the fall. The instruments are composed of Jim Frank on the Accordion, Pat Russo on the Drums and Joe Commarata on the trumpet.

The Lowellville Band was started in 1927 by Michael Lucente. All the music played by the band was brought from Italy by "Maestro" Lucente. In 1932 he returned to Italy to live and Dan Faraglia was elected as the new band director. The band grew in popularity performing at many Italian events in Ohio and Pennsylvania. In 1941 they disbanded because of WWII and were reactivated in 1946. In 1952 Dan Faraglia retired and Ben Tamburino became the director until his death in 1983. Rocco DeMart followed and is still serving as director.

There are four current members who have been active since 1932: John Delucia, Al Coloneri, John DePasquale and V.J. Ludiciani.

Raised in Canton, Ohio, Ryan has been performing since the age of 5. After graduating from Canton Central Catholic in 1996, he moved to Huntington Beach, California to further pursue his musical career. While there, he performed with the Beach Boys, Dean Torrence (of Jan & Dean), as well as with members of The Coasters, The Platters and The Temptations. Ryan returned to Canton in 1999 and in 2003 he recorded the songs Here's to the Lady and A Tribute to a Lady for the restoration of the Statue of Liberty. These songs were recorded in New York City at Nola Music Studio with the famous composer Mr. Irving Fields.

More on Ryan Parkinson at ryanparkinson.homestead.com

The Rex Taneri Orchestra was formed in 1977 and has played all over Northeast Ohio and Western Pa. for the past 34 years. They entertain with a wide variety of music including Big Band, Swing, Ballroom, Old Standards, and classic Rock and roll. They also play Polkas and Waltzes along with your favorite Italian Music.

The leader, Rex Taneri, is a graduate of the Dana School of Music at Youngstown State University and also plays lead Alto Sax in both the Youngstown anad Warren Concert Bands.