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WKRC-TV's Dennison Keller to emcee Clooney concert
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By DANETTA BARKER News Editor
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The host for the Kentucky Utilities Presents Rosemary Clooney Concert, like Rosemary herself, has close ties to Maysville.
Lundy's Special Events announced that Dennison Keller will be the host for this year's concert, which will be held Sept. 30 in downtown Maysville, as headliner of the event, songwriter and singer Neil Sedaka will perform music that spans five decades.
Keller grew up in Ripley, attended school in Mason County and calls Maysville home. The honor of hosting a concert named for the legendary girl singer is very exciting, even for a reporter at WKRC, Channel 12 in Cincinnati.
"It's thrilling," Keller said. "I mean it's over the moon thrilling."
For the past several years, Keller has covered the event for Channel 12, including providing video footage of the concert. Every year he nags Abbie Lundergan Dobson for a great piece of video. She obliges and gives Keller tips.
When the call came from Dobson this year, Keller thought it was another invitation to film setup, meal preparation or other activities during the days before the concert. He was surprised when Dobson asked him for a favor.
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| A large screen with a movie clip of Rosemary Clooney appears behind the fountain on Market Street during the 2004 Rosemary Clooney Music Festival.
Terry Prather/Staff |
"Getting better video is always a challenge," Keller said. "I thought she was calling about that. I was very flattered when she asked me to emcee the event."
Keller could very well be the best spokesman for the event with his enthusiasm for Maysville, music and the ambience the concert offers. The combination is something, he said, you don't find anywhere else. Even the downtown skyline adds to the setting, he said.
"You have the meal, the entertainment and Maysville lit up with the stage under the spires," Keller said. "It is really extraordinary."
Keller tells everyone he sees about the Rosemary Clooney concert series. His family has supported the event since the beginning. But, it took family members a few years to persuade Keller to come downtown and enjoy the concert.
"They kept telling me how great it was," Keller said. "I kept going, 'Yeah, yeah,' then I saw for myself. Now I don't miss it. Now, this year I am in the loop."
His calendar is marked off every year for the weekend of the concert. And he encourages friends and co-workers to join him.
"It's an out of this world experience," he said.
Although the event with dozens of people in glittering evening wear enjoying the butler served meal is wonderful, Keller said the evening is also a gift to residents who live near the stage and can enjoy the music.
"It is a homecoming type event, the whole weekend," Keller said.
Keller knows as emcee he has to step into the shoes of Nick Clooney, Rosemary's brother. He finds that exhilarating as well as challenging.
"One of the fun things about this is that I get to emcee in front of Nick Clooney. I'll be in his footsteps," Keller said. "This concert honors more than Rosemary; it honors the whole Clooney family.
Contact Danetta Barker at 606-564-9091 ext. 272. |
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