Photo credit: Jen Pezzo
The First Annual Spring Extravaganza was held Easter Sunday, April 20th, 2014, at Akron, Ohio's Buchtel High School
Auditorium. Sponsored by 2 Live Music Super Store and Smoke-N-Joes BBQ, the event assembled the Greater
Cleveland/Akron area's finest Gospel Music performers, showcasing traditional and original arrangements to a pumped-up,
jubilant crowd. Veterans of the Gospel scene, MARILYN RIVERS and VERNON PALMER --whom this reporter has known for
years--were present with their fantastic show bands, in addition to VALERIE WOOD, MERRY WHITE, CHOSEN, LIVING CHRIST
MINISTRIES, Y-KNOTT BAND SHOW and TINY BLAIR. SERENE opened the show with selections from their debut album “Sound
Of Energy”, performing their single “Perfect Balance” as well as “Crusted Sun”, “Honored Tradition” and the album’s title
track. Serene's INGRID WESTBERB and EMMANUEL BEY did a masterful job and Vernon Palmer's rich voice filled the
auditorium and had everyone clapping and on their feet! Marilyn Rivers showed the next generation coming up how it's done!
It was a real “kick” seeing Marilyn again--as she gave me my start playing onstage 24 years ago!