Wings to celebrate music of Gramm, Foreigner

The Red Wings will celebrate the music of Lou Gramm and Foreigner with a post-game fireworks show on Saturday, August 29 after the Red Wings-Pawtucket Red Sox game.

Gramm is one of rock 'n' roll's most distinctive and popular voices. As lead vocalist and co-songwriter for Foreigner and his own band, Gramm helped churn out seven multi-platinum albums and sell more than 70 million records. He contributed to 20 Top 40 singles, including "Cold As Ice," "I Want to Know What Love Is," "Urgent," "Midnight Blue" and "Juke Box Hero." Rolling Stone Magazine called him "the Pavarotti of the power-rock ballad." Nils Lofgren, the lead guitarist for Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, says "Lou Gramm is one of the great vocalists of our time."

Gramm is a longtime Red Wings and baseball fan, and performed the National Anthem before the July 26, 2013 home game. His performance was part of a book signing to celebrate the release of his autobiography, Juke Box Hero: My Five Decades in Rock 'N' Roll, written with local author and Red Wings Hall of Famer Scott Pitoniak. An interesting aside: Gramm sang the National Anthem at the first Red Wings game played at Frontier Field, back on April 11, 1997.
previous coverage: Hometown Hit Man Gramm here July 26

Gramm was inducted into the the Rochester Music Hall of Fame April 28, 2013, and the Song Writers Hall of Fame June 13, 2013 in New York City. A Gates native, Gramm is a 1971 graduate of Monroe Community College and a charter member of the college's alumni hall of fame.

The August 29 fireworks show, presented by ESL Federal Credit Union, will feature music from Gramm's Foreigner hits, as well as his solo hits. Gramm is currently on tour with his band, and in the past year has also performed with orchestras. He was featured in the ABC special "Unforgettable Holiday Moments on Ice" last December.

Gramm's son, local restaurateur Nic Grammatico, is preparing to open his newest venture, The Black Sheep - named for and inspired by Gramm's legendary local band, Black Sheep. The restaurant, located in Corn Hill Landing, is scheduled to open September 17.

 

Official websites:
Lou-Gramm.com
Scott Pitoniak.com
RocBlackSheep.com
 

To order tickets for Aug. 29 or any remaining Red Wings home game, call (585) 423-WING or order online, anytime and print your tickets at home by clicking here.

Click here to check out our remaining home game promotions schedule.