Savannah Jack
Tuesday, February 16, 2016 – 7:00 pm
From traveling throughout the Caribbean as a featured, headline act on Royal Caribbean Cruise Line to opening arena and large festival dates for Peter Frampton, John Fogerty, Vince Gill, The Doobie Brothers and the legendary Kenny Rogers, among others, Savannah Jack has honed their skills as outstanding live entertainers who captivate audiences from the very first note.
How do you describe this band from Nashville, Tennessee? Joe Guercio, Elvis Presley’s longtime music and orchestra director, calls Savannah Jack “the absolute best band I’ve seen in music today.” Savannah Jack, comprised of Don Gatlin, Jay Darby, and Matt Schumacher, is the preferred opening act for the legendary Kenny Rogers, having performed onstage with him in excess of 60 shows during the past few years, to include a 21 city tour of England, Scotland, and Ireland in the spring of 2009. The band’s live show was recognized as one of the “Top Ten Concerts of 2010” in the Greater Pittsburg area by Beaver County Times writer, Scott Tady. Other top ten selectees included Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen and Lady GaGa.
Exceptional songwriters as well as versatile musicians, band members infuse their individual style to collectively create Savannah Jack’s unique sound. All come from a musical family and have been singing and playing their individual instruments from a very young age. Their musical influences range from Ronnie Milsap, The Gatlin Brothers, Kenny Rogers, and Restless Heart to The Beatles, Tom Petty, and The Eagles. The band is comprised of Don Gatlin on lead vocals, Jay Darby on bass, and Matt Thomas Schumacher on fiddle and guitar. They are backed by an incredible drummer, and guitar player as well.
Prior to joining Savannah Jack, Matt Schumacher toured with country star Phil Vassar for seven years playing fiddle and adding vocal harmonies. “I’m excited to be on board with these guys,” commented Schumacher. “Their professionalism and musicianship are at the highest level – they’re great entertainers.” A native of Avoca, Michigan and graduate of the University of Michigan, Schumacher is an extremely talented and diverse musician. He is proficient on a myriad of instruments including violin/fiddle, banjo, mandolin, guitar, and trumpet.
“Being on the road with these guys is really a blast,” mentioned Darby, who plays both bass and acoustic guitar. “Don is like a light switch that’s always on – there’s never a dull moment.” Born and raised in Florida, Darby started out playing the drums at age ten, while his brother played the guitar.
“We truly are like family…we have a lot of fun on the road and you never know what we’ll do next,” said Gatlin, also a gifted songwriter. Gatlin grew up in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, where he started singing for his neighbors for twenty-five cents or a piece of bubble gum.
They guys are currently in the process of recording their second studio album entitled, “Night of Your Life”, which will feature special guests, Love and Theft, Ronnie McCoury of the Grammy Award Winning Del McCoury Band, Vince Gill, Grammy Award winning guitartist, John Jorgensen, and the incredible Michael McDonald. It is set to be released later this summer.
It is obvious that the band loves making music and is having a blast, whether they are performing in a small venue in Nashville or playing in front of thousands of people in sold out amphitheaters across the country. Savannah Jack brings a highly entertaining and energetic show to the stage, commanding standing ovations night after night at virtually every venue in which they perform.
