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THE
"GREAT PRETENDERS" RETURN!
35th Anniversary Show with Comedian Michael Petit
held on Friday & Saturday, May 30 & 31
as a Fundraiser for The Brendan Grant Foundation
 NEWTON, MA --- Yes, it's true! The legendary Great Pretenders
have come back one
more time for a weekend set of reunion benefit shows on 30 & 31 May of 2008, celebrating
their 35th anniversary. Anyone who spent time in New England during the
1970's is likely familiar with the unique entertainment skills of the
Great Pretenders and their classic act.
This 35th Great Pretenders Reunion was wildly successful beyond anyone's
imagination. The time and energy put into the preparations by the performers
and organizers was genuinely significant, and all this hard work really
paid-off. The shows repeated each evening and included well-known
comedian Michael Petit, a live auction of authentic memorabilia from TD BankNorth Garden and the New England Sports Museum,
a solo song by Lyndsay Freeman, and "The Great
Pretenders" as the evening’s premiere event.
 The venue was the Nonantum Post
440 located at 295 California Street in Newton, MA.
 The program started
at 8:00 pm on each night, and after welcome and
introductions, the schedule was as follows: 8:10 pm comedian Michael Petit; 9:00 pm live auction with Neil
Fay; 9:20 pm welcome from The Brendan Grant Foundation with Casey Grant;
9:25 pm solo by Lyndsay Freeman accompanied by Sandy Kendall on the
keyboards; 9:30 pm The Great Pretenders Show; and
11:00 pm dancing.
The
silent and live auction was held with authentic sports memorabilia involving certified, guaranteed authentic autographed items from all major league
sports. This was the real thing! The list of
silent and live auction items were: 1st Show
Friday, 30 May
 2008 --- Tedy Bruschi signed Patriots helmet; Jonathan
Papelbon signed + framed World Series photograph; Larry Bird signed + framed
photograph w/ parquet; Ray Borque signed + framed photograph; Johnny Pesky signed baseball; Red
Auerbach photograph with signed personal check.
2nd Show Saturday 31 May2008 --- Josh Beckett signed baseball; David
Ortiz signed + framed photograph; Bill Russell signed + framed photograph w/
Garden net; Tiger Woods + Michael Jordan golfing together framed photograph;
Celtic Pride (Old + New Big 3) framed photo set; Ellsbury + Pedroia framed
photograph.
 The event was a success on all levels: generating smiles and having “fun”,
publicizing the good work of the Foundation and creating funds, remembering
Brendan’s legacy, and finally, by providing the perfect venue for the Great
Pretenders to prove that they still have “it” and much more. The facility
was just right and the crowd logistics evolved flawlessly. The décor,
giveaways, program and auction items provided just the right tone. Neal
Fay, the emcee, once again displayed his gifted talents as an auctioneer.
Michael Petit was an excellent fit for the crowd and was just right for
setting the kick-off tempo. Lyndsay Freeman’s solo was simply beyond
breathtaking, and was stunningly heart-felt and angelic. Many felt
that this was the most touching part of the evening.
 And, of course, the Great Pretenders proved that they are indeed timeless,
legendary, and truly “great”. The electricity generated by the human spirit
in that hall on both Friday and Saturday night was cosmic. The crowd was
absolutely euphoric, and by the end of Saturday night show an appreciable
number of not-so-young people were dancing on chairs. How do get close to
400 people into a hall two nights in a row, and then go crazy like they’re
16 again at their first rock concert? You just can’t make this stuff up!
The Great Pretenders were born when five close friends from Belmont decided
to lip-sync some oldies tunes for some friends at a New Years Eve Party
ushering in 1972. What started as a one time party gag eventually blossomed
into one of the most popular nightclub acts in New England from 1973-1983.
 The Great Pretenders started their professional careers in the fall of 1972
at Studley's, a pub located just outside of Harvard Square. Word of their
entertainment value quickly spread, and within weeks, there were long lines
of fans eager to witness the zany group. Their local success propelled them
to larger venues and broader audiences. The Great Pretenders began working
on Cape Cod in the summer of 1973, and their faithful fans kept them there
every summer for the next 10 years, at such nightspots as The Chuck Wagon,
Jason's, Brothers 4, and the Mill Hill Club.
The group continued performing in Boston, where they were a feature act at
Lucifer's, but also played gigs north and west of the metropolitan area in
Gloucester, Leominster, Amherst, and Peabody, among others. They also
headlined at clubs in Miami, and Montreal. As the group's popularity
increased, they shared the stage with James Brown, BB King, the Drifters,
the Coasters,
 and Del Shannon.
In addition to their night club performances, The Great Pretenders performed
on numerous local TV shows and presented countless concerts at area
colleges. The original five members of the group - Bob DiGiovanni, Rick
Ford, Billy Freeman, Rick Freeman, and Robert "Horace" Greeley - are all
graduates of Belmont High School. The connection with their home town has
led them to partner with The Brendan Grant Foundation.
 All proceeds from these two shows go to support the worthy causes of The Brendan Grant
Foundation, which is a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation dedicated to
enhancing youth development and parent/child relationships. The Foundation
honors the memory of Brendan Grant, an accomplished 19-year-old Belmont
baseball player who was fatally injured in an outfield collision during a
Senior Babe Ruth game in June 2001. The Foundation carries out its mission
through clinics/mentoring programs, field/facility enhancements, and
scholarships given annually to two graduating high school seniors.
 The Great Pretenders 30th Anniversary show in March 2002 in Boston also
benefited the Foundation and helped underwrite its most ambitious project -
the rehabilitation of the Belmont High School Varsity Baseball Field. The
dedication of Brendan Grant Memorial Field
was held on June 25, 2007 and
commemorated the nearly one million dollars in facility improvements. With
this 35th anniversary reunion show, the group hopes to bolster the
Foundation's endowment, enabling it to carry on its work in service to
youth. Click
here for the story and photos of the last Great Pretenders Concert in
March of 2002.
The printed program handed out to each attendee included a short bio for
each returning performer, and is re-summarized here as follows:
Rick “The Doctor” Freeman, an original member of
the group, graduated from Belmont High School in 1970. He still resides in
Belmont with his wife Betsy and their children, Lyndsay, age 24, and
Jonathan, age 22. Lyndsay is pursuing her masters degree in theater
education at Emerson College, and will be performing tonight. Rick is
currently a Principal with Northeast Sales Group and continues to coach
Belmont youth hockey and baseball. • “Thank you to the Brendan Grant
Foundation for allowing us the opportunity to get together again, and to all
of you for remembering us after all these years. Thanks also to my mom who
told Horace’s mom after one of our first shows at Studley’s, “Don’t worry,
it will never last”.
Robert “Horace” Greeley, an original member of
the group, graduated from Belmont High School in 1970. He resides in Hanover
with his wife Lorena, and has two children, Ryan, age 29, and Shannon, age
20. “Big but agile Bob”, is currently a distribution supervisor for the
Federal Government. He is also a freelance statistician for ESPN and the
Versus Channel, covering NHL and NCAA college hockey. In addition, he
co-hosts a local cable program, The Hockey Show, seen in the Wareham,
Norfolk and Walpole markets. • “I’ve been carrying this group for 35 years
and I can carry it for 35 more. Thanks for still remembering us after all
this time.”
Rick “Shakin” Ford, an original member of the
group, graduated from Belmont High School in 1970. He resides in Randolph
with his wife Claudette and their son Ben, age 21. An accomplished drummer
in his younger years, Rick is currently a sales supervisor for Cape Cod
Lumber. • “I never imagined I would be still shakin’ after all these years.”
Billy Freeman, an original member of the group,
graduated from Belmont High School in 1971, where he was named Middlesex
League first team all-star as hockey goalie for the 1971 Belmont High School
team. He resides in Quincy with his wife Carolyn and their two children,
Patrick, age 11, and Daniel, age 4. Billy is currently distributing dairy
products for Thatcher Farms. • “This is absolutely the last time I’m doing
this unless my brother Rick makes me feel guilty and cons me into another
one.”
 Bob
“Dee” DiGiovanni, an original member of the group, graduated from
Belmont High School in 1970. “Dee”, coordinates the sound for the show and
is the one who edits and records what you will hear tonight. He resides in
Stow with his wife Nancy and their two children, Heather, age 24, and Craig,
age 22. Bob is currently an electrical engineering manager for Sealed Air
Corporation. • “Working with this group opened a new world for me. It is a
pleasure to be a part of something that has brought so many smiles to so
many people. Thank you for being here with us and contributing to this very
worthy cause.”
Jim “Jimmy D” Duchaney, the original “voice” of
The Great Pretenders, joined the group in 1974. In addition to his
voiceovers, he was also responsible for all the lights, sound, and dance
music in between shows. Jimmy currently resides in Norwood with his wife
Kathy and their daughter Renee, age 11. Jimmy currently is a night shift
foreman at the Boston Herald. • “I think my years with the group were some
of the best years of my life, but I really don’t remember.”
Bob “Elvis” Freeman grew up watching his older
brothers perform and eventually joined them on stage in 1976. He and his
wife Belinda, also a member of our group, have a daughter Brittany, age 20.
Bob resides in Ft. Myers, FL and is currently in sales for Marine Max. • “If
this show was in February, I probably would have stayed in Florida. Thanks
for coming out to see us and supporting the Brendan Grant Foundation.”
Jacob, “Flip, Flop, & Fly ” Pitts joined the
group in 1980. He resides in Hudson, NH with his wife Lee Anne and their two
children, Kayla, age 16, and Adam, age 9. Jacob currently is a senior
accounts manager for Universal Software Corporation and also the boys head
coach at The New England Gymnastics Training Center. • “I’ve enjoyed the
last twenty five years working with and knowing the greatest group of people
and friends I have ever met.”
Kathi “Bones” Zerkle joined the group in 1980.
She resides in Westford with her husband Ray, a former member of the Class
of
66, a popular oldies group from 1983-2003. Ray is still actively performing
as a local soloist. Kathi is a self employed DJ and dance instructor. A
certified Arthur Murray dance instructor, she has been teaching ballroom,
Latin and swing dancing to all age groups for the last twenty years. An
excellent DJ in her own right, check out her website at
www.kzmusicandmore.com • “I get up, I walk, I fall down, and meanwhile I
keep on dancing.”
Belinda
Bridgeman Freeman joined the group in 1989. She has an extensive list
of accomplishments, including representing New Hampshire in the Miss USA,
Miss America, and Mrs. America Pageants, the only one to do all three. She
has also performed overseas with the USO and was a New England Patriot
cheerleader. She is currently in her twenty fourth year as the owner and
director of the Belinda Bridgeman Academy of Dance in Merrimack, NH. She
splits her time between Merrimack and Ft. Myers with her husband Bobby and
their daughter Brittany, currently a Miami Dolphin cheerleader. • “Drive is
the force that pushes us onward.”
Joe Ward joined the group in 1987 and eventually
became the new ‘voice” of the group. Joe is also responsible for the
lighting tonight and will be providing dance music after the show. He
resides in Woburn and works for American Greetings. He is also a DJ and his
information can be found at www.rdp.dj@gmail.com • “It’s always a treat to
come back and see everybody, to reminisce, and to support such a worthy
cause.”
 Jim “OB” O’Brien joined the group in 1981 as
stage technician and will be running the spotlight tonight. He resides in
Brewster with his wife Loraine. They have two children, Sarah, age 32, and
Brian, age 30. Jim owns his own cabinet making business on Cape Cod. • “At
my age, I’m glad I’m doing the spotlight and not up there with those guys.”
Jerry Zorbas joined the group in 1985 as a stage
technician, where he will be helping Horace through his many costume changes
tonight, as well as making sure the group remains hydrated throughout the
performance. Jerry resides in Boston and is a courier for a local company
there. • “I’m always happy to come back and help the group in any way that I
can.”
Joining the Great Pretenders on stage was well-known stand-up comedian
Michael Petit. For the past 20 years, Michael has been entertaining
audiences of all ages with his high-energy brand of comedy. As a
Massachusetts native and graduate from Boston's Northeastern School of
Broadcasting with top honors in radio and television production, Michael
worked his way up
 through the radio ranks in Boston morning radio and on
stage at night in the Boston Comedy market.
Michael headed west to Los Angeles to test his talents against the
industry’s best with his trademark manic-energy performances. With a show
that included lightning quick improv and a steady diet of impressions,
Michael soon became a sought after talent for live stand-up performances.
Working as a regular at LA’s famous Improv and Comedy Store, he found his
way to Las Vegas and has shared the Vegas strip stages with some of the
industry’s biggest names, such as Joan Rivers and Gladys Knight. Appearances
on Comedy Central and E’s Talk Soup put the focus on Michael’s on camera
talents and showcased his flair for the mass audiences. When he is not
performing on-stage, Michael now operates his own production company, which
produces original animation and sitcom pilots for television. With an
accomplished resume and fan base on both coasts, Michael’s gifts are
constantly being shared with audiences worldwide.
From the standpoint of the performers and organizers, we honestly don’t see
how anything could have been improved; it was simply incredible. We will
never be able to adequately describe to those not with us how truly
magnificent a time we had. The Great Pretenders are indeed truly ‘great’…
Thanks to all who made this historic set of shows a resounding success…
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