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  • Big name performers may be coming to Juab County fairgrounds next summer



By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent


A big name performer concert at the Juab County Fairgrounds in the arena could become reality next summer.
Rick Carlton, Juab County commissioner, said he was in a small restaurant in Salt Lake City waiting to have lunch with a judge when a man came in and indicated to the hostess that he did not want to sit by a politician. That comment caused Carlton to strike up a conversation which lead the person, Pat Melfi, to offer to help stage a concert in Nephi at the county arena which would feature a big star in the music world.
Melfi was in Salt Lake because he is developing the MuzArt World Foundation which will present an inspirational concert event to launch its global initiative to reinvest music and arts education into the public school systems at the LDS Conference Center on November 9, 2013.
"He had no idea where Juab County was," said Carlton.
However, Carlton said Melfi had pulled off quite a feat in getting permission from LDS church officials to hold a concert in the LDS Conference Center in Salt Lake.
Highlighting that show will be multi-platinum child prodigy Jackie Evancho and a global Virtual String Orchestra conducted by, and starring Mark Wood, founder of the world renowned, multi-platinum Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
Other featured artists will include Sheila Raye Charles, Michael Martin Murphey, Champaign, Deborah Allen, William Joseph, Nathan Osmond, Lexi Walker, Rebecca Lopez, Heston Warr and 6-year-old artistic prodigy Aelita Andre, along with special potential vignette appearances by superstar artists such as Donny and Marie Osmond, Carmine Appice, Bon Jovi, Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, Quincy Jones and David Foster.
The MuzArt World Foundation chose Salt Lake City as the location for the launch of its global Full Steam Ahead initiative.
The concert event, to be performed before 21,000 attendees, plus a simultaneous live worldwide audience of millions, will consist of musical selections by an impressive roster of artists.
Carlton said that he was also impressed and that, as the conversation proceeded, found that the promoter was willing to come to Nephi.
"He said he could fill our arena," said Carlton. "When he found out that we could seat at least 10,000 people he said he would like to promote a concert here next year."
"He knows what we can seat," he said.
The 10,000 people were in the grandstands, said Byron Woodland, commissioner. Perhaps more could be seated in the arena if seats were placed around the performers.
One other benefit, said Pat Ingram, was that the fairgrounds area had parking which many areas where concerts were given did not.
In fact, Carlton said, that Melfi was so interested in promoting a concert in rural Utah that he had offered to have Gary Allen perform in Nephi October 10, 11, or 12.
Carlton said he thought that was too soon to get the needed promotion underway and Byron Woodland agreed with him.
"It is too late this year," said Woodland. "There is not time to promote a concert by the first of October."
"He wants to meet with us on November 9 in Salt Lake and said he would entertain us at the concert," said Carlton. "At least it will be a good opportunity for us all to talk."
Carlton reported that Melfi said he had brought a concert to the Blackhawk arena in Salina and had turned away 1,800 from that event.
"He was very interested," said Carlton. "He had risen to the level that he produced concerts for the Rolling Stones."
Woodland said he had once served as a body-guard when Chris LeDoux had performed a concert in Nephi.
"Mr. Melfi, asked me if I knew of Chris LeDoux," said Carlton.
LeDoux, both a champion rodeo competitor and a western music performer, was diagnosed with cancer and underwent radiation treatment until his death on March 9, 2005 of complications.
As a Vice-President for MCA Records/Alexas Music Productions and Tour Management, Melfi was an International Media Marketing Manager, five time Award Winning Promoter of The Year and principal responsible for international sales, financial management, marketing and promotional activities for the company's management of artists and international concert touring activities. Carlton said that Melfi had recently purchased a house in Park City which would bring him to Utah more.
Melfi produced and managed international concert tours for Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, The Eagles, Meatloaf, Elton John, Vince Gill, Rod Stewart, Alabama, Creedence Clearwater, Collin Raye, Rascal Flatts, Barry Manilow, Travis Tritt, and others.
Currently he is the personal manager for three time Grammy-Award Winning Artist Rebecca Lynn Howard and five time Grammy-Award Winning Artist Juice Newton, Multi-Platinum Recording Artist Champaign and Actress Aura Figueiredo (ER) offering previous personal management services to Collin Raye.
Melfi is currently developing MuzArt World Foundation, with partner Ken Kragen, founder of We Are The World, Hands Across America and Live Aid, by establishing a $2 billion dollar endowment fund to integrate music and arts education back into the public schools across the world through private funding to insure that all children have educational opportunities in music and arts.