SPECIAL SECTION, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2007 D NG S ® LAS HARVEST FESTIVAL Superintendents will perform with their respective bands A musical education It is almost uncanny. Their names are locally recognized both in the educational field and musical area and, yet, the two su- perintendents say they only know each other professionally. Doctors Michael Garzella and Paul Reinert will take the stage with their bands one after the other Friday, Sept. 14, during the annual Dallas Days Dance at the Irem Country Club Pavilion in Dallas. The Dallas Days Dance is the kick-off to the annual Dallas Harvest Festival. Garzella became superintend- ent of Wyoming Valley West School District last fall at the same time his band Abilene got back together. Abilene formed in 1975 when a man named Joe Pa- cuska got some friends together REBECCA BRIA | bria@timesleader.com to play at King’s College. The group did well and sought out a drummer to become a band. While trying to think of a name for the band, member Jim (Bo- zo) Connors began throwing out names of western cities in the United States. When Abilene, a city in Texas and Kansas was suggested, everyone agreed it was perfect. Abilene plays southern rock, Cajun, and bluegrass music. They used to play at Marywood College (before it was a universi- ty), Nat Monty’s, and the Heart- hstone Pub in Dallas. In the late “70s, Abilene opened for Billy Joel at the Scranton Catholic Youth Center and for the New Writers of the Purple Sage in Ha- zleton. Fashion Boutique Fashion That Fits — Style That Sizzles Store Hours Sunday 12 pm - 5 pm Mon. - Sat. 10 am - 8 pm Esprit ® Sweet Pea Radzoli ® Accessories Gift Certificates Available Dallas Shopping Center, Dallas, PA 18612 570.255.5839 Fax: 255.2433 In 1981, Garzella quit the band because of career and family de- mands. Abilene disbanded in 1983 for the same reasons - its members were all busy. Over the following years, some Abilene members played a few gigs in- cluding opening for Lynyrd Sky- nyrd at the Coor’s Light Amphi- theater at Harveys Lake in 1992 but Garzella was not one of the participating members. At the request of Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tom Leighton, Abilene reunited and performed after the Beach Boys at the city’s Bicen- tennial Celebration in early Sep- tember 2006. “At first, it was really a joke,” said Garzella. But relearning See MUSIC, Page 14 CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK FILE PHOTO/ FOR THE DALLAS POST Dallas School District Assistant Superintendent Paul Reinert says music and education go together. Reinert will perform with ‘Just Us’ during the Dallas Days Dance Friday night at the Irem Temple Country Club. ‘Just Us’ will perform from 7 to 8 p.m., followed by Abilene’ from 8 p.m. to midnight.
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