NEWPORT YACHTING CENTER ANNOUNCES AMERICAN ROCK ICON,

HUEY LEWIS AND THE NEWS, TO KICK OFF THIS SUMMER’S

2009 NANTUCKET NECTARS SUNSET MUSIC SERIES

NEWPORT, RI, April 28, 2009 – The Newport Yachting Center is proud to announce that it has secured the quintessential American rock band, Huey Lewis and The News, on Thursday, June 25th to kick-off this summer’s 12th Annual Nantucket Nectars Sunset Music Series.  Tickets for the concert, which are priced at $70 for preferred seating and $60 for standard seating, will be available for purchase at www.newportwaterfrontevents.com starting tomorrow, Wednesday, April 29h.  The Newport Yachting Center employs the convenient ClicknPrint ticketing system, which offers the benefit of selecting your own seat and “at home” ticket printing.  Those interested in tickets can also call the Newport Yachting Center Box Office at (401) 846-1600

Huey Lewis and The News have been defying the rock odds-makers for over two decades. Formed from two rival Bay Area bands in 1979, their contagious brand of straight-ahead rock n’ roll has outlasted countless trends, selling over 20 million albums worldwide in the process. The Grammy award winners have written and performed such classic Top Ten hits as “Heart of Rock & Roll”, “Stuck With You”, “I Want A New Drug”, “If This Is It”, “Hip To Be Square” and “Workin’ For A Livin’”.  The group also wrote and performed “The Power of Love” and “Back in Time” for the hit film Back To The Future.  “The Power of Love”, which was nominated for an Academy Award, went all the way to #1 on Billboard’s singles chart.

As great a recording career as Huey Lewis and The News has had, it’s their live performances that remain the stuff of legend.  One highlight of their show is an a cappella rendition of early rock n’ roll classics such as “Sixty Minute Man”, “Under The Boardwalk” and “It’s Alright”.

The opening act for Huey Lewis has yet to be determined but the smaller Festival Stage act will feature Buddy Cavaleri.

“Huey Lewis and The News and the City of Newport are a perfect match and the band has been on our radar since our concert series began.  Unfortunately, their routing schedule never worked with our summer date…until now.  We couldn’t think of a more appropriate act to kick-off this summer’s Sunset Music Series,” said Michele Maker Palmieri, General Manager of the Newport Yachting Center.

The rest of the Nantucket Nectars Sunset Music Series line-up is as follows:

DATE   MUSICIAN   TICKET PRICING

Fri., June 26            Los Lobos            $30 preferred/$20 standard

Opening Act: Santa Mamba.  Festival Stage: Greg Bass.

Sat., June 27            Susan Tedeschi            $40 preferred/$30 standard

Special Guest: Shemekia Copeland.  Festival Stage: Josie Crosby and Marlie Wanseth.

Fri., July 24            Michael McDonald            $65 preferred/$55 standard

Special Guest: Dylan McDonald.  Festival Stage: Mary Day.

Sat., July 25            The Robert Cray Band            $40 preferred/$30 standard

Opening Act: Kristin Diable.  Festival Stage: Chris Rosenquest.

Fri., August 7            Guster            $35 preferred/$25 standard

Opening Act: TBD.  Festival Stage: Pete Vendettuoli.

Fri., August 21            Temptations            $40 preferred/$30 standard

Opening Act: TBD.  Festival Stage: Jan Luby.

The Newport Yachting Center is located on the waterfront in the heart of historic downtown Newport right off America's Cup Avenue.  For each night of the Nantucket Nectars Sunset Music Series, the gates will open at 5:30 p.m., music starts on the Festival Stage at 6:00 p.m., the opening act/special guest begins at 7:00 p.m. on the Main Stage, and the headliner starts at approximately 8:00 p.m.

In addition to Nantucket Nectars, the Series’ other major sponsors include: Miller Lite, Dunkin’ Donuts and Sovereign Bank.

For more information on the Nantucket Nectars Sunset Music Series, please go on-line at www.newportwaterfrontevents.com or contact Michele Maker Palmieri, General Manager at the Newport Yachting Center, 4 Commercial Wharf in Newport, at (401) 846-1600, Ext. 222.

“It’s all here!” at the Newport Yachting Center with a 2009 Newport Waterfront Events line-up which includes the 35th Annual Newport Spring Boat Show (May 15-17), the 28th Annual Schweppes Great Chowder Cook-Off (June 6), the 12th Annual Nantucket Nectars Sunset Music Series and the 9th Annual Newport Comedy Series (both held throughout the summer)), the Newport Arts Festival (August 29-30); the 12th Annual Newport Waterfront Irish Festival (September 5 -7), the 39th Annual Newport International Boat Show (September 17-20), the 21st Annual Stop & Shop Taste of Rhode Island (October 3-4) and the 17th Annual International Oktoberfest (October 10-12).  All the events are held at the Newport Yachting Center in the “city by the sea” where beach-going, shopping, dining and enjoying the nightlife are often a part of the pre- or post-Newport Waterfront Events activity.