Benefit concert will revive Motown classics, assist ill children

From the speakers at a dance or a party come the first sweetly distinct notes of The Temptations' "My Girl," and almost immediately, the entire crowd becomes animated. Smiles creep over every face in the room, and there is not a person who doesn't feel the pressing desire to get up and dance to this old standard that sounds fresh every time. \nThis is the miracle of the timeless music that will be performed in "The Farewell Tour of the Stars From The Platters, The Coasters, The Drifters and The Temptations Revue" at 7 p.m. Saturday at the IU Auditorium.\nOriginally a Las Vegas show, this tour features members from all four of these Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee groups, who will perform such \nclassics as "Under the Boardwalk," "Only You," "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" and, of course, "My Girl." \n"It's a beautiful lesson in history," said Myles Savage, lead singer of The Platters. These songs and groups defined an American musical Renaissance, an era in which this distinctive sound was exported to countries all over the world, forever shaping the character of music across the globe, he said. \nMotown and doo-wop influences can still be heard in today's music; R&B, hip-hop and even pop music make use of many of the same styles and harmonies. Sometimes, these golden standards are even sampled in \ncontemporary songs.\nNot only will concert-goers have the opportunity to relive the golden age of American music with some of the stars who helped make it, but they will also have the chance to participate in raising money for the Children's Miracle Network, which funds the medical care and treatment of 17 million children every year. Donations will be accepted at the concert for CMN, according to a press \nrelease. \nThis particular revue is referred to as a "farewell tour" because many of the hits from this era are fading from the playlists of radio stations across the country, Savage said. \nGlenn Gass, an IU professor who teaches several courses in rock 'n' roll history, said in an e-mail that despite changes in the American tastes for music, songs like "My Girl" will forever retain an element of musical greatness. He said such classics might not have the same social and emotional connections with listeners that they had when they first dominated the airwaves, but their timelessness is undeniable. \n"It won't be long before we will never again hear these songs sung in their original voices, so this is indeed a golden opportunity," he said. \nSavage points out that because this genre of music no longer falls into the musical mainstream, this is the last chance to see this group on tour. Afterward, as he puts it, audiences will have to wait to "catch us (the stars of the \nrevue) in doo-wop heaven." \nBarry Gunn, lead singer of the Coasters, is also performing in Saturday night's show. \n"It's my desire to reacquaint fans in the Bloomington area with the music that keeps me step in step with the Coasters' lifestyle, like a beat to the heart," he said in a statement.\nTickets range from $27.50 to $52.50 and are available through the IU Auditorium Box Office (855-1103), www.ticketmaster.com and all \nTicketmaster outlets.