Tony Q returns from Vegas for Labor Day Kickoff party with Johnny Ray

As the classic Beatle's song once put it, "It was 20 years ago today when Sargent Pepper taught band to play" and 20 years ago was exactly the time when renowned saxophone player Tony Quinitliani informed his friend Johnny Ray that he would be staying in Las Vegas. The pair had been playing in bands together around greater Boston since the early 90's and had logged hundreds of live gigs and dozens of recording sessions by the time they started headlining in Las Vegas. Tony was a permanent member of The Johnny Ray Band and the whole group began traveling back and forth between Vegas and Boston. "It was a magical time for all of us" said Ray "Tony and I were already having this great musical life as full time musicians in Boston and all of sudden this new opportunity opened up in Las Vegas." Soon Johnny had an agent based in Las Vegas, Mike Berton of West Coast Talent and that opened even more opportunities all over the southwest and the west coast. Ray continued, "it was a heady time of excessive work with lots of traveling and lots of shows. Not every band member could commit to the schedule, so I started recruiting musicians in Las Vegas to help round out the band for our west coast dates, but Tony Q. always made the gigs, always", until one day when Tony took Johnny aside and said, "I have some good news and some bad news." The good news was that Tony had just sold his house in Randolph Mass. and the bad news was that he wouldn't be able to play with the band anymore in Boston because he decided to move to Las Vegas permanently. After a short pause Johnny reassured Tony that it was all good news because he had no plans of slowing down in Vegas either and they could continue to play together out there. In the meantime, Tony began hustling the old fashioned way to find his own local gigs in Vegas. "Tony did what every serious musician should do, he hit the pavement. Like most of us of a certain age who grew up in Boston Tony wasn't shy about working hard to get where he wanted to be. This was especially so of musicians with his talent." According to Johnny Ray, Tony Q. began showing up with his saxophone on open mike nights up and down the strip visiting musicians he had met while working in Vegas. He recorded a CD, upgraded his web site, and passed out business cards. It wasn't long before Tony was being offered work locally and Johhny also continued to work with him whenever he came to Vegas too. Within a few short years Tony got a phone call that would change his life forever. The word was out that there was a hot new sax player from the east coast taking Vegas by storm. One of the people who was hearing about Tony was another Las Vegas resident, Grammy Award winning artist Sheena Easton. "Naturally, Sheena fell in love with Tony's playing and his on stage charisma. It was a perfect fit and all of us back home in Boston were elated over the new adventure he was embarking on." Tony began touring the world with Sheena Easton who had many top ten hits in the 1980's like the James Bond Theme, "for your eyes only", and the #1 hit, "my baby takes the morning train", among so many others. Now Tony Q. plays those hits to sold out audiences around the world. Recently, Tony and his wife Laurie decided to come back to the east coast from Vegas to be near family and Mr. Q is picking up right where he left off. He will continue to tour with Sheena and also play with his old bandmates all over New England. Fortunately for Marblehead, one of those band mates happens to be one of the managing partners of The Beacon Restaurant, Johnny Ray. If you would like to see this exciting reunion and kickoff Labor Day weekend with The Johnny Ray Band while you dance the night away, reservations are recommended online or by calling: 781-631-0180 Dinner starts at 4PM and show starts at 9PM. Friday August 30th, @ The Beacon Restaurant and Bar at 123 Pleasant St. Marblehead, Ma. 01945 www.thebeaconmarblehead.com