Town of Hempstead Concert Series Brings Country to Levittown

Each summer, the Town of Hempstead hosts a series of concerts that not only provide great outdoor entertainment, but bring the community together for one night.

On Thursday, hundreds gathered at the Levittown Veterans Memorial Park for one of those concerts, as Darlene Prince and the Bragg Hollow Band, a Long Island-based country quartet, took the stage.

The Bragg Hollow Band has participated in the Town of Hempstead concert series for eight consecutive years, and according to Prince, it is one of their favorite performances.

"It's a wonderful thing what they do here with the concerts," said Prince, a Merrick resident. "I lived in Levittown for a while, so it's always nice coming back here. I think the people in these towns wait for these concerts and [they're] really nice."

The country playing band consists of Prince on guitar and vocals, John DeMaille on steel guitar, Don Cerce on guitar, Kevin Barry on bass and Shep Grazioli on drums. Prince and Grazioli have been playing together for over 30 years. Aside from the Town of Hempstead summer shows, the Bragg Hollow Band can be seen playing private parties and events.

The band's musical talents were appreciated by their audience. Bob Koenig, a musician who lives in Levittown, came out to the show with his family and appreciated the steel pedal addition on the stage, noting that it's not seen too often anymore.

"John has a lot of talent and plays the pedal guitar very well," said Prince. "In country music, it's probably the toughest instrument besides the fiddle."

The Town of Hempstead will host concerts Tuesday-Friday for the remainder of the summer. Next Tuesday, catch Who Are Those Guys? at Acorn Lane Park, a classic rock and roll band. The show is free and begins at 8 p.m.