Levi Swanson on the Floating Stage in 2010
Performing Fly Me to the Moon with John Cross on Saxophone
Performing Fly Me to the Moon with John Cross on Saxophone
"Working for the Bemus Bay Pops as Executive Assistant for many years was a dream come true. In the summer of 2007 I had just left the SUNY Fredonia School of Music and had little direction. Like many lost musicians I found my way into the hospitality business via the Italian Fisherman. The owner, Dan Dalpra became a very close friend and mentor to me which shaped the direction of my life. Dan's vision which became the Bemus Bay Pops was a welcomed avenue for me to continue my love of music and entertainment. During my years with the Pops I was able to attend every concert for eight years and even got to scratch my creative "itch" by performing numerous times on the floating stage! I was, by trade, a trombone player and was the lead trombonist for 10,000 Maniacs for five years. I didn't start singing until later in my career."
"Leaving the Pops organization after the 2014 season was bittersweet, but thankfully I was able to continue my support of the Pops by being a food truck vendor for the 2019 season in Mayville NY. I loved it as it was great to see so many friends I had made over the years in Bemus Point. My wife's family is the Cross family that owns 3C's Catering so I was lucky to meet a woman who eventually became my wife. Carrie shares a passion for food and entertainment. She grew up in a family of caterers and so it was a natural fit that I help in the family business once we met each other. The 3C's food truck is a great experience to support many different events though especially the Chautauqua Lake Pops. I think the farm to table food truck exceeds the expectations of the Pops crowd."
Levi with Rockin' Robin Grandin and Captain Dan
"Chautauqua Lake needs the Pops. They are inseparable and we are the lesser for missing the 2020 season due to COVID-19. I wish for a speedy return for the Pops to the lake and for many seasons to come."
Levi Swanson
In 2012, Levi was one of six selected out of 2,000 entrants to perform in Orlando, Florida at the National Realtors Association Got Talent competition hosted by the Orlando Expo Center. A female singer from Miami who has performed the National Anthem for the Florida Marlins placed second. Levi sang Come Fly With Me and placed third.
The event was the opener for Glenn Frey and Joe Walsh of the American rock band, the Eagles formed in Los Angeles in 1971. As a member of the Eagles, Frey was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 and won six Grammy Awards including record of the year for Hotel California which hit No. 1 on the Billboard hot 100 singles chart in 1977. It's one of a handful of chart-toppers that the classic rock group scored before it disbanded in 1980. Frey credited the band's split to the enormous pressure they felt after the 1976 masterpiece Hotel California which Frey called "the greatest Eagles album by virtue of sales and content". Some of Frey's best-known songs were written for movies and TV: The Heat is On featured in the 1984 Eddie Murphy comedy Beverly Hills Cop and You Belong to the City released in 1985 from the popular '80s crime show Miami Vice whose popular soundtrack hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart thanks in part to Frey's saxophone-driven smash.
Sadly, Glenn Lewis Frey Eagles founder passed in 2016 at the age of 67 of complications due to being diagnosed with rheumatold arthritis around 2000.
The First Place winner of the Got Talent competition was Lionel Cornelius from Charlotte NC. He comes from a long line of musical talent being related to the singing group formed from 1970-1976, Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose. They recorded the song Too Late to Turn Back Now, Treat Her Like a Lady, I'm Never Going to Be Alone Anymore and other great hits under the United Artists Records and Capitol Records labels.
Lionel appeared on the floating stage in Bemus Point that summer along with his talented son, Noah who performed a crowd-pleasing medley of Michael Jackson hits.
Congratulations Levi! Chautauqua County and the Pops are proud of you!
Be Safe.
Pat Locke
Maestro Muse
The event was the opener for Glenn Frey and Joe Walsh of the American rock band, the Eagles formed in Los Angeles in 1971. As a member of the Eagles, Frey was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 and won six Grammy Awards including record of the year for Hotel California which hit No. 1 on the Billboard hot 100 singles chart in 1977. It's one of a handful of chart-toppers that the classic rock group scored before it disbanded in 1980. Frey credited the band's split to the enormous pressure they felt after the 1976 masterpiece Hotel California which Frey called "the greatest Eagles album by virtue of sales and content". Some of Frey's best-known songs were written for movies and TV: The Heat is On featured in the 1984 Eddie Murphy comedy Beverly Hills Cop and You Belong to the City released in 1985 from the popular '80s crime show Miami Vice whose popular soundtrack hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart thanks in part to Frey's saxophone-driven smash.
Sadly, Glenn Lewis Frey Eagles founder passed in 2016 at the age of 67 of complications due to being diagnosed with rheumatold arthritis around 2000.
The First Place winner of the Got Talent competition was Lionel Cornelius from Charlotte NC. He comes from a long line of musical talent being related to the singing group formed from 1970-1976, Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose. They recorded the song Too Late to Turn Back Now, Treat Her Like a Lady, I'm Never Going to Be Alone Anymore and other great hits under the United Artists Records and Capitol Records labels.
Lionel appeared on the floating stage in Bemus Point that summer along with his talented son, Noah who performed a crowd-pleasing medley of Michael Jackson hits.
Congratulations Levi! Chautauqua County and the Pops are proud of you!
Be Safe.
Pat Locke
Maestro Muse
