Here is the line up of the upcoming Excellence in the Community concert series, a great local showcase that provides local talent to get the spotlight when all too often music venues just book nationally touring acts.

All bios and descriptions are provided by Excellence officials:September 18th: Thurl Bailey with special guests, Lark & Spur (above)Rose Wagner Center for the Performing Arts*. 7:30 p.m.One of Utah's great athletes is also one of Utah's great voices. Thurl's stage presence is commanding and his voice is deep and rich. He puts his heart into everything he sings and conveys that emotion to the audience. We have worked with him on several events over the summer, the most recent a concert in Midway that was described as 'unforgettable, phenomenal, and fabulous.' Don't miss this chance to spend an evening with a man who embodies excellence on many levels: sports, business, music, public service and working with youth. Lark & Spur will be the opening act.*This event is something of a fundraiser for us, and unique in that it takes place at the Rose Wagner Center for the Performing Arts, 138 West Broadway. (We could not get the Grand Theatre for a September date). Tickets for this event are $15 with the standard discounts. Tickets for this event are only available through Arttix, at the box office, via the web at Arttix.org, or by phone: 801 355 2787. And please note, tickets for this event are not covered by the season ticket price, which applies to all other concerts at the Grand Theatre. October 2: Red Rock Hot Club at the Grand Theatre.Rich D'aigle and his 3 colleagues conjure the spirit of legendary gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt and the sound of 1940's Paris. This is gypsy swing at its toe tapping, head nodding best. Rich is an accomplished guitarist, he has done his homework and knows the genre inside and out. In fact he builds the guitars the group will be playing, modeled after the very instruments Django made famous.November 13: Classical pianist Josh Wright at the Grand TheatreThe poetry of classical piano. Only three American pianists were invited to participate at last year's Gina Bachauer Piano competition. Only one of those pianists hails from Utah, Josh Wright. His performance this summer in Midway brought everyone to their feet, and left many in tears. No exaggeration. Come and see.http://joshwrightpiano.comDecember 4: Lark & Spur: traditional and modern carols at the Grand TheatreWith acoustic guitars, mandolin, double bass, woodwinds and piano and Lori Decker's memorable vocals Lark & Spur pay tribute to the Christmas season.Lark & Spur's YouTube ChannelJanuary 15: Mundy Mourning Blues Band: 10 piece blues band with that old swing feel.Randy Mundy and his horn section, back up singers, ace rhythm section and Bob Bailey arrangements recreate that vintage blues sound with an original spin: Mundy's compositions are well seasoned, surprisingly strong and they pay tribute to the greats of the past. Think Ray Charles and the Blues Brothers with a modern take.February 19: Charley Jenkins: Utah's best known country singer in concert at the Grand TheatreCharley's website says it better than we can. From Nashville to Salt Lake City, with lots of stops and performance credits in between, Charley is one of the few Utah musicians in such demand that he needs his own tour bus. Come and see why.http://charleyjenkins.comMarch 5: Aaron Ashton Quintet: Celtic fiddle meets classical violin and the sparks will fly at the Grand Theatre.Aaron has produced one of the best local CDs we have ever heard. The compositions are original, nuanced and sophisticated. Aaron and his quintet bring to the Grand Theatre stage virtuoso musicianship, exquisite taste and clever arrangements. Celebrate the Celtic month with us.April 23rd: Caleb Chapman and Two swing bands, the Little Big Band and the Voodoo Orchestra.Caleb Chapman's work is the material legends are made of. He has worked tirelessly to teach young people how to compete with if not surpass professionals. He has created a musical organization and a scene that attracts the best and brightest of Utah's youth and inspires them to focus on hard work, quality and artistic achievement. He takes his bands around the world and wins accolades such as ' the best professional band of young players of its kind in the world'. This from the Berklee College of Music.http://calebchapmanmusic.comTickets for all concerts except the September 18 concert are available at the Grand Theatre box office: 801 957 3322. $15 with regular discounts for seniors, military, arts groups, and students. Season tickets (all shows except the September 18 show) are $70.All shows start at 7:30 p.m.