Mike Cortson and David Lahm are teaming up to present an “Evening of Sinatra” at the Box Factory for the Arts in St. Joseph at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $10.
Cortson began singing Sinatra tunes a few years ago when he met Lahm at an open mic hosted by the latter at the Acorn Theater. The two struck up a friendship and began jamming on some of the old standards. They soon had a set list for a full concert and presented the idea to the Box Factory. The rest will be history at Saturday’s concert.
A native of the area, Cortson majored in communications and music at Western Michigan University. He has been performing since 1967; worked in Chicago and Los Angeles as a recording engineer/producer; and practiced law in California and Indiana. He also worked as a PGA tour player manager and has published two boooks and DVDs of golf instruction. Then in 2003, a severe illness cut short his careers. After a stint in hospice, he is recovering and returning to his love of music. He hosts two weekly radio shows on WRHC-FM; plays keyboard with the classic rock band “Silverock” and participates in the daytime writers group at the Box Factory.
“I started out in 1967 at Lakeshore High School playing a a rock group, “Chances R,” said Cortson. “We won the WSJM battle of the bands at the old Shadowland Ballroom in 1968. We got a letter from Dick Clark asking us to come to LA to be on TV; but our parents voted that down as  we were only kids.”
David Lahm, of New York and Three Oaks, will be remembered by Box Factory audiences for his concert, “The Natch’l Blues” with Danny Dine and Ms. Blu at which they performed music of the great Taj Mahal. Lahm hosts a regular open mic series at the Acorn Theater.
For more on this and other Box Factory events, visit the Box online at  www.boxfactoryforthearts.org.
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