The Performing Arts Center at Rockwell Hall is pleased to welcome the rich tenor voice and Scottish charm of John McDermott on Thursday, December 6 at 8:00 pm. This concert is part of the 2007-2008 Great Performers Series, presented by M&T Bank.

Tickets for John McDermott are $32, with a discount for seniors and rush tickets for students. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at the Rockwell Hall Box Office, 1300 Elmwood Ave. or by calling 716-878-3005 or online at www.buffalostate.edu/pac. Box Office hours are Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

John's legendary story is one of a hard-working everyman, for whom singing was a hobby little more than a decade ago, who found a home as an international recording and touring star. This hard-working entrepreneur, producer, and head of his own label releases at least one album every year and has averaged more than 100 performances a year over the last decade.

Enjoy an evening of favorites such as "Daughter of Mine," "Danny Boy" and "Scotland Forever (Scotland The Brave)" as well as holiday classics that will give audiences an advance glimpse of John McDermott & Friends Sharing Christmas which is scheduled to air on CBC Television on December 20, 2007 and will also be available on DVD and CD.

John's first album, Danny Boy, was originally recorded as a very private and personal 50th anniversary tribute for his parents. Its quality could not be ignored and it eventually found its way into the hands of EMI Music Canada. Danny Boy subsequently garnered strong sales for a debut release in the U.S. and Canada; it even reached number one on New Zealand's album charts, and was certified double platinum in that country.

This success, in addition to a fast-growing North American fan base, won through a tireless touring schedule, led to his participation in the PBS phenomenon The Irish Tenors. John's presence helped generate a US gold record, three US tours and a high-profile media schedule including appearances on 'Good Morning America' and 'The Today Show'.

The outcome of that fateful performance has catapulted him into a musical career that includes more than a dozen full-length albums, three Canadian platinum records, five Juno nominations and a solid international touring schedule.

The ninth of twelve children from a traditional Glasgow Irish family who emigrated from Scotland to Canada in the 1960s, John's musical roots are equal parts Scottish and Irish. His songs showcase his innate understanding and facility with traditional folk melodies as well as more contemporary stylings.

To the generation that remembers the wars, John's music conjures up a vivid emotional landscape, evocative of love, loss and history. For the rest of us, his simple but richly textured arrangements allow him to weave narratives - folk tales - that conjure up an exact moment and place. This subtlety for the texture and meaning of the lyrics has resulted in John's recordings becoming definitive renditions of folk classics like "Danny Boy", friend Eric Bogle's "And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda", and Phil Coulter's "The Old Man".

The Great Performers Series is sponsored by M&T Bank and WBFO.