Suits that Rock will perform at the Carnegie to raise funds for the Children’s Education program.
By Vicki Prichard
NKyTribune Reporter
By day, they walk among us, briefcases in tow. They sit next to us in meetings, maybe share a joke at the water cooler, try cases in court, and broker deals over lunch. But when night falls, they shed their suits, pick up the drumsticks, the guitar pick, the microphone, and they rock – musicians in disguise, all along.
On Saturday June 18 and Saturday June 25, Suits That Rock, comprised of more than 40 local business leaders, will take the stage in Covington for the 9th Annual Suits That Rock concert benefitting The Carnegie’s children’s education department.
The performance consistently sells out, which is no surprise considering the men and women behind the music are in the business of making things happen, whether as business leaders or community activists.
Greg Shumate of Frost Brown Todd
Nine years ago John Domaschko, founding Suits That Rock band member and former senior managing partner of his own CPA firm, never guessed that the Suits That Rock event would grow on such a grand scale.
Initially, the idea was that some local executives who happened to know how to play and sing rock n’ roll would come would come together for a good time and a good cause – for one night.
Others on board with putting together that inaugural performance include Kevin Canafax, vice president of Fidelity Investment’s Midwest Region; Greg Shumate, an attorney with the law firm Frost Brown Todd, and Paul Bromwell, chief information officer with Frost Brown Todd. Each had a respectable musical pedigree.
Canafax, has performed with area bands such as The Rusty Griswolds, while Bromwell performed with the band The Young Invaders, which won MTV’s first basement tape show in the 80’s. Domaschko had his own band, Glory Days, and Shumate, who has performed with numerous local bands, currently sings with The Drysdales at local venues such as Ludlow Bromley Yacht Club and Florence Freedom.
Fidelity’s Kevin Canafax
“People have marveled at what great vision we exhibited when we developed what has become the Carnegie’s biggest fundraising event,” says Domaschko.
“The simple answer is we had no idea what this would become.”
In 2008, when the first show sold out, Domaschko says the group reflected on how much fun they had – performers and audience alike – and decided it was worth doing again.
The following year they sold out in 12 days. By the third year, they added a second performance to accommodate the ever-growing audience.
“Fast forward today, and we sell out two shows and raise over $100,000 annually for the Carnegie,” says Domaschko.
The funds raised through the Suits That Rock performances allow the Carnegie to increase their arts education hours provided to children from 5,000 hours in 2007 to 52,000 hours in 2015.
“In my wildest dreams I couldn’t have envisioned this,” says Domaschko.
Over the last nine years, 80 people have performed with Suits That Rock. Suffice it to say, there have been a few surprises.
Greg Shumate and Johnna Reeder
“We are used to seeing these folks excel at their day jobs,” says Domaschko. “I shouldn’t be surprised to see these hugely talented individuals excel at something else, but I always am.”
For Domaschko, one of the biggest surprises – or “shocks,” as he says – was watching REDI CEO Johnna Reeder knock Katy Perry’s California Gurls “out of the park.”
Not only, did she nail the vocals, he says, but she had all the dance moves down and sported a Katy Perry costume. On top of that, she sold 50 tickets and obtained a major event sponsor.
Reeder recalls that she was at first reluctant to take the stage with the band.
“Kevin Canafax attempted to recruit me for a few years when I was with Duke Energy,” says Reeder. “I was reluctant at first, but acknowledged that performing in front of a live crowd was a ‘bucket list’ wish.”
Reeder had lost her father to cancer that year and was looking for opportunities to enjoy life and step out of her comfort zone. With little to no music experience, she agreed to perform.
“The opportunity was exhilarating,” says Reeder. “I got to help a great cause and meet some amazing musicians. I know my dad looked down from heaven and got a good chuckle at my attempt to entertain.”
John Domaskchko, founder of Suits That Rock
Among the “guests suits” that will be performing this year are Jerry Kathman, CEO of LDK, who — in spite of being kicked out of his high school band — performs locally with The Modulators; Rick Dews, global senior manager for strategic securities for Milacron, who began playing guitar at age five and bass by the time he was eight-years-old, and played with bands such as Groove Yard, The Hit Men and the E-Funk band.
Domaschko says the seriousness with which people approach their work in the early rehearsals might be surprising.
“These are all type A personalities,” says Domaschko. “None of them willingly accept failure, so they are mostly business, at least in the early rehearsals.”
The closer they get to the actual event, everyone tends to relax.
“As we get more relaxed, I do like to remind everyone that we sound better the more the audience drinks, not the more we drink,” says Domaschko.
Tickets for Suits That Rock at The Carnegie are $60 Mezzanine, $85 Orchestra per person and include appetizers and Suits That Rock commemorative mug.
A cash bar and valet are available.
Doors open at 7 p.m., show starts at 8 p.m. For more information, go to www.thecarnegie.com.
