New Horizon Theater ended its 2009/2010 season on a high note with a trip down memory lane in “I Gotcha! The Story of Joe Tex and the Soul Clan.”

The production ran from May 21-30 at the Grey Box Theatre in Lawrenceville.

The show was written by Joseph H. Plummer and David Barr III. It was directed by Eileen J. Morris.

THE SOUL CLAN— Joe Tex and the Soul Clan from left: Wilson Pickett, played by Chad Eric Smith; Joe Tex, played by Ijasneem; Ben E. King, played by Charles Timbers; and Solomon Burke, played by Benjamin Blakey.

Morris drew from her childhood memories of hearing Joe Tex’s music on her grandmother’s porch to direct a humorous and music-filled production.

“I remember playing Joe Tex on my grandmamma’s front porch, teaching my cousins the latest Chicago dances and loving the sun falling on my face,” Morris said. “As a matter of fact, my brother and I won a dance contest that earned us $25 each for first place for doing ‘The Bump!’”

This week I visited Club Heat in the Strip District, CJ’s in the Strip District, Billy’s Gold Door in Homewood, the Shadow Lounge in East Liberty, Earl the Pearl’s in Homewood and Phase III in Homewood, Red Onion in the Hill District, and the Monroeville Convention Center in Monroeville.

My first stop was the Monroeville Convention Center in Monroeville where Rayco War Promotions and Fever Stimulation Beverage presented “War in the East.” This event featured DJ Biz Markie, DJ Boogie of Boogstown.com and Cool V. It was off the chain and look out for more events to come from Rayco War Promotions.

The dance floor was hot at CJ’s in the Strip District.

When Eric Burdon and the Animals first came to the U.S. as part of the British Invasion of the early1960s, guitar phenom Kenny Wayne Shepherd was still about a dozen years away from his first birthday. But before he signed his first recording contract at 16, Shepherd had cut his teeth on “House of the Rising Sun,” “Don’t Bring Me Down” and other Animals hits.

ERIC BURDON

That traditional passing down of blues lore will continue in July as both Burdon and Shepherd headline the 16th annual Pittsburgh Blues Festival. And for the sixth straight year, the three-day festival, which serves as the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank’s primary fundraiser, will be held at Hartwood Acres.

(NNPA)—Dear Gwendolyn:

I am 28 years old and I am tired of people asking me, “When are you going to get married?” A year ago I received my Ph.D. and was hired by a large corporation. I wear expensive clothes and have no children. My job requires that I travel to other countries, and as I have no pets to attend—that makes the job great. Last year while the economy was down, I decided to go house hunting. I bought a large three-level home that has an elevator, swimming pool and huge patio and backyard with the floral design of a public park. Gwendolyn, what can I do to stop this annoyance?—Liz