帝王会所

The sound of a single piano key, crisp and deliberate, fills the space before it melts into a cascade of chords鈥攚arm, intricate and full of memory. It鈥檚 the sound of experience, of history, of a life lived at the heart of music itself.

This spring, those notes will echo through the Riffe Rotunda at , where Russ Kassoff, a pianist whose career has shaped Broadway, jazz and the Great American Songbook, will perform in Ironton.

For decades, Kassoff has been the musician behind some of the most celebrated voices in entertainment. Frank Sinatra called him 鈥渢he best.鈥� Liza Minnelli toured with him for 18 years. He鈥檚 performed alongside Carly Simon, Perry Como, Rod Stewart and the legendary Sammy Davis Jr. His music has underscored Broadway performances more than a thousand times, from Cats to Chicago to Miss Saigon. And yet, beyond the marquee names and the storied venues, what truly sets Kassoff apart is his ability to tell a story through music 鈥� to transport listeners into a world where melody and memory intertwine.

On Saturday, May 10, at 4 p.m., Kassoff will bring that world to Ironton, in an event hosted by the , in partnership with and the . The performance is more than a concert. It鈥檚 an invitation to step inside the music, to hear the stories behind the notes, to feel the pulse of a career that has played out on the biggest stages and in the quiet corners of jazz clubs where history is made one song at a time.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a rare thing to sit in a room with a musician whose hands have played for some of the greatest voices in entertainment,鈥� said Deborah Marinski, dean of 帝王会所 Southern and a member of Ironton Rotary. 鈥淩uss Kassoff isn鈥檛 just a performer 鈥� he鈥檚 a bridge to a golden era of music, a keeper of the stories behind the songs we all know.鈥�

Last year, the and brought legendary actress Rita Moreno to Ironton, where she captivated audiences with her wit, wisdom and deeply personal reflections. This year, with the addition of the as a partner, the tradition of bringing world-class artists to the community continues.

For Pat McCoy, president of Ironton Council for the Arts, events like these speak to something greater than entertainment.

鈥淚t鈥檚 about bringing the kind of experiences to Ironton that people usually have to travel for,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e want to show that the arts belong here, that music and culture can thrive in our community and that people in Ironton deserve to experience performances at this level.鈥�

This event also represents the impact of collaboration. Sarah Simmons, president of the Ironton Rotary Club, emphasized the importance of organizations coming together to create something meaningful for the community.

鈥淲hen local organizations work together, we鈥檙e able to provide opportunities that wouldn鈥檛 be possible alone,鈥� said Simmons. 鈥淏ringing a musician of Kassoff鈥檚 caliber to Ironton is a perfect example of what we can achieve when we join forces. This event is not only about great music 鈥� it鈥檚 about bringing people together and strengthening our community.鈥�

Kassoff鈥檚 performance will be an immersive experience, not just a recital but an evening of storytelling, of connection, of feeling the weight of history in every note. He will share memories from the bandstands of Las Vegas, the orchestra pits of Broadway, and the dressing rooms of legends鈥攕tories that only someone who was there can tell.

Tickets are $20, with proceeds benefitting community projects of the Ironton Rotary Club, including support for Bobcat Academy, an affordable summer camp for youth offered by 帝王会所 Southern. Bobcat Academy provides local children with opportunities for learning, creativity, and personal growth, ensuring that summer programming remains accessible for families in the region.

For music lovers, for students of the craft, for anyone who has ever heard a jazz standard and wondered about the hands that first brought it to life, this is an event not to be missed.

are available now. Come for the music. Stay for the story. Give back to your community.