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‘One Snowy Night’ – all about love
By SEAN BARRON
YOUNGSTOWN
In the early 1980s, popular singer George Benson likely brought out added passion in many people’s hearts with hits such as “Love Ballad,” “Never Give Up on a Good Thing,” “Lady Love Me [One More Time]” and “Love X Love.”
You also might say that a local group’s first major event followed a similar trajectory.
“People sometimes throw [love] around loosely,” said Myke Claytor of Youngstown, who performs comedy and a style called spoken word, which are verbal reflections on various types of poetry.
Claytor also was master of ceremonies for Sunday’s “One Snowy Night: When Love Happens” gathering at the Tyler Mahoning Valley History Center, 325 W. Federal St., downtown.
About 100 people attended the elaborate Valentine’s Day gathering, which featured artists, singers, musicians, poets and writers who used their talents to highlight themes related to five facets and stages of love: “In love,” “Lost love,” “Looking for love,” “Broken love” and “Found love.”
Hosting the gathering was Youngstown Click, a group that debuted in 2015. It is committed to creating, promoting and expanding events to bring people closer to one another, noted Debbie Larson, Youngstown Click’s founder and the program’s coordinator.
“We’re walking the audience through the journey of love,” Larson said.
Kicking things off were local musicians Cori Walmer and Harry Carcase who sang and played the guitar, respectively, for their renditions of “Stuck Like Glue,” by the country music duo Sugarland, and “Look at Me,” by Carrie Underwood.
Also during the “In love” part, Claytor shared several stories and reflections. In addition, the audience heard a poem by Karen Schubert, who founded Lit Youngstown, a group that’s dedicated to promoting the area’s literary arts.
Schubert also read aloud several other poems that were apropos for those looking for love or who have suffered the loss of love.
A little later, attendees were treated to three songs by Michelle Wade and Rick Miller, who founded the band “The Common Era.” Adding to the entertainment was local singer Tim Klug.
It’s probably safe to say that added sparks of romance filled the room, thanks to vocalist Steve Fazzini of Boardman, who provided his interpretations of pop standards and love songs from the songbooks of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Nat King Cole.
Fazzini, who also performs at weddings, corporate events and private engagements, said he enjoys taking songs from the 1920s and giving them a more-contemporary sound that is reminiscent of the 1950s and ’60s. He also wasn’t shy about expounding on some artists who have influenced his style.
“I like oldies; I like Fats Domino and Ray Charles, and I do some James Taylor,” he said. “I love ’60s and ’70s music.”
Many guests also left notes to honor a lost love one next to a “Memory tree,” while others offered written sentiments to loved ones by a “My True Love tree.”