Adam Duke is a digital contributor who joined WIVB in 2021. See more of his work here.
'Happy Together' Tour returning to Erie County Fair: The Turtles interview
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BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) -- Last summer, the Happy Together Tour brought fun, smiles, and plenty of big hits from the '60s and '70s to the Channel 4 Concert Series at the Erie County Fair. This year, the tour returns to the Fair with some new acts. WIVB spoke with singer Ron Dante ahead of the show, which will take place Aug. 9 at the Hamburg Fairgrounds.
Dante, former lead vocalist for the animated rock band The Archies, described joining The Turtles in 2018 and getting to sing the band's catalogue onstage as "the best thing that ever happened."
"They have such great hits, and I get to sing them every night on tour this summer," he said. "It's been a glorious seven years and I keep getting emails from [retired lead singer] Howard Kaylan saying, 'Thanks for doing a great job,' and of course, [Turtles co-founder] Mark Bowman will join us when he's feeling better. But it's been a great time and the audience is just very receptive to all these songs."
In addition to The Turtles songs in the set, the band also plays The Archies' "Sugar, Sugar," which Dante said is a lot of fun.
"The audience goes crazy, because just about everybody in the audience knows that song, so it's a great moment in the show," he said. "A big smile comes to my face and I see the audience smile also. We also play a cartoon of the Archies singing "Sugar, Sugar" behind me. So again, an extra boost for the song and for the moment in the show."
The Turtles will be joined for this leg of the tour by Jay and the Americans, Little Anthony, Gary Puckett & The Union Gap, The Vogues, and The Cowsills.
"I love watching each act," Dante said. "Each one brings it each night, because they know this is a brand new audience that maybe may not have seen them ever live, and the band is spectacular."
"Happy Together," both the title of The Turtles' biggest hit and the mantra for this tour, is very fitting to Dante, who described the feeling of being on tour with so many legendary acts as "pure joy."
"You can see that we all love each other, that we're all comrades out here, and we cheer each other on. As each act comes on, you see the previous act clapping and cheering them on as they come on stage," Dante said. "And then we all hold hands and we all band together like a band of brothers, and sister with Susan Cowsill, and we take our bows. And I think the audience can see how much fun we're having at that moment, too. It's a great moment, and I'm glad they staged it that way."
Dante said the backing band also consists of great musicians, who have played together for around a decade, and who play with their hearts. He said the Erie County Fair crowd will get the full monty, with each band bringing their best.
"The singing is incredible -- everybody sings the original songs in the original keys," he said. "This is a very rare occurrence when you can put six acts out there for one night and a two and a half hour set."
He said he believes everyone has an act or two in the show that stands out to them specifically, whether it means so much to hear their favorite song live or seeing the legendary performers on stage.
Dante said the tour will continue for years, and he wants people to always come out to see Happy Together when it comes to their towns.
"It's always going to be special with new people added each year," he said. "So I think they're going to enjoy it."
Tickets to the show, as well as further information, can be found at this link. The full interview can be listened to on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.