Rapids Slates Two Concerts Not at Taxpayer Expense

The Ink Spots

The Platters

American Idol winner Scotty McCreery

The Rapids Theater on Main Street in Niagara Falls has two concerts coming up. And they won’t cost taxpayers a dime.

On Friday (Feb. 15) they will have 19-year-old Scotty McCreery, who won a talent contest on a television show called “American Idol.”

McCreery is scheduled not only to perform that evening, but also do a “meet and greet” with his fans.

The Rapids will also have two bands calling themselves “The Platters” and the “Ink Spots” coming to town on March 23.

Each of these groups will offer fans an opportunity to meet them in person if they attend the concerts. According to Rapids owner John Hutchins, “It doesn't happen often that bands with national recognition take the time to visit with the audience, so you don't want to miss it.”

The Reporter wishes to point out that Hutchins, unlike the billion-dollar Hard Rock Café, is funding these concerts with his own money. Hard Rock, on the other hand, wound up getting $650,000 from the people of Niagara Falls to put on a series of similar concerts with mainly has-been groups.

Hutchins also offers seating.

At the Hard Rock concerts, attendees had to stand and listen, except, of course, for Mayor Paul Dyster and a few others, who got complimentary seats in the VIP section.

Young McCreery’s album, Clear as Day, was released in October, 2011, and was certified platinum in the United States, which means it sold over one million copies.

The album included top-20 country songs, "I Love You This Big" and "The Trouble with Girls."

The “Platters” and the “Ink Spots” are not, of course, the original groups.
The Ink Spots were a vocal group active in the 1930s and 1940s and the original members, if they were alive, would be from 97 to 109 years old.

In fact, the original members have all been dead for more than 40 years. The group disbanded in 1954. However, starting in 1954, groups calling themselves "The Ink Spots" sprang up all around the United States. Some groups contained original members, but most had no ties to the original group whatsoever.

Lawsuits were filed between various groups and there was great confusion as to who actually owned the rights to the name. Some groups avoided lawsuits by naming themselves "The Fabulous Ink Spots," "The 5 Fabulous Ink Spots," "The Famous Ink Spots," "The Amazing Ink Spots," "The Original Ink Spots," and more.

Since 1954, there have been more than 50 groups calling themselves "The Ink Spots" and the group appearing at the Rapids is one of them that has, of course, no real ties to the original, long deceased group, but will still be performing a lineup of the classic Ink Spots’ songs.

A similar case exists with the Platters. The Platters were one of the most successful vocal groups of the early Rock and Roll era. Founded in 1953, the group had 40 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart between 1955 and 1967, including four no. 1 hits.

As group members left, one by one, manager Buck Ram and his business partner Jean Bennett bought their stock, giving them ownership of the "Platters" name. The group's lineup has changed many times since then.

The Platters also had numerous people using the name, and fighting for the right to use it. Off-shoots were started by the original members; however, all the original members of the Platters were gone by 1969. A profusion of legal challenges ensued among the many imitation groups of Platters. Those looking to hear the classic lineup of songs had their pick of approved, disputed, and ersatz Platters. The last founding member, Herb Reed, died last June.

In any event, the imitation groups play the songs and provide an evening of entertainment and nostalgia.

To go to this non-taxpayer-funded concert, visit the Rapids Theater website at www.rapidstheatre.com for ticket and program details, or call them at (716) 205-8925.