CWU Baby Boomer Rock Band Headed to Los Angeles to Jam at FORTUNE's Corporate Battle of the Bands

July 5, 2007

ELLENSBURG, Wash.- The Dave Rawlinson Band, made up of five local men who have a connection to Central Washington University, has been selected to compete in the 2007 FORTUNE Corporate Battle of the Bands in Los Angeles on July 7. All employees or alumni of Central, band members say they "work hard during the day so they can rock 'n' roll at night."

"We are the only band from the Pacific Northwest in the entire competition," says Dave Rawlinson, an associate professor of information technology at Central and lead singer, songwriter and rhythm guitarist for the Dave Rawlinson Band. "It's very exciting to have that kind of notoriety and attention. It's also nice to get an opportunity to showcase our original music at a national venue."

Recently featured in a story on Northwest Cable News, the band is made up of a group of baby boomers from Ellensburg, Wash., all in their 40s and 50s, who have been playing together for about two years. As with Rawlinson, each band member has a direct connection to CWU. Lead guitarist Bob Pieters has worked in maintenance and facilities at CWU for 20 years. Drummer Robert Lupton is a retail management technology professor at Central. Caspar van Haalen plays bass and is a Central post-baccalaureate student and teaches high school in Ellensburg. Backup vocalist and percussionist David McMahan is a Central alumni and works as an information technology specialist.

The Dave Rawlinson Band is one of eighteen corporate bands across the nation selected to compete in one of three regional finals. The top two bands from each region, plus two "wild cards" will experience the ultimate thrill of rock and roll stardom by competing at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, Ohio in October.

Forty plus corporate bands-whose members are comprised of everyone from CEOs to administrative assistants-entered the contest by submitting a three-song CD. Eighteen bands made the regional cut and earned the chance to vie for the coveted title of "Best Corporate Band in America."

So how do they work full-time jobs, spend time with family and still find time to perform live music? "Like most musicians our age, you started out playing music when you were young and just kept on playing," explains Rawlinson. He says unlike the professional rockers of their era though, members of the Dave Rawlinson Band took the road of getting day jobs and raising families. "We have never forgotten how much we love to play music. We play because it makes people feel good. That's why we do it."

The Dave Rawlinson Band hits the stage at the Key Club on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles on July 7. They just recently played a free performance for the local community at West Ellensburg Park Wednesday, July 4 at the 4th of July Community Celebration. For more information about the band and the competition, visit www.rockhall.com/fortunebattle or www.rawlinsonband.com.

Contact: Dave Rawlinson, Dave Rawlinson Band, 509-962-1243
Teri Olin, CWU Public Relations & Marketing, 509-963-1416 or olint@cwu.edu