New Year's Gillis

Jeff Werner, The Hershey Chronicle, Wednesday, December 27, 2007

Most days, she's just an ordinary teen-ager, hanging with friends, shopping at the mall and watching TV.

But put a microphone in her hand and crank up the band, and Alli Gillis becomes one of country music's youngest and hottest up and coming performers.

At just 16 years of age, Gillis has opened for such country icons as Lee Ann Womack, Toby Keith, Charlie Daniels and Miranda Lambert, not to mention appearing before the President of the United States, George W. Bush.

Now, the high school junior from Pittsburgh, will bring her power pop country style to Hershey's third annual New Year's Eve celebration, where she'll belt out her radio hit, "Holiday Medley,"
featuring a countrified melding of Winter Wonderland, Silver Bells and O, Holy Night.
In addition, said Gillis, the New Year's Eve audience can expect to hear several cover songs, including Carrie Underwood's "Before He Cheats" and Miranda Lambert's "Kerosene," "that we try to remake in our own way," says Gillis.

She'll be accompanied by her band - Adam Gigliotti on lead guitar, Phil Giammattei on bass and vocal, Mark Rodgers on drums, B.Meyer on rhythm guitar and Lauren Gigliotti singing backup vocals.

"It's going to be so much fun coming to Hershey and performing for everyone there," said Gillis, who will be marking her ChocolateTown singing debut. "I'm really looking forward to it. It's going to be amazing. It's a very upbeat show that I think people are really going to enjoy."

While Gillis has never entertained in Hershey, she has been a frequent visitor to Hersheypark.
"I always come for the park," she said. "I love everything about it, even the little kiddie rides," she says.

Gillis has performed twice in nearby Harrisburg for the Dauphin County Republican picnic where she has opened for guest political speakers Lynn Swann and Rudolph Giuliani.
Born into a musical family, it's not surprising Gillis would find her way onto the stage. Music has always surrounded her, from bedtime songs to Christmas performances in her grandparent's living room.

At the age of 11, Gillis stepped onto the public stage for the first time after being invited by her grandfather, Chuck Townsend, a backup 1950s doo-wop vocalist, to join him on the road. She began singing backup for groups like the Holidays, the Elvinos and the Vogues, which made "Turn Around, Look at Me" into a hit.

Three years ago, she made the switch to her real love, country music. Her new career blossomed after she opened for Lee Ann Womack at the Palace Theater in Greensburg in April 2005. Since then, she's sung just about every weekend at venues throughout western Pennsyl- vania, West Virginia and Ohio.

She counts a performance before President George W. Bush as one of the highlights of her young career.

"That was amazing. I never thought I'd get to do that," said Gillis, who shook the President's hand following a performance that included "Lord I Hope This Day is Over" and two original songs, "I'll Jump" and "Heartbreak Day."

This summer, she added opening performances for Toby Keith and Miranda Lambert to her growing list of accomplishments. "It was really cool. It was definately an honor and something I won't forget," she said.

Gillis is scheduled to take the stage in Hershey at 9 p.m.