With Nicolet High School Class of 1973’s 50th reunion on the horizon, a tribute concert on Sunday will honor two musicians from the class who’ve gone on to win Grammy awards – Howie Epstein, the late bassist of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and latin jazz musician Brian Lynch.
The concert starts at 7 p.m. on Sept. 10 at Shank Hall and will feature Petty Union, a Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers cover band, and the Brian Lynch Quartet.
“They met as freshmen 54 years ago. They would hang out with a few other friends listening to music,” says Dean Chapman, former classmate and friend of the pair of musicians and organizer of the upcoming event. “Howie also had jam parties in his parent’s basement and Brian sat in.”
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The pair would both go on to win Grammy-awards. Epstein won for the album he produced for John Prine titled The Missing Years in 1991 for Best Contemporary Folk Album. And, as part of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, he was inducted into the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.
Lynch won a Grammy for his album Sympatico, which he recorded with fellow musician Eddie Palmieri, for Best Latin Jazz Album in 2007. Additionally, his band The Brian Lynch Big Band’s album The Omni-American Book Club won in 2020 for Best Large Jazz Ensemble.
Nicolet High School’s Class of 1973 turned out two successful, decorated musicians, the likelihood of which is a rarity for any school. “I’m quite sure no other high school graduating class in history can make such a claim,” says Chapman. “I am very proud of my friends’ careers.”
Sunday’s event will also feature concert videos of Epstein playing with other rock stars, a tribute to his 20-year long career and the Brian Lynch quartet with a groovy set to commemorate the occasion.
