Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) June 30, 2011
Urban Design Group knows how to create unique and memorable spaces, so it’s no surprise they also know how to throw a rockin’ party. The firm held their first annual Blues and Q’s event featuring the Ken Rhyne Band on Sunday, June 26, 2011 at Zuffy’s in Atlanta. Ken Rhyne, a Principal with the firm, played harmonica and performed lead vocals for a packed house.
“We wanted to have a fun, casual party to thank our clients, employees, vendors and friends for their support,” said noted Native American designer Ken Rhyne, Principal with Urban Design Group. “As a designer and musician, I am always looking for ways to combine my passion for architecture and interiors with my love of music. The event was the perfect opportunity to combine design and the blues. The band really enjoyed playing because the audience was so enthusiastic. We can’t wait to do it again.”
Rhyne’s band played a full set of blistering blues featuring their original music that can be heard at http://www.AirPlayDirect.com/KenRhyne. Attendees enjoyed barbeque with all the fixings as the band played to a full house. The firm plans to host the event on an annual basis, and is already making plans for Blues and Q’s 2012.
“This event was the perfect way for us to entertain clients and friends as well as show our appreciation to our hard-working design team,” said Don Buenger, fellow Principal with Urban Design Group. “I’m glad we could showcase Ken’s musical talents at such a relaxed party where everyone seemed to have a great time.”
Whether in the design studio or the recording studio, Rhyne believes his creativity in music compliments his interiors work and helps him develop unique solutions. Rhyne’s music intertwines with his design work in a number of ways. In addition to hosting many client events over the years, he has also created jingles and songs for clients to help reinforce the design concept and spur creativity. He is also working to get the band booked at conferences where the firm participates, and his band is scheduled to perform at the Avi Casino Resort owned by the Fort Mojave Indian Tribe in Laughlin, NV on September 10, 2011.
“We are also planning to cross promote UDG and the band with performances to benefit animal rescue groups,” said Rhyne. “I am also developing a pro-bono design for the proposed Jackson County Humane Society, since they currently do not have a shelter and are working to raise funds with a Fur Ball and other special events to construct a future facility. As individuals, and as a firm, we look for unique ways to lend our talents and give back to our local communities.”
Rhyne is regarded by many as one of the most accomplished blues rock/southern rock artists of our time. His album “Caught You White Handed” went to #1 across the Canadian charts upon release in 2008, followed by an "Album of the Year" nomination at the Native American Music Awards.
In January 2011, songs from the album were re-released to radio programmers internationally breathing new life into his music throughout the US and other countries. Songs from the album are once again finding their way onto music charts. The album charted at #17 on AirPlay Direct’s “TOP 50 Blues Albums” for April 2011, and the Ken Rhyne Band was ranked as one of the "Top Nine Unsigned Bands in the World" by the International Blues Challenge, Memphis, TN.
The Ken Rhyne Band is currently performing throughout the Eastern seaboard and is also working in the studio completing a new album titled “One Last Time” with a tentative release date in 2011. Rhyne plays harmonica and lends his vocal talents to the band. Other band members include: Will Alvarez (guitar and vocals), Ned Suddreth (percussion and vocals) and Van Miller (bass). The band is based in Atlanta and records with the Fat City Records label.
Rhyne’s music may be heard on AirPlayDirect at http://www.AirPlayDirect.com/KenRhyne. Radio stations with an account can download the songs for airplay. For additional information about the Ken Rhyne Band, please contact Myra Chapman, Publicist/Promoter/Media Relations at 864-8980-0376 (office) 864-404-0338 (cell) or visit http://www.Allindianz.com or http://www.AirPlayDirect.com/Allindianz.
Through his design, music and civic involvement, Rhyne has served as an advocate for Native American issues throughout his life. He is a Tuscarora Indian and a nationally-recognized designer with a talent for respectfully incorporating tribal culture into museums, cultural centers and other types of facilities. Rhyne is also a member of the Pfeiffer University Baseball Hall of Fame and was a minor league player for the Washington Senators and Texas Rangers.
Rhyne, Allied AIA, is a member of the American Indian Council of Architects and Engineers (AICAE). He has over 35 years of experience in conceptual architectural and interior design projects. His national portfolio includes the Museum of the Seven Feathers in South Carolina, Weedon Island Preserve Educational Center in Florida, Red Hawk Casino in California and the award-winning Cultural Resources Center for the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian and the Kampen Eagle Wing Center in Indiana.
Urban Design Group offers architectural, interior design, planning and urban design services to its worldwide clientele from studios in Atlanta, Georgia, and Dallas, Texas. A market leader in the application and advancement of Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology, UDG's personnel work on a wide range of projects from hospitality and gaming to corporate and mixed-use.
In the firm's 36-year history, Urban Design Group has completed more than $6 Billion dollars in projects worldwide. The firm has received more than 80 design excellence awards and honors, 15 design competition awards and has been featured in hundreds of magazine articles, newspaper pieces and design resource books. For more information, please visit http://www.UrbanDesignGroup.com.
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