The Lettermen to perform at Lorain Palace Theater

The harmonizing voices of The Lettermen singing trio will perform at 7 p.m., Dec. 14, at the Lorain Palace Theater, 617 Broadway, for their annual traveling Christmas show.

Members Tony Butala, Donovan Tea and Bobby Poynton will put on a twoand a half hour concert featuring Christmas classics, from ballads to rock and roll to some of the group’s biggest hits.

“The Christmas show makes it easy for us because the ballads are pleasant, it’s not all rock and roll,” said Tea, who has been with the group for 35 years.

“You have all the classics, like ‘White Christmas’ and ‘Chestnuts Roasting on an

Open Fire.’”

Tea said the trio always makes sure to have plenty of fun during the holiday shows.

For instance, they invite members of the audience to the stage to partake in the group’s rendition of “Twelve Days of Christmas.”

“We never know what we’re gonna get,” said Tea, adding that the trio has performed Christmas concerts for nearly 30 years.

The Lettermen originally began in the 1950s as a doowop group.

Original members Butala, Jim Pike and Bob Engemann then decided to go the ballad route when their song “The Way You Look Tonight” hit the charts in 1961.

The group later released another hit that year, “When I Fall In Love” and were voted best vocal group in 1961.

The Lettermen since have sold out over 10,000 shows and have had successful tours in Japan, Thailand, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Singapore, France, Saudi Arabia and Mexico.

Now, Tea said the romantic ballad trio makes sure to integrate various genres into each show to add diversity.

“Most (of the group’s songs) are really sweet ballads,” he said.

“When you do a show, you can’t just do ballads, you have to do a full show.”