Doo Wop Festival benefits Philly veterans

The old-fashioned festival sought to raise money for veterans.

Penn’s Landing turned back the clock today, Sept. 9, for the Seventh Annual Philadelphia Doo Wop Festival.

Despite competition from the Philadelphia Eagles’ season opener, a multi-generational crowd of about 200 people attended the free outdoor concert.

Local bands from yesteryear such as The Larkings and Cornerstone crooned along the waterfront to benefit The Philadelphia Veterans Multi-Service & Education Center.

Center job counselor and Cornerstone member Bill Diamond pitched the idea for a music festival to bring out Philly’s doo wop scene and bring forgotten soldiers back into the community forefront.

More than a quarter of a million dollars has been raised over the past six years in order to provide counseling, job training, and homeless services to veterans.

While the style of music is a throwback to the ’50s, performances by modern artists such as rising singer Latanya Gentile indicate that America’s soldiers will be remembered and respected by future generations as well.

John Corrigan can be reached at john.corrigan@temple.edu.

For more on this, check back with temple-news.com and pickup the print issue Tuesday, Sept. 11.

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