LOCASH
Siskin Children’s Institute announced country music stars, LOCASH, as the headliner for this year’s StarNight event. The event, held on Saturday, Aug. 25, at the Chattanooga Convention Center, will welcome approximately 1500 guests. John Pregulman, grandson of Institute co-founder Garrison Siskin, will co-chair the event alongside his wife Amy Israel Pregulman. Mr. Pregulman’s mother, Helen Pregulman, will serve as honorary co-chair.
LOCASH is a country music duo made up of singer-songwriters Chris Lucas and Preston Brust, natives of Baltimore, Md., and Indianapolis, In., respectively. With a sound that fuses modern country and classic heartland rock with an edgy vocal blend, the independently-minded partners are revered as “one of Nashville’s hardest-working acts” (Rolling Stone) whose live show “has consistently been among the most energetic and entertaining in the country music genre” (Billboard). With two albums and eight charting singles to their credit, LOCASH broke out in 2015 with their gracious GOLD-certified hit, “I Love This Life," followed by the flirtatious GOLD-certified #1 smash, “I Know Somebody” – their first trip to the top of the Country radio airplay charts – and 2017’s fun-loving romantic anthem “Ring on Every Finger.” All three singles were part of their Reviver Records album debut, THE FIGHTERS, which was released in the summer of 2016 to Top 15 success. The follow up to THE FIGHTERS is expected this year. In 2017, they earned their first round of awards show recognition, nominated at the ACM Awards for New Vocal Duo or Group of the Year, the CMT Music Awards for Duo Video of the Year (“I Know Somebody”), and the CMA Awards for Vocal Duo of the Year.
“We are excited to welcome LOCASH as our entertainer for this year’s StarNight event. We know they will put on a great show in support of the children with special needs we serve,” says interim president and CEO, Deborah Arfken. “John and Amy will surely knock it out of the park and make StarNight 2018 one to remember.”
Mr. Pregulman is the president of KAVOD, a Memphis-based organization supporting Holocaust survivors in need, which he founded with his wife, Amy. As a former professional photographer in New York City in the 1980’s, he found his passion for taking photographs of Holocaust survivors and has taken 600 photos so far. After his time in New York, he returned to Chattanooga to join the family steel business, Siskin Steel and Supply Company. The company was sold in 1996, and Mr. Pregulman was named president/COO until leaving the company in 2005. He is currently the managing partner of Robmer Partners, a real estate company his father created. Mr. Pregulman also serves his family by heading the family office as the chief investment officer. He has four children, ranging in ages from 30 to 11.
Amy Israel Pregulman serves as the Executive Director of KAVOD. Prior to KAVOD, Amy was the Director of Cultural Arts at the Memphis Jewish Community Center (MJCC) where she developed the Cultural Arts Department. Under her leadership, she developed and implemented the Jewish Literary and Cultural Arts Festival; the International Jewish Film Festival; the first Health and Wellness Expo; and established and branded the patrons of the Arts Program. Amy also curated for the Shainberg Gallery as well as developed the Campus for Holistic Learning. Prior to the MJCC, Amy was the Director of Community Engagement at Opera Memphis. Amy completed her Master’s in Strategic Planning and Leadership with a certificate in Nonprofit Management at the University of Memphis in 2017. Amy is a native Memphian and has two sons ages 22 and 19.
StarNight 2018 opens with a cocktail reception beginning at 6 p.m., then moves to a formal dinner followed by a concert performance by LOCASH. An electrifying after-party with dancing and music from Atlanta Groove Factory will round out the night.
For more information and tickets, visit siskin.org/starnight.