Foreigner taps Susquehanna Valley Chorale members to join in on hit
By GAWHARA ABOU-EID, THE STANDARD-JOURNAL
WILLIAMSPORT — When Heather Britton was 4 years old, she surprised her nursery-school teachers by ignoring the usual children’s songs and belting out Foreigner’s “Cold as Ice.” Her mother’s friend, who happened to be substituting that day, told the story so often that Britton’s family still calls it “her song.”
Decades later, Britton — now in her second year as board president of the Susquehanna Valley Chorale — will take the stage with the band whose music marked her earliest memories.
Members of the Susquehanna Valley Chorale (SVC) are set to perform with Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Foreigner on Dec. 13 at the Journey Bank Community Arts Center (CAC) in Williamsport. The chorale will join the band on the chorus of “I Want to Know What Love Is.” According to the CAC, the show is nearly sold out, with VIP packages already gone.
Foreigner — which was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2024 — is touring with Luis Maldonado (lead vocals/guitar), Jeff Pilson (bass), Michael Bluestein (keyboards), Bruce Watson (guitars) and Chris Frazier (drums) as they celebrate 50 years of music. Original lead singer Lou Gramm will guest on several songs during the tour.
For Britton, who is in her 17th season as an SVC singer, the performance blends nostalgia with artistic excitement.
“There’s a lot of nostalgia wrapped up in growing up with their music,” she said. “It’s a fun bit of nostalgia to sing along. And the fact that Lou Gramm will be there is pretty exciting.”
She added that the collaboration could help raise awareness for the chorale’s own work, especially as it heads into a busy weekend with a separate concert the day after the Foreigner show.
The chorale will present its Candlelight Christmas Concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14, at Zion Lutheran Church, 15 S. Fifth St., Sunbury.
“We’re really grateful for the opportunity,” Britton said. “I’m hoping it’ll raise some awareness about the music that we perform too and gain us some audience numbers.”
Britton added the chorale expects a packed house.
Bluestein said performing with community choirs is part of the band’s long-running commitment to supporting music and arts education.
“It excites me because… this is a big part of our push to keep awareness around music and arts programs in schools,” he said. “We just feel like music programs and arts programs are so important for kids’ development.”
The band members regularly invite choirs to join them onstage and holds contests to identify local groups.
“That’s been our main music push,” Bluestein said. “We’ll continue to do that.”
Although Foreigner has performed throughout Central Pennsylvania before, Bluestein said the energy in the region stands out.
“We definitely have strong support and very enthusiastic fans from that part of the country,” he said.
He noted the group will perform the chorus of “I Want to Know What Love Is” as originally recorded, which featured a choir in the 1984 music video.
“They kind of have to fit in with our tempo,” he said. “It’s your job to kind of make your part fit in with what’s already happening.”
Britton echoed that the chorale won’t know the final balance and projection until they rehearse on site. Still, she said the Chorale is ready.
“I’m very confident that we can do it and perform some beautiful harmonies if that’s what they want,” she said.
Britton noted the partnership reflects a larger need for collaboration as arts organizations continue to recover from pandemic-related declines.
“A lot of choral groups, performing arts groups, theater groups are all struggling since COVID,” she said. “Partnerships and word promotion from bands like Foreigner are going to make the difference.”
She said the SVC is talking with other regional groups about how to reinvigorate audiences and get them “back out and into the seats.”
The chorale has previously collaborated with bluegrass group Monroe Crossing and regularly performs popular music in its annual Pops concert, but Britton said she cannot recall partnering with a major rock act.
For Bluestein, who joined the band in 2008, the show carries a dash of personal history as well. He recalled hearing Foreigner as a child at a Papa Gino’s in Massachusetts, where “Hot Blooded” played on a tabletop jukebox.
“I remember playing ‘Hot Blooded’ on the little mini jukebox,” he said. “I just loved that tune.”
Now, with the band marking half a century, the upcoming performance continues a tradition of connecting generations through music — including one SVC singer who first discovered Foreigner before kindergarten.
