The Sultans of Swing are the PERFECT wedding band. A version of this story originally appears in the August 2020 issue with the title "America's Best Wedding Band Will Be Back After a Short Break". With some special requests and some special no-gos. They work out the kinks for months. We are still receiving notes from our guests commenting on how much they loved the band and how much their feet hurt from dancing all night without a break or a dud song. At the wedding in February, I thought of that Shallow moment when I heard Jerry call the most recent surefire addition to the playbook, Lizzo's Good as Hell: The women love it. The Sultans were absolutely incredible. Just the right touch for every stage of the evening. I have been to two weddings featuring the Sultan's and they were 2 of the most fun nights ever!! Every special request was honored, and the quality of the musicianship was first class. Through Bruno Mars, they're trying to say their tastes.. She. Flamingos pranced around in the effluvium of a fog machine. We are so glad she told us about them! Jerry, who looks and sounds like a lost Murray brother, studied drums at the New England Conservatory and landed in New York in the '80s, where he played in bands and worked for a jingle house making ads. The Sultans were ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!! Ostensibly to keep track of whom Iand now my wife and Iowe gifts. the choice for the most discerning clientele. They packed the dance floor and sounded excellent. The organization stands as one congruous entity because the standards, the style, and the theory of The Show come from the top. It was incredible. Everyone was talking about how talented and great energy the band was and we couldnt agree more! These little nuggets were the rewards of taking this seemingly unserious thing very seriously for decades. Ring of the Sultan - Heated Emerald Gemstone - Hurrem Sultan Style Authentic Ottoman Ring - Victorian Ring for Ladies - 925K Sterling Silver. The dance floor was packed the entire night. We couldn't be happier with the entertainment they provided and I highly recommend them. Nearly 30 years after starting the Sultans, Jerry Bennett now presides over an empire. Look no further, The Sultans are the only wedding band you need!!! That there are overlaps. They rehearse over Skype. They exceeded our expectations, which were admittedly high given the praise the band has received from GQ as best wedding band in America. I just looked at their website We were ABSOLUTELY blown away by The Sultans! The guitar during our ceremony was exactly what we wantedthey learned the three songs we requested quite quickly and perfectly! We celebrate true connection with wedding band sets and couples' rings that stand for love in all its forms. The band was absolutely INCREDIBLE!!! Eighties pop. I can confirm that whatever this was, it was the opposite of that. We got married in a field on a steamy August afternoon and, after exposing our guests to the elements and some lengthy vows, got everyone back under the tent just as the skies opened up. Their energy was high and their voices perfect. A good band has spent years building a cache of intel and a roster of performers and a catalog of songs that can form-fit to any demo in America. They seemed to mean more than ever. As people with families who pass along the same old standards. That peopleoptimistically, perhaps even as a distractionwere very much projecting forward to a time beyond the crisis when they might gather again with loved ones, to celebrate together, to dance. The dance floor was full all evening, the band allowed my son to jump in on percussion for a couple of songs. Absolutely fantastic all around. Sign up on The Knot to reach more couples and book more weddings! The average groom suit today is $248, down $505 from the 1930s (which is probably due to mass production more than anything else). The logistical nightmares were what made Jerry sometimes fantasize about handing the whole operation off, Willy Wonka-style, to a capable apprentice. You were the first vendor I booked after securing my wedding date and we couldn't imagine having any other band. The band absolutely killed it - the dance floor was packed all night and they were just such a great source of energy. Everything was so easy to coordinate and the music was perfect. Sean booked the band. To compose a distended dream sequence, a four-hour-long river of back-to-back-to-backs you'd never conceived of wanting to hear in that particular order before? This is horrible.. Or as Jerry puts it: Once they see us, they have to have us.. And so it was that everyone in attendance was out there, locked in to the moves across genres that the band made, every thumping transition, every swiftly conceived shift in tempo. It's strange but true. I did a wedding when they didn't want any new music whatsoever, Troy said. When you say, We hate Bruno Mars, I've learned more about you than just that you don't like Bruno Mars, Jerry told me. No matter the crowdyoung or old, rich or poor, left or rightJerry Bennett knows what happens when people hear My Girl at the start of the night. Every wedding is kind of the same, but every wedding is different.. Etsy offsets carbon emissions from shipping and packaging on this purchase. They killed it, Jerry said. There was MJ because MJ is wedding music now and forever, no matter what. (Those songs are usually in there too.) Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. People hear that BAUM duh-duh-duh-duh-duh, Jerry explained, and it's slow, and it's not too loud, and it's just the perfect Come on outtry one dance with your wife. And then we suck them in.. We specifically appreciated that the band took our requests and musical taste to heart. We could not be more thrilled with the band, and especially loved how Colin, Ingrid, and Nick were so engaging with coming into the crowd to sing and play the sax. However, everything worked out in the end, and they even sent an extra singer who ended up being great at getting people on the dance floor and having a good time. I 100% would recommend this band to anyone and I would hire them again if I have another event that needs a band. Our guests were up dancing all night and said to us on numerous occasions how impressed they were with the Sultans. (Mr. Now I can relax.. The wedding-band businesslike the wedding-invitations business, or the wedding-lighting business, or the wedding-flowers businessis that rare and perfect kind of business where the product is the marketing campaign and vice versa. We are still hearing about what a great time everyone had. cross the country after coming to our wedding :), Get Our Wedding Planner App On Your Mobile Device. When two people love each other very much, they often get around to getting married, and once they get around to getting married, they often have to plan a wedding, and if they're fortunate enough to have some real options in this department, there will come a moment when they have to make the choice of choices: Do they hire a DJ for the music or a band? To move seamlessly through a set that's arranged like a Spotify playlist on shuffle? SAVE UP TO 10% See all eligible items and terms. Too good. Don't take my word for it; put it onit lifts you to your feet. That will keep them on their feet all night long. To lift up a room with music, a band must play the right song at the right time for the generations in the audience. Maybe you put it on when you're cleaning your house to escape the consequences of a pandemic for a few minutes. . When you hire the Sultans, you're not hiring a single unit of the same six musicians so much as a shape-shifting configuration. I keep an Excel spreadsheet with all the weddings I've been to. I just wanted to expand on Ryan's response, because the band at our wedding was absolutely amazing. that all guests know & love, as we wanted everyone to feel included. It was an amazing experience, having them as our wedding band. 80 years -- and there's only a difference of $189! We're not so different from one another after Champagne and buffet brisket, it turns out. I cannot begin to put into words how tremendous the Sultans are. All of our guests were dancing the whole time, exactly how we dreamed it would be. Sultans vocalists Steve Memmolo, Ashley Smith, Olga Thomas, and Troy Durdenadept at everything from Sinatra and CeeLo to Beyonc and Gaga. After all our planning there was nothing better to hear from our guests that the band was amazing and that that band was the best theyve ever heard. They've got the sequins on their dresses and their jackets. ey are full of energy and kept everyone dancing all night long. Jerry's scoured the Eastern Seaboard, Steve told me. That's what the Sultans do. The Sultans truly made our wedding reception! Unbeknownst to him, a guy he'd played with in another band had mentioned him to Jerry, and Jerry then called his cell out of the blue: He said: Go. I said, What do you mean? He said, Give me Sinatra. So I started: Fly me to the moon And he's like, You're hired. I asked Jerry about that story later, and he shrugged in confirmation: You know right away., Steve and I talked about the range of the Sultans' roster, each player flown in from near and far for gigs like this one, week after week. Jon was in the back there, with the fedora and the sunglasses and the straggly shoulder-length hair. The Sultans were born, and they landed their first big break in the early '90s, when they were hired to play a party for the Clintons. Everything was beyond perfect and I've never been to a wedding that felt like a concert with my most favorite band. We may be biased, but I can honestly say they were by far the best band Ive ever heard.. Jillian and JG were absolutely PHENOMENAL! We feel so lucky that we got to have such an enthusiastic and interactive band on our special night. The sultans were so good! The lead singers were so engaging and out into the crowd it was awesome. You can't go wrong if you just play what they ask you to play, Jerry said. . I'll have this whole plan that I'm not gonna play My Girl first, he said, smiling with knowledge. The sync is tight. Zeeman started as an original member of the group, back when the Sultans were a modest bar band on Martha's Vineyard. After being recommended by so many, we quickly made the decision to hire them for our wedding and we are so relieved we did! and wherever else music is calling you, coast to coast and around the world. Save to nagi.graphy i The team: The more people there are on the team, the more it will cost you. He'd fixed the lights that were malfunctioning onstage. In our opinion best on the Cape/Islands! Email *. This GQ feature story on Jerry and the band appeared in the August 2020 issue of GQ magazine. He has ears to the ground all over. As soon as they started playing, all guests flooded the dance floor and never left. The bliss and chaos of the dance floor. It was a tragedy, Jerry said, but it was too late to replace her. They did a great job following our music selections but also reading the energy of the crowd. I would highly recommend them if you having a wedding in the Cape or the Islands, they may charge a bit but they are worth every penny. dding, and we were very pleased to have them. I don't know what it is. They ask which genres to stick within and which to steer clear of. Would HIGHLY recommend! He and Jerry had played together since they were in their 20s. From there, it's been 30 years of satisfied guests and business-building word of mouthincluding from those best-known of American East Coasters. e on the dance floor and didnt want to leave - they are still talking about how amazing the night was two months later. Our guests danced the entire time they played and everyone raved about the live entertainment following the event. For those in the position to hire one, a band can change the chemistry of an evening. It was why he'd started the band and why I was sure he would never leave. The Sultans were AMAZING. And you can only have one or two weird-looking guys. What are the other spaces where we can still come together to enjoy the same thing completely and uncomplicatedly? The timing was just right. Weddings had gotten so important. Motown. Apply Bed Bath and Beyond coupon and save 25% off your entire purchase, Target Circle: up to 50% Off with Target promo code, With Asos Promo Code you take 70% OFF Select styles, Michael Kors promo code: sign up for KORSVIP + Get 10% off on First Order, 2023 Cond Nast. Jerry was working through what to do with the deposits, balancing business interest with human interest. But for the 150 musicians in the band, it was an immediate crisis of finances. Spandex Stretch Chair with Bow, Elastic Chair Cover with Buckle Slider Strap measures 14x35cm, perfect for wedding table decorations for reception, the straps will blend into your wedding theme and serve as an important decoration product, multiple pieces Packing can not only meet your needs, but also save more. We still get compliments about how much our guests loved our wedding band! The lead singers were so fun and engaging. Leslie is quick to respond to emails and very helpful. 100% the best decision we made for our wedding was to have The Sultans play! Had played together since they were 2 of the same thing completely and uncomplicatedly at our:... The back there, it 's been 30 years after starting the Sultans, Jerry said everyone all... Live entertainment following the event was full all evening, the band allowed my son to jump on! I 've been to a capable apprentice on Martha 's Vineyard as a shape-shifting configuration what! 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