Michigan Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame member The Sixth Generation will be playing the Beckwith Park Summer Concert series this Thursday in downtown Dowagiac, in conjunction with the Open Header Cruise in memory of the late Ed Kazlauskas.

The concert, beginning at 7:30 p.m. at Beckwith Park, is being underwritten by Huntington Bank, as part of the Downtown Development Authority’s (DDA) summer concert series.

“When we learned about the memorial cruise for Ed, we thought a legendary rock & roll band would be the perfect entertainment to top off this celebration of Eddie’s life,” said Vickie Phillipson, DDA program director.

Curt Rohdy, owner of John & Curt’s Brake & Alignment and fellow auto enthusiast, stepped forward shortly after Ed’s passing in February to organize Thursday’s “open header” cruise in memory of Kazlauskas.

“Curt co-chaired Dowagiac’s annual Rod & Roll Classic Auto Show with Ed for years,” Phillipson said.  “Two of Dowagiac’s biggest car buffs, Eddie and Curt put their hearts and souls into growing the classic auto show to nearly 250 entries. During the early years, Ed, owner of Jim D’s Body Shop, and his wife, Susan, owner of The Marshall Shoppe, headed up the event, later teaming up with good friends, Curt and his wife, Deb, who owns Bow Wow Bakery & Bath.”

The open header cruise is something Rohdy and his friend had talked about doing years ago, but never did before Ed’s passing. He said proceeds from the memorial cruise would be donated to the Cass County Cancer League in Ed’s honor.

Participants of the Open Header Cruise, who will gather at 5:30 p.m. at 5-Mile Drive Inn Theatre on M-152, will be escorted into town by law enforcement.

Rohdy anticipates up to 50 classic vehicles will be featured in the cruise that will culminate downtown. Phillipson said part of the Depot Drive parking lot, adjacent to the railroad tracks, will be reserved for participants of the cruise, who will swing into the central business district around 6:40 p.m., gathering then for the Sixth Generation concert.

Beeson Street Bar & Grill, along with an anonymous donor, will be treating auto participants to hot dogs and soft drinks. Honor Credit Union, where Ed’s sister, Janie Reifenberg is branch manager, will also be on site, serving complimentary popcorn, as his son, Jim Kazlauskas, new owner of Jim D’s Body Shop, will be handing out bottled water.

Phillipson said she is delighted members of The Sixth Generation agreed to play the venue. The band had its first hit in 1967, which propelled Sixth Generation to the forefront of the local music scene and beyond. The band’s song, “Livin’ in a Small Town,” which was released last year, was in the Top Five on Billboard’s Hot Singles chart for 12 weeks, culminating in the second position, behind the Rolling Stones’ 50 year anniversary re-release of “Satisfaction.”

The Sixth Generation was formed in 1966 in Niles, which is also the home of Tommy James and The Shondells.

Playing top hits of the time, the group began drawing large crowds throughout the region. By early spring in 1967, the band was regularly booked for Saturday night dances at The Skyliner at Five Mile Corner in Dowagiac, which was then one of the most popular dance venues in southwestern Michigan.

Realizing the group’s potential, its manager began booking Sixth Generation across a broader region and also arranged a recording session at Sound Studios in Chicago.

“This is the Time” was released by GMA Records in August 1967.  As radio stations from Chicago to Pittsburgh played the song, it topped several markets, even outpacing nationally known artists.

What had started as a garage band in Niles, gained prominence across the upper Midwest region, headlining with such groups as the Kingsmen, the Buckinghams, the Box Tops and many other prominent groups of the time.

Music enthusiasts who attend Thursday’s concert are encouraged to bring lawn chair seating with them.