It's been said variety is the spice of life.

Which is why the diversity they exhibit will no doubt make the Uptown Band featuring Erich Cawalla and Jenifer Kinder a big hit when they take to the Main Stage from 3-5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 11 at the Palmerton Community Festival.Cawalla said this will mark the first time the band has played at the festival."We understand that lot of people come out for it, and we're looking forward to coming up that way and bringing our music up there," Cawalla said. "It's always nice when 98 percent of the people haven't heard you because of the challenge of getting people to like you and appreciate and respect you and what you do."Cawalla said the group, which consists of eight members, is good friends with Dustin Rehrig and the Twitty Fever Band, who recommended they perform."We're a variety band, in that we do a little bit of everything," he said. "We have originals that are on about 75 stations nationally, so we'll play a couple of those original songs, a mix of motown, funk, country."The band does its best to please its audiences, Cawalla said."Our goal is to have as many different people see us that haven't, be happy with us, be entertained," he said. "We try to make everybody in the audience happy, have something for everybody, and try to appease as many different age groups as possible."Cawalla, who is the lead singer and plays saxophone, and Kinder, lead vocalist, got married on stage in their hometown in front of 1,000 people.He said the band recently played in Reno NV; has opened for Jeff Dunham; worked with the Amazing Kreskin; done a television show in Times Square NY, "All Night With Joey Reynolds" that aired on NBC; was one of three groups in the state to be chosen to perform at the Pennsylvania State Capitol Centennial Celebration; and performed at Lehigh Valley native Matt Millen's home for his daughter's wedding.The band is one of the Northeast's most versatile live bands that performs an adult contemporary mix of Jazz, Funk, Rock, and Pop.Their shows always garner significant audience interaction and offer something for everybody to enjoy because of the vast diversity in their song list.This lively group is based out of the Philadelphia area and is available for performances at festivals, concerts, conventions, corporate events, clubs and private events.Cawalla, a Shillington native, has been entertaining audiences for over 10 years, and is proficient on lead vocals (3 1/2 octave tenor and high falsetto), soprano/ alto/tenor/baritone saxophones, flute, and clarinet.The band consistently plays between 150- 200 dates each year. Cawalla has been a featured vocalist and saxophonist with the Bobby Mercer Road Show.Lead vocalist Jenifer Kinder, a Reading native, has been singing since the age of five. She began studying voice at age eight with David Rutt, and became heavily involved with the Reading Civic Opera and Genesius Theatre, landing leading roles in "Annie," "The Music Man," and "Peter Pan."At 14, she began working with producer Scott Verret and recorded jingles, commercials and theme songs for Easter Seals and The United Way.In combining her incredible vocal talent with her songwriting skills, Kinder has become one of the most sought-after female vocalists in the Northeast.In 2004, she released her original debut CD entitled "Show Me More," which is available at

www.waterfall440.com.