SENIORS 'IN THE MOOD' FOR VALENTINE'S.

Byline: BETTIE RENCORET Senior columnist

LANCASTER - It was truly a ``Swingin' Valentine'' night for people attending Loren Dexheimer's big band concert at the Lancaster Performing Arts Center.

Seniors made up the majority of patrons in the sold-out concert, but there was a number of the young and very young, listening to The Modernaires, the Bill Tole Orchestra and The Golden Age All Stars.

The Golden Agers, who opened the show, included Ray Sherman, piano; Jack Bruce, acoustic bass; Bob Hardaway and Dick Hafer, tenor saxophones; Buddy Childers, trumpet; John Leys, trombone; Dexheimer, drums; and Beverly Jensen, vocals.

Bill Tole, who played Tommy Dorsey in the movie ``New York, New York,'' gave a running commentary on the music classics his band played.

Tole, on the trombone, opened his group's segment of the show with their theme song, ``It Had to Be You,'' then reincarnated Tommy Dorsey's version of ``I'm Getting Sentimental Over You.''

Dancers old and young crowded the stage to do the jitterbug, Lindy and slow dance as the band played.

After intermission, Dexheimer brought on The Modernaires, Bill Tracy, Martha Dickinson, Paula Kelly Jr. and Joe Croyle.

The Modernaires replicated classic 1940s tunes such as Glenn Miller arrangements of ``Elmer's Tune,'' and ``Little Brown Jug.''

Tracy and Croyle threw in waggish impressions of Dean Martin, the Ink Spots, Jerry Vale, Jim Nabors and Ed Sullivan.

Croyle has replaced retired former member Alan Copeland, who did most of the group's arrangements. Croyle was once a backup singer for ``Mama'' Cass Elliott and Jim Nabors.

Tracy served as spokesman and credited Kelly with keeping going the troupe her famous parents started. The Modernaires are this year celebrating 60 years in the entertainment industry.

To end the show, they dedicated ``Chatanooga Choo Choo,'' to the late Tex Beneke, who took over the Glenn Miller orchestra after Miller's death in an airplane crash during World War II. As an encore, they did ``In the Mood.''

When Dexheimer, who was assisted as host by Amir Raheem, asked the audience how they would like another Valentine's Day show next year, the audience shouted, whistled and applauded its response.