Keri Klee and Andrew Banas are the voices of PARTY of 2, the acoustic duo that has been entertaining people at public and private events throughout the area for the last 10 years. The two became friends after meeting while both were performing with the Westfield Community Theater. As a little girl in Hershey, PA, Keri played piano then switched to the trumpet and played for many years; she was also in chorus and involved in dance. Her childhood included frequent trips to Broadway. Her mother, she said, has a beautiful voice and while Keri was growing up, she was always singing. Keri went on to study musical theater in college and had a career in theater before having her three children. Years later she would add another instrument when she picked up the guitar.
She missed performing and wanted to do something that would work around her busy schedule. She asked Andrew if he wanted to get together and make music. Andrew - who plays guitar, keyboard, sings, and had been in more than one rock band - was game. He grew up listening to rock bands of the 70s and 80s and even played drums for a while. Learning to play guitar didn’t come until later in his life. Andrew was born and raised in Westfield. Aside from a few of his college years spent earning his degree in Engineering from the University of Arizona, Andrew has always called Western Massachusetts his home.
Keri and Andrew began rehearsing, deciding on the music they wanted to perform, and soon PARTY of 2 hit a high note when the duo found themselves playing at events two or three nights a week. You may have heard them play at businesses around Westfield, throughout Massachusetts and Connecticut, and at notable venues such as MGM Springfield and the Big E.
“The places where we play are family-friendly, multigenerational places, Keri shares.” For that reason, PARTY of 2’s playlist includes music from different decades, but Keri added that she and Andrew are always working on new set lists. In fact, they have a catalog of hundreds of songs, “but we are always adding more,” she states.
“The perfect backdrop for any occasion” is the PARTY of 2 slogan. If the events and venues where they play are any indication, then it's fitting. Keri and Andrew play at private parties and events of all types including family reunions, celebrations of life, birthday parties, and weddings.
What makes the duo unique is the spin they take on well-known songs. They highlight the harmony of their voices – always looking for different ways to sing popular songs from the 1950s to today. PARTY of 2’s playlist includes rock, country, classics, one-hit wonders, pop, and love songs.
Asked if they have a favorite song, Keri mentions both she and Andrew love to play “Ventura Highway” by America... with PARTY of 2’s own twist of course!
If you have heard PARTY of 2 perform, you’ll know that the duo has a tradition of opening each performance with “Savannah Fare You Well” by Jimmy Buffet and closing with “Who Says You Can’t Go Home” by Bon Jovi and Jennifer Nettles – creating their own spin on the original recordings with their vocal harmonies on each song.
“Ten years is a huge milestone,” Keri shares. “We’ve grown so much. We’ve had a lot of adventures, and we’re still playing strong.”
To learn more about PARTY of 2, performance dates, or for booking availability, visit Partyof2duo.com.
“Ten years is a huge milestone. We’ve grown so much. We’ve had a lot of adventures, and we’re still playing strong.”
