Jerry Sharell will salute "the best songs, the best singers" at a concert Sept. 6 at Buhl Farm Casino, his fourth fund-raising show for Buhl Club children's programs in five years.

"They will be songs people will know from the great American songbook," he said, noting they were popularized by the likes of Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Barbra Streisand, Jack Jones, Rosemary Clooney and Johnny Mathis.

His backing musicians will be largely new from those who played at previous concerts.

"Everyone's new except for Steve, which keeps it interesting," Sharell said.

Steve is double bassist Steve Novosel, a fellow Farrell native and boyhood friend.

The Michael Petrone Quartet will back Sharell, made up of Novosel, pianist Petrone of Cleveland, drummer Roy King and guitarist Neil Gillis.

Petrone is the son of Dr. John Petrone, a pianist Sharell worked with in Youngstown years ago, and Gillis is senior vice president at Warner/Chappell Music, the music publishing company Sharell used to work for.

"I use the very best," said Sharell, who lives in the San Fernando Valley of California.

Sharell will be joined at the microphone by his son, Jerry Joe Sharell, whose day job is handling publicity for Barry Manilow and Leeza Gibbons, and 13-year-old Alexa Magnotto of Hermitage.

"I consider her one of the best new talents I've heard in some time," Sharell, the former Jerry Stiftinger, said of Alexa.

Sharell said the quality of his musicians reflect the work he puts into organizing the concerts.

"It's a very time-consuming and heart-consuming situation," he said. "We want to do a good job of singing our songs. A lot of work goes on."

For Sharell and his son, that means rehearsing with pianist and music industry veteran Mike Melvoin.

The show band will rehearse for the first time two days before the concert.

Sponsors for the show, whose contributions cover "time, talent and travel," are American Greetings Inc., Cottonwood Associates Inc., Dean Dairy, Erme Distributors, Dr. James and Maryann Kollar and Shop 'n Save.

The concert begins at 8 p.m.

In November, Sharell started a new job, as president and chief executive officer of the Society of Singers, a non-profit organization founded by Ginny Mancini, Henry Mancini's wife, that provides emergency financial assistance to professional singers in need, runs an apartment complex in Sherman Oaks, Calif., for retired singers, and awards music scholarships.

Tickets are on sale at Shop 'n Save and the Casino, both in Hermitage, and Reyers Shoe Store, Sharon. Information: 724-962-9648.