Nationally-recognized vocal band The Cat’s Pajamas will perform Thursday, Feb. 4 at Riverland Community College’s Frank W. Bridges Theatre on the Austin Campus. The one-night only performance will begin at 7:30 p.m.

The Cat’s Pajamas are five men who create all the sounds of a band using only their voices.

The group was formed in 2005 by Brian Skinner whose passion and drive for performing and music production is the heartbeat of The Cat’s Pajamas. The first time The Cat’s Pajamas ever performed together was for the 2005 Oreo Cookie Jingle competition. After recording a demo, they searched everywhere for performance opportunities until their first big break when they were offered a six-month engagement on Celebrity Cruise Lines as the in-house a’cappella group.

After their first contract, The Cat’s Pajamas moved on to be hired as guest entertainers by Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL). The Cats performed 40 weeks a year on board NCL from 2007-2009, and quickly became their highest rated act. The Cats also found themselves on America’s Got Talent and The Next Great American Band. After three years of perpetual cruising and touring on land, The Cat’s Pajamas decided to move to Branson, Missouri in the fall of 2009. Since the move they have been performing more than 200 shows a year.

In the fall of 2011 The Cat’s Pajamas reached millions of new viewers when they performed on NBC’s hit show The Sing Off. The group was then hand-picked by Andy Williams to continue his legacy at his Moon River Theatre in 2012 and 2013. The Cat’s Pajamas have held multi-month bookings in Branson, Las Vegas, and on a number of cruise ships.

Former Autin and Riverland alumni Donovan Germain, sings high tenor with the group. While at Riverland, Donovan sang in the Riverland choirs, played in the Instrumental Ensemble and appeared in musical theatre productions.

The Cat’s Pajamas were hand-picked by Andy Williams to continue his legacy at his Moon River Theatre in 2012 and 2013. In 2014, The Cat’s Pajamas appeared five days a week in April, May, Sept, Oct, Nov, and the first week of December at the Music City Centre Theater on Branson’s strip, and will be headlining at Resorts Casino in Atlantic City, June through August.

Scott Blankenbaker, head of Riverland’s Music Department said, “We are excited to be able to bring The Cat’s Pajamas back to Austin. These guys were featured performers on NBC’s The Voice tour last summer and have built quite a reputation for high-energy, high-quality performances.

The Cat’s Pajamas will appear for one performance only on Thursday, Feb. 4 at 7:30 p.m. in the Frank W. Bridges Theatre on the Austin Campus. To purchase tickets online,www.riverland.edu/tickets, or by calling the Music Department at 507-433-0547, the theatre box office at 507-433-0595 or if seating is still available, at the door. Tickets are $17 for adults and $8.50 for elementary and high school students. Riverland students receive two free tickets.  To learn more about Cat’s Pajamas or hear clips, visit www.vocalmeow.com.

The Riverland Music Department is an active and vital presence in the college and its communities. The department continues to grow in size and scope, offering a variety of courses, performances opportunities, and concerts. Some students involved in Riverland Music ensembles intend to be music majors, however participation is open to all students. Riverland’s ensembles give regular performances throughout the state and region, and have appeared twice in Alice Tulley Hall (Lincoln Center), and twice in Carnegie Hall.