PORTLAND  – The Portland Symphony Orchestra welcomes back vocalist Mike Eldred to pay tribute to legendary singer/songwriter John Denver in the symphony’s first two PSO POPS! concerts of the season. The performances will be conducted by PSO Assistant Conductor Norman Huynh and are scheduled for 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 24 and 2:30 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 25 , at Merrill Auditorium.
 
Eldred was inspired early in his singing career by John Denver, whose message and passion for open space resonated with Eldred. Today, Eldred continues to share Denver’s works with audiences across the country, including with the release of his most recent album – “Come Love Me Again,” a tribute to the music of John Denver. 
 
Eldred will be joined during the performance by local vocalist Susie Pepper, a two-time winner of FOX23’s “Maine Idol,” and former Miss Maine. She performs routinely throughout New England, most notably with the Susie Pepper Quartet and with The Jim Ciampi Band.
 
Tickets to the concert are $25  to $75 and are available through PortTIX at (207) 842-0800 or www.porttix.com. Phone and internet orders are subject to per-ticket handling fees. Tickets may also be purchased in person at the Merrill Auditorium box office at 20 Myrtle St., Monday through Saturday, noon to 6 p.m. Special pricing for students, seniors, and groups may be available.