Rangeley Region Health Center operates a primary health-care center and coordinates a program through which children receive annual physicals at no cost. It also operates a physical rehabilitation and wellness pavilion and in 2006 opened the region’s first nonprofit day-care center. For more information, visit www.rangeleyhealth.org, or call 864-4397.

“The sound is bigger and tougher than it used to be.”

Tom Gimbel

Foreigner will bring mountain of memories to Maine The rock band boasting multiplatinum albums in the ’70s and ’80s will give a benefit show with ‘some new treatments of songs that people might remember’

RANGELEY – The classic rock band Foreigner, Saddleback Mountain and a Maine connection with a legendary New York Department store will converge on July 29.

In a rare, outdoor benefit performance, Foreigner will come to the Western mountains of Maine to support the Rangeley Region Health Center Inc.

From “Cold As Ice” to “Hot Blooded,” Foreigner’s founder, Mick Jones, will take his band’s current lineup through all the chart-toppers of the group’s multiplatinum albums of the 1970s and ’80s.

In the past two years, Foreigner has performed for crowds in more than 20 countries on four continents. The Rangeley benefit comes just a week after the group returns from Switzerland and an appearance at the Montreaux Jazz Festival.

Now in its 30th year, Foreigner still delivers straight-ahead rock and rock ballads with crisp harmonies and strong vocal hooks in the higher registers. Fans can count on familiar renditions of “I Want To Know What Love Is,” “Waiting for a Girl Like You” and “Feels Like the First Time.”

The Rangeley event came about through Foreigner’s sax and rhythm guitar player, Tom Gimbel, whose family has local ties to the area. If that name – Gimbel – rings a bell, it’s because of the fame of Gimbels Department Store and a fabled rivalry with Macy’s that figures in the classic Christmas movie “Miracle on 34th Street.”

A few weeks ago, Gimbel and his band mates were in Atlanta, between engagements in San Juan and Detroit. Reached there by phone, he talked about being a part of Foreigner, the band’s sound today and his philanthropic interest in the Rangeley community instilled generations ago by his great-grandfather, Ellis Gimbel Sr.

“It’s in our DNA. Every summer, our family starts heading toward Maine,” Gimbel said. He noted that his father became involved in building a community center, the library and the health center at Rangeley.

When Gimbel was asked to help raise funds for Rangeley Region Health Center Inc., “I just thought it sounded perfect,” he said. “When I mentioned it to everyone in Foreigner, they couldn’t have been happier. They said, ‘Absolutely.’ To be on the side of Saddleback Mountain is something that we’re very excited about.”

Talking about Foreigner’s current music, Gimbel said Jones “has put together this combination of players that has made its own kind of direction naturally. The sound is bigger and tougher than it used to be.”

He credits Jason Bonham on drums as a factor in that evolution. “He’s an extremely powerful drummer,” Gimbel said. Bonham, the son of Led Zeppelin’s late drummer, John Bonham, drives the band like a diesel locomotive, Gimbel affirmed.

He also said Foreigner’s vocals have “precision and perfection,” courtesy of Kelly Hansen.

Hansen sings several of the Foreigner songs made famous by Lou Gramm, who wrote many of the hits with Jones. Gramm and Jones split over creative differences about 15 years ago, but reunited briefly in the 1990s. Recently, Gramm has been sidelined by health problems.

Gimbel also noted that Jones “is at the top of his form” and is getting recognition as one of rock’s great guitarists.

Gimbel’s contributions include a sax solo on “Urgent” that recalls the hit recording’s melodic line, but he gets a chance to stretch out on an extended solo in live shows, he said. “Long, Long Way from Home” also gives Gimbel a spotlight.

Gimbel graduated from Berklee College of Music in Boston and toured with the rock band Aerosmith in the early 1990s. He was with Foreigner for a while in 1992. Then, he played sax and keyboards on Aerosmith’s award-winning “Get a Grip” album released in 1993 and rejoined Foreigner in 1995.

Also in Foreigner are bassist Jeff Pilson and keyboardist Jeff Jacobs.

Later this summer, Foreigner begins a tour with two other classic rock bands, Def Leopard and Styx.

Asked about new material, Gimbel said there’s some writing going on among Jones and Foreigner members, but it’s not likely to be introduced at the Saddleback session.

“As far as the show itself, we have some new treatments of songs that people might remember,” Gimbel said.

The Sunday, July 29, concert will be held rain or shine on the mountain. All parking will be off-site with shuttle buses providing the trip up the access road to Saddleback. It’s expected to take some time to get everyone to the venue, so fans are encouraged to come early and make a day of it. There will be food and drink for purchase. No outside provisions will be allowed past the gates, along with the usual no cameras, no tape recorders and no video.

The gates will open at 1 p.m., with the concert scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m.

Tickets are $40 and are available at www.ticketmaster.com, or by calling 775-3331.