COEUR d'ALENE - Chris Guggemos knows he's doing his job well when he hears this: "You're that concert guy." Which is exactly what a woman said to him the other day in the store. "I just love coming to them," she told Guggemos.

COEUR d'ALENE - Chris Guggemos knows he's doing his job well when he hears this:

"You're that concert guy."

Which is exactly what a woman said to him the other day in the store.

"I just love coming to them," she told Guggemos.

The owner of Handshake Productions likes it when that happens.

"I'm stopped in the grocery stores and places all around town by people who tell me how much they enjoy the concerts," he said. "It gives the community an opportunity to come out and spend time with each other."

Once again, the youthful 56-year-old is organizing the free summer concerts in Coeur d'Alene City Park, Sherman Park in downtown Coeur d'Alene, Rathdrum and Hayden.

They are funded through sponsors, so he said the lineups are coming together a little slower than usual this year with a tough economy. Sponsorships start at $250. Guggemos said he works hard to promote the sponsors through signs, posters, windows, fliers, and links to websites, and remains confident all the show slots will be filled.

"It might take a little longer, but it will happen," he said.

He began the concert series in 1992 and jokes about why.

"It keeps the lights on at home. There's food in the refrigerator," he said with a laugh. "So that keeps me charged up to do this."

This year's lineup includes An Dchas, Loose Cannon, Coeurimba, the Kelly Hughes Band and Ben "Preslee' Klein and the Rockabillies.

"The musical talent is good," he said.

It's a range of music from Irish to bluegrass to rock and roll to country and big band swing.

"That's the key is to mix it up as much as I can," he said.

Another popular band back this summer is "Meet Revolver," a Beatles tribute band.

"They come out here and play early Beatles hits and people are just singing all night long," Guggemos said. "We all know the songs. It's funny to watch people. They go back 45 years or so."

The bands that understand the entertainment value of what they're doing enjoy the most success.

"They're the ones the audience connects with," he said.

One band on the schedule, Brambrata, is a youth steel drum orchestra of about 25 students from the Tri-Cities. They don't sing, but they play, and when they're done, they invite the audience to come up and learn about the steel drums.

"That just make a real connection," he said.

Guggemos, who is from Lansing, Mich., grew up a fan of the British rock group Jethro Tull.

"I used to just play their records and tried to decipher the lyrics," he said. "They weren't brown-eyed girl lyrics."

He played guitar and sang with the bluegrass band, "The Sultans of String," in the early '90s. While trying to arrange gigs for the band, he came to know the promotion side of the music business.

"It turned out I was better at scheduling entertainment than performing," he said with a smile.

Still, there are those nights or days he takes the stage and sings with bands or at open mic nights.

"My range isn't what it used to be, but as long as it's in my range, I know how to sing my notes and hold them, and know how to sing and have a full tone," he said.

Handshake Productions concert series 2010

Coeur d’Alene Park at the Rotary Lakeside Bandshell

Shows are 1-4 p.m. Sundays. Bad weather moves concerts to The Coeur d’Alene Resort Plaza Shops. Starts June 6, ends Aug. 22.

June 6 — Ben “Preslee’ Klein and the Rockabillies, Elvis tribute, oldies, impersonations

June 13 — Carl Rey and the Blues Gators, jump blues

June 20 — An Dóchas, Irish, Celtic

July 11— The Rhythm Dawgs, rock and roll, top 40

July 18 — Tuxedo Junction Big Band, Big band swing orchestra

July 25 — Brambrata, Youth steel drum orchestra

Aug. 8 — Timmy Swift and the Swingin’ Vinos, rocking’ Swing and swinging rock

Aug. 15 — Loose Cannon, rhythm and blues

Aug. 22 — The Kelly Hughes Band, country-western, country-rock

Sherman Square Park, 316 Sherman Ave., downtown Coeur d’Alene.

Concerts are 6-8:30 p.m. Tuesdays, June 29 to Aug. 24

June 29 — The Healthy Scratches, rock and roll

July 6 — Custer’s Grass Band, bluegrass

July 13 — Turning Tide, Irish, Celtic

July 20 — Shot 4 Sure, country rock, rock ‘n rock.

July 27 — Coeurimba, African Rhythms on the marimbas

Aug. 3 — Barry Aiken and Nortpoint, Latin rhythms, pop hits and originals.

Aug. 10 — TBA

Aug. 17 — The Pat Coast Band, rock and blues.

Aug. 24 — Meet Revolver, Beatles tribute, the early years.

• The concert series for Rathdrum and Hayden is still being finalized.

The Rathdrum concerts will be 6-8:30 p.m. Fridays, July 23 to Aug. 13 at Rathdrum City Park.

The Hayden concerts will be 6-8:30 p.m. Wednesdays, July 7 to Aug. 4, Hayden City Park.

All concerts are free and suitable for families. Anyone attending is encouraged to bring a lawn chair.

Information: www.HandshakeProductions.net