Joe Strodel Jr. is lucky enough to have seen performances by both James Taylor and Carly Simon, singer/songwriters known for their distinctive voices and expressive lyrics.

Now Strodel, president of the Skaneateles Area Council for the Arts board of directors, will get an up-close and personal look at the former couple's protege: Ben Taylor.

Bearing an almost eerie resemblance to his famous parents both in appearance and voice, Taylor will headline the Arts Council's second annual summer gala Sunday, July 30, at the lakeside home of Gina Castro and Dr. Robert Kiltz.

The sold-out event, titled “A Mid-summer Night's Dream,” is from 6 to 10 p.m. and will include dinner provided by the Sherwood Inn, Phoebe's Garden Cafe and Rosalie's Cucina.

Strodel is excited about hosting another nationally known recording artist, following last year's appearance by the Grammy award-winning Karla Bonoff.

When brainstorming potential guests for this year's gala, organizers wanted someone who would have similar draw, a performer who would be able to sell out the 275 tickets available.

So when he saw Taylor on a late-night talk show, Strodel knew Taylor was their man.

“That's when I thought, ‘Wow, this guy's career is really taking off. We should try to get him,'” Strodel said. “Everybody likes him and his genes.”

And yet, having recorded four albums, Taylor has made a name for himself apart from Mom and Dad.

Both a solo artist and lead of the Ben Taylor Band, he has performed with Sheryl Crow and Josh Groban at “Christmas at Rockefeller Center” and on Bravo's Songwriters Hall of Fame Awards. He has also appeared in a recurring role on NBC's “American Dreams.”

Taylor, along with a band of two or three musicians, will be stopping in Skaneateles after a European tour.

Taylor is staying in Skaneateles, though his location is confidential.

It's a stop that Strodel said will greatly help the arts council, a nonprofit that hosts one large fund-raiser per year to raise money for the enhancement of the community's visual and performing arts.

Last year, the gala grossed more than $28,000, Strodel said.

Though the Skaneateles Festival and Summer Theatre programs offer many opportunities, the arts council is trying to present different kinds of programs that are “an addition to what's already here,” Strodel said, noting that performers like Taylor, who has been described as having a pop/rock/blues sound, are uncommon in the area.

With the funds raised, the council plans to organize an open artist studio tour in the fall and a visual artist showcase in the winter. It is also in the planning stages of developing a community arts granting program.

Another of the council's long-term goals is to find a permanent venue for local visual and performing arts in the Skaneateles community.

For now, however, Strodel is more than gracious to Castro and Klitz for opening their home up again, and he's enthusiastic about the show that will occur there.

“What's fun to see is someone like (Taylor) who's young, who's making a name for himself,” Strodel said. “That's exciting.”