Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Melissa Manchester will perform in concert with the Blue Note Swing Orchestra, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23, at the Marjorie Luke Theatre, 721 E. Cota St., at Santa Barbara Junior High School.
Manchester, best known for her hits including “Don’t Cry Out Loud,” “Come In From The Rain” and “Midnight Blue,” will perform songs from her 21st album The Fellas, a tribute to some of the male singers who influenced her career including Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Tony Bennett and Dean Martin.
Classic songs from the Great American Song Book have been arranged in updated big-band charts and performed by the Blue Note Swing Orchestra, which also accompanied Manchester on her album The Fellas.
Marjorie Luke Theatre Board President Rod Lathim is producing the event as a benefit for the Luke Theatre’s Sustainability Fund. The concert has been sponsored by Lady Leslie Ridley, a fan of Manchester.
“It is rare to see an artist of this caliber performing classics with a live orchestra onstage in Santa Barbara,”Lathim said. “We are thrilled to bring her to Santa Barbara for her first concert here.”
Manchester arrives in Santa Barbara after an extended engagement at New York’s 54 Below with Michael Feinstein.
In 1980, Manchester became the first recording artist in the history of the Academy Awards to have two nominated movie themes in a single year, “Through The Eyes Of Love” from Ice Castles and “I’ll Never Say Goodbye” from The Promise, and to perform them both on the Oscar broadcast.
She starred in the national tours of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Music Of The Night and Song And Dance, and created the role of Maddy, the title character’s mother, on the NBC hit TV Series Blossom.
Nominated for a Grammy in 1980 for “Don’t Cry Out Loud,” she won the Grammy Award for best female vocalist in 1982 singing “You Should Hear How She Talks About You.” Manchester co-wrote the hit song “Whenever I Call You Friend” with Kenny Loggins.
Manchester’s concert begins a new season of special events produced at The Marjorie Luke Theatre, home to 100 area arts and educational organizations. The new speaker series Mind, Body & Soul begins in September with speakers including Dave Mochel, Kim Stanwood Terranova, Pamala Oslie and Noah benShea.
For more information on this series, visit www.luketheatre.org.
Reserved tickets at $45 and $65 are available for the concert. There are a few $150 VIP tickets remaining that include a private catered reception with Manchester following the concert. For tickets, call 800 838-3006 or visit melissamanchester.brownpapertickets.com.
The Marjorie Luke Theatre offers free off-street parking and is wheelchair accessible.
— Rod Lathim for Marjorie Luke Theatre