For your central Jersey real estate needs: JudyNJHomes.com
Catch Kat in The House Bunny in theaters nationwide NOW! fandango.com
http://www.sexyhot4u.com/index.php/2007/10/27/katharine_mcphee_candids_after_a_neil_se
SPLASH NEWS: Katharine McPhee was caught sneaking out of Avery Fisher Hall’s backstage at the Lincoln Center in New York City yesterday, where she attended the “Neil Sedaka: 50 Years of Hits” concert. She came out wearing her glasses (a pretty rare sight), but whipped them off after a few minutes when she realized that we had caught on to her backstage tricks.
Click on Pics to ENLARGE!
NEW YORK - OCTOBER 26: Singer Neil Sedaka and singer Katharine McPhee pose for a picture backstage at a tribute to Sedaka's fifty years in music at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall on October 26, 2007 in New York City. (Photo by Brad Barket/Getty Images)
I don't believe for a minute, that he lost anything of true importance. If he had some masters lying around that were not backed up in an off-site location, that was his own fault. I always have 3 of everything I am currently working on, at different locales.... the same thing with past works. And someone of his stature in the industry, I'm sure, does the same.
True, it's sad, but the thing that I would have been worried about..... the gold and platinum certification awards.....were apparently not too much a concern to him.
A few teeny bopper songs in the 50s. "Breaking up is hard to do" was probably his biggest hit. Then he spent the next 50 years doing his few hits over and over again at nostalgia events and Vegas.
Actually, I do like the slow version of BUIHTD released in the 70s? 80s? Katharine could even get away with doing this one, but more bluesy and jazzy, lose the strings and add a sax. This is the best I could find on youtube
Breaking up is hard to do
Kat's hobnobbing with a lot of older legends lately (the Young Musicians Organization event alone had quite a few octogenerians from 40's and 50's Hollywood)--and you can be sure that's partially the result of David Foster's influence himself. He wants Kat to be introduced to Hollywood past as well as be Hollywood future. That kind of philosophy is what I believe in myself...and it'll help Kat carry a torch of respect for the past while she carves out her own artistic identity. Not that she wasn't already doing that. It's just that meeting the old-timers is better than just hearing or reading about them. Michael Feinstein at the YMO is one of those great connective chains in that aspect. And Neil Sedaka is another.
Yeah, NS's last hit was probably thirty years ago (I remember hearing his late 70's 'Laughter in the Rain' on the radio as an infant)--but I think he's kept his presence known through producing and nostalgia shows that never seem to fail getting sellouts at state fairs and other venues.
But then, we may reverse all that thinking next week if we see Kat lifting a toast to Kid Rock or Snoop Dogg next week at some L.A. event. She may have to dodge bullets when raising the glass...but you can't forget the present either.
Quite interesting seeing the entourage coming out the back door at Lincoln Center. David seems to all but be casting a huge shadow over her and taking Kat into his flock. Plus, seeing Kat even walking around Lincoln Center is fantastic. She embodies the spirit of NYC...and seeing her perform there more often would be preferable.
I don't want to turn this into a "Neil Sedaka History Lesson or anything, but the above statements are a major over-simplification of his long and rich career. Since I was around for both of his "hit period" eras, I can talk from experience, not by looking it up on an internet page.
Neil is one of the few performers that had 2 major hot streaks in his career, and continues to record new material. He rarely performs in the traditional "nostalgia" gigs, because he is so much more than that.
I've been to at least 5 or so of his concerts over the years and he is truly a magical performer and artist. I was a bit young to remember his first era of stardom too much, but his second and continuing popular era is simply wonderful music. Sure, he doesn't crank out radio hits much anymore, but that shouldn't deminish his wonderful artistry.
If anyone is interested in getting to know Sedaka's music better and is unfamiliar with it, I would recommend to start with some of his mid-70's stuff, most notably 'Sedaka's Back" in the US or "Solitaire" from the UK. I haven't looked recently as I don't know if the original albums have made the transfer onto CD, but I'm sure plenty of "greatest" or "hits' packages abound.
One of my favorite performers of all time...............................................................
Kat is looking great and the company she is keeping is another boost to her career
Some of that credit must be shared with Howard Greenfield, Sedaka's long-time writing partner, who died way too young.
http://www.wireimage.com/GalleryListing.asp?navtyp=gls====294545
They seem to have 3 shots of her, all with Sedaka. I love the shots of DF, who always seems to have this slightly rumpled look like somebody just woke him up.
Blowups of these shots:
http://idolforums.com/index.php?showtopic=528010&st=60
Neil Sedaka is a legend! I kind of have to pat myself on the back because back in 1987, a girl that I was mentoring in the Miss Wyoming Pageant needed a song to perform. I suggested the "slower and more bluesy" arrangement of "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do". Of course, she had barely even known of the popular and successful arrangement (being only 18)but, she took my suggestion and wowed the audience! Believe me, not to many folks in Wyoming had ever heard that arrangement or even knew of its existence. I was happy to have helped introduce them to that version of Neil Sedaka's song. For me, it will always be the better of the two arrangements. Ahhh, memories!
Katharine McPhee fans around the world