Thus, begin my love affair with George Gershwin…

I love George Gershwin. Full stop. I remember the first time I was introduced to his music. There was a KPBS special one night, S’Wonderful, S’Marvelous, S’Gershwin. A two-hour musical journey through his career. Starring Jack Lemon, Leslie Uggams, Peter Nero, Fred Astaire, and others. I sat myself down on the floor in front of the television set in our family room, captivated by this music I’d never heard before. As a kid, I made tapes on my cassette recorder. I had all kinds of recordings from radio and tv shows. I ran to my room, grabbed my recorder, ran back into the family room, and hit the record button. Thus, began my love affair with George Gershwin.

While other kids were into rock ‘n roll, The Beatles and The Beach Boys, I was in love with the melodies of George Gershwin. I remember singing Summertime at my voice lessons, practicing, practicing. And the songs from Porgy and Bess. 

There was a restaurant in town called Mario’s where you could get up and sing opera. I, at the tender age of seventeen, got up and sang The Man I Love. I remember this because a woman came over to me afterward and told me that I sang it well. But, she added, I wasn’t mature enough to convey the emotion behind the lyrics. At the time, I was somewhat offended by her comment. After all, I was seventeen and had two years of vocal training under my belt. When you’re seventeen, you think you know more than you do.

At my now tender age, I think it’s safe to say that I have acquired the emotional range. Lol. What a difference a day makes. In this case, quite a few! From my CD ‘Like a Lover’, please enjoy my version of My Man’s Gone Now, from Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess. Arrangement by Bill Cunliffe.

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