Popular Song

Wayne Brady became a household name improvising on the popular TV show, Whose Line Is It Anyway?  The singer/actor/dancer/comedian has also appeared in the stage productions Rent and Chicago, and he became host of the game show Let's Make a Deal in 2009. On this week’s Song Travels, Brady discusses his two major musical influences: Sammy Davis Jr. and Sam Cooke. With his musical director Cat Gray at the piano, Brady performs the Cooke classic, “You Send Me,” and Feinstein joins Brady in a duet of “It’s Only a Paper Moon.”

French pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet is one of the leading performers on today’s classical music scene. He has over 40 albums to his credit, including interpretations of the classical repertoire as well as music by George Gershwin, Duke Ellington, and Bill Evans. Thibaudet’s depth and breadth are on display in works by Spanish composer Federico Mompou and American popular song writer Alec Wilder. He and Feinstein bring their unique perspectives to Wilder’s “I’ll Be Around” and George Gershwin’s “Embraceable You.”

Actor/singer Cheyenne Jackson is equally at home on Broadway and in front of the camera. He made his Broadway debut as the understudy for both male leads in Thoroughly Modern Millie, and his cabaret debut, a one man show titled Back to the Start, was a sold-out hit. Jackson has appeared on NBC’s 30 Rock and Fox’s Glee and has recorded an album of duets with Feinstein, The Power of Two. The pair are reunited here on Song Travels to discuss Jackson’s journey from Idaho to the national stage and to perform a few musical highlights from along the way.

Born into Hollywood royalty, Liza Minnelli has made her own name on the stage and screen. Her role in the 1972 film version of the Broadway musical Cabaret made her an international sensation and won her the Academy Award for Best Actress. She continues to wow audiences the world over with her delightful presence and powerful voice. Minnelli joins her good friend Feinstein for an enlightening discussion of her life and the evolution of her approach to song.

Thirty-two-year old Rumer (Sarah Joyce) was raised in England and Pakistan, but her sound reveals a deep connection to the heyday of the early ’70s singer/songwriter era, along with shades of Broadway, ’30s jazz, and gospel. After years of unfailing effort, she is beginning to reap the rewards. Her debut album, Seasons of My Soul, reached No. 3 on the UK charts and was certified platinum. Rumer joins Michael Feinstein to talk about Judy Garland, Burt Bacharach, and old Hollywood, all of which inspire her to perform a few tunes from the Great American Songbook along with her own songs.