John Denver News

Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts will present 'The John Denver Christmas Show' along with a holiday fundraiser today, Dec. 8 at 8 p.m.

To say something magical happened last night in Ferguson Hall at the Straz Center would be like describing The Texas Tenors as just three gorgeous singers from Texas. Magic doesn't fully encompass what happened in that hall as the enormous vocals of John Hagen, Marcus Collins, and JC Fisher enveloped us, filled up the entire theatre for 'The Texas Tenors: Deep in the Heart of Christmas.'

Milwaukee Repertory Theater is pleased to announce the complete cast and creative team for the world premiere of Mark Twain's River of Song, from the creators of The Rep's hit production Back Home Again: On the Road with John Denver Randal Myler and Dan Wheetman in the Stackner Cabaret, January 18 - March 17, 2019.

Grammy winning singer/songwriter, John Berry, has released his latest project with an exclusive announcement in Billboard Magazine. The EP, “Thomas Road,” is named after the street he grew up on in Decatur, GA and where his passion and love for music took a hold of his desire to become a recording artist. The music is available on digital formats for streaming and download here and can be ordered from his website.

Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts will present 'The John Denver Christmas Show' along with a holiday fundraiser on Saturday, Dec. 8 at 8 p.m.

Quality Hill Playhouse continues its annual tradition of presenting holiday music in a cabaret setting when CHRISTMAS IN SONG opens November 23. The production features the theatre company's signature blend of sacred and secular Christmas songs, including beloved carols ("Silent Night," "Go Tell It On The Mountain," "Joy to the World!"), classical favorites ("O Holy Night," "Ave Maria"), popular tunes ("White Christmas," Mel Torme's "The Christmas Song," Barry Manilow's "Because It's Christmas"), songs from treasured holiday television specials ("Christmas Time Is Here" from A Charlie Brown Christmas, "The Peace Carol" and "When The River Meets The Sea" from John Denver and The Muppets: A Christmas Together), and even a few hilarious surprises. Vocalists Lauren Bradshaw, Brad Dawdy, and Lindsey McKee, led by pianist/emcee J. Kent Barnhart, will lighten the hearts and souls of audiences with the wonder and joy of the season through some of its most beautiful music.

Christmas time is here… almost. Everyone has a favorite Christmas song and more than likely yours will appear in Sierra Rep's Holiday Jukebox. This production offers something for everyone from Grandma all the way down to the little ones to enjoy. With unabashed holiday schmaltz, Holiday Jukebox will harken back to a time when families crowded on couches to watch hokey TV Christmas specials starring Bing Cosby, Andy Williams, John Denver, and Sonny and Cher. In those hour-long programs, singing stars would display harmless holiday merriment in the form of sentimental songs, silly skits and saccharine moments. The production will feature Emily Gatesman (Intimate Apparel, State Fair), Lucas Michael Chandler (Disney's Beauty and the Beast, A Midsummer Night's Dream), Paul Henry (Irving Berlin's White Christmas), Kelly Ann Dunn (Disney's Beauty and the Beast), Kyle Moses (Sister Act), Brad Bong (Big River, Irving Berlin's White Christmas), and Stefani Potter (The Sound of Music), and more. The production will also incorporate young actors from SRT Jr., Sierra Rep's youth training program.

Onward comes DBUK, emerging with the follow up to their first release (Songs One Through Eight). Songs Nine Through Sixteen releases on their label, SCACUNINC on Friday, January 25th on CD and LP. In Europe, Glitterhouse will release the music from both releases on a double CD and gatefold double LP on Monday, November 12th. For the sadly uninitiated, DBUK consists of the four core members of Denver's Slim Cessna's Auto Club, Munly J Munly, Slim Cessna, Lord Dwight Pentacost and Rebecca Vera. SCAC have spent the last two decades honing a lethal mix of country blues, gospel shouting, rock & roll and folk, becoming one of the best-known, critically acclaimed bands to rise from the musical community that brought us 16 Horsepower and Wovenhand.

This December, Tony Award-winning actress Sutton Foster and renowned actor Hugh Bonneville, of 'Downton Abbey' on MASTERPIECE, will star as guest musical artist and narrator, respectively, in the beloved annual holiday television special 'Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir' on PBS and BYUtv. A 60-minute version of the program returns for the 15th consecutive year when it premieres at 9 p.m. ET on Monday, Dec. 17 (check local listings) on PBS stations. The special has been the top-viewed holiday program on PBS nearly every year for the past 14 years[1]. BYUtv, a nationwide family entertainment network that produces the broadcast and co-presents it to millions of viewers worldwide alongside WGBH, will air the full 90-minute version at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, Dec. 20.

Quality Hill Playhouse continues its annual tradition of presenting holiday music in a cabaret setting when CHRISTMAS IN SONG opens November 23. The production features the theatre company's signature blend of sacred and secular Christmas songs, including beloved carols ("Silent Night," "Go Tell It On The Mountain," "Joy to the World!"), classical favorites ("O Holy Night," "Ave Maria"), popular tunes ("White Christmas," Mel Torme's "The Christmas Song," Barry Manilow's "Because It's Christmas"), songs from treasured holiday television specials ("Christmas Time Is Here" from A Charlie Brown Christmas, "The Peace Carol" and "When The River Meets The Sea" from John Denver and The Muppets: A Christmas Together), and even a few hilarious surprises. Vocalists Lauren Bradshaw, Brad Dawdy, and Lindsey McKee, led by pianist/emcee J. Kent Barnhart, will lighten the hearts and souls of audiences with the wonder and joy of the season through some of its most beautiful music.

Onward comes DBUK, emerging with the follow up to their first release (Songs One Through Eight). Songs Nine Through Sixteen releases on their label, SCACUNINC on Friday, January 25th on CD and LP. In Europe, Glitterhouse will release the music from both releases on a double CD and gatefold double LP on Monday, November 12th. For the sadly uninitiated, DBUK consists of the four core members of Denver's Slim Cessna's Auto Club, Munly J Munly, Slim Cessna, Lord Dwight Pentacost and Rebecca Vera. SCAC have spent the last two decades honing a lethal mix of country blues, gospel shouting, rock & roll and folk, becoming one of the best-known, critically acclaimed bands to rise from the musical community that brought us 16 Horsepower and Wovenhand.

Georgia Ensemble Theatre (GET), the professional North Fulton theatre company, will remount its 2017 smash hit, the Tony Award-winning musical, Million Dollar Quartet, at the Conant Performing Arts Center on the campus of Oglethorpe University. Inspired by the famed recording session that brought together rock 'n' roll icons Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins for the first and only time, this production will run December 14, 2018 through January 12, 2019 at a new venue for GET in Brookhaven at Oglethorpe University. 

Eight remaining couples dance to some of the biggest country music songs during "Country Night" on "Dancing with the Stars," live on MONDAY, NOV. 5 (8:00-10:00 p.m. EST), on The ABC Television Network, streaming and on demand.

Cortland Repertory Theatre Downtown invites audiences to re-live that "Rocky Mountain High" as they present international musician, singer and songwriter Ted Vigil in his TRIBUTE TO JOHN DENVER. Three performances of this talented performer are offered:  Friday, October 26 at 7:30, and Saturday, October 27 at 2:00 and 7:30.  At this time, the Friday night performance is sold out, but seats are still available for both Saturday shows.  The concerts will be held at CRT Downtown, 24 Port Watson Street in Cortland.

The International Opera Institute presents a celebration of Streisand and Sinatra in 'The Concert That Never Was' At The Indian Wells Performing Arts Center on November 10 at 7:30 pm. 'The Concert That Never Was' is a concert between Frank Sinatra and Barbra Streisand that was planned but never took place. This stellar evening will be performed by Opera and Jazz Diva Rose Kingsley, Actor and Entertainer Richard Shelton and The Bob Corwin Trio. I had the chance to catch up with Ms. Kingsley to talk about her storied career and the upcoming Streisand/Sinatra Concert. Here are a few excerpts from that interview:

The Colorado Music Hall of Fame presented by Comfort Dental will host its next induction event Monday, December 3, 2018 at the historic Paramount Theatre. The induction of 97.3 KBCO and legendary concert promoter and artist manager Chuck Morris will be accompanied by a cavalcade of musical appearances from Amos Lee, Todd Park Mohr (Big Head Todd) & The Monsters, Isaac Slade and friends from the Fray, Bill Nershi and members of The String Cheese Incident, Vince Herman and Drew Emmitt from Leftover Salmon, Jeff Hanna and some members of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Leo Kottke along with backing band Chris Daniels & The Kings, plus more surprises to be announced. 

Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winner and folk icon Tom Paxton teams up with the Grammy winning singer/songwriter duo, the Don Juans (Don Henry and Jon Vezner). Collectively, their songs have been covered by: Harry Belafonte, John Mellencamp,  Miranda Lambert, Neil Diamond, Ray Charles, Nancy Griffith, Judy Collins, Pete Seeger, Janis Ian, Kathy Mattea, John Denver, Faith Hill, B.J. Thomas, Blake Shelton, Peter, Paul & Mary and Bob Dylan … just to name a few.

On September 19th, the Broadway smash hit ONCE, opens at the Ivoryton Playhouse. On the streets of Dublin, an Irish musician about to give up on his dreams and a beautiful young Czech immigrant are drawn together by their shared love of music. Over the course of one fateful week, an unexpected friendship and collaboration quickly evolves into a powerful but complicated love story, underscored by the most beautiful, emotionally charged music.

On September 19th, the Broadway smash hit ONCE, opens at the Ivoryton Playhouse. On the streets of Dublin, an Irish musician about to give up on his dreams and a beautiful young Czech immigrant are drawn together by their shared love of music. Over the course of one fateful week, an unexpected friendship and collaboration quickly evolves into a powerful but complicated love story, underscored by the most beautiful, emotionally charged music.

Berkshire Theatre Group welcomes The Glen Campbell Xperience, celebrating the life and work of country music legend, Glen Campbell, at The Colonial Theatre on Friday, October 12 at 8pm. Tickets are $25. To honor the life and legacy of Glen Campbell, a portion of the ticket proceeds will benefit the Alzheimer's Foundation.