We had not been able to attend the previous two E! Terrell performances for this season, and we were “pumped” and ready to get to this one; we had heard that it was great! Oh, yes, we were thrilled and not ready to leave when it was over!
KATIE PINDER BROWN, with her clear, strong, beautiful voice and her masterful control of the keyboard without ever looking down at the keys, showed us Carole King from early to later times with so many songs that we probably were not sure belonged to her history and so many more that we recognized and were encouraged to sing along. Georgia Power and Vivian Themer probably made the audience’s combined voice sweeter and stronger, and Harry Power and Don Themer probably sang louder but were happy there were so many good singers in front and behind them!
Katie Brown wove King’s songs and history into the program of which she allowed us to be a part, noting that success began in the 1960s when she was writing mainly for other artists to have hits and continued on into the 1970s when she accompanied herself on the piano as she sang her own songs at concerts and for albums.
She was not a big success at first but broke through the “big success barrier” with an album titled TAPESTRY, which was #1 on the charts for an unheard of 15 straight weeks, stayed on those charts for longer than six years, and had record sales here and abroad! And, King has written or co-written more than 120 pop hits on the BILLBOARD “Hot 100” and continues writing and appearing today.
Back to KATIE PINDER BROWN, who does musical theatre, classical, pop, top 40, rock-and-roll, making many consider her a “Jill of all trades” and helping her to perform in 18 different countries and at least 25 U. S. states. And, she plans to perform on three more continents (making it all seven) before she retires—if she ever does! Hailing from Georgia, Brown has a Degree in Performance (with honors) from Stetson University School of Music and is part of a family legacy in music and has performed on stage with Celine Dion, Boyz II Men, and too many others for me to name here!
Let me give you a sampling of what we heard about and sang along with one Thursday night at E! Terrell: “It’s Too Late Baby”—“You’ve Got A Friend”—“I Feel The Earth Move”—“So Far Away”— “Sweet Seasons”—“Will You Love Me Tomorrow?”—“I’ll Be There”—“Jazz Man”— “Locomotion”—”Take Good Care Of My Baby”— “Pleasant Valley Sunday”— “Go Away Little Girl”—“One Fine Day”—“Smackwater Jack”—“ Wher e You Lead I Will Follow”—“Some Kind Of Wonderful.”
Katie Brown sang and reminisced steadily to an appreciative and sometimes amazed audience, and when she announced that “I am about to sing my last song,” “YOU MAKE ME FEEL,” we all stood and hoped she was teasing, but she was not. And as she exited the stage to a standing ovation to go outside and “hold court,” we were still singing and happy! I hope she will be a “repeat” at E! Terrell next year!
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