Ann Hampton Callaway Celebrates Barbra Streisand With Oregon Symphony

Friday, October 17, 2014

Byron Beck, GoLocalPDX Features Editor

Ann Hampton Callaway

Ann Hampton Callaway, Photo Courtesy of Oregon Symphony

Platinum Award-winning singer Ann Hampton Callaway celebrates the music of one of America’s most iconic musical artists: Barbra Streisand.

But Callaway puts her own spin on your favorite Streisand songs – from her touching ballads and jazz standards to her pop hits and the best of Broadway. She will perform with the Oregon Symphony this weekend. But before she hits the stage, GoLocalPDX hit Callaway up with some questions about the show and her work offstage in television and film.

Do you have a favorite Streisand song to perform?

I love singing all the songs I've chosen for The Streisand Songbook. Probably the one I love to sing most these days is the song I wrote with Rolf Lovland for Barbra's wedding, "I've Dreamed of You." Now that I've met the love of my life and we are getting married soon, these words have even greater resonance for me. And my audiences seem to relate to it, too- it even makes straight men cry! Next favorite, my medley of "People/Being Alive" because it sums up what life is all about.

Which one is the best to just listen to?

It's too difficult to choose just one. But I'll say I'm really loving her new duet with her son, Jason Gould, on one of the greatest songs ever written- "How Deep Is the Ocean?" I relate to the love shared between them- my mom who is a singer, too, taught me this song and the emotional connection it holds for me and for Barbra and Jason is exquisite.

Sirius radio recently had an all Streisand channel. Her voice is so unique that I actually got worn out listening to it. Is there ever a time when one can consume too much Streisand?

It really depends on your mood and temperament. I loved getting to hear the span of her career and the range of songs she chose. She is a very passionate singer so in a way listening for hours might be to some like eating more than one piece of rich chocolate cake. Maybe truly great singing is best enjoyed savored.

You wrote and performed the theme song for TV’s The Nanny. What was it like working on a television theme song?

It was exciting. I had written other songs for Fran's projects but they never took off. When Fran approached me about The Nanny, I was suddenly competing with the top Hollywood writers so I wrote two themes. I think I got an edge when I insisted on interviewing Fran about what she wanted and I used a quote from her in the lyric. I said, "In a nutshell, Fran who is the nanny?" She said, "She's the lady in red when everyone else is wearing tan!" I told her they should use The Manhattan Transfer to sing it but she insisted on using me. I love that my sister Liz Callaway sings backup vocals on it, too!

What was it like to collaborate with Cole Porter?

It was otherworldly. Taking a lyric by such a great songwriter and trying to do it justice posthumously was daunting. But "I Gaze In Your Eyes" was so pure and beautiful that the music came naturally. I never dreamed that the Cole Porter Estate would actually publish it. But when Robert Townsend heard it, it moved him so he decided it was worthy of being published. Who knew that I would be the only lyricist ever to collaborate with Cole Porter?

Carole King?

Writing "Tonight You're All Mine" with my hero was one of the best experiences of my life." Carole King's album " Tapestry" had inspired me to become a songwriter so it was momentous to get creative with her. Her warmth, generosity and team spirit floored me. She insisted on writing it the day of the recording and then stayed to teach the band the song and sing backup vocals on it! What could be better?

I hear you realized your dream of working in film by making your feature film debut opposite Angelina Jolie and Matt Damon in The Good Shepherd singing Come Rain Or Come Shine. Can you tell us about that?

I was called in to record the song which I'd sung my whole career. I thought I'd record it in one or two takes. But who should be there? Robert DeNiro! He likes to have many choices so I had to do maybe 20 different takes on it using his direction each time. I loved working with him and talking about The Great Smerican Songbook with him in the green room on breaks. The next day, I got the call that he wanted to use me as an actress in the scene. What a thrill working with Matt and Angelina, who couldn't have been nicer. We . What a thrill working with Matt and Angelina, who couldn't have been nicer. We got on so well I almost said to her, "Please adopt me!"

Anne Hampton Callaway's performance with the Oregon Symphony will be held at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway, Portland, OR 97205, Saturday, Oct. 18, 7:30pm and Sunday, Oct. 19, 3:00pm.
For tickets call: 503-228-1353 or 1-800-228-7343