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Miss Marilyn Returns
It has become a tradition the last few years for Marilyn Maye to perform in Fort Scott.
The 80-year-old accomplished singer and recording artist will return later this month for her fifth appearance in Fort Scott since 2006 when she performs a concert titled "Marilyn Maye: Her Way" (A Tribute to Sinatra). The concert, which is a tribute to legendary singer Frank Sinatra featuring songs he made famous and stories of his life, is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday, March 27, at the Liberty Theatre, 113 S. Main St.
During a Wednesday interview, Maye said she is always excited each time she gets a chance to perform in Fort Scott.
"They love me down there, and I love them," she said. "They've been very loyal to me. I think I've become a part of the community."
Maye added that she loves returning to Fort Scott because of the friends she has made in the community, and because it gives her another chance to perform once again in one of her favorite venues -- the Liberty Theater.
"The audience comes back," she said. "That theater is a credit to the city. I'm glad that people support it to keep it alive."
Maye, a Kansas native who is currently performing throughout the Midwest on her 2009 tour, said she plans to perform a variety of songs written by George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Johnny Mercer and Sammy Cahn.
"They're all great songs," she said. "The music is artwork. It's absolutely timeless material. They're songs I've done all my life, and this is a way of putting them all together in one performance. There will be some wonderful sad ballads, and some fun, fast tunes. It's quality music."
The concert will also feature a performance from a special surprise guest artist, Maye said.
Maye is credited with the most appearances (76) ever by a singer on "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson." She was a long-time friend of Carson, who died in 2005. Carson once called her a "super singer" after one of her appearances on his show.
There is one main difference between performing a show in a smaller town and performing for an audience in a larger city, Maye said.
"The audiences are just as appreciative," she said. "Audiences in New York have no inhibitions and they can get kind of crazy. There's a lot of singers, actors and writers, and show biz professional people in the audience. They applaud and cheer during key changes, but when I sing you can hear a pin drop. Midwest audiences are more reserved."
Maye first performed a Christmas show in Fort Scott in 2006, singing many of her own songs and some Christmas tunes, and was backed by the Fort Scott High School Select Ensemble and members of her own traveling band. She has since performed three other concerts in Fort Scott, including a May 2007 show in which she paid tribute to the United States armed forces by performing several patriotic songs. She also sang some of her all-time favorites and greatest hits during that show.
She has recorded several albums and performed in several live shows across the country -- many in the 1950s and 1960s -- during her long career, and has also appeared on several television programs. Members of her close-knit backup band, who have performed with her for several years, include pianist Billy Stritch, bassist Gerald Spaits and drummer Jim Eklof. She continues to perform in clubs, concert halls, theaters, and at private celebrations.
She currently lives in the Kansas City area and also in Galveston, Texas.
Ticket prices for the March 27 show range from $20-$40. Tickets can be purchased online at www.fslibertytheatre.com, or by calling (620) 223-4060 or (888) 484-3542.