Mayes makes this her 47th season at Okoboji
By Russ Oechslin Journal correspondent | Posted: Friday, August 05, 2005
OKOBOJI, Iowa -- Marilyn Maye says promotional material touting next week as her 37th season at The Inn is in error.
"This will be my 47th season," said most emphatically earlier this week.
It all began in 1956. And anyone who does the math will realize there have only been a couple missed seasons under four different owners of the oldest resort on West Lake Okoboji.
Maye appeared in Council Bluffs last weekend with retired Tonight Show announcer Ed McMahon, as a part of a salute his late boss, Johnny Carson. Maye made 75 appearances on the show -- more than any other singer. And if anyone is keeping track, she probably holds the same record for appearances at The Inn or any other place in the Iowa Great Lakes.
Next week's Maye shows at The Inn (Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights) will be a tribute to Ray Charles. Those who think Maye will only be doing cover songs of the late great jazz-blues singer is in for a pleasant surprise.
Although all the music will be instantly recognizable as Ray Charles' music, it will be done as only Marilyn Maye can -- in her style, not his.
"This is by no means a sound-alike show," Maye said recently. "It shouldn't be. There was only one Ray Charles, just like there was only one Frank Sinatra."
"There was only one Ella," Maye added. And, she indicated she's working on a tribute to Ella Fitzgerald, too.
In typical Maye fashion, Marilyn tried to explain over the weekend that Inn owner David Slattery "insisted" on adding a guitar to the quartet backs her. When she was called on it, however, she had to admit she sweet-talked her Okoboji boss into adding Rod Fleeman, who is just now returning from a European tour with Dianne Schurr.
Fleeman will be joining New York pianist Billie Stritch, along with saxophonist Hal Melia and her longtime drummer and bassman Jim Eklof and Andy Hall on a stage that has been "close" for the quartet that was only a trio until two seasons ago.
Maye Sings Ray, the album Maye will be releasing in conjunction with next week's show is a condensation of her live performance, done in a studio. We're betting a good indication of what will happen on stage. It opens and closes with Let the Good Times Roll.
Tickets for Sunday night's show may be hard to come by. But we understand tickets for Tuesday and Wednesday night's shows were still available earlier this week, with or without dinner before the show. The Inn's box office is 712-332-2113.
Anyone who wonders if Maye's performance later this month at the Lakes Art Center will be the same show should be assured that it will be an entirely different show -- as a tribute to Johnny Carson -- with another album of tunes set for release at that engagement as well.
And anyone who is wondering why there is a Monday night break in Maye's schedule should understand that it takes more than Marilyn Maye to put off the Dick Bauman (Monday Night) Big Band at The Inn. That show starts at 7 p.m.
Maye's Sunday night show will run in conflict with Billie James' regular Sunday night gig at the Blue Water Cabaret with the Little Jazz Band. But the Awesome Aussie's Thursday night appearance at the Little Swan Lake Winery with Justin Kisor has no conflicts.
Friday night will mark the final appearance of the World Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra by the local underwriters who have backed the show for the last five years.
Larry O'Brien and his aggregation will be playing for dancing and listening from 7-11 p.m. Tickets are available by phone at 712-336-0479.
Like Buddy Morrow, who has led the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra for more years than TD, himself, O'Brien has led the GMO for many more years than Glenn Miller!
It's expected that O'Brien will be promoting the performance with a telephone interview Sunday morning at KUOO-FM's Class 104, "live" from Clear Lake, Iowa, where the band will be playing at the Surf Ballroom, Sunday night.
Saturday night will see mezzo-soprano Emily Lodine accompanied by Karen Carr at the Lakes Art Center, in a concert entitled Love and Broadway, featuring light operetta classics and the witty and tender songs of George Gershwin and Cole Porter.
The LAC box office is 712-332-7029.
Another longtime fixture at the Iowa Great Lakes, Addison Myers, stars in the penultimate show of the Stephen's College Okoboji Summer Theatre season, "Visiting Mr. Green," which will opens Tuesday.
The season finale, Meredith Willson's "Music Man," runs the following week.
OST ticket information is available at 712-332-7773.
Elsewhere on Campus this weekend, Bruce Goodman will be appearing at the Funny Barn, in Spirit Lake, while the a capella showgroup Marcoux Corner will be on stage at the Blue Water Cabaret, for one night only, tomorrow night.
Terry Klein's Sunday night Block Party at The Inn, is a Luau this weekend, beginning at 6 p.m.
Piano man John Griggs opens tonight at the Barefoot Bar, with Mick Staebell filling in Saturday night, before Griggs returns on Sunday. Staebell is at the Okoboji Boat Works tonight, with Griggs appearing on Staebell's stage tomorrow night.
Sassy Jack will liven things up at The Ritz, tonight and tomorrow night, with Sunday's show listed only at "TBA."
Dazy Head Mazy opens the weekend at Whiskey Dick's. Under the Covers will take over Sunday through Tuesday night. Downfall comes in Thursday.
And Lemon Fresh Day is at Captain's Getaway through tomorrow night, with Piano Palooza coming in Monday and Tuesday and Amour, Wednesday and Thursday.
"This will be my 47th season," said most emphatically earlier this week.
It all began in 1956. And anyone who does the math will realize there have only been a couple missed seasons under four different owners of the oldest resort on West Lake Okoboji.
Maye appeared in Council Bluffs last weekend with retired Tonight Show announcer Ed McMahon, as a part of a salute his late boss, Johnny Carson. Maye made 75 appearances on the show -- more than any other singer. And if anyone is keeping track, she probably holds the same record for appearances at The Inn or any other place in the Iowa Great Lakes.
Next week's Maye shows at The Inn (Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights) will be a tribute to Ray Charles. Those who think Maye will only be doing cover songs of the late great jazz-blues singer is in for a pleasant surprise.
Although all the music will be instantly recognizable as Ray Charles' music, it will be done as only Marilyn Maye can -- in her style, not his.
"This is by no means a sound-alike show," Maye said recently. "It shouldn't be. There was only one Ray Charles, just like there was only one Frank Sinatra."
"There was only one Ella," Maye added. And, she indicated she's working on a tribute to Ella Fitzgerald, too.
In typical Maye fashion, Marilyn tried to explain over the weekend that Inn owner David Slattery "insisted" on adding a guitar to the quartet backs her. When she was called on it, however, she had to admit she sweet-talked her Okoboji boss into adding Rod Fleeman, who is just now returning from a European tour with Dianne Schurr.
Fleeman will be joining New York pianist Billie Stritch, along with saxophonist Hal Melia and her longtime drummer and bassman Jim Eklof and Andy Hall on a stage that has been "close" for the quartet that was only a trio until two seasons ago.
Maye Sings Ray, the album Maye will be releasing in conjunction with next week's show is a condensation of her live performance, done in a studio. We're betting a good indication of what will happen on stage. It opens and closes with Let the Good Times Roll.
Tickets for Sunday night's show may be hard to come by. But we understand tickets for Tuesday and Wednesday night's shows were still available earlier this week, with or without dinner before the show. The Inn's box office is 712-332-2113.
Anyone who wonders if Maye's performance later this month at the Lakes Art Center will be the same show should be assured that it will be an entirely different show -- as a tribute to Johnny Carson -- with another album of tunes set for release at that engagement as well.
And anyone who is wondering why there is a Monday night break in Maye's schedule should understand that it takes more than Marilyn Maye to put off the Dick Bauman (Monday Night) Big Band at The Inn. That show starts at 7 p.m.
Maye's Sunday night show will run in conflict with Billie James' regular Sunday night gig at the Blue Water Cabaret with the Little Jazz Band. But the Awesome Aussie's Thursday night appearance at the Little Swan Lake Winery with Justin Kisor has no conflicts.
Friday night will mark the final appearance of the World Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra by the local underwriters who have backed the show for the last five years.
Larry O'Brien and his aggregation will be playing for dancing and listening from 7-11 p.m. Tickets are available by phone at 712-336-0479.
Like Buddy Morrow, who has led the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra for more years than TD, himself, O'Brien has led the GMO for many more years than Glenn Miller!
It's expected that O'Brien will be promoting the performance with a telephone interview Sunday morning at KUOO-FM's Class 104, "live" from Clear Lake, Iowa, where the band will be playing at the Surf Ballroom, Sunday night.
Saturday night will see mezzo-soprano Emily Lodine accompanied by Karen Carr at the Lakes Art Center, in a concert entitled Love and Broadway, featuring light operetta classics and the witty and tender songs of George Gershwin and Cole Porter.
The LAC box office is 712-332-7029.
Another longtime fixture at the Iowa Great Lakes, Addison Myers, stars in the penultimate show of the Stephen's College Okoboji Summer Theatre season, "Visiting Mr. Green," which will opens Tuesday.
The season finale, Meredith Willson's "Music Man," runs the following week.
OST ticket information is available at 712-332-7773.
Elsewhere on Campus this weekend, Bruce Goodman will be appearing at the Funny Barn, in Spirit Lake, while the a capella showgroup Marcoux Corner will be on stage at the Blue Water Cabaret, for one night only, tomorrow night.
Terry Klein's Sunday night Block Party at The Inn, is a Luau this weekend, beginning at 6 p.m.
Piano man John Griggs opens tonight at the Barefoot Bar, with Mick Staebell filling in Saturday night, before Griggs returns on Sunday. Staebell is at the Okoboji Boat Works tonight, with Griggs appearing on Staebell's stage tomorrow night.
Sassy Jack will liven things up at The Ritz, tonight and tomorrow night, with Sunday's show listed only at "TBA."
Dazy Head Mazy opens the weekend at Whiskey Dick's. Under the Covers will take over Sunday through Tuesday night. Downfall comes in Thursday.
And Lemon Fresh Day is at Captain's Getaway through tomorrow night, with Piano Palooza coming in Monday and Tuesday and Amour, Wednesday and Thursday.
Story Comments
Read More and Post Comments 0 comment(s)
Please note: The following are comments from readers. In no way do they represent the views of The Sioux City Journal or Lee Enterprises. We will not edit or alter your comments, but we do reserve the right to not post or to remove comments that violate our code of conduct. No comment may contain potentially libelous statements; obscene, explicit or racist language; personal attacks, insults or threats. Terms of Service
