Marilyn Maye - Here's to Life

When my friend told me she bought us tickets to Marilyn Maye at the 92nd St. Y June 17, I said "Marilyn who?" I didn't remember the singer who was discovered by Steve Allen and performed on the Tonight Show 76 times.  She clearly has her fans and a following. She played to a packed house in her return engagement at the Y.
The 86-year-old rocked a gold sequined jacket over a pants suit. Her voice strong, her set list brimming with songs of optimism, romance, joie de vivre, the tireless Maye sang for an hour and a half, medleys on rainbows and being happy and my favorite, "Here's to Life." She delivers the whole package — Broadway, nightclub, jazz, cabaret. She was backed by the best — conductor and pianist Ted Firth, bassist Tom Hubbard, and Bryan Carter on drums.
Maye said she was a "commitment singer" back in the day for RCA Records. That meant she recorded tunes written for Broadway before a show opened, giving the show a boost at the box office. She made a hit of the song "Cabaret" in 1966. She also made big bucks recording a version of her hit "Step to the Rear" for Ford Motors.
I went on YouTube and saw some early performances. She was a powerhouse.
Forever classy and a classic, Maye will sing a tribute to her early champion in "A Tribute to Johnny Carson" at 54 Below June 26-28.