Song Travels with Michael Feinstein

The renowned "Ambassador of the Great American Songbook" and five-time Grammy nominated performer Michael Feinstein hosts Song Travels, a series examining how popular standards and show tunes have evolved through the years. From the production team that brought you Piano Jazz, the program expands upon the genre of American Popular Song and reimagines it for a new century.

Each week a new guest joins Feinstein for intimate explorations of the journeys of songs and the artists who perform them. The line-up spans the musical spectrum, from Liza Minnelli and Bette Midler, to violinist Joshua Bell and Pink Martini pianist Thomas Lauderdale, and U.K. current pop sensation Rumer, bringing the Great American Songbook to a whole new audience. Each guest shares their passion for the songs through solo performances and duets with Feinstein, illustrating the continuing development of the songs across time.


Program Listings
May 22, 2013
Liza Minnelli
Born into Hollywood royalty, Liza Minnelli has made her own name on the stage and screen. Her role in the 1972 film version of the Broadway musical Cabaret made her an international sensation and won her the Academy Award for Best Actress. Recently she has made inroads into TV’s Arrested Development and recorded with alternative rockers My Chemical Romance. Minnelli joins dear friend Feinstein for an enlightening discussion of her life and rare insight into her approach to song.

May 29, 2013
Thomas Lauderdale
Pianist Thomas Lauderdale is a co-founder of the eclectic ensemble Pink Martini, which bridges classical, jazz, world music and old fashioned pop. He brings along a few musical collaborators, including NPR’s Ari Shapiro, who proves to be as good a singer as he is a journalist, and duets with Feinstein on George Gershwin’s “The Man I Love.”

June 5, 2013
Cheyenne Jackson
Actor/singer Cheyenne Jackson is equally at home on stage and in front of the camera. He won a Theatre World Award for his role in All Shook Up, and his television roles include stints on 30 Rock, Glee, and Curb Your  enthusiasm. Jackson joins Feinstein to perform a set of favorite tunes, including selections from the album, The Power of Two.

June 12, 2013
Lari White
Multi-talented vocalist/producer Lari White is known as Nashville’s “Renaissance Woman.” She made history as the first female producer of a male superstar for Toby Keith’s platinum album White Trash with Money. White joins Feinstein for Willie Nelson’s “Crazy,” and standards including “My Favorite Things” and “They Can’t Take That Away From Me.”

June 19, 2013
Wayne Brady
Wayne Brady became a star improvising on the popular TV show Whose Line It Anyway? The singer/actor/dancer/comedian also has appeared on stage in Rent and Chicago, and hosts TV game show Let’s Make A Deal. Brady discusses the musical influence of Sammy Davis, Jr. and Sam Cooke. With musical director Cat Gray at the piano, Brady performs the Cooke classic “You Send Me” and Feinstein joins him in a duet of “It’s Only A Paper Moon.”

June 26, 2013
Rickie Lee Jones
Two-time Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Rickie Lee Jones has been pushing down musical boundaries for over four decades with her hauntingly beautiful voice. She has carved her own unique path, collaborating with artists from Alison Krauss to Dr. John. On this Song Travels, Jones employs her sultry, dynamic voice on the music that has inspired her along the way.