THE WINTER CONCERT SERIES AT THE VILAR PERFORMING ARTS CENTER OPENS WITH:
MICHAEL MCDONALD
THIS CHRISTMAS, AN EVENING OF HOLIDAY & HITS!
BEAVER CREEK, CO: The Vilar Performing Arts Center (VPAC) welcomes Michael McDonald on Monday, December 22 at 7:30PM. His timeless, distinctive and soulful voice is highly recognizable and he’s coming to the VPAC to perform his special holiday show, This Christmas An Evening of Holiday and Hits.
A five-time Grammy® Award winning artist, McDonald will present an intimate concert featuring his hits as well as classic holiday tunes. Tickets to Michael McDonald start at $140 and are on sale now at the VPAC Box Office (970.845.8497/www.vilarpac.org). The VPAC is located under the ice rink in Beaver Creek Village (68 Avondale Lane, Beaver Creek, Colorado).
VPAC Executive Director Kris Sabel states, “I’m excited about this program because it will feature Michael in a more intimate setting singing an evening of holiday favorites, and of course his hits. We get so many requests to have Michael back, and we are always looking for opportunities to do so. If you have seen him before, you know how special the show is in our intimate setting. If you haven¹t, we hope that you can join us as we kick off the holiday season”.
Two notes – that’s all it takes to recognize the incomparable voice of Michael McDonald. Add formidable songwriting and keyboard skills, and you have an artist who has been a singular musical presence for four decades. From Œ70s-era Doobie Brothers classics such as “What A Fool Believes” and solo hits like “I Keep Forgettin’,” through two highly-acclaimed Motown albums, genre-busting guest spots and innovative concept shows, McDonald is both timeless and ever-evolving.
After moving from his hometown of St. Louis to Los Angeles in the early Œ70s, McDonald honed his talent as a session musician and singer before being invited to join Steely Dan. Over the course of four classic albums, from Katy Lied to Gaucho, McDonald became an integral part of the group’s sound, singing background vocals on FM staples like “Black Friday” and “Peg.”
In the mid-Œ70s, McDonald joined The Doobie Brothers, helping the band redefine their funky R & B sound as a singer, keyboardist and songwriter on such Top 40 singles as “Takin’ It To The Streets,” “It Keeps You Runnin’,” and “Minute By Minute.”
His distinct vocal style also made him one of the world¹s most sought-after session singers. Beyond his hits with The Doobies, McDonald has lent his voice to records by an A-Z of artists, including Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Elton John, Joni Mitchell, Vince Gill and Grizzly Bear.
In 2008, McDonald released the acclaimed crossover album Soul Speak (which hit three different charts simultaneously), and in 2011 received an honorary doctorate from Berkley College of Music. Recently he and cohorts Donald Fagen and Boz Scaggs and an 11-piece soul supergroup who tour as The Dukes Of September, released their first live DVD (Local Vail Valley fans will remember this show from their Summer 2013 stop in Beaver Creek). McDonald continues to tour extensively as a solo artist, with symphonies, altruistic events and also plans to tour with Toto.
Beyond his music, McDonald has long been an active humanitarian. He has lent his talents and energies to many causes and benefits, including MusiCares, the National Council of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, the 7UP Grammy Signature Schools Program and was part of a star-studded lineup at Kokua For Japan, a concert that raised $1.6 million for tsunami relief.
With a career that encompasses numerous chart successes, personal and professional accolades, as well as collaborations with some of the world¹s most prominent artists, Michael McDonald remains an enduring force in popular music.
Tickets to Michael McDonald start at $140 and are on sale now at the VPAC Box Office (970.845.8497/www.vilarpac.org). The VPAC is located under the ice rink in Beaver Creek Village (68 Avondale Lane, Beaver Creek, Colorado).