She’s
like the Eveready bunny: She takes a
lickin’ and keeps on tickin’. Lois Smith, like the rest of us in
these dreary economic times, is struggling to make ends meet. But she faces the challenges with hope,
courage and above all her music. Welcome to what promises to be a great show.
Anyone
who has heard Lois sing recently knows that her voice contains a lifetime of
ups and downs. Sometimes she sings like
a little girl, reminding us of more innocent times and places. Her entire countenance changes and she IS
that little girl and we’re right along with her. Then in a flash the tune changes and now
we’re presented with a sassy young woman heading out into the world on her own,
ready to make her mark. When she sings
“I got the world on a string” it’s utterly believable. We watch her strut her stuff and marvel at
how quickly and beautifully the young girl has grown.
When
she sings songs of the joy of new love, her face lights up and we’re again
transported to those magical times. She
helps us re-live those high points of our lives and for a short time we too are
rejuvenated and see all the opportunities that new love offers. And when she sings of love lost, she projects
a melancholy that is all-too-familiar.
We feel the ache but know that this too is part of life and contributes
to who we are today.
Sometimes
Lois sings gospel songs, reflecting the spiritual portion of her life which is
so important to her. She brings a
passion to these songs that stirs the soul and often raises the rafters. Whether we share her religion or not, we are
awed by her obvious belief and total commitment.
Lois
also sings a number of tunes that are essentially reminiscences. Listening in as she reflects on life’s peaks
and valleys, opportunities seized and opportunities missed, touches us and
reminds us that these victories and challenges are what life is all about.
So
in the end, what Lois Smith does is to bring us along with her every step of
the way. This is magic wielded by a
master performer. This is why we go to
live shows rather than simply turn on a CD or iTunes.
For her Vespers show Lois
will be joined by another local jazz favorite, Bill McGrady on keyboards as
well as a bassist and drummer drawn from our local music scene. Come out and experience this wonderful talent.
