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Jim Brickman’s show is a ‘Homecoming’: Ohio native will play the Stranahan on New Year’s Eve
Dec. 27–”Homecoming” is the name of Jim Brickman’s new holiday CD, and it’s also his plan for New Year’s Eve when the native of Shaker Heights, Ohio, greets 2008 with a couple thousand friends in concert at the Stranahan Theater in Toledo.
“I always like to play New Year’s Eve close to home,” Brickman said in a recent interview. “And somewhere in a tour called the Holiday Homecoming, we wanted to end it near home.”
The solo pianist and songwriter, who played New Year’s Eve in Toledo to start the millennium, has a gentle romantic style and a talent for finding the perfect duet partner. Since moving to Los Angeles and releasing his first disc, “No Words,” in 1994, Brickman has charted more Adult Contemporary hit singles (23) than any other artist, followed by Elton John with 17 and Rod Stewart with 16.
He said he attributes the success in that category to the diversity of the artists with whom he has recorded, including Martina McBride, Dave Koz, Olivia Newton-John, Donny Osmond, Michael Bolton, Linda Eder, Kenny Loggins, and Kermit the Frog, to name a few.
“My duet partners are different every time, so while I am considered the artist, each song comes to life in a unique way every time,” he said. “It’s not like hearing the 24th hit by Celine Dion.”
On his latest CD, the 46-year-old Brickman invited Gerald Levert, who also went to the same high school in Shaker Heights, to sing the original holiday tune, “My Angel.” It turned out to be Levert’s final recording. He died in November, 2006, at age 40.
“It was completely unexpected,” Brickman said. “He had planned on doing some tour dates with me. It was very sad. It’s bittersweet to have recorded with him but to have it be his last recording.”
Also joining Brickman is Richie McDonald, former lead singer of country band Lonestar; smooth jazz guitarist Peter White; violinist David Klinkenberg, and Brickman’s frequent collaborator and high school friend, singer Anne Cochran.
“Homecoming” is Brickman’s 17th album since 1994, when he quit writing commercial jingles and launched a career as a solo pianist playing original pop songs. He had to forge his own path in the music business, since his style and presentation did not fit the typical record or radio industry formats.
Brickman has sold more than 5 million albums, been featured in three PBS specials, books his own concert tours, and has written two books.
“It was all born out of necessity,” he said. “I probably would have ended up being more conventional had I chosen a more conventional style for my career. But people said, ‘What does he do?’ And they were told, ‘He just plays the piano.’ It was very hard to grasp why a station like the River [101.5 FM] would present a solo piano player. Now of course, it has been such a long time people think nothing of it.”
Jim Brickman will be in concert with special guests, including Richie McDonald, at 8 p.m. Monday at the Stranahan Theater, 4645 Heatherdowns Blvd. Tickets are $45, $55, and $82 from all Ticketmaster outlets. Information: 419-381-8851 or www.jimbrickman.com .
Contact David Yonke at: dyonke@theblade.com or 419-724-6154.
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