Corky Hale to Play 'An Evening' at the Metropolitan Room Starting 11/10

Critically-acclaimed and renowned Jazz Pianist, Harpist and Vocalist, Corky Hale, will appear in an autobiographical cabaret show about her life both on stage, and off, entitled, "An Evening With Corky Hale," to be presented at the Metropolitan Room at Gotham, 34 West 22nd Street (between 5th and 6th Avenues), New York, NY  10010, on Monday, November 10, 2008 at 7:00 p.m.; Tuesday, November 11, 2008 at 7:00 p.m.; Friday, November 14, 2008 at 9:45 p.m. and Saturday, November 15, 2008 at 9:45 p.m.  Jeff Lass serves as Musical Director.  There is a $20 Cover Charge and $15 Minimum. 

For reservations and further information, please call 212.206.0440 or visit online at www.metropolitanroom.com.  To learn more about Corky Hale, please visit the website, www.corkyhale.com.

Corky Hale (Pianist, Harpist and Vocalist) was born in a small mid-western farm town and started piano lessons at age three.  At age seven, while vacationing with her family in Florida, Hale was heard in the lobby of her hotel picking out tunes on the piano by House bandleader, Horace Heidt.  Heidt had a little band jacket made for her and featured her for the next few weeks in the evening show.

Hale has played harp for such artists as Liberace, Tony Bennett, Judy Collins, Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole.  She has been the piano accompanist for such artists as Billie Holiday and Mel Tormé.  She has sung with the bands of Harry James, Ray Anthony, and Jerry Gray.  She also owned one of the most successful clothing stores in Hollywood for 17 years.

Hale was also the proprietor of "Corky's," a popular restaurant on New York's East Side.  She has lived in Rome, and for three years, while living there, appeared on the popular television show, "Tempo di Jazz."  She has performed at The White House with Tony Bennett, soloed with Barbra Streisand in Central Park and at the Hollywood Bowl and performed with Björk on her MTV Special in London.  Hale has also appeared with George Michael at London's Royal Albert Hall and RFK Stadium.

Her sold-out performances at the Oak Room at the Algonquin in New York, Davenport's in Chicago, the Cinegrill in Los Angeles, the Plush Room in San Francisco, and Pizza On The Park in London have led Los Angeles Times' jazz reviewer Don Heckman to observe that Hale is "more than a triple threat," and Philip Ellwood of the San Francisco Examiner noted her performance is "one of cyclonic proportions."  On November 22, 2007, Corky Hale appeared at Carnegie Hall as a Piano Soloist with the New York Pops Orchestra, under the baton of Guest Conductor, Barry Levitt.

Hale's harp, piano and vocals can be heard on her current CD, "CORKY" on the GNP Crescendo label.  Since 2000 Hale has produced and performed her star-studded show "Corky Hale and Friends:  From Tin Pan Alley to Beverly Hills," at the Beverly Hills Civic Center.  In March 2003 her "Salute To Hollywood Songwriters" opened the newly restored Ferry Building at a Gala for San Francisco's "Raising Hope" charity, and in 2002 her show opened the 25th Anniversary Season of the 1,000-seat La Mirada Theatre.

In 2003, Corky Hale added theatrical production to her activities, when her show, "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" broke box office records at the Coconut Grove Playhouse in Florida.  In 2000 she was the associate producer of the hit show,

"Fully Committed," which played at the Coronet Theatre in Hollywood.  She also produced three other hits – 1998's "Lullaby Of Broadway" at the Tiffany Theatre in West Hollywood, voted one of the "10 Best Shows" of the year by the Los Angeles Times

and produced a concert version of the show starring Sally Kellerman.  Hale also produced "Give 'em Hell Harry," starring Jason Alexander at the Tiffany Theatre in Los Angeles in 1992.

In addition to her musical accomplishments, Hale jokingly considers herself the ultimate cook-housewife.  She has been happily married for 37 years to songwriter Mike Stoller of the team Leiber & Stoller, whose show Smokey Joe's Café broke the record as the longest running musical revue in Broadway history.  Hale is very involved in numerous charities and political groups, one of them being Angel Harvest, which she introduced to Los Angeles from New York's City Harvest.  Angel Harvest picks up overages of food at top restaurants and major events such as the Academy AwardsÒ and movie premieres, which otherwise would have been discarded, and delivers them to various shelters for battered women and children, indigent seniors, veterans in rehabilitation and the working poor.  She has always been interested in politics and was one of the first white students to join the NAACP while a freshman at the University of Wisconsin.  She speaks Italian, French and Spanish, and had an apartment in Italy at one time.  Hale serves on the national advisory board of the National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL), the national advisory board of Planned Parenthood and the California board of the Women's Reproductive Rights Assistance Project (WRRAP).  She and her husband are strong advocates of the Southern Poverty Law Center and serve on the board of The National Coalition to Ban Gun Violence.

Corky Hale's recently produced and directed a special event, entitled, "It's Magic! - A Tribute To Sammy Cahn" at the Wilshire Theatre Beverly Hills, CA.  She is also currently working a new CD entitled "Corky and Her Gal Pals" with vocals by Corky Hale, Freda Payne, Sally Kellerman, Ariana Savalas, Tricia Tahara and Briana Whitaker.  To learn more about Corky Hale, please visit the website, www.corkyhale.com.

Jeff Lass (Musical Director) has worked as a Musical Director for Corky Hale, Sally Kellerman, Paul Williams, Lamont Dozier, Smokey Robinson, Laverne Baker, Taylor Dane, Patti Austin, John Raitt, Freda Payne and Mike Stoller.  As a composer he has written songs for 16 feature films, including, "Dick Tracy" and "Rage In Harlem," as well as for Madonna's "Breathless" album.

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