Feature: A VERY HAPPY MERRY HOLIDAY WITH AMANDA KING AND FRIENDS Celebrates at The Space with Live Streaming

Acclaimed jazz chanteuse Amanda King (amandaking.com) will bring her swinging signature touch to Christmas classics and hidden gems celebrating the holidays. Time to get into the spirit when she performs A Very Happy Merry Holiday with Amanda King and Friends at The Space and streaming live via Broadway World on Dec. 18.

Under the musical direction by Patrick Hogan (Bellagio's Mayfair Supper Club), Amanda belts out songs of the season with sumptuous vocals that commands any room. The festivities will include special guests and the memories of old school television specials.

"The show will be a throwback to the Christmas specials of the 1960s and '70s. We got to experience the talents of Julie Andrews, Dean Martin, Andy Williams, and Bing Crosby. I wanted to perform a wacky variety show where we have some fun. I have been watching every Christmas special I can find on YouTube," she laughs. "There are some acts I wish I could find, but I am thrilled with my guests. It will be all genres of music with comedy."

Special guests will include Janis Siegel of the Grammy Award-winning jazz vocal group The Manhattan Transfer. Bucky Heard from The Righteous Brothers and Dennis Blair, a legendary comedian who opened for George Carlin for many years, will also perform. Barbara Brighton, tribute artist, will bring the past to the present with her impersonations, and Jonny Bird, a new artist in the Vegas entertainment scene, adds to the fun. Dr. Richard Hodges brings his baritone vocals to the stage as Vegas' answer to Pavarotti.

A transplant to Southern Nevada since 2017, Amanda moved to Las Vegas with her then-husband to be closer to family. She had lived in San Francisco for 17 years and was also ready for a life change.

"I found more gigs singing here than in San Francisco," Amanda explains. "There are some jazz clubs still in the Bay area but not as prolific as 20 years ago. I loved my time there, but the jazz scene is rising here. I love discovering who lives here in Vegas and will show up at a show. We have some monster talent here, both local and international. I have also really enjoyed getting to know the musicians who call this place home."

Amanda admits to being very old school, asking "if there really is music created after 1955?" She covers timeless classics from 1910 to 1960. She also has a goal to share the stories, the places, people behind the music, and what was occurring when the song was first created. Amanda has coined her own phrase, "Edutainment." She will share antidotes and tidbits so the audience understands the heart and soul of the song.

She is also the proud sponsor of Family Promise of Las Vegas' Heart of Home, working to raise funding to support at-risk and homeless families with children in Clark County.

"My son and I experience homelessness about 12 years ago while going through a divorce, and it was horrible. A wonderful shelter, Raphael House, specially developed for families, took us in. Since that day, I am a supporter of Raphael House and still work with them. This year I wanted to find an organization in Las Vegas to support. The need is so great here in Southern Nevada, and I want to spread the word about them," she says.

Donations support services to homeless families with children, guiding them back to jobs, housing, and independence. For more info, visit familypromiselv.com.

"We need a little Christmas more than ever," says Amanda. "I have been thinking about this since April. I even have an elf to help me, Quadarrious."

A Very Happy Merry Holiday with Amanda King and Friends will be performed at The Space LV Live, 3466 Cavaretta Court, and streaming live via Broadway World at 6 p.m. Pacific Time on Dec. 18. Click here for tickets for select in-person seating (all guests will receive a holiday gift and access to all the behind-the-scenes holiday fun) or live streaming of the performance.

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