The Start Of Something Big! The McCallum Celebrates Jack Jones Milestone Birthday With 'JACK @ 80!'

The McCallum Theatre presents "Jack @ 80: Jack Jones' 80th Birthday" on Saturday, March 3, at 8:00pm. Jack promises a show reflecting his long and illustrious career. Jack Jones was born in Hollywood on the night his singer/movie star father, Allan Jones, recorded his hit "Donkey Serenade." He would make his famous parents (his mother was the elegant actress Irene Hervey) proud for the diversity and breadth of his talent. Jack attended University High School in West Los Angeles, studying drama and singing with private teachers. A young athlete, he gave up track and football to devote himself to the arts.

Jack's professional debut was a brief stint in his father's act at the Thunderbird Hotel in Las Vegas when he was 19. He went out on his own three weeks later, working odd jobs while pursuing a singing career. His break came when a demo he recorded found its way to Capitol Records where he recorded a few singles and an album. Although he eventually left Capitol, one gem from his album, "This Could Be the Start of Something Big," caught the attention of a San Francisco club owner who booked him for a three week run. While performing there, he was discovered by Pete King, a producer for Kapp Records who quickly signed him. Jack was still working his "day job" at a gas station when his first album was released. While washing a customer's windshield, he was surprised to hear one of his cuts playing on the car radio.

As his career gained momentum, Jack developed an appreciation for well-constructed songs. His respect for songs that told stories with meaning and beauty led him to record works by the great balladeers: Sammy Cahn, Jimmy Van Heusen, Cole Porter, the Gershwins, Harold Arlen, Michel Legrand and Alan and Marilyn Bergman. He was also inspired by jazz instrumentalists such as Gerry Mulligan, Buddy Rich, Dave Pell Octet, Marty Paiche Dectet and Count Basie. Admirers of Jack's talent included artists who influenced him as a young singer, including Frank Sinatra who said, "Jack is one of the major singers of our time," and Mel Torme called him "the greatest 'pure' singer in the world."

Jack won two Grammys for "Best Pop Male Vocal Performance" with his singles "Lollipops and Roses" and "Wives and Lovers." He was also nominated for "The Impossible Dream," and his recording of "Wives and Lovers" was nominated for "Record of the Year." His hit records include "The Race Is On," "Lady," "Call Me Irresponsible," and "What I Did for Love." In 1989, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame near his father's star.

Jack is a leading interpreter of musical theater, with acclaimed performances in Guys and Dolls, South Pacific, She Loves Me, Pajama Game, and as Don Quixote in the national tour of Man of La Mancha. Jack's credits also include film and television roles, an internationally syndicated TV variety show, and performances at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and the White House. He has performed and recorded theme songs for film and TV, including "Love with a Proper Stranger" and "The Love Boat." In 2015, he appeared as himself/nightclub singer in David O. Russell's film American Hustle.

In 1971, Jack honored Michel Legrand by recording the first complete vocal album in English of the French composer's songs, Jack Jones Sings Michel Legrand. In 1997, New Jack Swingintroduced Jack to a new generation of fans with hip, swing renditions of "Every Breath You Take," "Have You Ever Loved a Woman," "All or Nothing at All," and the classic "Mack the Knife." With his release Jack Jones Paints a Tribute to Tony Bennett (1998), Jack paid homage to a friend and an American icon. Jack and Tony have been friends since meeting in the 60s when Jack attended the last show of Tony's engagement at Chicago's Empire Room, before opening in the same room the following night. In 2010, Jack released Love Makes the Changes: The Lyrics of Alan and Marilyn Bergman, a tribute to the lives of Jack's friends and celebrated songwriters, Alan and Marilyn Bergman. Love Ballads featured renderings of some of his original hits and, in 2015, Jack released Seriously Frank, celebrating the 100th birthday of Frank Sinatra.

With over 50 recorded albums and consistently sold-out world tours, Jack Jones continues to charm audiences with his wit, sensitivity and vocal power. 2008 marked Jack's 50th anniversary in show business, and today, Jack performs concerts to sold-out audiences around the globe at performing arts centers, casinos, symphony halls and intimate cabarets.

Jack's musical perfection and vocal passion unfailingly illustrate why he stands with the luminaries

Ticket prices for this performance are $87, $67, $47 and $37. Tickets are available at the Theatre's website at www.mccallumtheatre.com or by calling the McCallum Theatre Box Office at (760) 340-ARTS.

To post a comment, you must register and login.