- Ann Hampton Callaway
Ann Hampton Callaway (born
May 30 1958 )is a multiplatinum-selling singer, composer, lyricist, pianist, and actress. She is best known for writing and singing the theme to the TV series "The Nanny", writing songs for Barbra Streisand and starring in the Broadway musical "Swing! ". She performed for President Clinton in Washington D.C. and was the invited guest performer for President Gorbachev's Youth Peace Summit in Moscow. She occasionally also performs with her sisterLiz Callaway .Ann signed with the Grammy Award winning label Telarc International last year and the result was the CD "Blues In The Night", a tribute to her growing up in the Chicago area. Her new CD, "At Last" will be released in February 2009. Her 2004 CD, "Slow" - from Shanachie Entertainment - is her most pop-inspired album to date. Ann has recorded two holiday CDs: "Holiday Pops!" with Peter Nero and the Philly Pops and her solo CD, "This Christmas" (Angel/After 9). Her recording "Signature" features the signature songs of the great jazz legends of the 20th century, performed with pianist
Kenny Barron and guest artistWynton Marsalis . Other CD recordings include "Easy Living"(After 9), "To Ella With Love" (After 9), "After Ours" (Denon), "Bring Back Romance"(DRG), "Ann Hampton Callaway" (DRG) and the award winning live recording, "Sibling Revelry" (DRG). She has also been a guest artist on over forty CDs.She has composed over 250 songs for television, Broadway, off-Broadway and several of today's leading interpreters of songs. Her music and lyrics have been performed and recorded by Barbra Streisand, Liza Minnelli, Patti LuPone, Michael Feinstein, Blossom Dearie, Peter Nero, Karrin Allyson, Donna McKechnie, Harvey Fierstein, Lillias White, Barbara Carrol, Amanda McBroom, Liz Callaway and Carole King.
She composed "At the Same Time" for Barbra Streisand and That recording, HIGHER GROUND, debuted nationally at #1, giving Ann her first of three platinum records. Ms. Streisand asked Ann to write lyrics to a Rolf Lovland melody which she entitled "I've Dreamed of You" which Ms. Streisand sang to James Brolin at their wedding. The song was later recorded her CD, A LOVE LIKE OURS, released as a single and selected it for THE ESSENTIAL BARBRA STREISAND. She's performed both of these songs on her live double CD, TIMELESS. Ms. Streisand later chose Ann's song 'A Christmas Lullaby' for her holiday CD, CHRISTMAS MEMORIES.
The Cole Porter Estate officially recognizes Ann Hampton Callaway as the only composer to have collaborated with Cole Porter, having set her music to his posthumously discovered lyric, "I GAZE IN YOUR EYES'. It was first recorded by Ann for Ben Bagley's Cole Porter Revisited series. Later, the song was recorded by Elaine Paige and was featured in the West End hit musical revue "A SWELL PARTY". Ann was on of the creators of the Broadway musical "SWING!" writing "Two and Four" as well as several additional lyrics to the standards in the Tony and Grammy nominated score.
In addition to the theme for THE NANNY, she has written the TV themes for DAY'S END , CABARET BEAT, and THE JIM J AND TAMMY FAY SHOW. Ann composed incidental music for the David Weiner play, "BALTIMORE STAR" and her song "Manhattan In December" was included in the 2005 off-Broadway musical revue "A BROADWAY DIVA CHRISMAS". Her songwriting is administered by Williamson Music.
Ms. Callaway's performances have been seen on numerous TV shows including The Today Show, CNN's Larry King Live, The Charlie Rose Show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Rosie O'Donnell Show, and ABC News. She starred in "Midnight Swing" for the PBS television special "LIVE FROM LINCOLN CENTER" and was featured in another PBS special with Keith Lockhart and Boston Pops. She has also performed for the "MACY'S FOURTH OF JULY FIREWORKS SPECTACULAR" and has made two appearances on NBC's "MACY'S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE".
Her voice has been heard in numerous TV jingles and voice-overs including spots for Coca Cola, Ethan Allen and State Farm. Ann has also done extensive broadcasting for Sirius Satellite Radio as a performer, DJ and interviewer. Ann recently appeared in the Robert DeNiro film, "The Good Shepard" and was also featured in the role of Mrs. White in the award winning film "VOLARE" for Jim Henson Productions, directed by Temela D'Amico.
Ms. Callaway's honors include receiving a Tony Award nomination for "BEST FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL" for her work in "SWING", and winning the THEATRE WORLD AWARD for "OUTSTANDING BROADWAY DEBUT". She has garnered fourteen awards from the Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs, two Backstage Bistro Awards, The 2005 Nightlife Award , the Johnny Mercer Songwriter Award and the Norman Vincent Peale Award for Positive Thinking.
In September 2005, Ann performed her original composition "Let the Saints Come Marching", written to honor Hurricane Katrina victims, on a national TV broadcast on the Fox News Channel. Her song "Who can see the Blue the Same Again?" was released earlier in 2005 as a single paying tribute to the tsunami survivors and raising much needed money for The Tsunami Fund of the PRASAD Project. In the aftermath of September 11th, Ann composed "I Believe in America", which she performed on Larry King Live and released as a CD Single. Just days after the tragedy, Ann heard and 8,000 year old prayer from the Rig Veda and composed "Let Us Be United". Ann recorded the song with Kenny Werner, the Diddha Yago International Choir and five-year-old Sonali Beaven, who sand in honor of her father who lost his life on Flight 93. It was released on CD and DVD and it's proceeds continue to benefit Save the Children and the PRASAD Project. Ann's father is John Callaway, Chicago's TV and radio journalist, and an author, moderator and speaker. Her mother, Shirley Callaway, a singer, pianist and coach, was recently featured at New York's Town Hall, singing with Ann and her sister, Liz. Ann resides in New York.
DISCOGRAPHY:"
SOLO and DUET CD'S"Blues In the Night", Telarc"Who Can See The Blue The Same Again?", Dismakers Single CD"Slow", Shanachie Records"After Ours", Denon Records"Ann Hampton Callaway", DRG Records"Bring Back Romance", DRG Records"Easy Living", Shanachie Records"Sibling Revelry" with Liz Callaway, DRG Records"Signature", Shanachie Records"This Christmas", After 9 Records/Angel Records"To Ella With Love", Shanachie Records
External links
* [http://www.annhamptoncallaway.com/index.html Ann Hampton Callaway website]
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