Valentine - an evening of cole porter

Rocky Blumhagen was born in Walla Walla and grew up in Milton-Freewater, where his mother Eleanor’s family settled in 1865, and where his father, Otto was born. Rocky attended Milton-Freewater schools and graduated from Mac-Hi in 1969. During his school years he and his sister, Sandy formed a vocal group with friends called the “Chapeler’s Five” from Ingle Chapel Church near Stateline, performing all over the valley and becoming finalists on the KXLY Starlit Stairway TV show. Rocky received his B.A. in vocal performance from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon. In his senior year he gave a cabaret performance rather than a classical recital for his degree, the first student ever to do that. After graduation, as part of a two man group called Windstone and Gale Enger, Rocky gave over 1500 nightclub performances in Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the US. They recorded three albums and currently have a CD and DVD of a live benefit concert recorded in May of 2005. He later spent 15 years in advertising sales and management in Portland radio before returning to performing in the Palm Springs area in concert venues and in theater. He developed his own tribute show to Cole Porter with arrangements by award-winning musician, composer and conductor, Ron Abel, and performed it in Portland with the Portland Chamber Orchestra. The CD from this show, called “Easy to Love” will be available at the Walla Walla Symphony concert.

Concert Program

"Can Can" Selections for Orchestra - Cole Porter, transcribed for orchestra by Robert Russell Bennett
"Can Can," "I Love Paris," "Never Give Anything Away," "C'est Magnifique," "Come Along With Me," "It's All Right With Me," " Allez-vous-en," "Montmart"

Rocky Blumhagen sings:
"Night and Day"
"In The Still of The Night"
"Get Out of Town"
"I Concentrate On You"
"Easy To Love/I've Got You Under My Skin"

"Cole Porter Favorites" - Cole Porter, arranged by Gregory Stone - Walla Walla Symphony
"You Do Something To Me," "Love For Sale," "Night and Day," "Anything Goes"

Intermission

"Kiss Me, Kate" Selections for Orchestra - Cole Porter and Robert Russell Bennett
"Wunderbar," "Why Can't You Behave," "Another Openin', Another Show," "Always True To You in My Fashion," "Begin The Beguine," "Were Thine That Special Face," "I Sing of Love," "So In Love."

Rocky Blumhagen sings:
"Just One of Those Things"

"Don't Fence Me In"

"From This Moment On"

"So In Love"

"Begin The Beguine"

"I Get a Kick Out of You"