On January 18th at 7:30 pm Tom Wopat will share his take on the Great American Songbook Classics at the RRCA. His rich baritone and natural sense of swing are a perfect fit for such popular favorites as But Not for Me and Over the Rainbow, as well as contemporary songs of Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen, James Taylor and more. This show and its 2-time Tony Award nominated star of stage, screen and TV (best known as Luke Duke on Dukes of Hazzard) evoke the spirit of the New York supper club era and the cool vibe of the Mad Men days. Tickets are $32 for adults, $29 for seniors and $18 for students and children. They are now on sale by stopping by the RRCA at 114 South Monroe Street, calling the box office at (734)-242-7722 or visiting our website at www.riverraisincentre.org. The concert is sponsored by Michigan Gas Utilities.
Though Tom Wopat is most famously known for his role as Luke Duke on Dukes of Hazzard, one look at his biography will show just how versatile this man is. After acting on 7 seasons of Dukes of Hazzard, Wopat offered his talents to Broadway as a leading man in several productions including Glengarry Glen Ross, 42nd Street, Chicago, Sondheim on Sondheim, Catch Me If You Can. He also played lead roles in Annie Get Your Gun and A Catered Affair; both of his performances earned Tony Award nominations. Wopat has also continued with television and film work appearing in Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained and playing a major role in the ABC Family film Lovestruck alongside Jane Seymour.
Wopat also channeled his talents into his first love of music through recording albums. Coming off Dukes of Hazzard, his first recordings stylistically country with a touch of rock. As the years went by, Wopat began to reorient and evolve his musical interests. Tom recalls, “In 1999-2000, when I was doing the Broadway show Annie Get Your Gun, we did a cast album. And the people at Angel asked me if I wanted to make a jazz record. You know, like a Sinatra record. And of course I said yes. But it wasn’t until I actually started making the records of standards, adding pop tunes, giving them jazz treatments, that I realized it was exactly what I aspired to do musically.” His next two albums brought him over from country music closer to the jazz style to which he aspired.
Calley Duffey, Associate Director of the RRCA, says “We are thrilled that we were able to bring Tom Wopat to Monroe. While he might be best known as Luke Duke, he is also a very talented actor and singer. So if you are a fan of Broadway or Great American Songbook or the Dukes of Hazzard…we have you covered!”
