Mike Eldred gives holiday performance

Singer Mike Eldred will give a holiday performance, “Home for the Holidays with Mike Eldred,” at 8 p.m. Dec. 21 at the Whitefish Performing Arts Center.

Eldred, who performed a concert of John Denver songs in the Flathead Valley in September, will be accompanied by Nashville, Tenn., pianist Jeff Steinberg on the performing arts center’s Steinway concert grand piano.

Eldred starred on Broadway in “Les Miserables” as Jean Valjean. He was also in the original cast of the Tony-nominated “The Civil War.”

He has been praised by critics around the country, including Kevin Nance of The Tennessean, who wrote: “His amazing voice — a high-flying, full-bodied tenor, intensely romantic, alternately wrenching and joyful — was so compelling that you forgot you were in a theater, forgot everything but the sound pouring out of his throat.”

Evan Donnell of ArtNowNashville, wrote: “Listening to his soothing tenor embrace one is reminded that talent, personality, training and experience can combine to create a truly unique and amazing sound.”

Eldred has won numerous performance awards, including Nashville Scene’s Best Musical Theatre Performer. He was nominated as Nashville Music Awards Male Vocalist of the Year.

He has shared the stage with Stevie Wonder, Garth Brooks, Amy Grant, Trisha Yearwood, CeCe Winans and Michael Bolton.

Steinberg currently serves as a frequent pops conductor for the Nashville Symphony. He has written for the Maynard Ferguson and Count Basie bands. He arranged for and performed with Milton Berle, Johnny Carson, Perry Como, Diahann Carroll, Michael Feinstein, Crystal Gayle, Robert Goulet, Shari Lewis and Bob Hope.

Upon graduating from the Berklee School in 1969, Steinberg joined the Glenn Miller Orchestra under the direction of Buddy DeFranco and toured the United States, Canada, Great Britain and Japan.

Tickets to the concert are $20, $23, $26 or $29, depending on seating, and are available at http://sands.skytics.com.

Proceeds from the show, which is sponsored by Don “K” Subaru, will benefit Flathead Food Bank and food banks in Polson, Eureka and Libby. 

This is the second fundraiser this month for Don “K” Subaru. Every year at this time, Subaru of America donates money to several charities. Earlier this month, the company sponsored a musical fundraiser for the USO and is presenting the group with a donation check along with USO banners signed by local residents.

“Home for the Holidays with Mike Eldred” is brought to the valley by Singer & Simpson Productions, with special thanks to The Lodge at Whitefish Lake and the Daily Inter Lake.

For more information or ticket assistance, call (206) 251-4994.