Freda Payne: A Tribute Concert to Ella Fitzgerald
April 7, 2024
“Freda Payne embodies Ella Fitzgerald and is truly mesmerizing. I swear if you closed your eyes, you would think Ella has risen from the grave.”
– Nicholas Pontolillo, BroadwayWorld
Freda Payne is a Grammy nominee, renowned for her timeless smash hit “Band of Gold,” which reached #1 in the UK and #3 on the US charts, earning recognition from Rolling Stone Magazine as one of “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.” Ms. Payne has made notable television appearances on shows such as “The Tonight Show” and “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” and has been featured on programs ranging from “Soul Train” to “American Idol.” Ms. Payne’s Broadway and touring credits include Hallelujah, Baby!, Sophisticated Ladies, and Jelly’s Last Jam, and she currently stars in the Broadway-bound production, Ella, First Lady of Song, conceived by Maurice Hines and written and directed by Lee Summers. The show is scheduled to open on June 1st, 2024, at the Meadow Brook Theatre in Michigan.
Making her debut at 54 Below in Freda Payne: A Tribute Concert to Ella Fitzgerald, Ms. Payne performs songs by Duke Ellington, Harold Arlen, Rodgers and Hart, George Gershwin, and others from the American Songbook. Her concert celebrates the 60-year career of Ms. Fitzgerald. Frank Sinatra once quipped, “There’s Ella, then there’s the rest of us,” encapsulating the essence of this legendary woman—and ultimately making this an unforgettable evening with Freda Payne.
Please note that all artists and acts are subject to change at any time.
