Arts Council to present ‘Close to You’

Published 3:19 am Thursday, December 21, 2017

For those looking for last-minute Christmas gifts for music lovers, Covington Arts Council Executive Director Paula Harr has a perfect gift.

The CAC has added a show to its 2018 line-up, and will present “Close to You: The Music of the Carpenters” on Fri., Jan. 19, in the Dixon Center on the campus of LBW Community College.

“We had the rare opportunity to get something we had not planned,” Harr said. “Everybody loves the Carpenters’ music.”

Harr said while the tribute band doesn’t look like Richard and Karen Carpenter, their music will take listeners back in time.

“Lisa Rock has a beautiful voice,” Harr said. “And she has the musical range to do the original cuts.”

Rock has been performing to sold-out crowds for years. She’s written more than 15 original concerts and cabarets that have been seen across the country. Now, Rock has arranged a six-piece band, complete with back-up singers, and together they are dedicated to creating a Carpenters experience.

Considered one of the best vocalists of all time, Karen Carpenter captured the attention of a generation with her unabashedly catchy pop music. The Carpenters’ beautiful, memorable love songs topped the Billboard charts with more than a dozen number one hits.

Rock’s four-octave range allows her to sing the hits like “We’ve Only Just Begun” and “Rainy Days and Mondays” in their original key.

“When she hits the lower range of her marvelous voice,” notes critic Alan Bresloff, “if you close your eyes, you can see Karen Carpenter’s face.”

Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for students, and are available now at Harold’s. The performance is not included in the season ticket price, as it was added after those tickets were sold.