THE RADAR MUSIC - · PDF filethat evoke a dash of Diana Ross and a splash of Erykah Badu. ......
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90 > NOVEMBER 2007 She rocked Radio City Music Hall, crooned at the Kennedy Center, wooed the White House, dazzled DC theatergoers and—most famously—replaced Jennifer Holliday as Effie White in the original p roduction of Dre a m g i r l s .So what on Earth was Julia Nixon doing serving country biscuits in Cary, N o rth Carolina? Imitating art that imitates life? F rom Broadway to Bob Evans—not exactly s t a n d a rd starlette trajectory. But after a career of early successes as a singer, actress and R&B belter, this diva (and her celebrated four-octave voice) disappeared from the scene. Now, a decade since this sensational songbird lost her voice, scuttled her role in the national touring cast of Smokey Joe’s Café and settled down with her son far beyond the Beltway, Nixon is staging her comeback in a style befitting a Rodgers and Hammerstein production number. In a “let’s all build the barn” number, Arlington-based attorney and longtime fan Kevin DiLallo marshalled friends, family, neighbors and even stylist-to-the-stars Erwin Gomez to give Nixon a power launch befitting the headliner she once was. After having been transfixed by Nixon in her re t u rnrole as the lead in last year’s C a roline, or Change at the Studio Theatre, DiLallo grew determined to help the forty-something songstress create an album that captured her astonishing voice and the new songs she’d written, many of which were i n s p i redby the blues that came with small town and small-time living. This month, Nixon celebrates her rebound with the release of her debut solo album, Keepin’ On Tr a c k , and a glitzy concert at the Lincoln Theatre. “Kevin went from fan to re c o rd mogul,” Nixon says. “In no time he c reated a label specifically for this project.” Others pitched in along the way, from musicians to admirers who wanted to see Nixon succeed. “There’s a lot of synchronicity to this project,” notes Nixon. The result of these collective eff o rts is a glorious neo-soul CD that seamlessly shifts from rhythm & blues to funky torch songs and velvety ballads. Nixon flexes her opera-trained vocal chords on a set of sassy numbers that evoke a dash of Diana Ross and a splash of Erykah Badu. “No one is more shocked than me,” says Nixon of her re t u rn to form. “When I took a hiatus to raise my son, I realized I could not both strive to be a star and raise my child. Returning to theater in the role of Caroline was pivotal and cathartic—it was the birth of so many things and I woke up e v e ry morning writing new songs. I felt I had awakened as an art i s t . ” Nixon’s newfound self-confidence is a vindicating crown on a career of hard work and uncertain gains. “I was a kid in this business, and now I’m an adult. It’s a diff e rence to be in control, to re c o rdmy songs the way I want to,” says Nixon, as she heads out on a European tour with the Blackbyrds. “At times I wonder ‘Have I lost my mind? What am I doing?’ For a while I thought I’d missed my chance, but I really think I have a shot at this.” Taking a time-honored cue from Effie White, Julia Nixon is poised to nail her second act. And it all makes sense, in that magical-theatrical kind of way. After all, once a Dreamgirl, always a dream girl. Tickets for Julia Nixon at the Lincoln Theatre, Nov. 17, available at box office and www.ticketmaster.com. “Keepin’ On Track” available at www.julianixon.com. PROJECT JULIA Dreamgirl Julia Nixon kicks her career into high gear A STAR IS REBORN: Julia Nixon is ready for her close-up. THE RADAR MUSIC BY GEORGE W. STONE PHOTOGRAPHY BY CADE MARTIN
Transcript of THE RADAR MUSIC - · PDF filethat evoke a dash of Diana Ross and a splash of Erykah Badu. ......
90 > NOVEMBER 2007
She rocked Radio City Music Hall, crooned at theKennedy Center, wooed the White House, dazzledDC theatergoers and—most famously—re p l a c e dJennifer Holliday as Effie White in the originalp roduction of D re a m g i r l s. So what on Earth was JuliaNixon doing serving country biscuits in Cary,N o rth Carolina? Imitating art that imitates life?
F rom Broadway to Bob Evans—not exactlys t a n d a rd starlette trajectory. But after a career of earlysuccesses as a singer, actress and R&B belter, this diva(and her celebrated four-octave voice) disappeared from the scene. Now, adecade since this sensational songbird lost her voice, scuttled her role in thenational touring cast of Smokey Joe’s Café and settled down with her son farbeyond the Beltway, Nixon is staging her comeback in a style befitting aRodgers and Hammerstein production number. In a “let’s all build the barn ”n u m b e r, Arlington-based attorney and longtime fan Kevin DiLallomarshalled friends, family, neighbors and even stylist-to-the-stars Erw i nGomez to give Nixon a power launch befitting the headliner she once was.
After having been transfixed by Nixon in her re t u rn role as the lead inlast year’s C a roline, or Change at the Studio Theatre, DiLallo grew determ i n e dto help the forty-something songstress create an album that captured herastonishing voice and the new songs she’d written, many of which werei n s p i red by the blues that came with small town and small-time living. Thismonth, Nixon celebrates her rebound with the release of her debut soloalbum, Keepin’ On Tr a c k, and a glitzy concert at the Lincoln Theatre.
“Kevin went from fan to re c o rd mogul,” Nixon says. “In no time hec reated a label specifically for this project.” Others pitched in along thew a y, from musicians to admirers who wanted to see Nixon succeed.“ T h e re ’s a lot of synchronicity to this project,” notes Nixon. The re s u l tof these collective eff o rts is a glorious neo-soul CD that seamlessly
shifts from rhythm & blues to funky torch songs and velvety ballads.Nixon flexes her opera-trained vocal chords on a set of sassy numbersthat evoke a dash of Diana Ross and a splash of Erykah Badu.
“No one is more shocked than me,” says Nixon of her re t u rn to form .“When I took a hiatus to raise my son, I realized I could not both strive tobe a star and raise my child. Returning to theater in the role of Caroline waspivotal and cathartic—it was the birth of so many things and I woke upe v e ry morning writing new songs. I felt I had awakened as an art i s t . ”
N i x o n ’s newfound self-confidence is a vindicating crown on a care e rof hard work and uncertain gains. “I was a kid in this business, and now I’man adult. It’s a diff e rence to be in control, to re c o rd my songs the way I wantto,” says Nixon, as she heads out on a European tour with the Blackbyrd s .“At times I wonder ‘Have I lost my mind? What am I doing?’ For a while Ithought I’d missed my chance, but I really think I have a shot at this.”
Taking a time-honored cue from Effie White, Julia Nixon is poisedto nail her second act. And it all makes sense, in that magical-theatricalkind of way. After all, once a Dreamgirl, always a dream girl.
Tickets for Julia Nixon at the Lincoln Theatre, Nov. 17, available at box office andw w w. t i c k e t m a s t e r.com. “Keepin’ On Track” available at www. j u l i a n i x o n . c o m .
PROJECT JULIADreamgirl Julia Nixon kicks her career into high gear
A STAR IS REBORN: Julia Nixon is ready for her close-up.
THERADARMUSICBY GEORGE W. STONE
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CADE MARTIN
90_R_Music_JuliaNixon_DC_P 11/1/07 2:37 PM Page 90
