Nov. 24, 2009 : Broadway songstress Linda Eder

UP NEXT, CENTER STAGE WITH SINGER LINDA EDER.
SINGER LINDA EDER IS IN TOWN FOR A CONCERT SATURDAY AT THE BERKE LEE PERFORMANCE CENTER.
I RECENTLY MED UP WITH HER.
ß SMILE THOUGH YOUR HEART IS BREAKING.
>> A STUNNER ON BROADWAY AND CERTAINLY IN CONCERT, LINDA EDER IS A CELEBRATED SINGER, RATHER AT ODDS WITH WHO SHE IS IN HER PERSONAL LIFE.
>> I'M A COUNTRY GIRL.
I'M MUCH HAPPIER AT HOME CLEANING STALLS AND DRIVING A TRACTOR AND BUILDING SOMETHING, THAT'S VERY MUCH ME.
SO THAT'S BEEN MY TRADEOFF IN LIFE.
>> HARD TO BELIEVE, SINCE ON STAGE EDER IS A POWER HOUSE, WITH A VOICE THAT'S LONG AND DEAR TO HER CRITICS AND FAN BASE.
>> I'VE STOOD BACK STAGE MANY TIMES, ABOUT TO GO OUT THERE SO SOIK TO MY STOMACH AND SO AFRAID AND GOING WHY AM I PUTTING MYSELF THROUGH THIS, BUT YOU CAN'T HELP IT IF IT'S WHAT YOU LOVE.
BECAUSE IF I GO TOO LONG WITHOUT SINGING, I'M MISSING SOMETHING.
>> EDER FOUND NATIONAL FAME IN 1988 WITH A HUGELY SUCCESSFUL 12-WEEK RUN ON STAR SEARCH.
THAT LANDED HER A LEAD ROLE IN JEKYLL AND HYDE ON BROADWAY AND WITH RECOGNITION THAT HERS WAS A VOICE THAT COULD ARREST, THAT COULD INDEED STOP SHOWS.
ß SOMEONE, SOMEWHERE, SUDDENLY NOTHING WOULD EVER BE THE SAME.
>> THE CRITICS OVER THE YEARS HAVE BEEN GENERALLY GOOD TO ME, BUT THE ONE CONSISTENT THING THAT HAS BEEN SAID WAS THAT I WAS A STREISAND WANT ABE.
AND I NEVER THOUGHT THEY WERE WRONG.
I GOT GOOD AT THAT, I BASED A WHOLE CAREER ON IT.
>> SHE IS REFRESHINGLY HONEST, BUT AT THE SAME TIME KNOWS HER STRENGTH.
THERE IS A REASON THAT SHE'S DRAWN TO SINGERS LIKE STREISAND AND ANOTHER FAVORITE, JUDY GARLAND.
SHE, LIKE THEM, IS AMONG THE BEST OF THE BETHERS.
-- THE BELTERS.
>> THAT STYLE OF MUSIC LENDS ITSELF TO GOOSE BUMPS BECAUSE IT'S ALL ABOUT PUSHES AND PULLS, HOLD BACKS, CRESCENDOS, GOING FROM ZERO TO 100 IN A HEART BEAT WITH YOUR VOICE, THINGS THAT GET PEOPLE, GIVING THEM GOOSE BUMPS, GET THEM EMOTIONALLY INVOLVED.
>> WHERE DO YOU GO WHEN YOU ARE BELTING OUT THOSE SONGS?
>> WHERE DO I GO?
IN MY MIND?
>> YES.
>> WELL, YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT I DON'T HEAR MYSELF THE WAY YOU HEAR ME.
I HEAR WHAT I'M TRYING TO ATTAIN.
AND I'M NEVER GOING TO GET THERE.
SO THE BEST PERFORMING I CAN HAVE IS WHEN I CAN LET THAT GO.
>> MODESTY IS ANOTHER EDER HALLMARK.
FLYING LOWER ON THE CELEBRITY RADAR, EDER SAYS SHE'S KEPT HER MUSIC INDEPENDENT, ESPECIALLY AFTER YEARS OF SINGING THE SAME OLD, SAME OLD, SHE SAYS.
>> IT GOT HARDER AND HARDER TO WANT TO GET OUT THE DOOR AND GO.
NOW IT'S EXCITING AGAIN.
>> SHE WENT COUNTRY FOR HER LAST CD AND FOR THE JUST RELEASED SOUTHBOUND TRACK SHE COVERS SONGS FROM FILMS.
>> THE MOVIE THEMES JUMPED OUT AT ME BECAUSE I HAVE SO MANY FAVORITE SONGS FROM THE MOVIES, LIKE EVERYONE ELSE.
SO I CHOSE SONGS BASED ON THE FACT THAT I LOVED IT AND ALSO BECAUSE I COULD SORT OF HEAR AN ARRANGEMENT.
I'M OLD ENOUGH NOW THAT I CAN SAY THIS IS ME, NOW E.
IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT FINE.
BUT HOPEFULLY YOU WILL.
I DON'T FEEL LIKE I'M MIMICKING OR WEARING THE OUTFIT OR OF ANOTHER ICON OR PAST PERFORMER ANY MORE.
>> TO SEE LINDA EDER SING, CHECK OUT OUR GREATER BOSTON WEB EXTRA AT GREATERBOSTON.ORG.
I'M JARED BOWEN.
GOOD NIGHT.
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