There's no doubting that Linda Eder is an incredibly talented singer. As an artist, her caliber of talent is rivaled by few in the music industry. Her music has brought innumerable hours of enjoyment to her fans. But there's another phenomenon surrounding this songstress that we at THE VOICE hear about time and time again — Linda's music brings people together. Across distance, space and time... across the barriers of age, race and gender... we've heard countless stories of how Linda's music healed relationships, forged new ones, and brought strangers as close together as family.

With Linda's Valentine's Day concert this past February, we thought it a fitting time to celebrate some of those relationships.

Valentine’s Day was extra special for one Tennessee couple this year, and they were thrilled to have the opportunity to share their amazing love story and photos with the readers of THE VOICE. Trisha and Jim Clark credit Linda’s music with helping to rekindle their love for each other after many years.

What Linda and Her Music Mean to Me
By Jim Clark

Jim and Trisha dating in 1978.

Jim and Trisha on their wedding day, October 26, 2008.

Jim and Trisha meet Linda in person (Clearwater, FL).

Thirty-one years ago in 1977, I was teaching a computer class at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. At the time, I was a recently divorced 33-year-old man. My students were primarily adults who had returned to college to complete their degrees. One of my students was a 27-year-old dental hygienist. Not surprisingly, I was attracted to her and soon began dating Trisha.

We dated for about a year and then drifted apart, but I never forgot her. Not long after, I moved to Florida, met another woman, got married, and continued my career. Subsequently, I retired. My wife passed away in the winter of 2007-2008. A month or so later, I was surfing the Internet and, for curiosity sake, I ran a Google search on Trisha’s name. Surprisingly, it popped up in an alumni section of her college sorority’s newsletter. I got her address and phone number and gave her a call and we began talking. 

While she was unattached and had no other suitor in her life, she was initially hesitant to resurrect our courtship, especially since it would be a long-distance one because I was living in Florida and she was in Tennessee. We did continue to talk on the phone. The more we talked, the more I was confident that I wanted to begin our relationship again.

I had seen Linda Eder perform on a couple of segments of the “Regis and Kathie Lee” talk show (not the current Regis and Kelly version) a number of years ago. I had been totally enthralled by her talent and had bought several of her CDs. In particular, I loved the CD entitled IT’S TIME, and the song with the same title was one of my favorites. During one of my conversations with Trisha, I mentioned that I had the answer for her reluctance. I put on Linda’s CD and held the phone up to the stereo speakers so that we could share the sentiments Linda gave such an eloquent voice to. It was a magic moment.

Soon we were listening to Linda together during all of our phone calls, sometimes as background music, sometimes as the total conversation. I know that sounds like typical teenagers, but we’re not that. We are in our 50s and 60s. Of course, I soon ordered the CDs for Trisha so that she could have her own copies.  

The various elements in Linda’s songs seemed to speak to us and to our relationship. Particularly, we listened to the musings in “I Don’t Know How To Say Goodbye,” which also directly reflected our earlier parting (we never did say goodbye then), and the clear longings we had remaining as shown in our fondness for “Someone Like You.” But, while we loved all of Linda’s music, the sentiments in “It’s Time” spoke to us most clearly. 

After two months of long-distance conversation, we decided to see each other face-to-face for the first time in thirty years. Thanks to Linda, her voice, and her music, the meeting was more like an absence of thirty minutes. Yes, we had changed. Time does that to you. But Trisha was still the girl I had loved then… sophisticated and worldly, but still an enthusiastic cheerleader-of-life in her heart. We exemplified the contradictions Linda echoes in “I’m Afraid This Must Be Love.”  We were truly in love again.

After our visit, we returned to our normal lives. But I took the lessons of “It’s Time” to heart and drew up a large poster saying, “I love you. You love me! It’s time! Will you marry me?” After I drove to Knoxville in August to present it and an engagement ring to Trisha, she said, “Yes!!” We were married on October 26, 2008. We have a CD player in our bedroom and each evening at bedtime we listen to the entire IT’S TIME CD while we share our thoughts and experiences on the day and renew our love affair one more time.

Thanks very much to Linda and her music. She played a large part in our getting back together, even if it took us thirty years to get it right. In January, we had the opportunity to attend Linda’s show in Clearwater, Florida, and we were thrilled to be able to meet Linda and tell her how special her music is to us.

On October 12, 2008, a very special reunion took place. A large group of dear friends, who met through Linda and her music, gathered for a glorious celebration… the wedding of EDER-tor Amanda Christensen and Michael Feliu.

The Happiest Day of My Life...
by Amanda Feliu

The new Mr. and Mrs. Feliu!

The new Mrs. Feliu and her gorgeous bridesmaids, Sheryl, Shannon, Donna and Tracy.

Amanda at her surprise Bridal Shower with co-EDERtors Ellen and Lori.

Sunday, October 12, 2008, was the happiest day of my life. It was the day I promised forever to Michael - the love of my life, my best friend and soul mate. It was a beautiful Indian Summer day with bright blue skies and a warm breeze. We celebrated our love surrounded by all the people we love. It was our wedding day and it couldn't have been more perfect. It was a fairytale beginning to the story we're writing together.

When most people plan a wedding, one of the first things they do is determine a budget and draft a preliminary guest list. After all, you have to figure out how many people you can afford to feed! So the list gets divided into sections by family and friends, and many times an "A" list and a "B" list are formed. We were inviting A LOT of family. Inevitably, our list of friends got divided into categories… "family friends," "high school/college friends," "work friends," "neighborhood friends," and, yes, "Eder friends."

I always knew Linda's music brought amazing people into my life, but when I sat down to make a physical list of those who truly matter to me - those people who I'd want to share something as important as my wedding day with - I was surprised by the length of the list. There were so many people that I couldn't imagine NOT sharing our special day with. Needless to say they all made the "A" list! We had our Eder guests come from New York, Connecticut, Baltimore and as far away as Chicago… I wanted them all there, and I was so moved that they made the trip.

And it didn't stop there… many of my "Eder family" (as I call them, since to me they are so much more than friends) played important roles in the wedding itself. Shannon Kmet, my friend since childhood who has attended countless concerts with me, was my maid of honor. Sheryl Jacobs (daughter of EDER-tor Ellen Jacobs), who has become a true friend for life, was a bridesmaid. Tracy Sirani, who I met only a few years ago through Linda but who I feel like I've known forever, was also a bridesmaid. None of these women are family in the traditional meaning of the word, but yet they are all family to me… and each one with an "Eder connection." My matron of honor was my sister-in-law Donna, whom I love just as much as a sister… even though there's no "Eder connection" there. I'll forgive her that. [wink]

All kidding aside though, the "Eder connection" didn't stop at the bridal party… there were other important roles that I would have had no one else fill. My co-EDERtor, Ellen, whose friendship means the world to me, did a reading from The Bible during our church service. It meant so much to me that Ellen was able to participate in this special way. Looking up at her as she read the word of God during the ceremony is a moment I will always cherish. And Alicia (Sanchez) Horbachevsky sang. Ali is a fan whom I've known f-o-r-e-v-e-r and I feel blessed to have befriended her so deeply. As you can imagine, music is important to me! And I wanted the music at our marriage ceremony to be nothing but the best. Ali sang "Grow Old Along With Me" for the lighting of our unity candle, and Linda's version of "Ave Maria" for a special prayer and offering to Mary. She sang with the voice of an angel. I don't know if she'll ever appreciate what a gift she gave us one our wedding day through those songs.

I think back on those moments and I get tears in my eyes from the sheer beauty of it all. On my wedding day, all "my girls" were so beautiful, inside and out. (they still are!) I was so grateful to have them all stand up with me on that beautiful day.

And so it's clear… as I look back on the happiest day of my life, it's crystal clear that Linda's music has indeed brought the most amazing people into my life. It's a story I hear time and time again as an Editor of THE VOICE… and it's a story that resonates on a very personal level. Good music leads to good times and good people - people who can change your life, for the good! I know they have mine.

Amanda and Linda at Linda's Cape Cod show on Amanda's Bachelorette (or should we say "BachelorEDER!") Weekend in New England.		Amanda and Ali, soloist at the wedding ceremony.

Mr. and Mrs. Feliu with their "Eder family" at the wedding reception.

VALENTINE'S DAY 2009

On February 14, 2009, Linda appeared in Fort Wayne , Indiana for a special Valentine’s Day concert. Fans have reported that not many in the audience were familiar with Linda before that evening, but as only Linda can do, she captivated them with her amazing voice and down-to-earth personality. By the end of the evening, Linda had a theatre full of fans. We have included some fan reviews and photos from this wonderful evening.

J.R. Brown from Indiana writes…

Linda Eder’s performance in Fort Wayne was exciting and fresh. She came to center stage with grace, dignity, and humility… a quiet beauty, easy on the eyes, a singer who came to entertain us. WOW! It was quickly obvious that she wasn’t typical. Linda didn’t put forth arrogance like she did us a favor showing up. She came to entertain and share a part of herself through her talent, her fabulous voice being that special vehicle, and on Valentine’s Day no less.

The smooth quality and projection of her voice is easy on the ear and brings great pleasure. Her style was especially appealing to me, and from the applause she received there are a whole lot of people who agree with me. I’m not a music critic, but I know what I like. Linda can be a little bit sultry or bring down the house with a grand performance when appropriate. It’s the flow of her voice and the delivery that has to come naturally or it doesn’t occur at all.

Her comments between numbers were quite nice and there could have been more, but I think her unassuming nature let it be enough. I enjoyed hearing about her son, Jake. Her trip by car so she could look at horses on the way was so real. I respect how she has placed Jake first and found a way to provide on her terms. Now that is a tough lady with a soft and gentle side. Her comments about her career performances were fun and informative. She doesn’t take herself too seriously, but those experiences have brought her to where she is in her life. I would classify her as an entertainer, not just a singer. But a fabulous singer! She seems to know who she is and what she wants. BRAVO!

The substance of her style says a lot. The smooth delivery and flow of her mellow sound rivals any that I’ve ever heard. She feels her songs as she gives them to us. Part of her comes out in her performance in such a natural way that it is a dynamic all its own. I don’t buy CDs at concerts, but I bought hers!

Linda’s audience was captivated by her, and I say this because she had them in the palm of her hand as soon as she began her first number. They knew from that point they were in for a tremendous evening. A range of songs and her range of delivery made for a most interesting and delightful evening. When the evening came to a close, it was too soon. She received standing ovations and sadly had to limit the curtain calls. I hope Linda Eder returns to Fort Wayne often. It was a fun evening, delightful entertainment from a very real and classy lady.

Tim Malenock from Illinois writes…

Linda with fans Julio Perez and Tim Malenock

My partner Julio and I drove about three hours from Chicago to attended Linda's Valentine's Day concert with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic Orchestra, and what a concert! This was my fifth time seeing Linda over a span of 13 years now, and it was Julio's second concert. I first saw Linda in JEKYLL & HYDE back in 1995 when it was on tour in Cleveland, Ohio, and that's when I fell in love with Linda's voice. Ever since then, I try to see her concerts when I can. I'm a singer myself on and off for the past 15 years, and Linda has always inspired me to keep on singing when I can. 
 
Her Valentine's Day concert was a great representation of Linda's repertoire, including Judy Garland selections, standards and Broadway classics that have been part of Linda's repertoire for years. Both Julio and I were eagerly anticipating her rendition of "I Am I, Don Quixote" from MAN OF LA MANCHA. Julio affectionately refers to Linda's "growly voice" in this song, always awaiting it at the end of the song. He was greatly satisfied with her performance of this song, as was I. Also, I was pleasantly surprised when she sang "Someone Like You," which always takes me back to her performance of this song in JEKYLL & HYDE in 1995. She rarely sings this song in her concerts so this was one of those rare occasions. And last but not least, her rendition of "Don't Rain On My Parade," which shows her outstanding breath support, was a great crowd pleaser as well. 
 
Speaking of the crowd, there were not (at least from our perspective in the Orchestra seating area) many who knew of Linda by the show of hands. By the end of the concert though, the non-familiar were standing twice in ovation of her performance, but she only did one Encore. Oh, by the way, my partner was the one who yelled out, "WE LOVE YOU, LINDA!" to which Linda chuckled and replied with a "thank you" and said that it was nice to hear she's loved on Valentine's Day.
 
I just wanted to thank Linda for performing such a great array of music for this special concert. Call me old fashioned, but I like my brunette belters. She's often compared to Barbra Streisand, but I see much difference. In fact, the other night at a bar in Chicago I had played Linda's rendition of "What Kind Of Fool Am I" (one of my favorites) on a juke box, and a few patrons were asking each other, “Is that Barbara? Is that Babs?" I had to chime in and inform them they were listening to someone much better, Linda Eder.

Toni Alterman from Ohio writes…

Linda with fans Michael Lichstein and Toni Alterman

My husband Michael, Winston (his seeing-eye dog), and I were able to spend Valentine’s night with Linda. We were so excited when planning our weekend and decided not only to celebrate Valentine’s Day this past weekend, but also our anniversary, which is one week later. Michael Feinstein was performing with the Indianapolis Symphony for three nights, and amazingly Valentine’s night Linda was performing with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic just a little over 100 miles away. So we purchased tickets for Michael for Friday and Sunday and for Linda on Saturday. All three shows were wonderful. We listened to the music of Frank Sinatra and then Judy Garland. It was all very nostalgic and lovely. Linda was confident and warm and she not only sang Judy’s songs, but also some of the songs that she knows her fans love (“Don’t Rain On My Parade,” “ Vienna ,” “Gold,” “Man Of La Mancha ,” etc.). The theatre was very old and beautiful, and afterwards we attended a reception in the adjoining lobby of what used to be an elegant old hotel. They served drinks and desserts. We visited with Linda briefly, got some hugs and photos, spent some time with Gerry and her granddaughter, and then headed back to our hotel in Indianapolis for another night of music. It was a magical evening, and we arrived back in Indianapolis shortly after 2 a.m., exhausted but happy. Linda is so wonderful!

Abigail Zinser from Kentucky writes…

Linda with fans Abigail Zinser and Gerry Cardwell (Abigail's Grandmother)

This was my fourth Linda Eder concert that I have ever attended.

Everything had been so wonderful the first three times, so I thought that this time would be the same. We walked into the theatre and my jaw dropped. I had never seen anything so beautiful... I couldn't believe it. As we found our seats, I was pinching myself.

The orchestra was wonderful, but where was Linda? When they welcomed Linda, my grandma and I looked at each other and smiled. Linda looked amazing with an outstanding dress. When she started singing, she was even better than I had remembered. The CDs don't do her justice. She sang “Gold,” which is my favorite.

We went to the after party with some friends. We chatted with Linda and got some pictures with her. I cannot wait until my next concert. In fact, Grandma just invited me to go to Schenectady with her in two weeks. Wow!

Gerry Cardwell from Kentucky writes…

It's so hard for me to write reviews. Every concert is special for me. I feel so blessed to see Linda fairly often. The real kick this time was taking Abigail with me.

As always, Linda looked stunning and sounded in top form. She graced us with a wonderful mix of Broadway and Garland tunes. I think she sang every love song she knows and dedicated them to a very supportive audience. She took a poll of folks who had seen her before. There were only a few, along with us, that knew of her. I enjoyed sitting next to some “new” fans. They hurried to the lobby after the show to purchase Linda’s CDs.

Linda, as always, you left us wanting more. The evening ended way too soon.

Kevin Whitmore from Indiana writes…

Music lovers in Fort Wayne, Indiana were treated to a special Valentine's Day gift, as Linda Eder made a guest appearance with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic Orchestra. The orchestra warmed up the audience in the ornate Embassy Theatre (They don't make them like this anymore!) with selections from Tchaikovsky's "Romeo and Juliet," selections by Khachaturian (Who knew that he wrote the music for a ballet about Spartacus?) and Bernstein's "West Side Story."

After the intermission, Linda was introduced. There was an audible gasp as she made her way to center stage wearing a strapless, black-and-purple sequined gown. John Oddo did an excellent job of conducting the orchestra as Linda launched into a medley of songs made famous by Judy Garland including "Almost Like Being In Love/This Can't Be Love," "Zing! Went The Strings Of My Heart," and "The Trolley Song.” The Garland tribute continued with a medley of "The Boy Next Door/You Made Me Love You." And, as the song says and I feel, "I'm just another fan of yours, but I think you ought to know...”

Linda related the story of portraying Mother Superior in THE SOUND OF MUSIC. While we were hoping for her rendition of "Climb Every Mountain," Linda instead sang "Someone Like You" from her only Broadway performance in JEKYLL & HYDE. The audience couldn't miss the heartbreak that is at the heart of the song. "Gold" was pure gold. A never-released song, "It's All For You," featured a beautiful saxophone solo by an orchestra member. Linda out-did Barbra Streisand when she belted "Don't Rain On My Parade," holding the final note longer than the parade itself.   

An upbeat version of "By Myself" was preceded by a Valentine's Day tie-in by Linda. "In love, you have to take the good with the bad. And sometimes being by yourself is part of that." Linda's son Jake was the focus of "If I Could," followed by a rainbow medley including "The Rainbow's End,” “I'm Always Chasing Rainbows,” and “Over The Rainbow.” The optimism of those songs was countered by the scarred and battered reality of "The Impossible Dream." The audience response moved Linda to take a break from singing to introduce her band members and give kudos to the Fort Wayne Philharmonic.

Linda made a lot of new fans as well as delighting the old ones by making this concert very personal. She wished everyone a Happy Valentine's Day, saying, "It's Valentine's Day… and I'm working." Her “work” included driving the entire distance of 700 miles from upstate New York to northern Indiana by herself! While those of us in the audience were thinking, "Are you crazy?" Linda explained that her journey was inspired by her love of horses, and there were a few horse farms she wanted to visit on the way back. However, driving to and from Northern Indiana in February is many people's idea of an “impossible dream.” We're glad you had the guts, Linda.

Linda's signature song, "Vienna," followed her comment, "I'll be singing this song when I'm 90-years-old… if I can still remember the words!" The familiar trumpet solo opened the beginning of the next song, Linda's unique and powerful rendering of "Man Of La Mancha." The audience responded with a standing ovation. Linda returned to the stage, acknowledging the audience response by saying, "You made it worth driving 700 miles."  For an encore, Linda and the orchestra concluded the concert with the appropriately hopeful song, "If I Had My Way." One audience member, who had never heard Linda sing, commented on the way out, "The only thing wrong with the concert was that it was over too soon."

To Linda: All of us who were at the Embassy Theatre thank you for an amazing Valentine's Day gift. We only hope you could sense the love we all had for you. Don't stay away too long.

Rachel Wenning from Indiana writes…

Valentine’s Day is known as a night of excitement and romance. Couples everywhere plan special ways to celebrate their love by going out for a fabulous dinner, dancing the night away, or finding some unique and memorable event to mark this holiday. This year my husband planned the ultimate surprise for me by purchasing tickets for us to watch my favorite vocalist of all time, Linda Eder, in concert on Valentine’s Day at the Embassy Theatre in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

I had never heard Linda sing live before but was very familiar with all of her recordings and accolades. You see, I coach young ladies who are preparing vocal solos for the Miss Indiana Pageant and their preliminaries. I have used many of Linda’s fabulous arrangements with these successful young ladies. A person just can’t find better music to showcase a vocalist’s talents. My husband, John, is a choral educator at Huntington North High School in Huntington, Indiana. He has arranged a few of Linda’s songs for use with his show choir, the Varsity Singers. One of my favorites is his vocal arrangement of the song “Gold.” Thinking that I would be seeing such a musical icon on Valentine’s Day excited me. I knew I would sit in my seat singing the lyrics to every selection performed.

Many times when you hear an artist’s recordings, they have been digitally mastered to the point where they are flawless. Every note is on pitch. Every rhythm sung to perfection, and every dynamic nuanced to the point of pulling the listener into the moment. Would Linda be able to deliver a performance that matched the quality of what her recordings represented? I am proud to say that she did that and more! From the first moment that she walked onstage, she looked regal from head to toe in a stunning brown strapless evening gown. Every single piece that she sang that night gave me chills. There are very few singers who have the kind of breath support and power that Linda showcases while she is performing. Her songs were sung with emotion and a dynamic sense of pitch. The Fort Wayne Philharmonic did an incredible job of creating a beautiful musical tapestry to highlight Linda’s vocal talents. We were treated with ninety minutes of powerful music that sent electricity through the room. At the end of the concert Linda received a standing ovation, and the applause continued until we were all treated to an encore. The song choices definitely did not disappoint even those in the audience who had never heard of her before. I truly believe that Linda acquired many new fans that night who left the Embassy having experienced the concert of a lifetime.

My Valentine’s Day concert that I shared with my precious husband and Linda Eder is something I will remember for a lifetime. It makes me anxious for the day when she will soon return to the area. Linda, know that you are loved and respected by many of us who are vocalists, musicians, and fans. Keep singing with that beautiful voice God has blessed you with, and we’ll keep filling your concert halls with smiles on our faces and music in our hearts.