In the Summer of 2005, Linda Eder and Michael Feinstein kicked-off the "Two For The Road" tour and quickly captured the hearts of fans nationwide. They've traveled from coast-to-coast for more than a year now, and everyone agrees — the show is a hit and we just can't wait for them to "duet" again!

Toni Alterman from Ohio writes...

"My husband, Michael Lichstein, Yoshi , our seeing eye dog from Morristown, New Jersey, and I attended Linda and Michael's 'Two For The Road' show and benefit for The Anti-Cruelty Society of Illinois at Ravinia in Chicago. Yoshi is a big Michael Feinstein fan, but he has a special place in his heart for beautiful women with gorgeous voices and looks forward to seeing Linda and Michael perform 'Two For The Road' together. Yoshi also saw Linda at Feinstein's At The Regency in May and plans to see her perform several times in 2007. He loves it best when Linda is with Michael Feinstein since he always gives Yoshi lots of attention." Linda and Michael's No. 1 canine fan, Yoshi, shares special moments with the stars of Two For The Road.

Alan Pacquer and Bob Rebl from Illinois write…

"Seeing Linda Eder in concert in always a treat, but seeing her perform with Michael Feinstein was twice the pleasure. Michael has always been a powerhouse performer, and seeing him perform with Linda Eder at Ravinia in Highland Park, Illinois, on July 19th was no disappointment. Linda and Michael harmonized perfectly that evening over the sound of the cicadas, and they effortlessly endured Chicago's summertime heat and humidity. Linda and Michael's friendly banter back and forth truly demonstrated to the audience their sincere friendship and professional commitment toward each other, and it was thoroughly enjoyed by the crowd. One of the highlights of the concert was Linda singing 'It's Almost Like Being In Love.' Hearing her sing with a live orchestra allows her to stretch the notes and phrases during the most climactic areas of the songs. Of course, that same command of the orchestra was evident during her singing of 'Don't Rain On My Parade.' Her dedication to those who have children, and even pets, was touching just before singing 'If I Could.' Linda and Michael playfully mimicked Sonny and Cher. Linda even did the 'finger through the hair' thing while licking her upper lip as Cher does. Now I'm confused, Linda. I thought Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand were your musical influences. I had joked with Linda after the concert about possibly performing with Barbra Streisand. She replied she didn't think it would be good for her career because the public may then perceive her to be a 'Barbra Streisand wanna-be.' Actually, my partner and I did have the honor of speaking with both Linda and Michael after the concert. Linda and Michael are both actively involved with animal support groups. Chicago's Anti-Cruelty Society sponsored a cocktail reception after their performance where they mingled with some of the Anti-Cruelty's supporters. The concert was truly a memorable experience, followed by joining Linda and Michael in their support for the animal population and then chatting with old and new friends. As always, Linda, thank you for coming back to Chicago and we are looking forward to your return real soon." Top left: Fan Alan Pacquer and Linda Eder; Top right: Fan Bob Rebl and Linda Eder Bottom: Fans Alan and Bob with Michael Feinstein

THE VOICE Catches Up With Linda and Michael
About Two For The Road...

VOICE: What has been most rewarding for you in working with Michael on Two For The Road?

LINDA: The companionship. Having someone to share the stage with. I really like to be up there playing off someone else and not always having the full weight of the show be on my shoulders. I have also really enjoyed learning some of the classic songs that we have in the show. I may not have ever sung some of them otherwise.

VOICE: What is your favorite song to sing with Michael?

LINDA: "Teach Me Tonight" is so much fun. I also really enjoy "Both Sides Now."

VOICE: Can you tell us one funny or memorable moment from your time on the road with Michael?

LINDA: We were doing a slow ballad and right in the beginning on one of the soft lines as Michael was about to sing, someone blew their nose really loudly. Michael's eyes almost crossed and for a second we held it, and then we both burst out laughing. Then the audience was laughing, and it went on for quite a while before we could get ourselves back together. I was afraid I wouldn't!

VOICE: Many of the topics we're going to discuss today actually have been generated by the fans. We've received so much positive feedback through e-mails directed to THE VOICE about how wonderful the "Two For The Road" show is, so congratulations! It's just an amazing show!

MICHAEL: Thank you! That makes me very happy!

VOICE: On stage, you do talk a little about the process of choosing the songs and how you would go down into the vault and find the music and bring it to life. [Michael laughs] Could you please expand a little bit on how you chose those wonderful songs we hear in the show?

MICHAEL: The process is one that is always daunting because of the number of options that are out there. For any entertainer, the first thing is simply starting to write down titles, thoughts and ideas. Things will pop into my head in the middle of the night if I'm in the mode of creating something. There is a subconscious process where the wheels start turning, so I find that I would make notes and jot things down and put some things on my little palm computer just to try and remember everything. Sometimes the things are good and sometimes they're bad, but it's a process that's a winnowing process. Then, of course, for this show it's finding out what Linda has in mind and comparing notes, and then looking at the practicalities of each song. At some point, we get down to the actual reality of figuring out how we are going to do it. For example, what key are we going to do it in? When songs are published, they're usually published in a man's key. Most female singers sing about four tones away from where a guy sings, so we have to pick a key that will work for both of us. In some cases, it's having Linda sing the melody in her key and I do most of the harmony, or it will be mainly in my key and she'll do most of the harmony. Then we have to break down the song line by line as to where the range suits each voice. It's a complicated process.

VOICE: With your background knowledge of the Great American Songbook, it must have been difficult to choose from so many wonderful songs.

MICHAEL: I did have a lot of thoughts, and Linda would always be willing to try the songs I suggested. She's very open and very game, and she's willing to go where we want to go. If it doesn't work, she'll say she doesn't think it's going to work. She's willing to try new things and experiment. It sometimes takes Linda a while to figure out if something is right or not because she has her own process of how that song feels, how she's going to interpret it, where she's going to put the accents on different parts of the lyric, and what kind of voice she's going to use. For example, in our opening number, "Some Enchanted Evening," do you use a soft voice or do you use a loud voice? There are choices that you have to make as to where it fits comfortably in the voice, and then interpretively how it affects the words. Sometimes you don't know that until you get in front of an audience because when you sing in front of an audience, it brings out something that's completely different. There's something that happens with adrenalin when you have the interplay and the energy of a "live" show that can completely change an interpretation.

VOICE: As you continue to tour, do you think we can expect other songs to come into the mix?

MICHAEL: Certainly the fact that we've been asked to return to some of the places we've played before is a motivation. Because of the process I just described, it's not always easy to add new numbers. It involves rehearsal and a process that we sometimes don't have the luxury of time to experience before the next gig. Certainly the most important thing is that we keep it fresh for ourselves and then it is fresh for the audience.

VOICE: We'd like to talk a little bit about the fans since you mentioned that the energy from the crowd can affect the way the show is perceived. You have actually created a whole new category of fan. There were "Michael fans" and "Linda fans" and now we have "Michael/Linda fans." Recently after a concert we heard someone in the audience saying, "He's Feinstein and she's Eder, but together they're finer." [Michael chuckles] How does hearing something like that make you feel?

MICHAEL: It's very gratifying. It feels wonderful because our desire, to put it simply, was to create one and one equals three. We wanted to create something together that we couldn't do separately that would make our fans, the people who know our work or know one or the other, happy. Our desire was to create something new that would not in one way or the other detract from what we normally do individually. Hopefully it would just add something new to the mix, and that makes me very happy. I know that inevitably there will be people who will prefer each of us individually, but certainly the response that we have had collectively has been magnificent and has made us both very happy.

VOICE: Do you have a personal favorite moment from the show now that you have been doing it for over a year?

MICHAEL: My personal favorites change from night to night even though I do love "Both Sides Now," and I'm so grateful Linda suggested that as a duet. That is one of my favorites every night, but so much of the show is just wonderful to sing. It feels great to sing it with Linda. I also am very fond of "I'd Rather Leave While I'm In Love." It's a very heartfelt, passionate song that I love singing as I look into her eyes.

VOICE: We don't know how you manage to hold your breath for that long!

MICHAEL: I have to do it because Linda does it! I just have to try to keep up!

VOICE: Do you have a favorite venue where you've performed Two For The Road?

MICHAEL: Each place brings something special to the experience. I can't say that I do. We've done this show in different kinds of places, one being "in the round" both indoor and outdoor, namely Westbury Music Fair on Long Island and three "in the round" venues in Massachusetts [Melody Tent in Hyannis, South Shore Music Circus in Cohasset, and North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly]. We've also done what they call "sheds" like Ravinia in Chicago and the Mann Center in Philadelphia, and we've done traditional theatres. Each one of them brings something different. Performing in the round, of course, changes completely what we do because we have people surrounding us, and therefore we have to be aware of that when we sing our duets to each other. We also have to make sure that everybody else feels included. I think that was most challenging for both of us at first, but now we're quite comfortable with that in the way we both move. We work the room and make sure it's covered. Acoustically every place is different, and certainly the most challenging are the outdoor venues. You can rehearse all you want setting the sound, but as soon as the audience arrives, it completely changes the acoustical characteristics. Sometimes adjustments are made during the show.

VOICE: Not to mention how hot it can get at the outdoor venues during the summer!

MICHAEL: Absolutely! Of all the places we played this year, I was the hottest at Ocean Grove, New Jersey. I don't ever remember being that hot on stage, and Linda looked cool as a cucumber. Usually it's the other way around because I have a great tolerance for heat, but that night was very uncomfortable. Even though it was a place of Methodist tradition, I felt like I was in hell! The only thing that made it wonderful was that the audience was so great that it transcended the heat. It was just physically uncomfortable.

VOICE: We'd like to talk about some things that you mention on stage during the shows, specifically cataloging music for the Gershwins. Can you tell us what is involved in the process of cataloging music and how that experience has benefited you as a performer?

MICHAEL: Cataloging is a very general term. In the process of working for Ira Gershwin, which I did for six years, I became his archivist. I had to organize his memorabilia of all different kinds, from his brother George's little black book with his girlfriends' phone numbers to other physical artifacts that George had left behind: papers, musical manuscripts, lyric sheets, recordings on disc, old reel-to-reel tapes, and cassettes. That was a learning process. When I say "cataloging music," generally it means organizing materials so that if something is needed it can be found. For example, looking up a composer, a lyricist, a subject, a title, a year, or a show. It's cross-indexing all these things so that if I'm working on a particular concept or theme, I can locate what I need to help me accomplish my goal. In the process of cataloging music, I've learned a great deal about songs and songwriters because there are different editions of songs where the lyrics will change because of something that's happened in the world. The songwriter may rewrite it or it may be censored or an early edition will have a whole two-page verse that precedes the chorus that they'll later cut out because they want to save money on printing the song. It could be anything! I learn a great deal about the songs by discovering the different editions and reading the information on the cover of a sheet, where it may reveal to me who introduced a song or other pieces of history that will place it in a context and this will help me interpretively. And also in going through music, I will file it in the back of my brain. I'll think, "Oh, this would be good for this kind of show or this would be a good duet or this would be good to do with Linda." So those things go into my brain, or I'll make some a note somewhere with the intention of eventually coming back to it.

VOICE: Is there any particular person or event that sparked your interest in and passion for the Great American Songbook?

MICHAEL: My parents were the first people to interest me in the Great American Songbook, even though that isn't what it was called when I was a child. Their love of this music was transmitted to me. Certainly working for Ira Gershwin was an extraordinary experience. I met him when I was 20 years old, and he introduced me to many other songwriters who wrote the songs that I now sing. Meeting Rosemary Clooney was one of the great gifts of my life. She was Ira Gershwin's next door neighbor, and she taught me interpretively so much of how to sing any kind of song and about connecting to the lyric and how to express an emotion. I remember when I did my first recording. With trepidation, I asked Rosemary if she would sing a duet with me and she generously agreed to do so. When we were singing, I was nervous. At one point she said, "Honey, when you sing that phrase, smile. People will be able to hear it." And I suddenly understood that the physical expressions that we have on our face when we sing not only transmits visually, but orally. We hear them.

VOICE: We know that Frank Sinatra was a big influence on your style of singing. Is there anything you learned from him that is reflected in the way you perform today?

MICHAEL: Frank Sinatra had a supreme confidence, and that's one thing he did better than any other singer. He had a swagger when he chose to do a swing number that was complete dominance in the way he sang a song. I was fascinated by that and still am. It was almost an arrogance, but it didn't come off that way. It was just a supreme confidence. He also was not afraid to be vulnerable, which was the important counterpart to the swagger. And so I learned not only about both of those things, but also the importance of being able to express all different sorts of attitudes. From him I learned that I didn't want to mess around with the lyrics as he did in some cases. He sometimes would change around the lyric in a way that I wouldn't like. This gave me a consciousness of being truer to the lyric.

VOICE: Please tell us a little about your charity work with animals. As you know, Linda's fans have been supporting Pets Alive, and we know you do a lot of charity work with animals as well.

MICHAEL: I have a deep love for animals because I have never considered them second-class residents to humans on earth. To me, animals have just as much of a right to live as we do, and there is a generally accepted belief that we have dominance over animals and we have the right to do whatever we want to them and with them. I don't see it that way. I feel that God created all sorts of creatures on the earth and it is our responsibility to take care of them and not hurt them and destroy them or even eat them.

VOICE: Really? You're a vegetarian?

MICHAEL: I find that I can live very healthfully without eating animals. I'm a vegan. I don't discuss it because I feel that just by living my life a certain way is powerful enough in itself. I just feel that we are here to protect other creatures, and so I have been involved with the ASPCA and also with the Los Angeles Zoo doing benefits for them and doing other sorts of work in other ways, sometimes very small ways, just to help. I would never buy an animal from a pet store. I always have rescue animals and it's just a very important part of my life. I treasure animals and they have vastly improved my quality of life.

VOICE: Can you tell us a little about the pets you have? Are you a dog person?

MICHAEL: Yes, I am a dog person, but I have more cats because cats are easier to take care of with my traveling lifestyle. I have two rescue cats that live in New York… they receive constant attention when I'm gone, and I have a stray that moved in with me in Los Angeles. I have a Shitzu with me here in Los Angeles and she mainly spends time with my parents. She's thrilled to be there because they dote on her 24 hours a day and, even sometimes against my wishes, they take her to Burger King for a burger. They take the drive-thru with the dog! She loves it and I object to it, but the dog thinks it's the high point of her day when they take her to Burger King. Grandma and Grandpa have spoiled my baby!

VOICE: Is there anything you would like to say to the fans?

MICHAEL: My feeling is very simple. I would not be here if people didn't want to hear what I do. Especially so with Linda and I trying out a show together, we knew we would only succeed if fans liked what we do. I am well aware that making a living as a performer, which is my favorite pursuit, is an extraordinary gift. It's a blessing, and I do not take it for granted. I know that I would not be able to live a dream if it were not for people who also wanted to hear me sing. So very simply to anyone who likes what I do or what any entertainer does and supports them, a very heartfelt thank you is the best way I can describe my feelings.

VOICE: On behalf of THE VOICE and all the fans who truly love Two For The Road, thank you for the wonderful show you and Linda have created. It has brought joy to so many and we know it will continue to do so. Thank you for spending this time speaking with us.

We would love to hear from you! Please write to THE VOICE at lethevoice@comcast.net
or feel free to share your comments in THE VOICE section of the Linda Eder Message Board.