Maureen McGovern was virtually unknown when she recorded “The Morning After” from the film “The Poseidon Adventure.” Now the singer is celebrating the song’s 45th anniversary.
She opens Lakeshore Community Concerts’ 2018-19 season Sept. 7 at Munster High School Auditorium.
“When I recorded the song that was my very first time in a recording studio. I was beyond grateful for the song. It was recorded in November 1972 and released in December 1972 with the movie ‘The Poseidon Adventure,’” said McGovern via phone from her central Ohio home.
“The movie took off and the song did absolutely nothing so the record company dropped it. In the spring when it was nominated for an Oscar and subsequently won, radio stations started to play it out of curiosity. There was this huge groundswell of people calling in just requesting it.
“It forced the record company to release it. By August of 1973 it was a gold record.”
McGovern, who previously performed with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, is touring in support of a deluxe version of 2016’s “You Raise Me Up: A Spiritual Journey.”
“We added a new version of ‘The Morning After’ and a recording of ‘Amazing Grace’ that I did with the Cincinnati Pops years ago,” she said about the 15-track version of “You Raise Me Up,” which was released in April.
“It’s life-affirming and positive for the most part, intimate and quiet. I felt the world was falling apart at the seams. We needed something to soothe the soul and inspire.”
McGovern’s set in Munster will feature material from “You Raise Me Up” as well as tributes to Ella Fitzgerald and Aretha Franklin, and Great American Songbook selections.
“It’s really eclectic with all the various kinds of things that I love to do from jazz to theater to pop to all kinds of spiritual music. I like to reinvent songs. There’s something timeless about great songs,” said McGovern, who added that she knew since third grade that she was going to be a singer.
“I’ve got a music director named Michael Shirtz who’s with me on this tour. He’s a wonderful songwriter and a beautiful singer in his own right. We do some duets together. It’s just an evening that’s a lot of fun.”
McGovern’s other hits include “Can You Read My Mind,” the love theme from the movie “Superman,” best original song Oscar winner “We May Never Love Like This Again” from “The Towering Inferno,” and “Different Worlds,” the theme song from TV series “Angie” and a Billboard Adult Contemporary No. 1.
“I just turned 69 and I feel blessed to still be doing what I love, first and foremost.,” said McGovern, whose onstage career began with her Broadway debut in 1981 in “The Pirates of Penzance” and included playing opposite Raul Julia in “Nine” and Sting in “3 Penny Opera.”
“Theater was a gift to me. I never ever dreamed that I would be on Broadway. I found a real home in theater. I had a glorious time.”
Tickets are $75 for Lakeshore Community Concerts’ 2018-19 season, which also includes Derik Nelson & Family on Oct. 9, Vocal Trash on Nov. 26, Vox Fortura on March 12, 2019, Ronan Tynan on April 8 and “SAXsational, The Next Generation” on May 10.
Lakeshore Community Concerts season subscribers also may attend reciprocity concerts presented by organizations including Concert Association of Valparaiso, La Porte Community Concert Association and Portage Township Live Entertainment Association.
Maureen McGovern
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When: 7 p.m. Sept. 7
Where: Munster High School Auditorium, 8808 Columbia Ave., Munster
Tickets: $30 per adult; $10 family add-on (all children)
Information: 219-923-7879; www.lakeshoreconcerts.org