The Anne Cochran Concert, February 1st, SS Pride

This year’s Anne Cochran Valentine Cruise Concert took place on board the SS Pride, somewhere between Mexico’s Pacific coast and the Sea of Cortez, amidst spouting whales and clowning porpoises. The show made for a perfect ending to a perfect day spent (on land) in beautiful Cabo. Cochran kept very quiet all day, warmed up for a few hours before the show and was in velvet voice for her special evening…

Filled to capacity, the Butterflies Lounge was Cochran’s own that night. Stunning in a shimmering platinum-spangled jacket, slinky black pants, sexy stilettos and a rare tan, the artist opened with her upbeat version of “Downtown”, followed by a mean “These Boots Are Made For Walking” and light-hearted favorite, “Say a Little Prayer”. The predisposed room was already under her spell. She then introduced her original “Make It Right”, which some members of the audience discovered for the very first time, and loved, if one could measure the applause! Following with “Lucky Girl”, which could double as her code name, Cochran brought Jim Brickman up for their high school duet, “We're All Alone”, also warmly received. Next came the catchy “Send A Message”, and a moment of grace: her very personal, quietly haunting “Hands of Peace”, to which so many fans felt a personal connection. Tropical “Don't Look Back” was followed by “I Wish I Could”, dedicated to parents of today. Cochran ended the solo show with vibrant “Sunshine On My Shoulders”, her version enriched with a powerful backdrop of Gospel and tribal strains. And then the house came crashing down, returning some of the sender’s spectacular energy. It was wonderful to experience. And in a matter of no time a long line formed to tell her so. Soon not an Anne Cochran CD was available on board for the rest of the voyage.

The Anne Cochran Concert, January 31st

In a just-below-the-knee, beaded emerald frock, a glowing (feverish?) Anne Cochran entered the Ebony Cabaret from stage left for her very own concert-at-sea. Midway through the Caribbean Valentine Cruise, three hundred eager cruisers had squeezed themselves into the cozy venue, like so many sardines in a tin.

Without her band to back her up, but armed with instrumental tracks, and a warm flash of a smile, Cochran opened with her classic hit, "After All These Years", quipping, "I never expected, after all these years, to be singing my own songs to karaoke"! It was obvious to anyone there that she was still the "Lucky Girl", the catchy title track of one of her favorite CDs. She followed the song with a few words about being blessed with having someone as supportive as her husband "in her world". From there, she eased into an introspective "Now I See". Pursuing the personal vein, Cochran spoke of her mom who ably covers for her at home all the while she tours. This led to reminiscing about her dad and his long bout with Alzheimer's, which, put to music, has become her stirringly beautiful "Hands of Peace" tribute. "Make It Right" rolled us back out on the road…to a lively "Downtown" that made it all worthwhile.

Then came a laid-back Q&A session: how she met her husband, her kids, hobbies (she said she had no time for hobbies, unless working out could count), how she met Jim Brickman... The perfect cue for Brickman to join her onstage for a sweet rendition of their teenage years' winning entry, "We're All Alone."

Cochran then swung into "Send A Message", the wistful "I Wish I Could" (which vied with "Sunshine" as the most requested song in the days leading up to the concert), and "Don't Look Back". She ended with the glorious "Sunshine on My Shoulders" "since that is what we have been experiencing all week!"

It can't be denied that Cochran was not up to full power and it had to be a challenge for her to carry the evening. But she did. The giver in this girl wrapped each song in golden threads of genuineness and natural grace. It made for a special moment and won the hearts of an utterly charmed audience. Fans rose to their feet to deliver a thunder of applause and waited up to an hour and a half to meet her…and devour her stock of CDs after the show! As a Brickman staffer said, "Fans love Anne - she can do no wrong!" A rare and memorable evening for all!

An eyewitness report.

For those who couldn't make it to Anne's on-her-own show at Cain Park this summer, here's the inside scoop!

A perfectly beautiful day, August 2nd was also as steamy as a sauna. Cain Park, however, is a "cool" Cleveland hotspot and the grounds are beautifully groomed. Just being there brings you down a few degrees. And a courtesy cart conveniently drives you to the ticket office upon arrival. Posters placarded at the entrance and cart drivers were warning that "Anne Cochran" was sold out. "Ha," we gloated, our reserved tickets smugly awaiting us at the booth. The Alma Cabaret was already buzzing with a standing-room only crowd. But our seats were in the last row and disappointment was close to raging among our group…

Until, that is, the show opened at 7:30 sharp with Cochran's good friend and amazing six-string electric violin master, Tracy Silverman. He wove high vibes with a 15-minute set excerpted from his latest CD, a five-piece band joining him on stage at the end of his last number. That was the cue for Silverman to announce, "And now, here's the girl everybody's been waiting for, Anne Cochran!"

Irresistible in a flower-power sundress, Cochran opened with Downtown and wowed the crowd from the start. Perfect pitch and control, natural grace and electric charm…From our last-row "observation deck", I can safely say that everyone fell in love with Anne Cochran that night! Each song dazzled, and the crowd just couldn't get enough. The day's suffocating heat was now history.

The band came alive under the direction of David Grow, also on keyboard. After a series of great songs: Say A Little Prayer, Make It Right, Won't Last A Day, Lucky Girl (and her ballad Make It Right touched deeply), band members retreated to the wings. Tracy stayed onstage and Anne chatted a bit, as she did cozily throughout the show to link her song list, and brought up surprise guest, Jim Brickman. The crowd clearly cherished the gift. The trio of friends made sweet music together with After All These Years, We're All Alone and Simple Things to an enraptured audience: Act One closed with a standing ovation!

After intermission, Cochran, in stylish jeans, kashmiri-print backless top and sexy stiletto sandals, brought the house down with These Boots Are Made For Walking. The second half of this show was as dynamic as the first and Cochran went on to enchant with a savvy blend of Cover Girl tunes combined with past favorites.

Grow (gifted arranger-producer of Cochran's new Cover Girl and composer of her radio hit, After All These Years) spoke fondly of her and the CD they had just made together: a relaxed, intimate moment that doubled as an intro to their contagious version of The Beat Goes On. In My Life, Don't Look Back, Send A Message followed all too quickly and continued to work the charm. But Fever sent chills up the spine with Cochran ascending a flight of steep stairs onstage. Singing from the upper level with liquid shadows playing about her like flames, she was sultry and yet wholesome: the uncanny mix that is all Anne Cochran!!

The show closed with a beautifully-layered Sunshine On My Shoulders, which met with another thundering standing ovation, prompting a wistfully moving encore with I Wish I Could. The finale not only brought a tear to the eye, but the whole house to their feet once more! THIS CROWD WAS ALL COCHRAN'S!

And did I mention that it was FUN?! Balance and talent were constants: the opening act, band, guests, song line-up and the shining persona of the star herself, made for incredible fusion. It was a fabulous feel-good show that drew people to linger and chatter, pounce on her CDs and tell the artist in their own words how much they had enjoyed themselves!

Wish you'd been there to share this too-rare moment!