AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Smokey Joe's Cafe

Artist:BJ Crosby, Brenda Braxton, DeLee Lively, Pattie Darcy Jones
Song:I'm A Woman
Album:Smokey Joe's Cafe: The Songs of Lieber and Stoller: Original Broadway Cast



Jukebox musicals have become very popular on Broadway in recent years. We first saw them in the 70s for The Beatles, Elvis Presley and Fats Waller. But they became more popular in the 90s with shows like Mamma Mia and Smokey Joe's Cafe. Now they are everywhere. Smokey Joe's Cafe is a tribute to the songs of Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller. Most of the songs in the show are from the 50s. Smokey Joe's Cafe was conceived in 1995 by Stephen Helper, Jack Viertel and Otis Sallid. What makes it a jukebox musical is there is no story. This show features 39 songs sung by various cast members. Smokey Joe's Cafe ran for five years on Broadway so it was very successful. It was directed by Broadway veteran Jerry Zaks. Joey McKneely was the choreographer. He started as a performer but this was his first show as choreographer. He also worked on The Boy From Oz among other things. There were nine in the cast. they all took turns singing, sometimes individually, sometimes in a group. I'm A Woman is a Lieber and Stoller song first recorded in 1962. The best known recordings of the song are by Peggy Lee and Maria Muldaur. The performers are Brenda Braxton, BJ Crosby, DeLee Lively and Pattie Darcy Jones. Pattie mostly worked as a touring backup singer. She toured with Cher for many years. She died in 2007. This looks like the only credit for DeLee Lively. BJ Crosby did a couple of other shows. She died in 2015. Brenda Braxton also appeared in Chicago for a few years. There are no stars in a jukebox musical. The performers are easily replaced. But these four appear on the original cast CD. The video is from the DVD and I think Pattie had been replaced by the time it was shot. The original producers brought Smokey Joe's Cafe back to Broadway last year. It opened in July and closed in November. It was only supposed to be a short run. I think it's fair to say that Smokey Joe's Cafe and Mamma Mia led to the glut of jukebox musicals currently on Broadway. Here's the cast of Smokey Joe's Cafe performing I'm A Woman from the DVD.