Chances are Amy Spanger is on one of the albums that completely rocked your world (Tick, Tick...Boom, Kiss Me Kate, Wedding Singer, Elf, Rock of Ages), but what albums inspired this kick-ass Broadway belter? In anticipation of her upcoming Joe's Pub concert This Must Be The Place on August 24, the current star of Chicago
(and one of our all-time favorite Roxie Harts) shares with us the five albums that changed it all.
Once The Film Soundtrack—Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova
When my husband and I met, one of the first conversations we had was how much we both LOVED the film Once. Shortly after we met, we fell in love, got engaged five months later and sang "Falling Slowly" from Once to each other at our wedding. We sing it as the encore of This Must Be The Place, my solo show.
And The World Goes Round—Kander & Ebb
I saw this show off-Broadway when I visited NYC for the first time at nineteen. I bought the cast album and literally wore out the cassette (yeah, I said cassette). I decided shortly after this trip that I would move to NYC and pursue my dreams on Broadway. My mother said I had to wait until I was twenty-one. I moved to NYC at twenty-one with a two thousand dollar loan and sixteen (well twenty-one) bars of "And The World Goes Round" that eventually booked me my first Broadway show!
OK Computer—Radiohead
This album is a masterpiece. When I played Maureen in the first national tour of Rent in 1997, it was my personal soundtrack. Best rock album ever.
Cover Girl—Shawn Colvin
This is an album of brilliant covers by Shawn Colvin, including “Every Little Thing (He) Does Is Magic”, by the Police and “You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go” by Bob Dylan. My favorite track on the album is her arrangement of “This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)” by David Byrne. It is so beautifully stripped down, just acoustic guitar and her beautiful voice. I sing it in my solo show as a tribute to my husband.
Escape —Journey
This album rocks! Duh! Way, way, way before I had the opportunity to sing "Don't Stop Believing" on Broadway, I sang it into a hairbrush in my mirror and dreamed of being a rock star.
See Amy Spanger in Chicago through August 16 and then see her rock out at Joe’s Pub in This Must Be The Place on August 24.
