(Read about Andy's Dec. 20 appearance at the Fabulous Fox...click here)

Andy Williams—better than ever at 78, offering a new intimacy, relationship to audiences, but still the same great voice and wonderful personality that have endeared him to generations...It makes his appearance at The Fabulous Fox, a ‘must-see’

By Daniel Hines
Publisher
America’s Seniors at www.TodaysSeniorsNetwork.com

There’s always something special about doing an interview with an entertainer that, because of their tremendous talent has been a part of your life for almost as long as you can remember.

That’s why our conversation with Andy Williams was something we looked forward to with great anticipation, waiting as he proved he is mortal like all of us as he battled a continuing sore throat that delayed the interview.

It was worth the wait.  Within seconds of starting to talk, we discovered that the persona of a really nice guy—in addition to being a great talent—is not just one that he uses with the public.  He really is a quality person as well as a great performer.

And therein undoubtedly lies the key to his having become an international star and still highly popular after 70 years of performances.

But, Andy has a secret that makes his upcoming appearance at The Fabulous Fox with the Andy Williams Christmas Show, December 20, even more exciting. 

He’s better than ever.

How do I know?  Because he told me so.  But he’s not boasting.  It’s just his reflection on his special relationship with the audiences that come to hear and see him.

He shared his thoughts with me in response to my question about how does he stay ‘up’ after 70 years of performing:

“It’s not a challenge,” he reflected.  “I just love the audience. I always have, and I feel like I’ve always done a good show.

“But, in the last few years, I feel as though I’ve been performing much better on stage.”

And the reason? 

”I used to go out and try to make them love everything,” he says.  “It was more like a Broadway play performance in which you just look straight out with no eye contact.  But I stopped trying to make an audience love everything…now I go out to please myself because I know that if it makes me feel good, if I make each show a unique happening by working to the people in the audience, we’re all going to have a great time.”

This is a man speaking who is comfortable with himself and enjoys what he is doing. 

“There’s a great satisfaction in doing what you love…I believe that if I go on stage even   feeling sick, by the end of the show, I can feel well…by the time I get off, I feel really great.”

Andy still has the instantly recognizable voice, and the athletic good looks of his younger days.  I asked about a segment that I saw on KETC, Channel 9, the public television station that is sponsoring the show at The Fox, in which a much younger Andy and Johnny Mathis did a gymnastic routine on parallel bars.  Was he a gymnast, I asked.

“No, but I was always good at doing athletic things, but not the parallel bars.”

Nonetheless, it was obvious that Andy believes in taking care of himself, as a younger man, and today.  If you doubt it, look at the photograph with this story.  How does he do it?

”It’s hard to really enjoy life if you don’t feel good, so the main thing is to get yourself feeling good.

“So you should eat better, drink less, don’t smoke and do exercise.”

But, there’s another key.

”You must be happy,” Andy explains. “I love what I am doing.  If I could think of anything else that I love better, I’d do it…I need the satisfaction of dong a good job.”

But, thank goodness, he hasn’t found anything that he would like better, and we—and the audiences at his Christmas show December 20 at The Fabulous Fox—are the beneficiaries, getting to see a show business legend at a time he feels is his best ever on stage.