Steve Lippia doesn’t want to give the wrong impression.When he takes the stage Saturday night to perform “Simply Sinatra” — a tribute to legendary singer Frank Sinatra — Lippia wants to make one thing very clear.
“I take what I do very seriously,” Lippia says from his Las Vegas office. “I’m a singer and this is a respectful tribute to a great musician. Sinatra was one of the greatest performers in American pop music history and this is done with the greatest reverence to his music and his legacy.
“This isn’t me doing an impression. I’ll leave that up to Joe Piscopo.”
As part of the Music at McClellan series, Lippia will perform a number of Sinatra standards with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, including “My Way,” “The Lady Is a Tramp,” “New York, New York” and “Got You Under My Skin.” But he also has a few surprises planned for the outdoor crowd. The lesser-known “I Have Dreamed,” which Sinatra recorded but rarely played live, is sure to strike a chord.
“It’s one of those songs that’s just beautiful and when performed right will give the audience shivers,” he says.
Singing alongside the ASO also will give an immeasurable depth to his performance, Lippia says.
“It gives me more colors on my palette,” he says. “Even if I’m working with a full big band, it still doesn’t give me those subtleties that a large orchestra can give. Playing with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra adds an unparalleled emotional strain to the music that can’t come from any other configuration.”
When it comes to the evoking the songs and spirit of Sinatra, emotion is the key to reaching and connecting with the audience, Lippia says.
“What gave his music that added dimension was his personal life — this epic lifestyle that was such a tremendous part of the performer and the music,” he says. “From the conquering successes to the tragic losses, Sinatra experienced everything that he sang about and that came through in his voice.”
Much like the iconic figure he pays tribute to during “Simply Sinatra,” Lippia tries to project a larger-than-life image, especially for an outdoor setting such as McClellan, where the crowd could easily swell to more than 1,000 people.
“I’m not a stand-up guy who just leans on the microphone stand,” he says. “The larger the room, the more I project and try to connect with that audience. It’s all about eye contact and an almost exaggeration of everything you do to project that image and to reach the audience. You really have to work the stage, making yourself bigger to their eyes as well as their ears.”
Though Lippia, who is a respected Las Vegas performer, says that he has been a fan of Sinatra for many years, he’s far from obsessed. Though he always dreamed of performing as a vocalist, Lippia stumbled across his Sinatra skills rather accidentally.
“I love the music and respect the man, but I’m certainly not a sycophant, sitting around watching and studying his every movement, staring him down like the RCA dog. It was really pure luck the way all of this came together. I was actually singing more rock’n’roll back in high school and occasionally would do a Sinatra song during a show. That’s when the comments about my similarity to Sinatra started popping up.
“For whatever reason, my voice and my particular sound lent itself to singing Sinatra songs. And I’m grateful for the opportunity.”
With Sinatra’s death in 1998 at the age of 82, the world lost its chance to see one of the greatest live performers. It is only through tributes such as “Simply Sinatra” that audiences can witness that kind of musical magic — an opportunity in itself that seems to be disappearing rapidly,” Lippia says.
“We can all go to the stores and buy his CDs, but it’s getting more and more difficult for audiences to be able to go out and experience an honest recreation of this timeless music,” he says. “These songs served as the musical backdrop for our country for almost five decades. Frank Sinatra was a true legend and it’s an honor to perform his music in a way that still resonates with audiences.”
Simply Sinatra
What: Steve Lippia with the Alabama Symphony OrchestraWhen: Sat. 8 p.m.
Where: Ceremonial Parade Grounds, McClellan. Gates open at 6 p.m.
How Much: $15 advance, $20 day of show.
Contact: (205) 251-7727 or www.alabamasymphony.org.
