Music of Fitzgerald, Cole honored in concert

Jazz singer “The Songbird” Myrna Clayton will pay tribute to the music of Ella Fitzgerald and Natalie Cole in the “Forever Stars” concert Sunday at the Douglass Theatre.

Clayton started singing in her father’s church when she was just 5 years old and began performing professionally after leaving a career in corporate marketing, according to a news release. She counts Minnie Riperton, Nancy Wilson, Rachelle Ferrell and Dionne Warwick among her musical influences.

Clayton has performed worldwide, in countries such as Russia, Germany, France, Nigeria and Great Britain.

In addition to being a singer/songwriter, Clayton is a “bandleader, studio-session singer, and featured vocalist for Westside Winds 24-piece big band jazz orchestra,” according to the release.

“Forever Stars” is being presented by Abel 2 Inc., a nonprofit arts and human services organization whose “mission is to meet the needs of people with disability and under-served communities through music and art” and for which Clayton serves as artistic/executive director, according to her website.

The Douglass Theatre Youth Jazz Orchestra will open the show.

This story was originally published September 15, 2016 at 9:00 PM with the headline "Music of Fitzgerald, Cole honored in concert."