The Song is You: The Classic American Popular Song and its Sources
The Song is You: The Classic American Popular Song and its Sources is a concert curated and narrated by Tony Award-winning lyricist, playwright, and broadcaster Murray Horwitz. The program examines how classic American popular song emerged and spread through the combined influence of theater, film, and recording technology, and how its material has been reinterpreted by artists from Louis Armstrong and Hank Williams to Ella Fitzgerald and Lady Gaga.
Presented during the 250th birthday year of the United States, the concert considers how American popular music came to have worldwide influence. It highlights the work of songwriters and composers including Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, Johnny Mercer, Duke Ellington, Dorothy Fields, Fats Waller, and George and Ira Gershwin, whose music and lyrics reflect the country’s cultural diversity and energy.
When: Wednesday, September 23, 2026
Showtimes: 7:30 PM–9:30 PM
Tickets: Price not available
Venue: Klein Theatre, 450 7th Street NW, Washington, DC 20004
Format: Presented without intermission
Curator and host: Murray Horwitz
Performers: Chuck Redd on percussion, William Knowles on piano, William Ledbetter on bass, Lena Seikaly on voice, and Steve Washington on voice
Ensemble: PostClassical Ensemble, conducted by Angel Gil-Ordóñez
Program: The full program is to be announced.
Information: 202-547-1122