I Need You Now - Mary Testa

When I was 14 my parents would drive me to a little Musical Theater record store near the Farmer's Market in Los Angeles. I'm still not sure what drew me to it, but one of the first records I bought was William Finn's In Trousers. I had to return it three times because it was on such a small label that they were melting down old vinyl and the first two I got had old record labels sticking out of the vinyl rendering them unplayable.

I am so glad I was persistant because to this day it is probably my favorite album. Surreal, heartfelt with arrangements by Michael Starobin (who went on to do the stunning orchestrations for Sunday In The Park With George), it plays out like a fever dream; in fact the mythology is that William Finn wrote it with a 103 temperature.

I have loved Mary Testa since listening to her sing Set Those Sails on that LP since I was 14. It was an incredible honor to have her do Our Hit Parade and to be able to play piano for her.

Here is a twitter exchange that occurred after Lady Antebellum performed this song on the Grammys:

She was stunning! RT @jambajim Sorry Lady Antebellum. I preferred Our Hit Parade's w/ Broadway legend Mary Testa: http://tinyurl.com/yzw8m7p
1 day ago from Tweetie

Sorry Lady Antebellum. I preferred Our Hit Parade's version of this song w/ Broadway legend Mary Testa
1 day ago from w

She was stunning! RT Sorry Lady Antebellum. I preferred Our Hit Parade's w/ Broadway legend Mary Testa:

Can not agree more!

Kenny