Tony Starlight Showroom

08/05/2024

There's no denying this was a beautiful scene: all these lovely children, arms around one another, swaying to-and-fro and singing, "Someone's smiling Lord, Kumbaya". Nonetheless, you'll see that my eyes are far away, and I'm thinking, "Someone's counting-the-hours-until-he-goes-to-Oregon-to-sing-in-a-proper-performing-space-to-fully-developed-brains Lord, Kumbaya!" It's called VBS-PTSD. After weeks and weeks of music camp, Colonial camp, and especially Vacation Bible School (both in South Carolina and Abaco, Bahamas) I'm officially ready to sing to an audience of grown-ups.

It's finally happening this Friday, August 9, 2024 at The Old Church. And I've been practicing! I don't remember the last time that I've put this much effort into preparing for a show. I hope that you'll come see what I have to share with you.

Revival: Tony Starlight Takes Us To Church
Friday, August 9, 2024 7:30 pm
The Old Church
1422 Southwest 11th Avenue
Portland, OR, 97201
$35/$25
Tickets: https://www.tonystarlight.com/upcoming-events/revival-at-the-old-church

05/05/2024

Good times at Alberta Rose Theatre. Thank you Portland! We had a great time. See you in October for The Hot August Night version of my Neil Diamond Experience show.

Tony Starlight Neils before you, performing his rendition of "Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon", with a nod to Ennio Morricone and to Tony's amazing band. All pe...

02/26/2024

Come join me as we support our seniors!

Join me in supporting Senior Citizens Council of Clackamas County on Saturday, March 2, 2024 at Pioneer Community Center in Oregon City. This will be my fifth or sixth time working with this stellar organization that provides vital services for some of our most vulnerable neighbors. Everyone is welcome to attend this event. I'll be performing with the band and auctioneering. Come help me raise much needed funds for SCCCC! Contact them directly for tickets and more information: (503) 657-1366 or follow this link:
https://event.auctria.com/e05e168f-b084-4034-9d5d-7eab0627158b/

01/14/2024

Thank you Hilton Head. So much fun. Can’t wait to do it again tonight.

12/02/2023

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year”. A fabulous evening at the annual Georgetown Christmas tree lighting ceremony. Surrounded by family, friends, church, and my talented students.

11/18/2023

"It's a Tony Starlight Christmas" is back for a 15th year!

Sunday, December 17, 2023
Two shows - 2pm and 5 pm
A holiday Extravaganza featuring the All-Star Horns and guest vocalists Barbara Ayars and Thea Enos.

"It's a Tony Starlight Christmas" is a Portland holiday tradition, and this December it is being performed exclusively on the stage of Alberta Rose Theatre. Tony's Christmas show is a throwback to the classic television variety shows when legends like Dean Martin, Bing Crosby, Gene Autry, and Frank Sinatra sang songs and spread holiday cheer far and wide. You can’t help but feel the warmth and glow of the season. "It’s a Tony Starlight Christmas" brings back these uplifting holiday traditions and puts a fresh, comedic spin on them.

Tony and his magnificent band also perform songs from such holiday specials as Scrooge and several tunes from the Rankin and Bass animated television specials from the sixties. No other show has such a variety of Christmas Classics! From swinging standards to comedy routines where Joe Friday arrests Frosty the Snowman; from impressions of Jimmy Durante and Neil Diamond to duets with guest vocalists Barbara Ayars and Thea Enos.

These are the only two public Christmas shows Tony and his crew are performing this year, so don't miss out!

All ages welcome.

Alberta Rose Theatre
3000 NE Alberta St
Portland, OR 97211
(503) 719 6055
albertarosetheatre.com

TICKETS $30 GENERAL ADMISSION; $45 PREFERRED SEATING (FIRST 7 ROWS OF THE CENTER SECTION)

Tickets at tonystarlight.com

06/24/2023

Gracie and Jackson

This May, our deeply beloved Gracie and Jackson succumbed to old age and peacefully passed together. I composed and recorded a song that we all listened to repeatedly over their final days. It was the last thing they heard as we held and stroked their fur and they departed this earth.

Sherry and I have lost pets before, but we've had quite a difficult time carrying this profound grief. Gracie and Jackson were our near constant companions over the last thirteen years. Through three homes-- four, if you count our cross-country RV trip. Miles and miles and miles of walks through Mt. Tabor Park, River's Bend Moorage, and our Willowbank Neighborhood. Hours and hours spent together watching movies with Jackson cuddled with Sherry on the couch and Gracie below my extended foot rest, safe in her "den". Gracie barked at every car chase, explosion, fist-fight, etc. Prompting Jackson to bark at Gracie! I'm ashamed to think this used to annoy me. Now the movie experience is incomplete without it.

There is a deep emptiness in our lives that is now as omnipresent as they once were. The daily ache of seeing vacant spots next to our bed. I miss the sight of those two fluffy heads, ears at full attention, in the window as we enter the driveway. I miss their curious noses poking through the doorway as it opens. The utter silence as we enter our home is not nearly as welcoming as a cacophony of anxious, happy barking. An evening walk is decidedly lonely without that prancing duo, pulling ahead, dutifully stopping to smell everything, and leaving little deposits along the way.

This song "You'll Never Be Far Away" has brought us great comfort. I hope you enjoy listening and getting to see a little window into the joy these two beautiful creatures brought to our lives.

Love,
Tony and Sherry

11/18/2021

These are my music students making me proud on Veterans day!

07/19/2021

The Tasting Room is open for INDOOR & OUTDOOR tastings and dining.Reservations are highly recommended, and walk-ins will be accommodated when possible. Please call us at 503-678-3390 to reserve a table.our winesMade with a blend of new world and old world techniques, our wines are handcrafted in sma...

05/24/2021

In honor of Bob Dylan's 80th birthday, I was invited by the fine folks at Alberta Rose Theatre to help celebrate by participating in a tribute to the legenda...

04/14/2021

I've started posting my writing to substack.com, under the heading "A Rare Bird". I will share my thoughts on life, using my birdwatching exploits as a springboard. I hope you'll find it both entertaining and meaningful, and will want to subscribe. There are both paid and free options. Check it out here: https://tonystarlight.substack.com

Tufted Titmouse
Willowbank, Georgetown, South Carolina

If you’re gonna sing, you want to be heard

As I shuffled out to the front porch with my laptop and a potent beverage to do some writing, I was somewhat surprised to hear the song of a tufted titmouse echoing through the oak-lined streets of Willowbank, my neighborhood here in Georgetown. “What’s he doing up this late? It’s 10:30 p.m. He should be long tucked into bed.”

Upon further reflection, I recalled reading about evidence that the discordant industrial symphony of our modern world has forced many a bird to evolve a different strategy; for example, singing late into the evening. His signature song of “peter, peter, peter” is completely drowned out during daylight hours by the incessant hum of traffic, the rattle of the power washer, the whirr of the weed-whacker, and the whine of the leaf blower. At night, he’s got a chance. If you’re gonna sing, you want to be heard.

Bird nerd tangent: My dad moved from Alameda, California to Rome, Georgia at a time that coincided with my initial interest in birding. On a visit, I got to meet his local birds, whose songs were entirely absent in the western United States. Eastern phoebes buzzing their name, “fee-bee”, the “chip, chip” of the northern cardinal, the trumpet blare of blue jays soaring overhead, or the police siren sound of the Carolina wren. Months later, back in Oregon, I was watching final-round coverage of the Masters golf tournament, which famously takes place in Augusta, Georgia. Jordan Spieth is eyeing up an important putt, the crowd is hushed, Jim Nance is reverently whispering his commentary, but what I focus on is the unmistakable song of a tufted titmouse calling from the nearby trees at Augusta National. I wonder how a titmouse would look in a little green jacket? Now I’m picturing golf course birds, halfway up a tree, and alongside them, tiny bird caddies in white jumpsuits advising from which branch to sing. “The wind’s blowin’ outta the northeast at 6 mph, so I say sing from the third branch on the left and your song will easily carry the 170 yards to get ‘cross that pond.” But I digress.

If you’re gonna sing, you want to be heard. I used to assert this was a very basic human trait, but in light of recent observation, I now consider it to be much more universal – not just limited to homo sapiens with an acoustic guitar, a YouTube channel, and heretofore unexpressed feelings.

Having plied my trade in the early days playing and singing in coffeehouses and bars, I knew exactly where that titmouse was coming from. With most working gigs in the music industry, you are relegated to providing a pleasing audio background, helping create an ambience in a bar, cafe, or restaurant. You know, the way that Muzak used to really jazz up an elevator ride from “parking level 2” to “fourth floor, women’s clothing”. I understand the utility of my role in this environment, but it can be demeaning to think of yourself as just a lowly component of a collective atmosphere. That your artistic contribution to the world is but a box on a checklist that reads, “jasmine-scented candles, chic mood lighting, stress-reducing carpet pattern, someone in the corner singing live music.” It can be emotionally taxing to sing one’s song upstream, against a powerful current of espresso makers, video lottery machines, and the din of chatter created by couples on first dates (“Oh my god, you love Liam Neeson too?”), or thousandth dates (“Are you gonna finish that chicken?”), lifelong friends catching up (“You look amazing!”), or fans cheering and jeering at a televised sporting event (“Why do I even watch Blazer playoff games?!”) If you’re gonna sing, you want to be heard.

As a young entrepreneur, I designed Tony Starlight’s Supperclub & Lounge to be a place where singers’ needs were prioritized and sacrosanct...

Read the rest and subscribe on substack
https://tonystarlight.substack.com/p/tufted-titmouse

04/10/2021

Tony Starlight, one of Portland's most popular performers, wants to resume his shows that featured songs from legends like Neil Diamond and Frank Sinatra.

04/08/2021

On the sage advice of my good friend Warren Black, I've started posting my writing to Substack at http://tonystarlight.substack.com under the heading "A Rare Bird". I will share my thoughts on life, using my birdwatching exploits as a springboard. I hope you'll find it both entertaining and meaningful, and will want to subscribe. There are both paid and free options. Here's a sample.

Mourning Dove
Willowbank, Georgetown, South Carolina

Taking full advantage of my self-unemployed status, I thought it would be fun to do a “year list”. For the uninitiated, that’s where one counts and logs every species of bird one sees in a given year. The book and subsequent film adaptation of The Big Year chronicles how obsessive hotshot birders travel the country to accumulate the highest numbers of species possible. That’s not what I’m up for. I’m just trying to add some excitement to pandemic life. Fifty may be nifty, but it’s also decidedly, shall we say, slow-paced? To give you an idea of my exciting pentagenarian life, the cackling goose and American wigeon I spotted at Trojan Park on my way to the airport on my latest Oregon sojourn marked the 114th and 115th birds spotted thus far this year. Yippee! But I want to focus on the first bird I saw in 2021.

This New Year’s Day, the morning neighborhood walk netted me fifteen species, the first of which was heard before seen. The calm, comforting cooing of the mourning dove provides a most delightful dog walking soundtrack.

Mourning doves are a perfect example of how a common bird can be - oh, so beautiful. The soft, muted tones of the plumage. The faint pastel iridescence along the slender neck and atop its crown, when the sun glimmers just so. The pale blue ring around the eyes. In an effort to better fit in with my fellow humans, I decided this year I needed to be more irrational, thusly I decided to take this bird as an omen for the year. “It’s a sign!”

And the sign was obvious. This would clearly be a year of mourning. Mourning the loss of friends and family who had died last year. My uncles Dick and George, my friend Lee, my associate Jay, and my second mother Vicki, all passed in 2020. Strangely, not a one died of COVID-19.

There’s much to mourn. The upheaval and loss of the business I had built. The friendships that have been strained as I moved across the country to establish a better footing. I think mostly I’ve been mourning the loss of civility...

READ THE REST ON SUBSTACK
http://tonystarlight.substack.com

04/08/2021

A light at the end of the tunnel

Dear friends,
I'm excited to announce that there will actually be real live shows at Tony Starlight Showroom in 2021! I appreciate your patience as I cannot announce the exact dates just yet. However, let's plan on seeing each other this September, October, and yes, December! All of our postponed shows will be performed.

Tony Starlight vs. Jazz
The Gentlemen of Song with John Gilmore
TS 50 with the All-Star Horns
Rat Pack Tribute
AM Gold Seventies Soft Rock Show
Go Western, Young Man!
Sinatra By Starlight
Mother's Day Neil Diamond Brunch

I will announce show dates the moment I understand the regulations governing our performances. Legally, we are not classified as a restaurant. We will be beholden to the laws and restrictions on theatrical and/or concert performances

To give you an idea of just one of the challenges we face, this very morning I received an email informing me that Multnomah County has been moved from MODERATE to HIGH RISK classification for the next two weeks. This changes the restrictions under which a business can operate and is effective immediately. Imagine if we had sold one hundred tickets to this weekend's show, and now are allowed to seat only fifty people. Which fifty of you do we seat? To which fifty do we say, "Sorry Charlie"? This is just one of the reasons we're waiting until fall.

Those of you who have tickets to any of the shows above will be sent new tickets once we have announced the new dates.

In addition to the rescheduled shows, we will bring you a series of Christmas shows in early December, and have some limited dates available for private and corporate events. Send an email to [email protected] to inquire about scheduling your private event with us.

MORE GOOD NEWS
My 50th birthday show at The Alberta Rose Theatre is now scheduled for October 8, 2021. Get your tickets here. Ticket holders should have already received your new tickets.

All the best,
Tony

01/26/2021

2021 Calendar Sale!

2021 calendars now only $8.99

Those of you who're thinking that so far this year ain't no better than last year, obviously did not buy one of my bird calendars! Besides, I don't have enough kitchen wall space to hang up the remaining hundred or so "Birds of Encouragement" calendars, so please do me a favor and take them off my hands!

Visit http://www.tonystarlightbirds.com

This year’s calendar is a collection of my photographs and encouraging words to help you get through what will undoubtedly be another trying year. The calendar makes a lovely gift for anyone who loves birds, and especially for those who might need some “Birds of Encouragement” in 2021.

Click here to order online using PayPal. If you'd prefer to use another method of payment, reply to this newsletter and I'll find a way to get you a copy.

12/21/2020

Tony is joining us live from Starlight Studios East to perform a few tunes and present a collection of highlights from the Christmas show recorded in 2018 at Tony Starlight Showroom, and from the 2019 all-star r***e at Revolution Hall. We also have special holiday greetings from the Starlight family whom you've come to know and love over the last fourteen years, and lots of surprises and delights. Gather your family around the computer or TV and enjoy our warmest holiday wishes from our sheltering places to yours.

Starlight Ranch CD is for sale at: https://www.tonystarlight.com/tony-starlight-and-the-starlight-ranch-hands

Birds of Encouragement 2021 calendar is for sale at: https://www.tonystarlightbirds.com/

Tips are appreciated and help fund these bi-coastal live stream endeavors! Venmo ; Cash App $tonystarlight ; and https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/tonystarlight

12/20/2020

Christmas Livestream TONIGHT!!!
Sunday December 20, 2020 - 6 pm PST

I'll live host a collection of highlights from our 2018 and 2019 Christmas programs at both Tony Starlight Showroom and Revolution Hall. I'll also perform a few songs live and have some special holiday greetings from the Starlight family whom you've come to know and love over the last fourteen years.

The live stream will be on our YouTube Channel (Tony Starlight Showroom) and on Facebook Live (Tony Starlight Showroom page). Check tonystarlight.com for details.