Thursday, January 23, 2014
8:00pm (Reception 6:30-7:30p)
Tickets available at the door, 7pm
An Evening with Gloria Gaynor
on the 35th anniversary of her song, I Will Survive
in conversation with Sam Rubin
WE WILL SURVIVE: True Stories of Encouragement, Inspiration and the Power of Song
Ann and Jerry Moss Theater
Herb Alpert Educational Village
New Roads School
3131 Olympic Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 9o404
$20 General Admission
$30 Reserved Seats
$40 Includes Gaynor’s book + Reserved seat
$95 Includes Pre-event reception + Gaynor’s book + Reserved Seats
Grammy Award-winning singer Gloria Gaynor took the music world by storm in the 1970s, striking platinum with her disco hit “I Will Survive” — the only song to earn a Grammy for Best Disco Recording and was one of only 25 songs inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2012. Gaynor has appeared on countless television and radio shows, received numerous national and international music and humanitarian awards, and continues to perform around the world.
“I Will Survive – a timeless anthem empowering those reaching for positive change in their lives, a sing-along sound track supporting those in a period of change, often from a dark place to somewhere brighter” – Tina Turner
For millions of music lovers around the world Gloria Gaynor’s name is synonymous with pop music. An undisputed disco sensation, she was enjoying tremendous success in the 1970’s, performing to sold-out audiences across the country and riding the top of the Billboard chart with her hit single, “I Never Can Say Goodbye”. Little did she know that fate would soon strike in both tragic and triumphant ways. While performing a concert in New York City, Gaynor fell from the stage. She got back up and continued the performance, but the next morning she woke up unable to move. The singer required back surgery and a lengthy, painful recovery, and she nearly lost her recording contract. At the request of the label she went back into the studio (in a back brace) to record a cover version of a Righteous Brothers song called “Substitute”. The hastily selected B-side chosen for the single — a little tune you may have heard of called “I Will Survive”.
Over the last 35-years, “I Will Survive” has transcended from a surprise hit to a pop culture anthem. From its instantly recognizable opening riff to its final chorus, the song has become an international inspiration for people everywhere struggling to find the courage and strength to survive and thrive against life’s challenges and setbacks. Gloria Gaynor and the song have both become legends, and the legend lives on!
Gaynor’s new book, WE WILL SURVIVE: True Stories of Encouragement, Inspiration and the Power of Song celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Grammy Award winning tune. Written with Vanity Fair reporter Sue Carswell, the book shares personal stories from fans across the country who have triumphed over incredible adversity, and for whom the song “I Will Survive” has become a mantra for perseverance and success.
Sam Rubin is the entertainment reporter for the KTLA Morning News. Rubin hosts the Emmy-nominated “Live from the Academy Awards,” syndicated nationally by Tribune Entertainment, “Sneaks,” a series of movie preview shows produced in conjunction with the Los Angeles Times, as well as a show for the Reelz Channel. He is a recipient of a Golden Mike Award for Best Entertainment Reporter from the Radio & Television News Association and, as part of the KTLA Morning News team, earned an Associated Press Television-Radio Award for Best News Broadcast.
In addition to his activities at KTLA, he also reports for Tribune’s WGN-TV in Chicago. Nationally, Rubin provides reports for “On Air With Ryan Seacrest,” “Show Buzz,” and CNN. On the radio, Rubin reports for Los Angeles’ KNX-AM. Rubin was last at Live Talks Los Angeles interviewing Garry Marshall. See the video.