It’s so nice see Carol Channing back where she belongs — belting out big tunes.
Although this time, the Tony-winning stage icon — most recognized for her portrayal of that spunky lead character from “Hello, Dolly!” — brings her distinctive vocals to a new CD, “For Heaven’s Sake,” her first album to focus on gospel songs.
For the 88-year-old Channing, the album is a nod to her upbringing in the Christian Science faith. And while she’s less in the spotlight and won’t tour specifically for the release, Channing is performing and speaking at schools across the country to promote her other significant endeavor, the Dr. Carol Channing & Harry Kullijian Foundation for the Arts. (The “Dr.” derives from an honorary degree in the arts.)
Three years ago, Channing and Kullijian — a childhood sweetheart she reunited with and married in 2003 after 70 years apart — created the foundation to foster arts in education. Not that she expects the children she meets to know her storied Broadway history.
“My fans? I think they’re all dead, to tell you the truth,” she says.
You’re a Broadway musical icon. Why go gospel?
“I’m thrilled and infatuated with the gospel songs my father taught me. We had to travel to Boston and any old town. We’d get in the car and sing, and my mother would tell me those were the happiest times in her life. Spirituals are outlived, way outlived, but they’re the essence of Americana.”
Do you remember when you were in love with Harry 75 years ago?
“People always laugh and say, ‘Well, that’s only puppy love.’ But it’s real to the puppy. All I know is it’s the happiest time in my life. I must say, every time he kisses me I honestly think I’m 12 years old again.”
Do you ever get sick of your signature song?
“I sing ‘Hello, Dolly!’ all the time — everybody wants it. I ask the audience to join me, and they all sing it. They all know the words, on account of Louis Armstrong. I’ll never forget it. I’m still in love with the Broadway show of it.”
You’ve been performing for decades. Why are you still nervous?
“Oh, gosh, my stage fright is just terrible. Some people don’t realize what a delicate craft it is. It’s an art to reach the audience. They’ve saved their hard-earned money, gotten baby sitters, driven in from everywhere — long distances, short distances, gotten on the subway. All you know is you’ve got to reach them. You’ve got to keep your mind on lifting their lives, not my life. I’m not there for my own pleasure.”