Q&A WINTER GARLAND DEBBIE WILEMAN DAZZLES IN “JUDY GARLAND: WE NEED A LITTLE CHRISTMAS” BY JOHN STEIN
The celebrated Judy Garland tribute artist Debbie Wileman is spreading holiday cheer nationwide with her dazzling new concert experience, Judy Garland – We Need a Little Christmas. Produced by Scott Stander, the festive tour brings Wileman’s extraordinary talent to nine cities across the U.S., including San Francisco, Fort Lauderdale, Los Angeles, and to Palm Springs on December 26. Blending storytelling, humor, and holiday magic, Judy Garland – We Need a Little Christmas showcases Wileman’s uncanny ability to capture the voice and spirit of the legendary Judy Garland, taking audiences on a nostalgic and heartwarming journey through the golden age of Hollywood wrapped in seasonal splendor. Coinciding with the tour is Wileman’s acclaimed holiday album, A Christmas Garland, arranged by Grammy Award winner Steve Orich (Jersey Boys). The album imagines the Christmas record Judy herself never got to make, featuring timeless standards like “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” and “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town,” alongside modern classics such as Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” and Wham!’s “Last Christmas” - all reimagined in Garland’s signature style. We caught up with Ms. Wileman from her home in London to talk about channeling Judy, her favorite holiday memories, and the joy of keeping Garland’s spirit alive. What is it about Judy Garland that makes her spirit feel so perfectly at home during the holiday season? Debbie Wileman: Her beautiful, rich, warm voice. Also, the fact that she recorded some lovely Christmas songs that give us that warm nostalgic feeling of Christmases past and of times gone by.
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