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Betty Lynn Buckley was born in Fort Worth, Tex., in 1947. Her singing career began in church when she was 2. Dance lessons soon followed. She recalls growing up listening to Judy Garland and Della Resse and becoming a musical-theater devotee after seeing The Pajama Game as a child.
As a teenager, Buckley was performing regularly; her first professional gig was a local production of Gypsy when she was 15. She continued to cut her musical teeth in summer theater groups and musical revues at the Six Flags Over Texas theme park.
While she was in college, Buckley participated in the Miss Texas competition and was picked as runner-up. Her involvement with the pageant got her spotted by a talent agent, who eventually convinced the 22-year-old to come to New York.
Buckley landed her first gig almost immediately upon arriving in New York -- the role as Martha Jefferson in the musical 1776. Success in that role led to other productions off Broadway. She got the lead role in a London production of Promises Promises before returning to Broadway for a role in Pippin. Her most popular role and her true breakout performance came as Grizabell in the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Cats, in which she sang the production's most memorable tune, "Memory." The performance earned her a Tony in 1982.
Buckley went on to perform in such musicals as Sunset Boulevard, Carrie The Musical and Triumph of Love, to name a few. Her success on the stage has led to appearances in several films, as well, including Woody Allen's Another Woman and Roman Polanski's Frantic.
Buckley has also starred on the small screen in several Emmy-nominated After School Specials and as Abby in the television series Eight Is Enough. More recently, Buckley had a recurring role on HBO's gritty prison drama Oz, and has guest-starred on Monk, Law and Order: SVU and Without a Trace.
In addition to her singing and stage career, Buckley participates in cutting-horse competitions. In this sport, inspired by true cowboy tactics, a rider and the horse attempt to separate a calf from the herd. Her next event will be a celebrity cutting event in Fort Worth, Tex., on Nov. 30.
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Set List for Betty Buckley on Piano Jazz:Stardust (Camichael, Parish)
Blame It on My Youth (Heyman, Levant)
My Funny Valentine (Hart, Rodgers)
Twilight World (McPartland)
Fire and Rain (J. Taylor)
So Many Stars (Bergman, Berman, Mendes)
Angel Eyes (Matt Dennis)
What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life (Bergman, Bergman, LeGrand)
It Might as Well Be Spring (Hammerstein, Rodgers)
As a teenager, Buckley was performing regularly; her first professional gig was a local production of Gypsy when she was 15. She continued to cut her musical teeth in summer theater groups and musical revues at the Six Flags Over Texas theme park.
While she was in college, Buckley participated in the Miss Texas competition and was picked as runner-up. Her involvement with the pageant got her spotted by a talent agent, who eventually convinced the 22-year-old to come to New York.
Buckley landed her first gig almost immediately upon arriving in New York -- the role as Martha Jefferson in the musical 1776. Success in that role led to other productions off Broadway. She got the lead role in a London production of Promises Promises before returning to Broadway for a role in Pippin. Her most popular role and her true breakout performance came as Grizabell in the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Cats, in which she sang the production's most memorable tune, "Memory." The performance earned her a Tony in 1982.
Buckley went on to perform in such musicals as Sunset Boulevard, Carrie The Musical and Triumph of Love, to name a few. Her success on the stage has led to appearances in several films, as well, including Woody Allen's Another Woman and Roman Polanski's Frantic.
Buckley has also starred on the small screen in several Emmy-nominated After School Specials and as Abby in the television series Eight Is Enough. More recently, Buckley had a recurring role on HBO's gritty prison drama Oz, and has guest-starred on Monk, Law and Order: SVU and Without a Trace.
In addition to her singing and stage career, Buckley participates in cutting-horse competitions. In this sport, inspired by true cowboy tactics, a rider and the horse attempt to separate a calf from the herd. Her next event will be a celebrity cutting event in Fort Worth, Tex., on Nov. 30.
Check out this week's Piano Jazz Shorts: the Piano Jazz podcast.
Subscribe!
Set List for Betty Buckley on Piano Jazz: