Classically trained tenor Dennis McNeil has sung for five U.S. presidents and several foreign heads of state, and shared the stage with performers as diverse as the Grateful Dead, Lionel Ritchie and Steve Miller. McNeil, who is preparing for a Tuesday show at Live At The Lounge, credits the launch of his 25-year career to a soprano who touched him deeply decades ago.
McNeil was far from settled on a vocalist career when the 20-year-old music major at U.C. Davis was singing in a chorus, and a soprano soloist struck a note that, he said, “pierced my heart.”
“I just felt something inside wanting to be released. It was kind of a calling,” he said.
“She just came in and woke something up that was stirring inside of me. And from then on, I just never looked back and continued singing, and I thought I could do that – the soloist stuff,” he said.
McNeil began performing as an opera singer, and went on to sing with the San Francisco Opera, the L.A. Opera, and The Metropolitan Opera in New York City, and performed in musical theater productions of Carousel and Zorba the Greek.
He recorded seven CDs, the latest titled Center Stage, with complete orchestra renditions of some of the greatest Broadway show tunes of the past 60 years. He displays a rare ability to make an audience feel the emotional nuance of a song, as he does on his popular version of “Maria” from West Side Story.
McNeil toured with Sammy Cahn for six months in a show about Cahn’s career and the songs he wrote, including lyrics to classic Sinatra tunes.
Of all of McNeil’s enjoyable moments performing for U.S. presidents, singing for Ronald Reagan stands out as his favorite.
“He was just a warm, genuinely nice human being,” McNeil said. “I remember the day he died, telling my dad how I could still feel his handshake. He made just that much of an impression on me.”
McNeil also has performed for several Supreme Court justices and seven secretaries of state, including Condoleezza Rice, who is a concert pianist in her own right.
At the Comedy Magic Club’s Live At The Lounge in Hermosa Beach — where McNeil will perform Tuesday and again on Sunday, Dec. 11 — promised variety from show to show.
“I don’t know about taking requests, but, hey, someone might yell out, let’s do this tune. None of the shows will be the same,” he said. “I will probably throw in some Christmas tunes for the December show. We’ll make it a little holiday bash.”
“I’ve spent a lot of time singing around the world and all 50 states, including Alaska. But I am really excited to be able to bring this show to the South Bay,” said McNeil, who lives in El Segundo. “It’s just nice to be doing something local, just for fun.”
Tenor Dennis McNeil performs 8:15 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 15, and again on Sunday, Dec. 11 at Live At The Lounge. For ticket information visit LiveAtTheLounge.com; for sound samples and more on the singer visit dennismcneil.com.
