The songstress is extremely thankful for 2016. She had two guest appearances with The Boston Pops and many sold-out concerts nationwide. She had a guest role in the Fox TV sitcom New Girl, and a duet with Bette Milder at Madison Square Garden, in addition to performing at her annual “Hulaween” foundation event on Halloween at Waldorf Astoria which included Midler joining her on stage for the closing duet. “That was so much fun. It was great because I always heard about this Halloween event, and last year, she asked me to perform, so that was more than icing on the cake, that was the cake,” she said with a sweet laugh. “She did the song ‘He’s Sure the Boy I Love’ with me, which was fantastic. I am always blessed to be able to do what I’ve always had in my heart to do.”
Love performed her 75th birthday bash concert at Lincoln Center outdoors in July for 3,000 guests, and she performed at Carnegie Hall for Sting with fellow musicians Bruce Springsteen and James Taylor. “That was great because I never met Sting before. It was fun to be on the stage with him, and to be asked to do something like that. It all worked out,” she said. “For my birthday, I had no idea that they were going to sell out that place. It was just mind-boggling. You don’t mind working on your birthday. There were a lot of surprises.”
This past October, she played at Queens College in Flushing, New York, and it was followed by a three-show residency at B.B. King Blues Club in New York City, where she performed her holiday classic “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home).” “I am having so much fun at this time in my life. I always wanted to be on stage and make people happy. I want people to feel good when they leave my show,” she said.
On March 13, 2017, Love will be honored for her musical accomplishments with the “Lifetime Achievement” award at the 32nd annual The Bistro Awards. “That is going to be great, and it means so much to me that I am doing what I’m supposed to be doing,” she said.
She had nothing but the kindest remarks for Joan Jett and her Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction. “I was so happy for Joan Jett when she made it. I was surprised I got in before she did. As far as I’m concerned, Joan Jett is one of the few female rock and rollers left. We’ve had a friendship for over 25 years. When she got in, I was just busting with joy,” Love said.
To learn more about Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Darlene Love and her tour dates, check out her official website.
