Catherine Russell & Cyndi Lauper in New York

Catherine Russell is an American jazz and blues singer, born in New York City in 1956. The daughter of bandleader Luis Russell and bassist and singer Carline Ray, she interprets swing, blues and early jazz repertoire. Her solo recordings include Cat, Harlem on My Mind and Alone Together. Catherine Russell sang backing vocals in David Bowie’s touring band on the Heathen Tour and A Reality Tour. After releasing Cat, she began touring under her own name, and her solo concert work has included performances at Newport Jazz Festival and Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Cyndi Lauper is an American singer and songwriter born in Queens, New York, in 1953. Her pop and new wave debut album, She’s So Unusual, introduced “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” and “Time After Time”; later signature songs include “True Colors.” She also wrote the music and lyrics for the Broadway musical Kinky Boots. The Fun Tour took her debut repertoire through North America and Europe in 1983 and 1984. In 2007, she organized the multi-artist True Colors Tour in support of LGBT rights. She launched the Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell Tour in 2024, including an arena date at Madison Square Garden; the run extended into 2025 and reached the Hollywood Bowl.