2x GRAMMY® Award-nominated singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright has announced the release of Rufus Does Judy at Capitol Studios, an all-new performance of his groundbreaking tribute to Judy Garland, Rufus Does Judy at Carnegie Hall, recorded last year at Los Angeles’ famed Capitol Studios. Rufus Does Judy at Capitol Studios arrives via BMG on Friday, June 10, celebrating the legendary Garland’s 100th birthday. Pre-orders are available now.
Rufus Does Judy at Capitol Studios is heralded by the concert highlight, “The Man That Got Away,” available now at all DSPs and streaming services; an official live performance video premieres today at YouTube.
WATCH “THE MAN THAT GOT AWAY”
First presented last year as a virtual livestream concert event, Rufus Does Judy at Capitol Studios sees Wainwright using the very microphone Garland herself used while making her own historic recordings at Capitol Studios, backed by a four-piece jazz ensemble before a micro-audience comprised entirely of 2x Academy Award-winning actress Renée Zellweger, winner of 2020’s “Best Actress” Oscar for her spectacular performance as Garland in 2019’s Judy. Among the concert’s many highlights is a special duet rendition of “Happy Days Are Here Again/Get Happy” performed alongside award-winning Concord recording artist Kristin Chenoweth.
“I am still awed by Rufus’ voice just as I was 22 years ago in a friend’s living room where I heard him perform for the first time,” says Zellweger. “Witnessing Rufus do the entire Judy Garland Carnegie Hall show was the most special day and I loved sharing the time.”
“In terms of actually fundamentally knowing these songs, honestly feeling them in my bones, Judy Garland has always had a good 30 year leg up on me and despite my valiant attempts, she will always be the Queen,” says Wainwright. “Listening back to my latest renditions of some of
these amazing numbers, I was slightly taken aback...in a good way. I don’t know if it’s the paired down arrangements, my own as well as the planets trials and tribulations, or the fact that everyone but myself were required to record these tracks with masks on (playfully emblazoned with Judy’s likeness mind you). But, there is a darker quality to these renditions, a measure of pain involved that in almost every other aspect of life can prove burdensome, except for in the act singing. I now know these songs and definitely feel them deep in my bones.”
Rufus Does Judy at Capitol Studios – which marked a rare complete performance of Wainwright’s now-legendary homage to 1961’s Judy Garland At Carnegie Hall – showcases a selection of standards spanning swing, jazz, and pop, including three songs by George & Ira Gershwin, two Rodgers & Hart classics, two from Howard Dietz & Arthur Schwartz, plus favorites by Harold Arlen, Yip Harburg, Irving Berlin, Noël Coward, and more. Highlights include such Garland signature songs as “The Man That Got Away,” “Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart,” “Swanee,” and of course, “Over The Rainbow.”
Wainwright’s sixth full-length release and first live album, Rufus Does Judy at Carnegie Hall was recorded and produced by Phil Ramone over two sold-out nights at Carnegie Hall, backed by a full 36-piece orchestra and special guest appearances from his sister Martha Wainwright, his mother Kate McGarrigle, and Garland’s daughter, Lorna Luft. The album proved an immediate cultural landmark, feted by worldwide media attention and critical acclaim while earning Wainwright his first-ever GRAMMY® Award nomination (for “Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album”).
Due to popular demand, Wainwright recreated his momentous tribute to Garland with sold-out, star-studded performances at such renowned venues as Paris’ L’Olympia, Los Angeles’ Hollywood Bowl, and the London Palladium, the latter of which was filmed and released on DVD as Rufus! Rufus! Rufus! Does Judy! Judy! Judy!: Live from the London Palladium.
Wainwright will further celebrate Garland’s centenary with a pair of exclusive live residencies, Rufus Does Judy at City Winery, set for City Winery in New York City (June 5, 7, 8, 10) and Chicago (June 16-17). Wainwright and his band will perform two shows each night, with early sets covering songs from “When You’re Smiling” to “San Francisco” and late shows featuring “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love” to “Chicago,” with additional surprise numbers during both sets. For complete details and remaining ticket availability, please visit rufuswainwright.com/tour.
Meanwhile, Wainwright is currently back on the road with his Unfollow The Rules Tour, set to return to North America for a series of West Coast and Canadian dates through late May. The upcoming run – which will see Wainwright performing classic songs, fan favorites, and tracks from his highly praised new album, 2020’s GRAMMY® and Juno Award-nominated Unfollow The Rules – begins with three very special solo performances in Canada followed by a full-band tour backed by his brand-new live combo, Brian Green (John Legend, Michael Bublé) as music director, guitar and backing vocals; Jacob Mann on keyboard, piano and backing vocals; and Alan Hampton on bass, guitar, ukulele and backing vocals.
In addition, Wainwright will present his acclaimed 2018 opera, Hadrian, with a special one-night-only performance at Madrid, Spain’s historic Teatro Real on July 22. Wainwright will also team up the Los Angeles Phil for an exclusive performance set for L.A.’s Walt Disney Concert Hall on June 2, 2023.
RUFUS WAINWRIGHT
UNFOLLOW THE RULES TOUR 2022
MARCH
18 – Oslo, NO – Sentrum Scene
19 – Copenhagen, DK – Konservatoriets Koncertsal
21 – Aarhus, DK – Musikhuset Aarhus
22 – Hamburg, DE – Kampnagel
24 – Antwerp, BE – De Roma
25 – Amsterdam, NL – Paradiso
26 – Nijmegen, NL – Concertgebouw De Vereeniging
28 – Berlin, DE – Admiralspalast
30 – Paris, FR – Le Grand Rex
APRIL
1 – Barcelona, ES – Guitar BCN At Palau de la Musica
3 – Donostiac-San Sebastian, ES – Auditorio Kursaal
14 – Calgary, AB – Jack Singer Concert Hall *
15 – Winnipeg, MB – Centennial Concert Hall *
26 – Vancouver, BC – Chan Centre for the Performing Arts
28 – Kirkland, WA – Kirkland Performance Center
29 – Edmonds, WA – Edmonds Center for the Arts
30 – Portland, OR – Aladdin Theater
MAY
16 – Toronto, ON – Massey Hall
19 – Ottawa, ON – Babs Asper Theatre, National Arts Centre
20 – Quebec City, QB – Palais Montcalm
21 – Montreal, QB – Salle Wilfred-Pelletier
29 – Reykjavik, IS – Harpa Center
JUNE
5 – New York, NY – City Winery (Two Shows) †
7 – New York, NY – City Winery (Two Shows) †
8 – New York, NY – City Winery (Two Shows) †
10 – New York, NY – City Winery (Two Shows) †
16 – Chicago, IL – City Winery (Two Shows) †
17 – Chicago, IL – City Winery (Two Shows) †
23 – Worthing, UK – Worthing Assembly Halls
24 – Pilton, UK – Glastonbury Festival ^
25 – Bath, UK – Bath Forum
30 – Zaragoza, ES – Parque Grande José Antonio Labordeta
JULY
11 – Amstelveen, NL – Amsterdamse Bostheater (SOLD OUT)
19 – Frankfurt, DE – Palmengarten
27 – Madrid, ES – Teatro Real **
30 – Glasgow, UK – Kelvingrove Bandstand
JUNE 2023
2 – Los Angeles, CA – Walt Disney Concert Hall ‡
# # #
* Solo Performance
† Rufus Does Judy at City Winery
^ Festival Performance
** Hadrian
‡ w/The LA Phil
# # #
Rufus Wainwright
Rufus Does Judy at Capitol Studios
(BMG)
Release Date: Friday, June 10
