Advertisement

Sinatra, Minnelli and Davis announce 'The Ultimate Event'

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. -- Frank Sinatra, Liza Minnelli and Sammy Davis Jr. announced plans Thursday for an 11-city, 21-concert tour, dubbed 'The Ultimate Event.'

The three superstars performed several concerts together earlier this year when Minnelli stepped in for Dean Martin, who was sidelined by a kidney ailment during his tour with Sinatra and Davis.

Advertisement

But, Davis told a news conference at the Beverly Hills Hotel, 'This is the first time we've all started from scratch and that's what makes it exciting.'

'It's fun,' Minnelli said about preparing for the tour. 'I wouldn't want to do it alone but I certainly love doing it with Frank and Sammy.'

Sinatra conceded that Minnelli will be the one to sing 'New York, New York,' a song he also recorded, because he said it was her tune from the start.

'She started the song,' Sinatra said, 'so she'll start it (in the tour), then we'll join in.'

The tour will begin Sept. 18 at Arizona State University in Tempe and includes other September stops in Atlanta; Miami; Tampa, Fla.; Philadelphia, and East Rutherford, N.J.

October engagements begin with another performance in East Rutherford and progress through Uniondale, N.Y.; Worcester, Mass.; and Houston.

Advertisement

The only West Coast performance is scheduled Nov. 26 at the Forum in Inglewood. The tour will conclude with five dates in Detroit in late November and early December.

The Detroit appearances coincide with the re-opening of the newly renovated Fox Theatre, which prompted Sinatra to joke, 'I think I played that theater when I was 11 years old.'

The musical director for the entire tour will be Frank Sinatra Jr.

'He'll double by driving the bus,' joked the senior Sinatra.

An overseas tour by the three performers is in the planning stages for spring 1989 and will include cities in Europe, Japan and Australia, where Sinatra battled news reporters in a highly publicized incident several years ago. --- The following is a list of performance dates: Sept. 18 Arizona State University; Tempe, Ariz Sept. 22 The Omni; Atlanta. Sept. 24 Miami Arena; Miami. Sept. 25 Sun Dome; Tampa, Fla. Sept. 27-28 The Spectrum; Philadelphia. Sept. 30-Oct. 1 Meadowlands Arena; East Rutherford, N.J. Oct. 3-4 Nassau Coliseum; Uniondale, N.Y. Oct. 6-7 The Centrum; Worcester, Mass. Oct. 9 Summit Arena; Houston. Nov. 26 The Forum; Inglewood, Calif.

Nov. 30-Dec. 4 Fox Theatre; Detroit.

Latest Headlines