On August 25, 1970, a young bespectacled piano-playing singer-songwriter from England, who was unknown to American rock ‘n roll fans, would perform his first show in the U.S. At the popular music nightclub The Troubadour in West Hollywood, pop star Neil Diamond would introduce Elton John. After six nights of riveting performances, audiences, critics, and the stars who witnessed the shows, were hailing Elton John as a potential music superstar.

Elton John wasn’t the only pop/rock musician to make their mark performing at what would become an iconic music venue. The Troubadour played an important role in the careers of, among others, Carole King, Jackson Browne, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Bonnie Raitt, James Taylor, Don McLean, Tom Waits, Buffalo Springfield, Metallica, and even Gwen Stefani’s breakout band No Doubt.

Award-winning cabaret and concert vocalist Dawn Derow and award-winning guitarist and singer-songwriter Peter Calo (Carly Simon’s former guitarist and producer), have created the mesmerizing tribute show A TROUBADOUR TRIBUTE celebrating the legendary West Hollywood venue The Troubadour and the iconic artists who’ve performed there over the past six decades and made that musical shrine shine. With Matt Bonelli on bass, Derow and Calo both perform solos and duets on songs made famous by some of the artists mentioned above, along with hits by Linda Ronstadt, the Eagles, Kris Kristofferson, Billy Joel, Carly Simon, Johnny Cash, Jimmy Webb, Shawn Colvin, and Guns N’ Roses.

Presented by Sandy Sanford Fisher and Stephen Sorokoff, A TROUBADOUR TRIBUTE comes to Café Centro (2409 North Dixie Highway West Palm Beach, FL 33407) on March 12 at 8 pm. Tickets are going fast so call today at 561-514-4070 and reserve your seats!

Derow and Calo have performed versions of their Troubadour tribute show over the last three years to sold-out venues such as Mohonk Mountain House in New York and the Cotuit Center for the Arts on Cape Cod. “The ever-evolving nature of this show is a testament to the timeless appeal of these epic songs,” says Dawn. “This tribute continues to provide endless joy and inspiration for both Peter and I. In addition to playing the songs that we all love from the 1960s, ‘70s and even through the ‘90s, the show is also sprinkled with origin anecdotes and personal stories from Peter who has worked with some of the artists we are celebrating.”

Dawn Derow Bio: A New Yorker by way of Cape Cod, MA, Dawn Derow has been delighting audiences with her eclectic repertoire—from opera to jazz, pop to Broadway—for the last 15 years. She is a graduate of the Boston Conservatory, a three-time MAC Award winner & Bistro Award recipient, most recently for the album version of her 2018 show, My Ship: Songs from 1941, which she reprised in 2023 to sold out crowds at The Pheasantry in London. In April, Dawn will return to London presenting a brand new show that pays tribute to strong women in the music industry. Dawn has performed her solo shows at New York’s Birdland Theater and Jazz Club, 54 Below, the Laurie Beechman Theater, and The Green Room 42, as well as staging numerous shows around Cape Cod and Provincetown. Whether she’s singing Puccini, belting Broadway tunes, or covering a Brandi Carlile ballad, Dawn combines performing passion with superb vocal technique. BistroAwards.com has said of Dawn, “No matter what vocal style she adopts, Derow brings something unexpected.” After recently moving to Florida, Dawn joined up with a couple of South Florida musicians to create DAWN & THE DELTA JAZZ TRIO (with Matt Bonelli on bass, Howie Gordon on drums, and Pat Norris on keyboard). She now splits her time between New York and North Palm Beach, where she lives with her husband John.

Peter Calo Bio: Called a “masterful guitarist” by the Boston Globe, Peter has performed and/or recorded with such diverse artists as Carly Simon, Dionne Warwick, Queen Latifah, Willie Nelson, Hall and Oates, Linda Eder, Sophie B. Hawkins, Andrea Bocelli, Jimmy Webb, Kris Kristofferson, Leonard Bernstein, Marc Shaiman, Frank Filipetti, Julie Taymor, Lesley Gore, Crash Test Dummies, Joel Grey, The Platters, Harvey Fierstein, Marilyn Maye, Lorna Luft, Kat Edmonson, The Happenings, and many more. Peter has also produced many recordings, including Carly Simon’s release, “Never Been Gone,” and is featured in the documentary, All You Need is Klaus. He was guitarist for Showtime’s Ray Donovan and for the Tony and Grammy Award-winning original Broadway and film production of Hairspray. Peter played to a sold-out Carnegie Hall as part of the “Lead Belly Tribute,” performing with Eric Burton (The Animals), Edgar Winter, Kenny Wayne Sheppard, Walter Trout, and others. In 2023, Peter was a finalist for an International Acoustic Music Award as “Best Male Artist” for his song, “Elephants Never Forget.” Peter will soon be releasing his next recording, “A Pocket Full of Change,” a collection of original acoustic guitar instrumental songs.

Matt Bonelli Bio: Born in New York City into a musical family, Matt has been a professional Bassist for his entire adult life. He holds a Masters of Music degree from the University of Miami. Many of his students from universities and colleges in South Florida now appear on stages, in studios, and classrooms around the world. Matt has appeared on several audio and video recordings with artists such as the Bee Gees, and the 14 Jazz Orchestra. Making his home in Southeast Florida, Matt can be found performing regularly at the Hard Rock Casino’s Council Oak, Eddie V’s Prime Seafood, and Performing Arts Centers throughout the area. For the last eight years, Matt has produced a successful annual fundraiser for CurePSP, which is dedicated to the awareness, care, and cure of neurodegenerative diseases. This event features a community of well-known musicians from Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties.

Photography: Bob Tucker