08 July 2026 (released)
08 July 2026
An exclusive interview with the legendary Betty Buckley, who originated the role of Grizabella in the musical “Cats”, which this year celebrated its 45th anniversary.
Your solo career is inseparable from your roles in musical theatre. Do you consider yourself more a part of the musical world or show business?
The love for musical theatre came from my mother; she had a vast collection of original cast albums. I remember the moment when I saw the show - "The Pajama Game"; it was this classic Bob Fosse "Steam Heat" number in the show – two guys and a girl in little black suits and derby hats with bowties - it was the coolest thing I’d ever seen. It was like this transcendent experience where I felt that – “that’s what I’ll be doing for the rest of my life”. And that was musical theatre.
What was your early career like before you became Grizabella on Broadway?
My whole career is about meeting wonderful people, people who believed in me, who opened doors for me. Rodger Hess, my agent, really believed in me. Thanks to him, I got cast in "1776" The Musical on my first day in NYC. I was a veteran performer by then; I’ve been doing shows constantly from age eleven. And when I got my first Broadway show, I was twenty-one.
You were lucky enough to play Grizabella in the musical “Cats”. Did the song "Memory" become your signature song?
I’m happy to do "Memory" in the present moment. It has evolved as I have grown and changed. Honestly, it’s been such a blessing in my life. I think of Grizabella as one of my soulmates. I’ve done her song for 43 years, in the show and in concert.
I’m now the age that Grizabella was meant to be in the original Broadway version, when I was 35. She was this aging glamour cat. Now everything inside me knows what she was singing about back then. And every time I stand on stage and hear the opening chords of the song, it transports me back in that place and time. Memory for me is a landscape, and this character is someone that I learned how to lend my soul to. Having lived her experience, she continues to teach me things about life, most primarily about how to see the world and other people. And how the only important thing is expressing your love and appreciation. We’re all in this together; we’re one being and one consciousness.
Let’s talk about your career as a solo performer, as a singer. Not many musical theatre performers have successful careers outside their musical theatre lives.
Yes, I wanted to be a concert artist since I was twenty-two. I saw Sarah Vaughan in concert at the Philharmonic Hall, with her band of musicians she had worked with for years, and I was mesmerized. At that moment, I realized I also wanted to be a concert artist. After “Cats” opened, people started asking me to do concert work for the first time. I formed a band of phenomenal musicians, consisting of four major jazz artists, centered on the arrangements and musical direction of a brilliant pianist and arranger, Kenny Werner. We worked together for 20 years and made many albums.
Tell us about your new album.
This is my 20th album. About 19 years ago, I started working with Christian Jacob, my musical director for this album. He is a multi-Grammy-nominated artist, a brilliant jazz pianist and arranger, and a film composer.
What are your favorite songs from the album?
The title song, “Enough”, is a song by Sara Bareilles from her new musical that is coming out in 2027. She kindly gave us her blessing to do the song. We also do her song “You Matter to Me”. We do songs by Bob Dylan, James Taylor, and Paul Simon. “Everything Must Change” by Benard Ighner – that was the song that I heard Sarah Vaughan sing at the Philharmonic, which inspired me to become a concert artist.
With all the different albums you’ve recorded, some were recorded in the studio, and some as a live concert. Why is that?
I’ve released several live concerts. The atmosphere of the room itself is special. Every year I’m on the quest of searching for new songs that touch me in this immediate current moment. I paint with words, music, image, and space. I don’t like just singing my Broadway hits. I like finding relevant songs. My voice has changed over time. All my albums are a chronicle of the work I’ve done in the world.
Photo Credit by John Boal
