She keeps going …and going

All together now: “Just call me angel of the morning, An-gel — Just touch my cheek before you leave me, ba-by . . .” If you’re over 40, you’ve got the rest of the song running through your head by now. The song of course is “Angel of the Morning,” words and lyrics by Chip Taylor, first a hit in 1968 for Merillee Rush and the Turnabouts, and then a mega-hit for pop singer Juice Newton in 1981.

All together now: “Just call me angel of the morning, An-gel — Just touch my cheek before you leave me, ba-by . . .”

If you’re over 40, you’ve got the rest of the song running through your head by now.

The song of course is “Angel of the Morning,” words and lyrics by Chip Taylor, first a hit in 1968 for Merillee Rush and the Turnabouts, and then a mega-hit for pop singer Juice Newton in 1981.

Those mournful heart-tugging lyrics will ring out in the Admiral Theatre Nov. 12 as Newton takes the stage on the latest stop on her American Girl tour.

Many of her songs will be familiar, as she has a long string of hits, including “Queen of Hearts,” “Love’s Been A Little Bit Hard On Me,” and “Break It To Me Gently.”

Newton was one of the first artists to cross over from pop to country, with “The Sweetest Thing,” followed by “Break It To Me Gently.”

Among her accolades are a Grammy for Best Pop Female Vocalist, an Academy of Country Music award for New Female Vocalist of the Year and a People’s Choice Award. And then there’s the platinum record and two gold records.

Her concert won’t be all memory lane though. She has a new CD out, “Every Road Leads Back To You,” which will be featured at the concert, as well as new tunes “They Never Made It To Memphis,” a “feel-good-rock-a-billy” tune about a couple’s quest to see Elvis and an unreleased Tom Petty song, “Keepin’ Me Alive.”

Newton got her musical start as a teenager in northern California, year undetermined, playing local beach clubs with her guitar. From there it was on to San Francisco where she teamed up with her long-time collaborator Otha Young and started a folk trio called “Silver Spur.”

Her upward career path led to Los Angeles, a recording contract with RCA and then Capitol Records, and touring. Lots and lots of touring.

Newton recalls in her biography that the band was on the road when they learned “Angel of the Morning” was in heavy rotation at radio stations across the country.

“We had no clue we had a hit on our hands,” she said, “but it sure made the next concert a ball to do, and the next one and the next one.”

Newton has had her ups and downs over a music career spanning more than 25 years, but she said the music keeps her going. She’s done the casinos, county fairs and small town shows; it’s all good.

“I’ve had my share of success, in the sense of awards and honors, which are great, and I’d love a few more, but the fulfillment I get personally — from the music itself — is the reason I can fly or drive to a new town every night, get on stage, and love what I’m doing,” she said.

With feeling: “Just call me angel of the morning, An-gel — Then slowly turn away . . . from m-e.”

Juice Newton performs 8 p.m. Nov. 12 at the Admiral Theatre, 515 Pacific Ave., Bremerton. Dinner seating is at 6:30 p.m.

Tickets are $66 for main floor dinner show, reservations required; $35 main floor show only and loge, and $25 balcony. All seats reserved. Tickets available at the box office or by phone at (360) 373-6743.

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