ED AMES TODAY
2000 AND BEYOND
Even though the concert tours and stage shows are over, rodeos and county fairs. And his acting roles are in reruns or on DVD's, still retirement
has not entered the picture for Mr. Ed Ames.  

And we, his many admirers, are always on the lookout for any mention of him in the news or any new photos.  He still sings on occasion,to the
delight of those who are lucky enough to be in the audience and takes part in documentaries on subjects that are of interest to him.

On this page I will try to post current news and photos of Mr. Ames that have been made available to the public.

March of 2005
The Zionist Organization of America
ZOA
The ZOA, founded in 1897, is a Jewish organization that has been fighting for interests of the Jewish people and Land of Israel. It
works today to strengthen US-Israeli relations through educational activities, public affairs programs,and working with Capitol Hill.

In March of 2005 the ZOA set up a chapter in Los Angeles and named Mr. Ames as their President. In announcing the
appointment, the national ZOA President Morton Klein said,

"We want to have an important voice on the West Coast, so we chose the best voice we could find."
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November 2005
PBS Special
My Music:  The Fifties
I was lucky enough to be in the audience in November of 2005 at the taping of the PBS Special  :My Music: The Fifties,"where he was a guest. I sat in the
front row. It was my first time seeing him in person. There was a break in the taping between performers. The emcee was interviewing the previous act at
the side of the stage, while they set up for the next performer. Mr. Ames was the next performer. Quiet and unassuming, he walked out to his mark on the
stage.  He smiled that welcoming smile, acknowledging us in the audience, but said nothing until the emcee's interview with the other entertainer was finished.

He sang My Cup Runneth Over, Try To Remember, and Who Will Answer?, three of his biggest solo hits.  Then he spoke about his three "big brothers",
Joe, Vic, and Gene, the Ames Brothers, who have all passed away.  He was joined onstage by The Four Lads. They sang three Ames Brothers hits with
him, The Naughty Lady of Shady Lane,  Undecided, and You, You, You. Too bad only one of the Ames Brothers songs,  Naughty Lady, made it to the
actual airing of the PBS Special. I was the lucky one and got to see all six songs Mr. Ames performed.

It was a performance I will never forget as long as I live. He played to us, the audience. Every note, every lyric had meaning that only he could put into a
song.  I remember how he thanked the orchestra, and his back up singers. Even when a problem arose with the sound and the technicians quickly took care
of it. Graciously he thanked them for creating the sound he wanted for his audience. He gave us so much that evening and all we could give back to him was
our applause and ovations. And yet after seeing the show on television when it aired on PBS in 2007 I could see in his smile as he sang that our applause
meant a great deal to him.
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At Fess Parker's Wine Country
Inn & Spa in Los Olivos, California.
2007
Paula, Me, and Mr. Parker,our
most gracious host..
Paula, Marcie(Mrs. Parker),
our gracious hostess, and Me. .
My friend, Paula and I at the
Parker's Winery and Restaurant.
October 2007


This space is reserved for
our picture with Mr. Ames.  
At Fess Parker's Winery  and Inn in Los Olivos, one night a week, Mr. Parker and his wife Marcie
host a sing-along in the lobby of their Restaurant and Hotel.  Mr. Ames will occasionally be there
visiting his friends, the Parkers, and will perform two or three songs for the lucky guests who are in
the informal audience. When I was there for the sing-along, Mr. Ames was not, but it was evident
when we spoke to the ladies at the front desk that he is a favorite visitor of theirs.  You could see it in
the smiles on their faces when his name was mentioned. We had a magical evening there and will
always treasure our memory of meeting Mr. Fess Parker and his lovely wife, Marcie.
Two of my MingoWomen friends, Suzy H. and Cynthia C., did get to meet Mr. Ames at the Parkers'
sing-along in March of 2008 and shared their experiences. Suzy said, "He was charming, gracious, and
genuine, almost like talking to a friend in their home. He did this by
encouraging me to come closer by touching my elbow lightly during the conversation. We talked about
some of the songs he recorded after I said, 'More I Cannot Wish You' was my favorite song.
Suzy and Mr. Ames
Suzy, Mr. Parker,
and Cynthia
" Eventually everyone in the room is warming themselves before his glow."     
Cynthia and Mr. Ames
"But he's a smiley man."
October 26, 2008,
Canyon News,Critic At Large, Ruta Lee writes
(and yes she is the talented, glamorous, and well-known actress, Ruta Lee).
Ruta Lee
"With great anticipation, I ran to the 23rd annual New York Alumni "Night of Nostalgia" at Beverly Hills High School. It started at
around 4 p.m. with all the ex-New Yorkers eating hot dogs, knishes, egg creams, etc. Then, after all the kibitzing, we went into the
auditorium/theater for an amazing show."
She went on to write in the article,
"When it comes to music, Ed Ames brought the audience to its feet."
I took a chance and e-mailed Ms. Lee at the Canyon News. I told her how much I admired Mr. Ames and asked if she could
elaborate on  what he sang at the show. She was very nice, e-mailed me back. When I asked if I could quote her here, she said yes.  
Here is the e-mail.
"Sorry to be brief but pressed for time....Ed sang ...Impossible dream and
got a standing ovation.  He looks great and is a lovely man and friend!
Best Christmas wishes to you and yours!
Ruta Lee"
Since that message some of my other MingoWomen friends,
found these two You Tubes of Mr. Ames' performance at that show in October of 2008.
He sang The Impossible Dream and Try To Remember.
In the video he mentions doing it for his friend, Jack.
At that "Night of Nostalgia" Ms. Lee mentions they honored native New Yorker, Jerry Stiller
and they adopted into their NY family, Jack Klugman .
Listen and watch another stellar performance by Mr. Ed Ames.

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This New York Alumni Association founded by Lou and Fran Newman Zigman, every October, throw the biggest high school reunion in
the country. Every year they stage their New York Alumni Night of Nostalgia, "Keeping the Spirit Alive" show at the Beverly Hills High
School. It gives transplanted New Yorkers living on the West Coast a chance to enjoy a little bit of their beloved New York City.

As part of their reunion they honor a famous New Yorker and hey also adopt as honorary New Yorkers people who they would love to
have as part of their "family."

In October of 2009 the New York Alumni Association honored native New Yorker, Melissa Manchester.

And they adopted our very own, Mr. Ed Ames.

My friends, Paula and Mary and I flew out to Beverly Hills, to be in the audience when they honored Mr. Ames. It was an evening filled
with fun and music, celebrities and New Yorkers at their best. We enjoyed songs from Melissa Manchester, but best of all we got to see
and hear in person, Mr. Ames sing three wonderful songs, My Cup Runneth Over, They Call the Wind Mariah.   I was delighted when I
heard the third song. I had emailed Lou Zigman, who knew we were flying in from Florida and Pennsylvania.  I asked if I could request a
favorite Ed Ames song of mine.  He said he would pass my request on to Mr. Ames' musical director.  Imagine my thrill when Mr. Ames
began to sing the song I had requested, Old Man River.  He still sings a song with as much drama and feeling as he did forty years ago.
October 10, 2009
New York Alumni Association adopts
Ed Ames
It includes Monty Hall, "knighting" Mr. Ames with a tomahawk instead
of a sceptre. He is then honored by a representative from his grade
school back in Boston, the Boston Latin School.
Mr. Ames sings, They Call the Wind Mariah and Old Man River.  
We were so lucky and proud to be in the audience this night.
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Heart of a Horse Foundation
2009
Mr. Ames is a Celebrity Supporter of a group based in California called The Heart of a Horse Foundation. It's
mission is to maintain and stimulate the unwavering well-being of horses in America.  In 2009 he wrote an article that
was posted on their website titled, My Life With Horses.   It is a wonderful story of how he got his four beautiful
horses shown in the picture above.  Although the article is no longer on the website I kept a copy and hope he doesn't
mind if I share it here.  Click on My Life With Horses to read the article.
Ed's ponies, on his ranch in Santa Ynez, California.
From left to right, Blue, Sassy, Pippi, and Blondie.
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Kady's Fund
Melodies For Mutts Benefit
April 17, 2010
Kady's Fund is a unique non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating suffering, homelessness, and the euthanasia of
our canine compatriots through targeted education and training. Their primary goal is to resolve animal abandonment

Mr. Ames not only loves his horses, he also loves his dogs. On April 17, 2010 in Santa Monica, California he and his
Standard Poodle, Tallulah were the very special guests in "Melodies For Mutts, a musical revue For All Things Dogs
benefiting Kady's Fund.  To the delight of the audience, Mr. Ames read a poem, "Just My Dog"  and he sang Try To
Remember and My Cup Runneth Over.  But when you watch the video it's easy to see Tallulah, who he introduced
as the "Queen of Beverly Hills" stole the show.
YouTube of Mr. Ames
reading poem,
"Just My Dog"
"She's just my dog."
Mr. and Mrs. Ed Ames in the
2009 Hollywood Christmas Parade
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June 17, 2010
PaleyFest Rewind 2010 Presents Rona Barrett in
"Nothing But the Truth"
June 23, 2010
Opening night of "In The Heights" at the Pantages Theater in L. A.
July 27, 2010
Premier of "Young Frankenstein" at the Pantages Theater in L.A.
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Ed Ames in Concert with Swing, Swing, Swing
February 10, 2011
McCallum Theater in Palm Desert, California
Ed Ames In Concert with Swing, Swing, Swing
Featuring Mary Ann Mobley, The Jive Aces, The Gene Krupa Tribute Band
and Special Guest Host, Monty Hall
February 10, 2011
The McCallum Theatre brings back an audience favorite with an evening celebrating the era of
America's great Big Bands playing the most popular music of the Swing Era.
I would give anything to be able to go to this concert.  I've been to Palm Desert. It is a lovely town.  I
hope if anyone goes that they share the wonderful details with me and I will add them to this page.
My email is skcqcoffman@yahoo.com

Well guess what?  I did go to this concert and finally I met Mr. Ames.
Click here for my special experience.
The Great American Songbook in Branson, MO  2005.
He shared the stage with Carol Lawrence.
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A Recent Concert Event
Ed Ames in Concert, Swing, Swing, Swing
February 10, 2011
McCallum Theater in Palm Desert, California

I was there, click here and see!
Disclaimer: The comments, photos, or bits of
songs have been included here solely for the
enjoyment of fans and not for monetary profit.
The rights to the characters initially created for the
Daniel Boone series belong to 20th Century Fox
and Fess Parker. The same for any other characters
from television series or songs performed by Ed
Ames.  No copyright violation is intended.
Be sure to support your
local PBS station
www.pbs.org
I think my favorite description of Mr. Ames' warmth is from Cynthia.  She said, "He has a
way of making you, a complete stranger, feel as though he is welcoming you as a missing
friend.  I don't mean he is exuberant, he is not. He's very quiet.  But he's a smiley man.  He
doesn't fill the room with his presence like a firecracker does, but like a candle does.
Eventually everyone in the room is warming themselves before his glow."     
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