Stephen Bishop: Phl is my second home

MANILA, Philippines — More than four decades after he ignited the international music scene with memorable, stirring ballads, Oscar and Grammy nominated singer-songwriter Stephen Bishop is still actively touring. This year, he will be seen not just in the US, but in the international scene as well, the Philippines included.

Local music fans who repeatedly saw Stephen onstage, still have not grown tired of watching him perform live. This month, Stephen will again entertain and delight Filipino audiences with his well-loved and popular songs, which have become staple of radio music stations for years.

“This is my second home,” Stephen said of the Philippines. “It’s easy to keep coming back here because the people are always so warm, sweet and nice. I love the Filipino people. They really love my songs and it’s a fantastic thing. I have actually more hits here than in the States.”

As a singer who also writes most of his songs, Stephen starts from the titles, then creates the melody and writes the lyrics. Like the heart-wrenching Separate Lives, which was written after his break-up with his girlfriend.

“You have no right, to ask me how I feel,” said a line from the chorus. That was exactly what he wanted to tell his partner after their break-up. The song later became the theme of the film, White Nights, starring Mikhail Baryshnikov, Gregory Hines and Helen Mirren. Separate Lives also earned the Best Original Song nomination from the Academy Awards.

Stephen’s monstrous hit, It Might Be You, the theme from Tootsie, starring Dustin Hoffman and Jessica Lange, earned another Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song. He recorded the song, but music was by Dave Grusin, with lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman.

Interestingly, even before Stephen started to sing, he was playing the clarinet. He adores The Beatles — “I’m a Beatle-holic,” he proudly says — and the Rolling Stones.

“I started playing the clarinet at 10, when I got into an orchestra in my school. Then, I was playing I Can’t Get No Satisfaction by the (Rolling) Stones on the clarinet, but it didn’t sound so good. I couldn’t impress the girls in my school.”

On May 22, Stephen will send many hearts aflutter anew as he serenades local audiences with his love songs in Love Rocks, a concert at the Newport Performing Arts Theater of Resorts World Manila.

Expect Stephen to render his hits like It Might Be You, Something New In My Life, On and On, Separate Lives and Save It for a Rainy Day. Joining him are Grammy nominee Bobby Wilson, who sang Your Love Has Lifted Me Higher, Get the Sweetest Feeling, Lonely Teardrops and J Michaels, who recorded Wildflower, Smoke From a Distant Fire, I Just Can’t Help Believing.

OPM artists Richard Merk, Milet Abrenica and Janis Cagara, will welcome the mix crowd and patrons of Stephen Bishop. Direction is by Maestro Danny Favis.