WHAT: Sonny and Perley: Falling in Love with Richard Rodgers.
WHEN: 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
WHERE: Westport Heritage House, 6459 Main St., Westport, presented by the Arts Council for the Northern Adirondacks with public funds from New York State Council on the Arts.
ADMISSION: $7 adults, $6 seniors, students free.
PHONE: 962-8778.
WESTPORT — In the words of Sonny Daye, "it was love at first sound."
He was filling in as drummer for singer Perley Rousseau that fateful day 26 years ago in a hotel lounge.
"We've been together ever since," he said.
The husband and wife duo — with Daye on piano and singing an occasional number — will perform Saturday and Sunday at Westport Heritage House, inviting the audience to fall in love with Richard Rodgers.
Most are familiar with the composer's long partnership with lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II; Sonny & Perley will perform favorites from some of their musicals: "Surrey with the Fringe on Top" from "Oklahoma!," "My Favorite Things" from "The Sound of Music" ...
The couple especially likes works from Rodgers's earlier years composing with Lorenz Hart, though, and some of those tunes are on the program.
"Gems that you don't hear too often," Daye said.
"I Didn't Know What Time it Was" from the musical "Too Many Girls" in 1939. "It Never Entered My Mind" from the 1940 show "Higher and Higher."
The Woodstock Times likens Rousseau's voice to "vanilla pudding." Daye, described in that review as "a creative and versatile jazz pianist," calls his wife's alto voice soulful, expressive.
"Her personality is also very witty; she's a real people person."
She loves to perform, he said, as some in Westport may recall from a Sonny & Perley performance there a few years ago. The two have also graced the stage in Saranac Lake.
Later this month, they'll tour Florida, with gigs in numerous libraries and other venues, including The Villages, a gated community with a population of 750,000.
The couple's daughter, Desiree Rain, 22, has followed in her parent's footsteps — she's a singer/songwriter.
"She does a totally different thing than we do," Daye said.
"A lot of original material. She's into the 1960s sound."
Recently, they blended talents in a family concert at a Comfort Inn in Latham.
Sonny & Perley make the shift from one style to another, with 12 different programs to choose from. They will perform their "Jive Five" show in Albany Friday.
Rousseau sings in Portuguese for their Brazilian show.
"Very exotic," Daye said.
"All of the music we do, we love," he continued. "We're very blessed to be able to do what we love for a living."
And so, as they step onto the stage, they center themselves to project that.
"We just try to really be in the space where there's nothing else happening but the music," Daye said, "when you don't even recognize that time has gone by."
When that happens, audience travels to that same place.
"People can really relax and get out of their daily routine," the pianist said. "Be in a different realm.
"We definitely believe in the power of music."
E-mail Suzanne Moore at: smoore@pressrepublican.com
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