BIOGRAPHY

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“I’m watchin’ Sis go pitterpat. Said, ‘I can do that, I can do that’.”

The above lyric is from the hit musical “A Chorus Line” and was the inspiration for Greg Purdy becoming a singer, “ … even though I neither dance nor have a sister,” jokes Greg.

After high school, he often accompanied a long-time (actress) friend on her rounds of auditions and showcase performances in Los Angeles and, one day thought, I can do that!

Having studied guitar for many years, Greg was already comfortable in the musical realm, but had never thought of himself as a headline performer. None-the-less, he started signing-up for nightclub showcase nights and, soon, was winning first-place and/or securing return invitations. Not long thereafter, he began landing professional gigs.

Shortly after a 1984 move to Palm Springs, he was hired as one of the singers at a chic Palm Springs nightspot called Moody’s Supper Club. "Working there, I learned the difference between being a singer and being an entertainer—The former, you’re born with; the latter, you learn after years of practice and observation."

And, indeed, it was years as the gig lasted nearly 20, often performing up to six nights-a-week. 

The Grand Dame of the club was Grace Moody [see Blog post] who Greg describes as, "Joan Blondell meets Auntie Mame." Adding, "Vocally, she may not have been Leontyne Price, but—starting in Vaudeville—she knew every theatrical trick in the book." For Greg, it was a master class in show biz' technique. "She would stand on her head, if that's what it took to grab an audience."

"Moody’s was also THE place for visiting entertainers to stop by after their own shows and concerts, or while just vacationing in Palm Springs," remembers Greg. Co-Owner Phil Moody was a renowned maestro, so his reputation attracted everyone from Bobby Short to Warren Beatty (an accomplished pianist himself) and from journeymen Broadway actors to nightclub chanteuses, all who would usually sit-in for a few numbers. "The folks who walked through Moody's doors were a veritable  Who's Who of the entertainment industry, although I often didn't know  who they were. One night, I asked a guest pianist (Paul Smith) where he regularly performs? He replied, 'Wherever Ella Fitzgerald is on stage.' Oh!"

During summer months, when the club was closed, Greg would perform with Big Bands or, occasionally, on a cruise ship. “Due to sea sickness, though,” Greg laments, “I much prefer terra firma.”

The club eventually closed—ending a chapter of Palm Springs history—and Greg went on to work for another Palm Springs institution, “The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies,” although in a behind-the-scenes capacity as senior communications manager. 

The Follies was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for Greg. “Someday, I’ll write a book about those 14 years with the show,” says Greg. “It is a precious memory and working with that group of incredible 55+ performers was unforgettable, not to mention me getting to welcome nearly every star in Hollywood when they attended.”

So, what is Greg doing for an encore?  “When I turned 58, someone who I hadn’t seen in a decade asked what nights I was performing? When I explained that the club had closed and the owners has passed away, she asked—somewhat incredulously—‘Then you’re not performing ANYWHERE?!’ After I explained that I wasn’t, she just shrugged, said ‘What a waste!' and walked away.”

For Greg, that was his sign to get back to work … and he did.

Adds Greg, “I'm finally at an age where I can sing  ‘When the World Was Young’ … and actually UNDERSTAND what I’m singing about!”