By GARY DEMUTH
Professional singer Les Lankhorst plans to deliver a winter wonderland of holiday classics during his annual Salina Christmas concert this year – with one notable exception.
Lankhorst, who has built a multi-decade career crooning the popular standards of such legendary singers as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Bobby Darin, will include Neil Diamond’s classic ballad “Play Me” among his Christmas song selections.
“It was mom’s favorite song, even if it’s not a Christmas song,” Lankhorst said.
Lankhorst’s mother, Eva, passed away earlier this year, and Lankhorst said he is dedicating the song to her memory.
“Really, ‘Ave Maria’ was her favorite, but I’m not going to do it this year,” he said. “It would be too emotional.”
“Christmas Dinner & A Show with Les Lankhorst” will begin at 6 p.m. Dec. 16 at Tumblweed (the former Augustine furniture store), an event center at 5680 W. Old Hwy 40, five miles west of Salina.
Tickets are $30 and include dinner and show. Dinner will be catered by Martinelli’s Little Italy, 158 S. Santa Fe. A cash bar also will be available.
Advance tickets can be purchased on Facebook on the “Les Lankhorst- The Crooner” page, or by contacting Tumblweed at (785) 643-1179 or tumblweedllc@yahoo.com.
Lankhorst said this year’s show will be “an intimate affair,” and will feature guest performances by several family members, including his nephew Jordan Lankhorst, a professional actor, singer and dancer.
“I need to call this the Lankhorst family Christmas show, because that’s what it ends up being every year,” he said. “It’s the ultimate family show.”
Lankhorst will perform such holiday classics as “Winter Wonderland,” “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and the Elvis Presley version of “Blue Christmas,” among many others.
Special art exhibition
Lankhorst said there will be a special exhibition of artwork created by Eva Lankhorst, who was an accomplished painter, along with a virtual and live auction of one of her signature pieces before his show begins.
Proceeds from the auction will go to the Salina Food Bank, Lankhorst said.
“Mom was always adamant about us all coming together and giving something to a worthy charity at Christmastime,” he said.
Raised in Salina, Lankhorst began his theatrical career as a performer in Kansas City. He later starred off-Broadway as the Pharoah in “Moses, My Love” and was a featured actor in national tours of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” and “Zorba the Greek.” A favorite role was playing “Frank” in the national tour of “My Way – A Tribute to Frank Sinatra.”
Lankhorst also portrayed Sinatra in the Las Vegas and touring productions of “The Rat Pack is Back,” the longest running Rat Pack tribute show. Additionally, he tours nationwide with the acclaimed recording group The Texas Tenors.
Lankhorst said his Christmas concert is his favorite of all his shows, because it’s all about bringing family and friends together to celebrate the season.
“It’s all about home for me,” he said. “The first year doing this without mom will be difficult, but it’s important for us to have this tradition and carry on, even if it’ll be different this year.”