That was one of the many lines that mega star Lorna Luft shared with an adoring audience on Thursday, September 16 as she brought the house down with memorable hit songs from the past. Lorna Luft is headlining a show which includes the debut of the New West Pops, under the guidance of Steven Goldstein, Artistic Director and Conductor.

The afore mentioned legend is Judy Garland, of course, and as the old saying goes, the apple does not fall far from the tree. But this is common knowledge to anyone who has followed Luft’s career from the age of eleven when she appeared on her mother’s TV show to her five (count them) Emmy wins for her television miniseries “Life With Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows”

From the hauntingly melodious “My Funny Valentine” to the throat busting “Rockabye” Lorna Luft can keep the audience spellbound as her sometimes husky voice surrounds the auditorium with selections from her album, “Songs My Mother Taught Me”. Lorna leaves no doubt that she can belt out a lyric right up there with the best of them, and when she mellows the tone, it’s like riding a velvet music staff.

She talks about her friends, (Barry Manilow among them), she shares some past experiences with the audience and soon you don’t feel like you’re in a theater. It’s more like you dropped in on a friend who is a bubbly conversationalist who punctuates her statements with songs. When Lorna  sings the orchestra is led by her Conductor/Music Director and husband, Colin R. Freeman, who makes the most directing some top notch arrangements. If there is one complaint it’s that her set was much too short, as it was evident by the standing ovations that the audience would be willing to stay for hours.

If you’ve never seen Lorna Luft in person, you still have a chance to do so. And about that line she says about no books that tell how to be the daughter of a legend. That’s probably a moot point by now, since everyone who hears her agrees that a new legend has been around for several years and her name is Lorna Luft.

The New Pops Orchestra opened the show playing musical numbers that had gone from stage to film, hence the title of the show.  The band backed singers Tobi Foster and Blake Ginther in songs from West Side Story. and later Harmonica Virtuoso Bernie Fields offered a Mancini Medley.  The show closed with the entire ensemble performing Circle of Life from the Lion King.

The entire show will play Sunday September 19 at the Kavli Theatre in Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza. Call 866-776-8400 or get tickets online at www.newwestsymphony.org/pops.html  or www.ticketmaster.com