Sandi Patty coming back with Christmas show


How to go

What: Sandi Patty Christmas Live

When: 7:30 p.m. Dec. 16

Where: Kuss Auditorium

Tickets: $30 to $60, $20 to $50 for students; visit springfieldartscouncil.org or call (937) 328-3874.

Food drive

The Springfield Arts Council asks that concertgoers bring a nonperishable food item to the Sandi Patty show to benefit the Salvation Army pantry.

SPRINGFIELD — She was the female vocalist of the year at the Dove Awards in 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985 and 1986.

And 1987, 1988, 1989 and 1990.

And 1991.

And 1992.

With 39 total Dove Awards — plus five secular Grammys — Sandi Patty is a legend in Christian music.

The sacred Streisand.

She’ll return to Kuss Auditorium on Wednesday, Dec. 16, to end the war on Christmas once and for all.

It’s not a holiday show she’ll put on here.

It’s a Christmas show.

“The Voice” so decrees it.

In her first local show since 2004, she’ll be joined by the Shawnee High School Symphonic Choir on three selections.

Her next shows after Springfield?

Some dive called Carnegie Hall on Dec. 18 and 19.

Patty is that rare Christian artist who actually has sold lots of albums (and/or cassettes).

Her platinum albums (and/or cassettes) include “More Than Wonderful” (1983), “Hymns Just For You” (1985) and “Morning Like This” (1986).

Patty also has been good for a handful of Christmas albums since her debut in 1979. In October, she issued “Sandi Patty Christmas Live” on CD and DVD. (Cassettes are so 1985, and really, so are CDs.)

You’ll note that the earlier albums were credited to someone called “Sandi Patti.”

They’re not collectors’ items.

At her height in the ’80s, she was known as Sandi Patti, which was a goof on the record company’s part. She left it, only to revert to her given name, Sandi Patty, later on.

It was Sandi Patty who was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2004.

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0352 or amcginn@coxohio.com.

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