Members of Kennedy Family Attend Bacharach Concert

by Marilyn Nason, The Post-Star, July 6, 1971

The more than 15,000 who came to Saratoga Performing Arts Center Sunday night got more than they bargained for—a fantastic performance by Burt Bacharach and the surprise appearance of Mrs. Robert Kennedy, Sen. Ted Kennedy and party.

Bacharach, a long-time friend of the Kennedys, acknowledged backstage later that he was “surprised, delighted and pleased” that the Kennedys came to see his final performance in his current series of 10 one-nighters.

It was a perfect all-Bacharach show with 31 musicians including a huge string section and four female singers playing an hour of his tunes with Hal David lyrics. Bacharach conducts this group, which filled the SPAC stage, much as he does on his TV specials. At times, he sits at the piano, merely nodding his head, other times stand up playing with one hand and directing with the other and then again conducting in orthodox fashion in front of the orchestra.

But regardless of where or how he conducted, the program was magnificent and included so many hits, it seemed impossible to believe this handsome young man with the flashing smile and nervous laugh could have found time to produce so many tunes.

He gave repeated credit to Dionne Warwick, terming her “the truest spokesman for my music. Songs ranged from “Walk On By,” “What The World Needs Now Is Love,” “Alfie” to “I’II Never Fall In Love Again” and “Promises, Promises.”

Opening the show were six talented young rock performers, Orange Colored Sky.

As the intermission came to a close, Mrs. Robert Kennedy, Sen. Ted Kennedy, one of his older children, Mr. and Mrs John Douglass of Massachusetts and a party of 11, including professional football players, Ray Schoen and Tom Johnson, came from backstage in a cordon of police to take seats in the front row center of the orchestra section.

Everybody in the audience stood up, many rushed down the aisles for a better look and it took a good 20 minutes to get the audience quiet enough for the second half with Bacharach to start.

The Kennedys flew by private plane to Saratoga County Airport from Hyannisport and returned there early Monday
morning with Bacharach as a passenger. They took back umpteen SPAC buttons, bumper stickers and posters, expressing great delight with their unusual beauty and design.

For the fashion-minded, Bacharach wore a black tux with vest, white shirt and bow tie on stage; navy knit long-sleeved pullover, navy and white striped bell pants and navy blazer with white loafers offstage.

Mrs. Kennedy wore a pale purple linen hotpants dress with navy patent pumps and matching shoulder bag. Sen. Kennedy wore white pants, navy double-breasted blazer, pale blue shirt, wide blue floral tie and white bucks.

When the show first ended, about 1.000 milled around the stage door. But as the backstage partying wore on, many left. By the time the Kennedys and Bacharach emerged at nearly 1 a.m., there were still about 300 eagerly waiting for autographs.

Sen. Kennedy spent about 15 minutes signing autographs and acknowledging sustained applause as he tried to get into his car. Mrs. Kennedy, too, obliged with a few autographs as she sat in the car waiting for her brother-in-law.