Russ Lorenson

Russ Lorenson (born July 5, 1963, birth name Russ Gangloff) is an American singer and actor. Though a stage actor since childhood, since the mid-2000s Lorenson has established a reputation as an interpreter of jazz standards. With a retro crooner style, Lorenson's sound and approach are an amalgam of Broadway, jazz, and pop.

Early years
Born in Upland, Pennsylvania, just outside Philadelphia, Lorenson's career began as a youngster, making his stage debut at the age of seven. He continued singing and acting in the theatre throughout his early school years, moving with his family to San Diego, California when he was nine years old. At Patrick Henry High School he performed and toured with a classical vocal ensemble. He also gained experience as both a choral conductor and composer, winning a young artists' competition in his school district for his composition work.

At 18 years old, he adopted the stage name of "Lorenson", in honor of his teacher and mentor, Loren Salter, who had helped Lorenson develop as a singer and actor throughout his teen years.

After college, he continued his work as a choral conductor and voice coach, working for five years as Associate Conductor of the California Youth Chorale, founded by Salter. He also returned to theatrical performing, appearing in musical productions with San Diego's Diversionary Theatre, Starlight Musical Theatre, and Lyric Opera San Diego.

Career detour
In the late 1990s, Lorenson took a major detour away from life on the boards. He moved to San Francisco to be close to the Silicon Valley tech scene and began working in start-ups. He traveled extensively in this period, overseeing contact centers across the globe for his various employers.

Back to the stage
Although continuing in high-tech, Lorenson found himself unfulfilled creatively, and in the mid-2000s began to explore a return to performing. He began appearing with San Francisco's 42nd Street Moon, one of four theatre groups in the U.S. whose mission is to present staged concert revivals of 'lost' musicals from Broadway's Golden Age. He has appeared in their productions of Finian's Rainbow, Minnie's Boys, Cole Porter's Red, Hot & Blue!, and in 2006, he appeared in the company's first foray into opera, with their production of The Golden Apple. He also appeared locally with The Willows Theatre Company in 1776, The Secret Garden, and two sequels to the wildly successful Nunsense by Dan Goggin.

In 2005, Lorenson left the corporate world. With his band, under the musical direction of jazz pianist Kelly Park, Lorenson quickly established a reputation as one of the San Francisco Bay Area's leading interpreters of jazz standards, with regular appearances at San Francisco's top nightclubs, including The Empire Plush Room and Feinstein's At The Nikko.

Career highights, 2006–2016
Lorenson's first nightclub show, A Little Travelin' Music, was based on his world travel during his corporate career. His debut CD of the same name, was released in May 2006 on the LML Music label and featured songs from the show and duets with guests Shawn Ryan and Klea Blackhurst.

A passionate champion of The Great American Songbook, Lorenson created and performed a series of shows featuring the music of great composers in this genre as told through the stories of some of his idols. Select shows in his oeuvre include Benedetto/Blessed: Celebrating the Life and Music of Tony Bennett, As Long As I'm Singin': Russ Lorenson Celebrates the Music of Bobby Darin, and Fanilow: One Man's Search for Music and Passion. For ten years, his annual holiday show, Christmas in San Francisco with Russ Lorenson & Friends, was a tradition at venerated venues around the San Francisco Bay Area. Along the way, Lorenson has shared the stage with icons such as Broadway and cabaret star Karen Mason (Mamma Mia, Hairspray, Sunset Boulevard); the "Queen of Cabaret," Andrea Marcovicci; Broadway stars Teri Ralston (The Baker's Wife, Follies) and Dale Kristien (Phantom of the Opera); the late jazz diva Wesla Whitfield; and the legendary Eartha Kitt.

His second CD, What I Want for Christmas, was released in September 2006. His third CD, In The Holiday Spirit was released in November 2015, was awarded four stars by the editors of Downbeat and included in the magazine's prestigious "Best Albums of 2015" list. All three CDs were included on the Nominating Ballot for the Grammy Awards in the category of "Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album" in their respective release years.

Singing style
Downbeat calls Lorenson, "A showman of taste and discretion, [who] admires Bobby Darin, Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin without imitating them or adopting a Rat Pack smugness." TalkinBroadway.com stated that Lorenson "has a voice that is reminiscent of some of the great singers like Tony Bennett, Chet Baker and a little of Mel Tormé." The Los Angeles Times said that he brings "a supple voice and strong sense of characterization to all his songs."

Loss of singing voice
In late 2021, Russ Lorenson began to experience worrisome medical conditions. He found it difficult to swallow, and one of his tonsils had swelled to an alarming size. After some frustrating and painful diagnostic procedures, Lorenson was diagnosed with HPV-positive tonsil cancer. Fortunately, he lived close to a world-class cancer treatment center and found a great oncologist. He endured weekly chemotherapy and 35 daily sessions of radiation over 7 weeks. Though he is cancer-free today, the effects of the treatment remain. "I don't have saliva. When I speak, I lose my voice quickly, and I can no longer sustain a note," he says.

Post-cancer career
Lorenson no longer actively performs, opting for a life of domestic bliss with his husband and spending more time at his Mediterranean getaway in Alicante, Spain.

Lorenson's latest album is Standard Time: Live In New York, co-produced by René Wieland, a Dutch music producer and engineer, and radio host of The Great American Songbook Radio Station. Originally planned for a 2009 release, the album is culled from 2008 live recordings at the Metropolitan Room nightclub in New York. The album features Lorenson and his jazz combo, including longtime musical arranger and pianist Kelly Park.

Standard Time: Live In New York will not be the final curtain for Lorenson; there will be a series of children's books, beginning with a Christmas book in 2024, and other special offerings in the future. Looking back on his career, Lorenson is pensive and honest. He says: "After my bout with cancer, I saw how short and fragile life can be, and that made me think about my legacy. I am not going to have children, but in 50 years these albums and books will be here. Hopefully, they will ensure that my impact here has been positive and lasting."

Awards and achievements
Lorenson was nominated for a 2007 MAC Award (given by the Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs) for New York performances of his show, Benedetto/Blessed: A Tribute to the Life and Music of Tony Bennett.