Karla Burns is a native Wichitan and a Broadway star. She recently received an honorary doctorate from Wichita State University. Baritone Earnest Alexander sang with the Friends University Singing Quakers. He’s known for his annual benefit concerts in Wichita to help underprivileged children.
They both have sung all over the world and given concerts at Carnegie Hall.
Before producing their Christmas CD, A Christmas Celebration, Karla says she and Earnest had never sung together.
“But people told me, 'You need to do that,'" Karla says.
She knew him because they went to college around the same time--Karla at Wichita State University and Earnest at Friends University.
"So I decided, what should I sing with Earnest?" Karla says. "What could I sing with that barrel of a voice from that incredible man that would give people joy? And I said, it’s Christmas time. So I called him and said people keep calling me and I think we ought to do this. You don’t have to do anything but sing. We know that’s heaven right there."
Earnest says both he and Karla were able to use their trainings on the album.
"We both do a wide variety of styles of this music, but there are some really good legitimate vocal sounds on the CD. I didn’t have to make it breathy and small. When I wanted to make it small, I could, but the real baritone came out and I like that. It’s really one of my favorite CD’s because I feel like it’s actually me singing with what God gave me and not having to alter it to try to make it marketable."
The album is a mix of duets and solos; Karla sings a version of "Santa Baby" where she says she "got to do a little bit of Broadway with a little bit of an accent."
Both Karla and Earnest says they're open to a reunion concert and perhaps another recording in the future.
For more information on A Christmas Celebration, contact either Karla Burns at kburns1224@gmail.com or Earnest Alexander at earnest@youthhorizons.net.
Hear a longer version of Carla Eckels' conversation with Karla Burns and Earnest Alexander:
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Carla Eckels is assistant news director and the host of Soulsations. Follow her on Twitter @Eckels.
To contact KMUW News or to send in a news tip, reach us at news@kmuw.org.
