Debbie Harry, aka Deborah Harry, is going to be 70 years old on July 1st. She could teach a thing or two to Madonna, who’ll be 57 this summer, about aging gracefully and still appealing to fans of all ages.

Last night, Debbie opened her first ever cabaret stint at the Cafe Carlyle, legendary home of the late Bobby Short and Elaine Stritch (and where the cheesecake melts in your mouth). The frontwoman for Blondie appeared only with a keyboardist/programmer/guitarist named Matt Katz-Bohen, who works on and off with Blondie. Debbie, with those stunning cheek bones and a full mane of blonde hair, wore a simple long back skirt, pleated, and a chic black jacket. Otherwise it was just her voice, and the smallest room she’s worked in since CBGB back in the day.

The trick to Debbie’s set, which excluded all Blondie hits, was a repertoire of songs pulled from later, less well known solo albums and the last, forgotten Blondie CD (which was excellent but murdered by its distributor). Her dreamy, ethereal voice, which sometimes finds unexpected deepness, was in fine form.  So was the singer, who has a natural nonchalance, and quick irreverence. With so many hits and many cult followings, Debbie Harry has nothing to prove. And yet she proved a lot.

Debbie is an astute curator of songs. She offered a couple of her minor solo hits– “French Kissing in the USA” and “In Love with Love,” as well as “Strike Me Pink” (which someone should cover again– it’s a really good single). Did you know “French Kissing” was written by TV Producer Chuck Lorre when he was known as Chuck Levine? Really.

She told the audience, “We’ve been rehearsing a lot, I’m a little rough around the edges.” Nonsense. Harry has a nice, effortless quality that will serve her well during her Carlyle run. I wouldn’t mind going back in a few days to see how she’s doing. I really enjoyed a song called “Kiss and Tell,” and another one called “Lucky Jim,” which she explained was not named for Kingsley Amis’s novel. There was also a clever and poignant medley of “I Cover the Waterfront” mashed up with Moby’s “New York, New York.”

Harry stayed away from Blondie, although I might suggest one or two songs from that catalog. Julia Fordham recently turned “Call Me” into a slow jazz number; Harry could try it. And “Sunday Girl” seems like the perfect cabaret song. But it’s her choice, and she could teach a few things to Madonna– whom she preceded by many years as the Queen of Downtown music–how to age and get away with it: Keep it simple, and aim to your peers. Debbie Harry sings and speaks from a reality and honesty; you get it right away. There’s no artifice. I’ll bet we hear an album connected to this show in the near future. It would be welcome.

photo c2015 Showbiz411

Madonna is having a good day/bad day. Live Nation just added second nights in Manhattan, Montreal, and Miami for her “Rebel Heart” tour. It’s an alliterative thing– Madonna, M, get it?

But the “Rebel Heart” album looks like it took a beating in its second week. The numbers aren’t all in, but it could be a 50% drop in sales. “Rebel Heart” was number 2 when it debuted, but will end up at 19 or 20, if the singer is lucky, by tomorrow morning. Madonna dropped from 2 to 7 on the official British charts this week.

Not all the people who bought concert tickets have redeemed their free digital download of “Rebel Heart.” If they did, the album sale would be counted. But some of the concertgoers don’t seem to want the album. Ouch!

More to come…keep refreshing…oh yeah: Kendrick Lamar is number 1, with the Empire soundtrack at number 2.

It’s not Aretha Franklin’s birthday until Wednesday, but she’s been celebrating in style. Last night at the Ritz Carlton the Queen of Soul had the hottest party in town. Her guests included Clive Davis, Valerie Simpson, Sarah Dash (of Labelle) who led the “Happy Birthday” singalong, and Freddie Jackson from the music world, plus choreographer George Faison, Sirius XM’s Tracey Jordan, and Lawrence O’Donnell and Tamron Hall from MSNBC.

“Empire” producer Lee Daniels was also there, along with CNN’s Don Lemon. I did ask Lee why he killed off Malik Yoba from “Empire” last week. “Don’t ask me,” he said, “it was Danny [Strong’s] idea!”

But from politics, the amazing Miss F brought together Attorney General Eric Holder, Rev. Al Sharpton, and Charlie Rangel. Holder and Rangel were seated on the same settee, but they didn’t have much of a conversation. Holder told me he and his wife became friends with Aretha in the last couple of years, and Franklin drove down from Detroit to Washington recently to sing “Amazing Grace” at his exit event.

Wait! Aretha introduced all the guests and thanked them amidst the Duke Ellington Jazz All Stars playing, as well as singer Avery Sunshine, mimes and clowns, and New Orleans dancing girls. But she introduced Holder as “the former attorney general.” I asked him if he’d actually left (knowing the answer). “Not yet!” he laughed.

This was Sunday. On Friday night, Aretha and her orchestra braved a pretty substantial snowstorm and headed to the Webster Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut for what turned out to be a landmark show. Despite the show, the Arena was packed, and the Queen put on a show over two hours long that featured a roaring gospel segment and a rare performance of Paul Simon’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water” accompanying herself on piano. The show was so hot it melted the snow faster than the Bridgeport plows could get to it.

Just a note: you do know that back in the early 70s, Franklin had a hit covering “Bridge” after Simon & Garfunkel released it. Her gospel R&B version then became the way Simon started doing it as a solo act. On Friday, you could feel the goosebumps rise, and electricity crackle in the Arena as Aretha led HB Barnum and her orchestra through a good 12 minutes. It was mindblowing. A star for over 50 years, she turns 73 on Wednesday.

photo c2015 Showbiz411

Nile Rodgers’ sound never gets old. You can hear it on Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky” and all the way back Chic in the late 70s and early 80s, Madonna, David Bowie, Duran Duran, Diana Ross and so many more. He’s just released a new Chic single called “I’ll Be There.” You can hear him LIVE April 23rd at his We Are Family Foundation gala he produces with Nancy Hunt in NYC at the Hammerstein Ballroom. Chaka Khan is a guest star. C’est chic! Le Freak!