“When Yvonne Davis calls and asks you to be part of one of her special concerts, you can’t say no to her,” explains Dan Datillo. This is how I came to see Dan and Yvonne and a whole host of Madison’s top musical talent performing at the Presbyterian Church 3 weeks ago.
The occasion was part of the Madison Performing Arts Foundation’s annual concert series. My 92-year old father-in-law recently moved to Madison, and I just knew Yvonne’s blend of great pop songs from the bygone era would be right up his alley. Everything from Rhapsody in Blue to Stardust to New York, New York was on the bill, a familiar mix for anyone born in the 1930’s.
“I did a concert with Yvonne about 10 years ago,” says Dan, “so I knew what a delight it is to work with her. This recent show was in honor of Yvonne’s 90th birthday, and I was honored to be included.” Dan, for those who don’t already know (I certainly didn’t) is an amazing vocalist, with the kind of silky smooth voice that is tailor made for the old classics.
Readers may know Dan from his two terms on the Madison City Council, or his 30 years of teaching and counselling at Southwestern Schools. “I’m a lifelong Madisonian,” says Dan, “and music has always been a big part of my life. I was in the very first band at Shawe when they restarted the program. I went off to college and double majored in vocal performance and trumpet performance.
“When I came back to Madison after college I did a lot of singing in church, of course, and eventually I started doing a lot of weddings and funerals. I actually sing at a LOT of funerals, that may be where the most people get to see my musical side.
“So anytime Yvonne calls me up with a chance to sing some of the great classics from the American song book, I’m super excited to be a part of it. This time I sang Stardust, which was written by the Hoosier songwriter Hoagy Carmichael. And I can tell you, it was a tough one to learn and perform! The other song, which Yvonne picked out for me, was New York, New York, popularized by Frank Sinatra. It’s a song everybody knows and it makes everybody happy, so I was thrilled to do it.
“Yvonne was gracious enough to make herself available for rehearsals, and we actually met twice a week for a month! Like I said, those are intricate songs, and I wanted to do a good job of it. I’m pretty happy with the way the concert went.”
As I said, I was in the audience that night, and I can attest to the professionalism and musicality of Dan’s performance. I knew Dan more from the political arena, so I was pleasantly surprised and amazed when he started belting out the familiar tunes. The other vocalist that night was Faith Bible, who I did know as an accomplished singer, and her rendition of Stormy Weather gave the audience goose bumps. Look for an upcoming profile on Faith in the very near future.
When I asked Dan if he had any aspirations for his singing beyond the occasional show with Yvonne or singing at funerals, he was quick to respond. “Yes! I’d love to sing with some of the local bands, maybe do more contemporary popular music. There’s a lot of joy that comes from singing in front of an audience. Some nerves, for sure, but a lot of joy!”
If any bands out there need a very talented and highly trained vocalist, you might want to give Dan a tryout. He’s got the pipes, and his enthusiasm is infectious. Oh, and if you haven’t discovered the awesome concert series put on by the Madison Performing Arts Foundation, I urge you to look up the schedule and put the shows on your calendar. The concerts are free and the level of music they are presenting is top notch. Just Google “Madison Performing Arts Foundation” and you’ll find a full 2025/26 schedule.
HOT TIP OF THE WEEK:
On Friday I have to strongly recommend the show at Red Bicycle Hall. Joslyn & The Sweet Compression have played in Madison a number of times before, and their funky and soulful sound never fails to get the audience up on their feet and dancing. Joslyn’s version of Rock Steady by Aretha is my personal favorite. “What it is, what it is, what it is” if you’re feeling me!
Saturday is shaping up to offer a perfect “musical pub crawl” experience in Indiana’s Music City, with great bands playing at multiple locations downtown, plus one on the hilltop at the VFW. Leah Pruett and her 5 Piece Chicken Dinner band at Mad Paddle will be an excellent hang out with friends or family. Oh, and don’t forget the music playing all afternoon at the Soup Stew Chili & Brew fall festival on Main Street in Madison.
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