The Hollywood Bowl Concerts

Not much is usually mentioned about Barbra Streisand's appearances at the Hollywood Bowl back in the 1960s.  In fact, if you were to visit the Hollywood Bowl museum today, you wouldn't even know that Barbra ever performed there.  There is nary a mention of her illustrious history at the historic outdoor venue in their own archives!  In actuality, Barbra performed at the Hollywood Bowl four times during the '60s. And if you include Barbra's on-stage serenade of "Happy Birthday" to Stephen Sondheim in 2005, the total count is really five.

Barbra's first appearance at The Bowl was on October 5, 1963. She shared the bill with Sammy Davis, Jr. and the Dave Brubeck Quartet.

Barbra returned to the Hollywood Bowl on June 11, 1967. She participated in the Rally for Israel's Survival benefit.  In the open air, Barbra serenaded her fans and Hollywood's elite with renditions of "Cry Me A River," "More Than You Know," "My Funny Valentine" and "Silent Night."  She even performed several numbers from her television special, The Belle of 14th Street which had recently finished taping but had not yet been broadcast.

Barbra's first solo performance at The Bowl occurred on July 9, 1967. Fresh from her triumphant performance in Central Park (June 17), Barbra offered a similar set for her west coast fans. 

Barbra returned to the same stage for a special performance on July 17, 1968. She and fellow entertainers Harry Belafonte, Bill Cosby and Herb Albert & the Tijuana Brass participated in a benefit for Martin Luther King's Southern Christian Leadership Foundation. Dr. King had been assassinated three months earlier.