by Judy Joyce

Created on: October 26, 2008   Last Updated: December 04, 2008

When Secretary of State, George Schultz, and his socialite wife, the former Charlotte Maillard, of San Francisco hire a chanteuse for their penthouse party honoring the wife of the President of France at the time, Madame Jacques Chirac, you can be assured the chanteuse comes highly recommended by the city's insiders. When Kathy Holly sings Piaf, you want to be there.

While others may extol the virtues of popular tourist music venues or choose the obvious, Kathy Holly is the first to smile and nod with some of her insider tips to you.

In the only location in the world where "little cable cars go halfway to the stars", finding venues for celebrity status singers and musicians has changed considerably over the years since the heyday of Fillmore West or Winterland in San Francisco, California.

Interviewing one of San Francisco's most vibrant local entertainers, Kathy Holly of Kathy Holly Music (, reveals the current music scene in that beautiful city in a way only this self-produced singer and musician could. Kathy explains that packaging one group, "Uptown Singers - the Best of Opera to Broadway and Cabaret", works particularly well when partnering with a local restaurant for lunch and dinner shows. Uptown Singers have a lot of fun adapting their musical revue performances to the demographics of San Francisco's neighborhoods. Up close and personal has replaced the former attraction to stage performers singing or playing at mikes on a stage looking down on the audience.

Good food, good music, and good drinks continues to be a winning combination for restraunteur and performers alike. The clubs who still hire musicians are few and far between, Kathy explained. I suspect that the digitally produced D.J. music scene keeps the expense of live performances at a slower pace.

Italian restaurant venues for Kathy Holly Music produced gigs include Villa D'Este in Lakeside Village, Caesar's at Fisherman's Wharf and Fior D' Italia in North Beach.

Duos and Trios with a Jazz theme can be enjoyed live at Capurro's of Fisherman's Wharf; "AMante" and "Enrico's" in North Beach, she explains.

French-themed musicians find a home at "Jeanne D'Arc" , a 15th century hideaway at the Cornell Hotel where Chanteuse Ms. Holly can be seen performing with an accordianist. She can also site innumerable private performances as a soloist - if you are lucky enough to get included to these invitation only venues.

Singers often try their new songs out at amateur nights on Open Mic nights at places like Martinis

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