In a captivating black and white clip from the Carson Tonight Show, Johnny Carson introduces the legendary pop singer Ed Ames to eager viewers and live studio audiences. With enthusiasm, Carson praises Ames. He also highlights the latter’s immense popularity as a pop star and his skyrocketing acting career, particularly with the NBC series Daniel Boone.
Excitement fills the air as Carson reveals that Ames will treat everyone to a performance of the popular hit “Try to Remember.” The other guests on The Tonight Show were Ruta Lee and the hilarious Phyllis Diller.
As the anticipation builds, Ames steps forward and delivers a show-stopping rendition of “Try to Remember.” Accompanied by the talented Skitch Henderson at the piano, the leader of the Tonight Show band, Ames’s soulful voice and vocal precision leave the audience awestruck, a true “drop the mic” moment.
Initially sung by Jerry Orbach for the off-Broadway production of The Fantasticks, “Try to Remember” is a song that evokes a deep sense of nostalgia. The words, penned by renowned lyricist Tom Jones, and the captivating melody of Harvey Schmidt take the audience on a journey into an imaginative world.
Following the mesmerizing performance, Ames sits on the couch alongside the other female guests, Ruta Lee & Phyllis Diller. Co-host Ed McMahon showers him with praise, with Carson proclaiming it as the best rendition of the song he has ever heard.
Acknowledging the difficulty of acapella singing, Carson tells Ames that an actual test of a singer lies in performing with only piano accompaniment, leaving no room for imperfections to hide. This is when the famous singer shares a personal experience.
Ames tells Carson that he has limited opportunities to sing due to his busy schedule with the Boone series. Thus, one day while returning from work, he starts singing loudly while driving. This is when a cop stops his car. Ames had to explain to the cop that he was a professional singer, & even had to present his identification along with two tickets to “Hello Dolly” to ease the situation. This funny anecdote shows that unexpected things even happen to celebrities.
