Fred Astaire: More Than a Dancer

Timeless Songs with Eileen Ponich · Oct 30, 2026 · 9m · transcript

Everyone knows Fred Astaire could dance. But what did Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, the Gershwins, Cole Porter, and Johnny Mercer hear in his singing?

In this episode of Timeless Songs, I explore the voice behind some of our most beloved standards—from “Cheek to Cheek” and “The Way You Look Tonight” to “They Can’t Take That Away from Me.”

There’s romance, a little humor involving Ginger Rogers shampooing her hair, and a return to the 1952 recording sessions for The Astaire Story. Along the way, I share what fascinates—and challenges—me as a singer about Fred’s conversational style.

The…