Ms. McGovern devotes her energies to a number of charitable organizations. She is a National Board member of the Muscular Dystrophy Association and serves as the National Chairperson for the Polymyositis/Dermatomyositis Division of MDA, and serves as the National Spokesperson and familiar face of the Shamrocks Against Dystrophy yearly campaign. For the last 27 years, Maureen has performed on the Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon, acting
as New York City’s co-host for six years.Maureen is the recipient of the "Songs From The Heart" Award from the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences and the American Music Therapy Association, the "David Bodian Memorial Award" from the Post-Polio Institute, and the CUNY "Lifetime Achievement Award" for her more than two decades of active service to causes serving people with disabilities. Maureen is the recipient of the 2007 Imagination Award, presented by Imagination Stage, for her work with children, the Arts and philanthropy.
In 2005, Maureen founded the Maureen McGovern Works of Heart Foundation for Music and Healing to address the emotional and inspirational needs of patients and caregivers. Her first-in-a-series CD Works of Heart: Songs of Hope featuring a newly recorded 30th Anniversary version of her signature song "The Morning After" is her gift of hope to individuals who face insurmountable odds with grace and courage. Maureen's latest release, Help is on the Way a CD songcard, is in partnership with Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.
Maureen McGovern’s career spans 35 years, including recordings, concerts, Broadway, films, television, radio and composing, all with a voice that defies categorization. Maureen returned to Broadway's 2005 season, originating the role of 'Marmee' in Little Women, The Musical for which she Maureen received a Drama Desk nomination. Maureen reprised her role as 'Marmee' in the 2005-2006 Broadway National Tour of Little Women.
Critics and audiences alike were equally as delighted with her definitive portrayal of 'Mrs. Anna' in the Broadway National Tour of The King And I.
On Broadway, Maureen made her debut as 'Mabel' in The Pirates of Penzance, starred as 'Luisa' in Nine with the late Raul Julia, and as 'Polly Peachum' in 3 Penny Opera with Sting. Off-Broadway, Maureen originated the role of 'Mary' in Brownstone.Maureen performed in the West Coast premiere of William Finn's Elegies
at the Canon Theatre, and starred as 'Countess Aurelia' in a historic revival
of the Jerry Herman musical Dear World (an adaptation of The Madwoman of Chaillot) at The Sundance Institute Theatre. She originated the role
of 'Eleanor Bridges' in the world premiere of Letters From 'Nam at Boston's North Shore Music Theatre. Other performances include her dramatic debut role as 'Eleanor of Aquitaine' in The Lion In Winter at Carpenter Square Theater, 'Madame Emery' in The Umbrellas Of Cherbourg at the Sundance Theatre, as 'Mary Turner' in George Gershwin's Of Thee I Sing in the 'Reprise' series at UCLA's Freud Playhouse, and in a historic, concert revival
of Of Thee I Sing/Let ‘Em Eat Cake at the Brooklyn Academy of Music and The Kennedy Center.Maureen has also starred in productions of The Sound of Music, South Pacific, Guys & Dolls (playing both 'Sarah' and 'Adelaide') and I Do, I Do. Her children's musical, The Bengal Tiger's Ball, premiered in 1999. Maureen wrote the captivating music, co-created and starred in the production.
Her latest composition, "Born In The Heart," co-written with Jeffrey
D. Harris and Michele Pace Hofbauer, was recorded by Ms. McGovern and the United Nations International School Concert Choir. Maureen is featured singing a Brazilian jazz version "This Is Just The Day" on the Grammy winning, "Best Musical Recording for Children" CD/DVD, Songs from the Neighborhood: The Music of Mister Rogers.Maureen's feature film roles include Airplane! (playing 'Sister Angelina,' the guitar-strumming nun), Airplane II: The Sequel, The Towering Inferno, and the independent film The Cure for Boredom (aka Sex and Bullets.) Maureen also is heard as the voice of 'Rachel' in the DreamWorks animated video/DVD Joseph: King of Dreams with Ben Affleck. Her television roles include, One Life to Live, The Tracey Ullman Show, Pacific Blue, Duckman, and Beyond Belief.
Ms. McGovern's recording career began with her #1 chart-topping, Oscar winning International Gold Record "The Morning After" from the blockbuster film The Poseidon Adventure followed by a Grammy nomination for "Best New Artist." She replicated this success with another Oscar winning International Gold Record, "We May Never Love Like This Again," from The Towering Inferno. Maureen made history in 1975 as the first singer to have recorded and introduced two Oscar nominated songs in the same year, "We May Never Love Like This Again" and "Wherever Love Takes Me" from Gold. She is the recipient of International Gold Records from the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan and the Philippines and has also won the Grand Prize award at the 1975 Tokyo Music Festival. Other hit records include the John Williams and Leslie Bricusse love theme "Can You Read My Mind," (Billboard Top 10 and #1 AC hit) from the motion picture Superman and "Different Worlds," (Billboard Top 20 and #1 AC hit) the theme from the ABC television series Angie.
Stephen Holden in The New York Times wrote: "Maureen McGovern is a singer who moves comfortably from jazz to soaring movie themes and from classical pop standards to operetta... a coloratura jazz singer at ease in any medium.” It
is no wonder Maureen has been called, "The Stradivarius Voice."Maureen has recorded more than 25 albums including the recently re-released: The Music Never Ends: The Lyrics of Alan and Marilyn Bergman and Out of This World: McGovern Sings Arlen on Fynsworth Alley. Both CDs feature new bonus cuts produced and recorded by Maureen.
Other notable recordings include: Naughty Baby: McGovern Sings Gershwin, a live, in-studio concert, Christmas with Maureen McGovern, Baby I'm Yours, the Grammy nominated The Pleasure of His Company, and With A Song in My Heart: The Great Songs of Richard Rodgers with the late Skitch Henderson and The New York Pops.
In addition to her appointment as a National Board Member of the Muscular Dystrophy Association, Maureen is also an Artist Spokesperson for the American Music Therapy Association.
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