I recently had the pleasure of sitting in the studio with Chloe Veltman, host of the KALW radio show “Voicebox.” Our topic of the evening was singing actresses. More specifically, we discussed the staggering talents of Barbra Streisand and Meryl Streep, both of whom apply their prodigious acting skills to some marvelous song performances. Of course Streisand is as well known as a singer as she is an actress, but Streep is full of wonderful surprises as a singer.

Joining us on the phone from New York for the show was the remarkably eloquent Ann Hampton Callaway (seen at right; photo by Bill Westmoreland), a singer and songwriter of note who also happens to have penned some tunes for Streisand (including the beautiful song “I’ve Dreamed of You,” which Streisand sang at her wedding to James Brolin).

Callaway brings her show of songs from the Streisand songbook to the San Francisco Symphony’s “Summer and the Symphony” season on Tuesday, July 3. Tickets are $15-$80 and available at www.sfsymphony.org or 415-864-6000.

There are several ways to listen to the “Voicebox” show called “Barbra & Meryl.” You can visit the “Voicebox” media page (click here) and scroll down to the “Listen Now” box on the bottom right. Click on “Barbra & Meryl.”
Or you can download the show for free as a podcast on iTunes. Just search for “Voicebox.” (or click here)

[bonus videos]

Here’s my favorite Meryl Streep vocal performance. It’s Shel Silverstein’s “I’m Checkin’ Out” from Postcards from the Edge.

Now here’s the song Ann Hampton Callaway wrote for Barbra Streisand’s wedding to James Brolin (the performance is from the 2000 Timeless tour; the Spanish subtitles are a bonus). The Callaway lyrics are set to a melody by Rolf Lovland.