Singer Steve Lippia will perform some of Frank Sinatra’s greatest hits in his show “Simply Sinatra” at 7:30 p.m. Friday, in the Young Auditorium.

Lippia, a jazz and swing singer, will be backed by a 10 piece big band for the concert, “Great American Classics.”

The performance will consist of pieces made famous by Frank Sinatra, and will also include some songs by other singers of Sinatra’s time.

Lippia has been singing professionally for 11 years, but his love for music has been with him for his entire life.

“The earliest attraction to this kind of music came from my parents’ appreciation for it,” Lippia said. “When I was growing up, I was always around them listening to it. My mom used to sing professionally before I was born, so the love for music was there before I came into the world. Even though I was buying rock ‘n’ roll music as a kid, this music is still another great option.”

The type of music Lippia sings is one of the main reasons Young Auditorium Director Ken Kohberger decided to bring the performer to Whitewater.

“It has been quite some time since we offered a jazz or big band on our season and felt that it was time to do that again,” Leslie LaMuro, marketing specialist for Young Auditorium said. “Steve Lippia’s ‘Simply Sinatra’ was a show that was well received in other venues throughout the state of Wisconsin and brings a style of singing that is not often seen in today’s music.”

Throughout his many years of performing, Lippia has come to enjoy several things about his job.

“It’s kind of a dual experience. I get a chance to perform some of the music I’m a big fan of. Many people in the audience kind of wonder what it’d be like to sing along with a 70 piece orchestra, which is something I get to do all the time,” Lippia said. “From a selfish standpoint, I get a chance to perform with great musicians. From a different standpoint, I love to share this music with audiences. I get to introduce them to something they might not typically hear.”

Introducing people to the genre of music hailing from the ‘40s and ‘50s is something important to Lippia. He believes the music will appeal to listeners of all ages.

“This is a style of music I really think I would like to see sustained for a long time,” Lippia said. “It needs to be around for a lot of years to come. Hopefully younger folks will come and listen with an open mind. There seems to be a lot of pressure today for people to conform to certain sounds only. People have a tendency to give up on things that are old. What I want to show people is that you could like Coldplay and you could like Bobby Darin. So I’m just hoping people will come out and have some fun and hear a great band and walk away feeling glad that they did give it a try.”

According to LaMuro, there are many things about the performance that will appeal to students.

“There are several reasons students should come and see this show. One, it’s a great Valentine’s date night, many of the songs are classic romantic ballads and set the scene for Valentines Day, for example, “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” “The Way You Look Tonight” and “Come Dance With Me,” to name a few,” LaMuro said. “Two, it is a great opportunity to hear a big band play awesome jazz. Three, students also get a great deal on tickets; half off the general public price, so they can see the show for under $15 per ticket. Four, college days are the time to try new things. If they have never heard this type of music then this is a great time to give it a shot and not break the bank.”

Tickets can be purchased in advance at the box offices located in the Greenhill Center of the Arts and the University Center, or the night of the show at the box office in Young Auditorium.