HOLLYWOOD —With thousands turning out for Carol Channing’s new CD release titled “For Heaven’s Sake,” Miss Channing proves she’s not only one of Hollywood’s greatest icons but still relevant in a changing industry. If theatergoers were to be polled about what they felt was the most memorable scene in musical comedy, most would probably cite the moment when the curtains part atop the stairs of the Harmonia Gardens Restaurant and Dolly Gallagher Levi appears in her red Freddy Wittop gown and begins her descent to rejoin the human race.

Carol Channing cuts the cake with Reverend Joe McGowan Photos by: Gor Megaera

Carol Channing's latest project, “For Heaven's Sake,” is a gift to the human race and includes many of the songs she came to know and love as a child with spirituals that she learned from her family. The CD features handpicked spirituals from Carol's childhood, taught to her by her father as well as hymns and rousing classic gospel tunes that southern gospel fans and people of all ages will know and love. “I remember touring the country in ‘Dolly’ and everywhere we went, they all knew these songs. It was incredibly unifying,” Carol tells Canyon News. The album produced by Larry Ferguson and John Wyatt was recently released by Daywind Records in association with Ferguson Music with major distribution in both secular and Christian retail through New Day and Word Entertainment Association a Warner Brothers Company.

Photos by: Gor Megaera

Miss Channing officially launched the CD at the National Gospel and Quartet Convention in Nashville to an estimated crowd of thousands. Miss Channing graciously signed an uncalculated number of CD’s for the adoring crowd that had gathered to see the living legend, until the last possible moment before her hectic schedule required she move on. Channing has had 10 gold records, including the original cast recording for “Hello Dolly!” which bumped the Beatle’s out of the number one spot, but this is her first gospel recording. Within hours of the launch, Miss Channing was on her way to sold out engagements at The Derby Theatre in Clarksville, Ind. and The Dixie Carter Theatre in Huntingdon Tenn.

Photos by: Gor Megaera

It is true, that Miss Channing’s greatest focus is in her effort to secure a place for the arts back into the public school system, “It's got to be included in education because what it does, it fertilizes young minds. When they are exposed to the arts, they get brighter in everything else. That's what happened to me. We don't need to save the arts, we need to help the Arts save our children,” said Miss Channing. What began as a California based effort has grown with requests for Carol's help in other states including New York, Louisiana, Florida, Tennessee, New Jersey, Indiana and Illinois. So in June of 2010 the Dr. Carol Channing/Harry Kullijian Foundation for the Arts will go national starting in Nashville. “Anything we can do these days to support our youth and encourage their education is too important to ignore. Without the arts, a child’s ability to create and to dream is stifled. We can't afford to shortchange our children and our future by denying an arts education for all students,” says Harry Kullijian, Carol's husband and foundation co-founder.

Rose Marie,"Dick Van Dyke," Kate Linder,"Y&R," Channing Chase,"Mad Men" and Carol Channing Photos by: Gor Megaera

Miss Channing will be celebrating 89 years of age in January 2010, just weeks after her husband turns 90 and neither are showing any signs of slowing down. In fact, Channing has already scheduled recording sessions for her follow up CD [A patriotic collection] and has given the green light to the production of a documentary on the ultimate Broadway baby's life to multiple Tony Award® winning director and producer Dori Berinstein. Earlier this year, Miss Channing was selected as one of the leading ladies of stage and screen for the Smithsonian Institute's first permanent Entertainment Exhibit.

In addition, Stars are in the works for Walks and Walls of fame in both Palm Springs and New York, respectively. What may shock most fans of the perennial blond is that the Kennedy Center Honors has never given tribute the original Jazz Baby, and, in fact, has declined honoring her every year for the last 10 years that friends and colleagues have been submitting her. When asked about it, Miss Channing simply replied, “It would be nice and I would be extremely honored, but I’m not taking it personal. Every time they announce the list I couldn’t agree more with their selections.” A bigger than life personality with a heart to match, is it any wonder that screen icon Johnny Depp recently announced that his dream role was to portray the legend on film. An idea that Miss Channing fully endorses and one that she hasn’t denied as being a possibility. “I can only report that we have been approached. Men have been impersonating me for years and I’m honored . Although, I confess I have often wondered if I come across as having some kind of hormonal imbalance.”