Nine-time Grammy nominee Tierney Sutton will be accompanied by pianist Mitch Foreman and guitarist Serge Merlaud for a 7:30 p.m. Dec. 2 performance as part of the Starrlight Jazz Club series at the Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville.

The renowned vocalist took a few moments to answer five questions for What’s Up! ahead of the show:

Q. What makes a great singing voice in your opinion?

A. Wow — that’s a really tough question because the way I see it, if the voice is sincere and authentic, any kind of voice can be “great.” I think that we, as the audience, just want to believe that the singing is truly inside the story of the song.

Q. Who are some of your all time favorite singers? And who are you listening to these days?

A. I love Ella Fitzgerald and Nat King Cole and Aretha Franklin and Joni Mitchell and Bobby McFerrin… There are lots of great singers in the more contemporary scene, Michael Mayo, Lisa Fischer, Gretchen Parlato — I’ve actually been learning some new songs and have been listening to Mel Torme a bunch lately, in order to learn verses and correct melodies to a few things. It’s amazing that I so often go back to Ella, Mel and Nat to learn.

Q. How did you end up scoring a movie with Clint Eastwood?

A. Clint was a fan of mine, and in the year preceding “Sully” he was seeming to appear at every gig I did — some with my band and some not. Then one day he just called me up and invited Christian Jacob and me to come to Warner Brothers and see his new film. The call was on a Wednesday, and by the following Saturday the band and I were literally in the studio, scoring “Sully.” We did two full days like that — with Clint directing us and just playing around with our ideas … and then [Jacob] wrote orchestrations and I wrote lyrics. We did orchestra sessions a few weeks later and then that was it. It was a beautiful experience, and I’m still in touch with Clint.

Q. What can people expect to hear from you at your Dec. 2 concert at the Walton Arts Center?

A. I’m looking forward to this group and this concert. Serge and I have done two albums together and are currently working on a third with a terrific French band. We did a European tour together last spring and have some very special repertoire that I only can do when he’s able to play with me. Mitch is one of the most versatile and fearless musicians I’ve ever known — always exciting and always ready to jump into any repertoire. So I’ll get to have some real fun with Serge and Mitch. I think we will be playing lots of songs from films but also a holiday song or two!

Q. By the way, “After Blue,” your tribute album to the legendary Joni Mitchell, is so beautiful. I’m a huge Joni Mitchell fan, so discovering your album devoted to her music was such a treat!

A. Thank you so much! I just had the pleasure of playing a few things from that album last week for a concert celebrating her 80th birthday — and I have a few things planned for Fayetteville that are Joni-related.

Gong Orchestra

Tatsuya Nakatani is bringing his world-renowned gong orchestra to Fayetteville through Trillium Salon Series at 7 p.m. Dec. 2 at Likewise Community and is looking for people who are willing to play the gong and be trained by Nakatani himself. Contact trilliumsalonseries.com for more information.

BENTONVILLE

Meteor Guitar Gallery — Sawyer Hill with Mildenhall, 8 p.m. Dec. 8; Bad Habit, 8 p.m. Dec. 9; Songwriters in the Round with John Henry Holthus, Shilah Molina, Brennan Johnson and Adam Johnston, 6:30 p.m. Dec. 21; Randall Shreve and Molly Healey, 8 p.m. Dec. 23; New Years Eveee with Fight Dream, Sloeth’n Steady, Bootleg Royal, The Big Sad, The Misdemeanors and Samantha Hunt, 7 p.m. Dec. 30. meteorguitargallery.com.

Crystal Bridges Museum of Art — Photography Dance with Ra-Ve Cultural Foundation, 1-5 p.m. Nov. 26. crystalbridges.org/calendar/fall-break-fun; Images, Stories, and Beats: An Evening with NWA Photographers and Tatsuya Nakatani with Shay Holloway, Kat Wilson, Brandon Watts, Neal Holland, Jeremy McGraw, Ashley Lewis, Meredith Mashburn, Stephen Ironside, Kyle Agee and Xavier Smith at 7 p.m. Dec. 1. crystalbridges.org.

The Momentary — Beer and Carols with Beer & Hymns, 5 p.m. Dec. 10; ROSSY & Mija, 8 p.m. Dec. 16; Adeem the Artist and Dylan Earl, 8 p.m. Jan. 5; eTown Live Radio Taping: Langhorne Slim and Briscoe, 7 p.m. Jan. 10 and with James McMurtry and Erin Rae, 7 p.m. Jan. 12; Soccer Mommy, 8 p.m. Jan. 13; Astral Project, 7 p.m. Jan. 26; Junior Brown, 7 p.m. Jan. 27. themomentary.org.

Undercroft — Jeff Gray and the Forte Quartet, 7 p.m. Tuesdays; Randall Shreve, 7 p.m. Wednesdays; Vinyl Nights with Bentonville Radio, 7 p.m. Thursdays. undercroftbar.com/events/.

EUREKA SPRINGS

The Aud — Free Christmas movies every Friday and Christmas Eve; Grand Ol’ Christmas Show, 7 p.m. Dec. 2; Ozarks Chorale Sounds of the Season Holiday Concert, 7 p.m. Dec. 10. visiteurekasprings.com/events/category/the-aud/

Wanderoo Lodge and Gravel Bar — Sprungbilly 6 p.m. Nov. 27; Los Roscoes, 5 p.m. Nov. 30; Chucky Waggs and the Company of Raggs, 7 p.m. Dec. 2; 96 Miles, 7 p.m. Dec. 8; Patti Steel Trio, 7 p.m. Dec. 15; Justin Larkin, 7 p.m. Dec. 16; Shelly Watson Holiday Show, 7 p.m. Dec. 22; Mountain Alice, 7 p.m. Dec. 23; Randall Shreve, 7 p.m. Dec. 29; New Year’s Eve Party with Lead Pipe Conservatory Band 8 p.m. Dec. 31. facebook.com/wanderoolodge/events

FAYETTEVILLE

Morano’s — Jim Mills hosts Easy Sunday from 5 to 7 p.m.; Brick Fields, 6-9 p.m. Wednesdays.

George’s Majestic Lounge — The Motet, 7 p.m. Nov. 29; Heartless Bastards and Sarah Loethen Band, 8:30 p.m. Nov. 30; The Hard Tops, 6 p.m. Dec. 1; The Floozies and Recess, 9 p.m. Dec. 1 and with MZG, 8:30 p.m. Dec. 2.; Underground Springhouse, 8 p.m. Dec. 5; happy hour with Ultra Suede, 6 p.m., Gar Hole-idays with Sabine McCalla, Dylan Earl and Two Runner, 9 p.m. Dec. 8; Gar Hole-idays with Esther Rose, Chris Acker, Bonnie Mongomery and Maddy Kirgo, 8 p.m. Dec. 9; Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country & Egg, 8:30 p.m. Dec. 12; Mike Dillion & Punkadelick with Patti Steel, 8:30 p.m. Dec. 13 georgesmajesticlounge.com

Walton Arts Center — John Fullbright, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 30; Lorrie Morgan, 8 p.m. Dec. 1; Tierney Sutton, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 2; Greg Morton, Dec. 7; Exile, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 8; A Very SoNA Christmas, 2 & 7 p.m. Dec. 9; Squirrel Nut Zippers, 7 p.m. Dec. 19; A Very Mariachi Christmas, 7 p.m. Dec. 21. Live music starts at 6:30 p.m. for Winter Nights: With Devanee Williams (harp), Nov. 30; Drew Rogers (guitar), Dec. 1; TJ Scarlett (guitar/voice), Dec. 7; William Reyes (guitar), Dec. 8-9; Devanee Williams, Dec. 14; Drew Rogers, Dec. 15; Jason Burrow, (piano) Dec. 16; TJ Scarlett, Dec. 21; Jason Burrow (piano), Dec. 22. waltonartscenter.org.

Six Twelve Coffeehouse & Bar — Acoustic Picking Circle, 2 p.m. Nov. 26. facebook.com/sixtwelvecoffeehouseandbar

Mount Sequoyah Center — The Undertones, 5 p.m. Dec. 14; Ukulele Jam, 5 p.m. Sundays. mountsequoyah.org.

Folk School of Fayetteville — Soldier Songs & Voices Jam with Lee Haight & Larry Long, 2 p.m. Nov. 26; Irish Jam with Bob Holland, 6-9 p.m. Nov. 27; Bluegrass Jam, 6 p.m. Nov. 28; Tony Furtado and Luke Price, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 14; Robert Ellis songwriting workshop, Jan. 27, 2024. folkschooloffayetteville.org.

Likewise Community — Tatsuya Nakatani’s Gong Orchestra, 7 p.m. Dec. 2. Nakatani trains 16 local musicians in his bowed gong technique culminating in a performance. trilliumsalonseries.com.

Faulkner Performing Arts Center — UA Percussion Studio Recital, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 27; Voices Ensemble concert, 7:30 p.m., Dec. 1; Graduate recital: Yoshio Yamashita; University Symphony Orchestra, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 4; Schola Cantorum, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5; Inspirational Chorale, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 7. faulkner.uark.edu/events.

LOWELL

The Grove Comedy Club — Kevin Nealon, Nov. 30-Dec. 2; Trae Crowder, Dec. 7-9; Kristen Lindner and Barry Lamnick, Dec. 15-16; Magician Andy Gross, Dec. 22-23; La Ron Wright, Dec. 29-30. tickettailor.com/events/thegrovecomedy.

RIVER VALLEY

Club Kinkead’s — The Fervent, 8 p.m. Nov. 29. Dragged out Thursdays and Sunday’s Best with Polly start at 8 p.m. facebook.com/ClubKinkeadsFtSmith.

Fort Smith Brewing Company — Comedy with Sean Patton, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 20. facebook.com/rivervalleycomics

TempleLive — Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, 7 p.m. Dec. 2; Hellzapoppin Circus Sideshow, 8 p.m. Dec. 7; Heather Land, 8 p.m. Dec. 8; Josey Scott’s Saliva, 7 p.m. Dec. 16; Tracy Byrd, 7 p.m. Feb. 9, 2024; That Arena Rock Show, 7 p.m. Feb. 17. fortsmith.templelive.com.

Hero’s — Ozark Riviera, 8 p.m. Dec. 22. facebook.com/DiveInHeros/events

AACLive! — Travis Linville, Dec. 7; Sarah Shook & The Disarmers, Feb. 1, 2024. aaclive.com.

Riverwind Casino — Pete Davidson, 8 p.m. Dec. 3; Jake’s Jingle Jam, 7 p.m. Dec. 7; Lee Brice, 8 p.m. Dec. 15; Ron White, 7 p.m. Dec. 30; Midland, 9 p.m. Dec. 31; Boyz II Men, 8 p.m. Jan. 12, 2024; Joy Koy, 7 p.m. Jan. 27. riverwind.com/events/category/entertainment/

ArcBest Performing Arts Center — Rhonda Vincent Christmas, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 9. fortsmithconventioncenter.org/events

Ava’s at Fianna — Rhythm Coalition, 8 p.m. Dec. 31.

SPRINGDALE

Black Apple Hard Cider — Stand-up comedy starts at 8 p.m. on Thursdays with Tandem County Improv Takeover, Nov. 30; Brandon Davidson, Dec. 7; Thomas Nichols, Dec. 14; Home for the Holidays Showcase, Dec. 21; and Zach Peterson, Dec. 28. facebook.com/NaturalStateComedy

The Medium — Mixtape Music Series (free) with Ashtyn Barbaree and Candy Lee and the Backyard Bugs, 5 p.m. Nov. 28; Off Tha Top | On Tha Spot with Eddie Canyon, Dec. 16; Mixtape Music Series with Conner Brogan and Yuni Wa, Jan. 17, 2024; Jacob McCoy Burton and The Adorners, Feb. 14; Matteo Cassi and Craig Colorusso March 13; Cameron Summer and Theresa Delaplain, April 17; Joe Distrom and Patti Steel, May 15; Pura Coco and Avery Bruce, June 12. themedium.art

Send your music events to Monica Hooper at mhooper@nwaonline.com.