You not only can catch the new movie "Mary Poppins Returns" at local movie places this weekend, but you can also hear some songs from the original 1964 movie that featured Julie Andrews in the title role.

Vocalist Diane Penning and pianist Paul Langford will perform those familiar tunes as part of their "Hollywood's Greatest Melodies" offering at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 25, at Covenant Presbyterian Church, 3131 Walton Way.

Admission is free but expect a "love offering" to be taken in support of Covenant's 2018-2019 three-show concert series. You also can attend the reception after the show.

The series will conclude with the Thalea String Quartet at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 29.

Penning, based in Grand Rapids, Mich., and Langford, who has a recording studio in Chicago, have performed since 2013 in shows across the nation both by themselves and with symphony orchestras.

Langford has accompanied such Grammy winners as Celine Dion, Kenny Rogers, Yolanda Adams, Michael Buble and Josh Groban.

The choices in their program comes from a list Penning pulled from her past programs of Oscar-winning numbers and also from the American Film Institute's list of Top 100 movie songs of all time.

Carol Channing's Augusta Connection: There have been fewer bigger Broadway stars than Tony Award-winner Carol Channing who died on Jan. 15 in Rancho Mirage, Calif., just 16 days short of her 98th birthday.

She managed to sustain more than 4,500 performances on Broadway in the title role of Dolly Gallagher Levi in the musical "Hello, Dolly!"

Only in the later years of her career did it become public that her father was native Augustan George Christian Channing whose father was German-American George Stucker and mother was African-American Clara Jones.

Channing was born in Seattle, where her father was working as a newspaper editor. He moved the family to San Francisco where he became a writer for the Christian Science Monitor and later editor-in-chief of Christian Science publications.

The Broadway star talked about her Augusta connection in her 2002 biography "Just Lucky I Guess."

Rasheda sings again with Ross: Augustan Rasheda Downs Williams, who got to sing with Diana Ross in 1983 at James Brown Arena when Williams was 5 years old, again hooked up with the superstar on her return visit to the area.

Near the conclusion of her show, Ross held out her wireless microphone for members of the audience to sing along with "Reach Out and Touch Somebody's Hand," with Williams being one who got the chance to take the microphone and sing.

"I was elated and privileged AGAIN to share the mic with her tonight at the concert here in Augusta!" Williams later noted. "Unfortunately I was unable to relay to her that I was the 5-year-old who sang with her in 1983!"

Williams, who has continued singing publicly all of these past 35 years, is on a national tour with Augusta-based gospel group Trey McLaughlin and the Sounds of Zamar.

Another Supreme, Mary Wilson: Don't forget to catch Mary Wilson, another original member of The Supremes, at the Newberry (S.C.) Opera House at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 10. Tickets are $50, $55 and $65. Visit newberryoperahouse.com or call (803) 276-6264.

Other Newberry shows of interest to country and bluegrass fans:

The Fabulous Thunderbirds with Kim Wilson, 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 9, $60, $70, $80.The Malpass Brothers, 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 14, $30, $35, $40.Delbert McClinton, 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 15, $70, $80, $85.The Del McCoury Band, 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 16, $65, $70, $75.

Elijah Clark Day: There should be a lot of fun being offered from 10:30 to noon on Friday, Feb. 8, at Elijah Clark State Park, 2959 McCormick Highway, 10 miles east of Lincolnton, Ga.

The park will be celebrating its namesake and other Georgia patriots from the nearby Revolutionary War Battle of Kettle Creek, which took place some 240 years ago, with artifact displays, guest talks and other aspects of the period.

There will be a free chili luncheon and dessert buffet until the food runs out.

Park admission will be free thanks to sponsoring chapters of the Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution, Friends of Elijah Clark State Park and the Lincoln County Historical Society.

Billy Morris Remarks: The annual Jimmie Dyess Symposium held on Jan. 10 at the Augusta Museum of History was another standing-room-only affair.

This time it honored Jane Howington, civic and religious leader; Walter Joseph "Joe" Marm, Medal of Honor recipient; and William S. "Billy" Morris III, CEO of Morris Communications Co. and publisher of The Augusta Chronicle.

Several people have asked me where they could find Morris' stirring remarks. Here are some highlights from his talk:

"Augusta is truly one of the best and most diverse mid-size cities in America. We are lucky to live here.

"Augusta has been my home now for more than 80 years. Jeremiah Morris came here in 1823. It has not only been the physical home to seven generations of the Morris family, it has also been the home of our hearts and the community that has sustained and nurtured us.

"I know I'm prejudiced in the matter, but, really, it is the ONLY place I have ever wanted to be.

"A city is, by definition, simply an inhabited place; a place of greater size and population and, possibly more in importance, then say a village or a town. But I would argue that a community is something different.

"A community assumes that a group or groups of people living in the same place – whether it's a village, town, or city – share certain characteristics, qualities and interests. It assumes a feeling of fellowship, common attitudes, goals and accomplishments.

"Augusta is just such a place: a community whose common interests and values result almost directly from the confluence of three factors: education, sports and the cultural arts. Augusta has been blessed with all three.

"For a community of its size, Augusta is truly remarkable in the number of institutionalized cultural endeavors that it supports and sustains. Truly remarkable.

"Truth be known, culture is at the heart of a healthy society, and it is impossible to overstate the importance of its role in the development of this community.

"Having achieved so much, it is up to us and our heirs to sustain what we have and to build upon it for future generations of Augustans who will also cherish this wonderful community as their home.

"I am deeply honored by this award, and I thank you very, very much."

Reach out to Ramblin’ Rhodes at don.rhodes@morris.com.