Short, who has been a fixture at the intimate cabaret for the past 36 years, told The Associated Press that he will end his Carlyle run on New Year's Eve. In a phone interview, the 79-year-old Short told AP, "I'm not retiring. I intend to keep on working. But the drill of five nights a week for 20 weeks at a time is something that no longer appeals to me. It's too much." One of the cabaret world’s most revered performers, Bobby Short became a vaudeville entertainer at the age of 12. The singer specializes in the works of Cole Porter and Noel Coward, and his numerous recordings include “Songs of New York: Live at the Cafe Carlyle,” “Bobby Short Loves Cole Porter,” “How’s Your Romance?,” “Jump for You,” “Nobody Else But Me,” “Piano” and “Speaking of Love/Sing Me a Swing Song.”

The Café Carlyle is located in Manhattan at 35 East 76th Street at Madison Avenue. British singer-actress Maria Friedman is currently playing an extended engagement there through May 1.