This week, I released my third album, Lady With A Song.
Thanks to Journaling, I remembered my childhood passion for music: I glued myself to my transistor radio and played my red-speckled phonograph incessantly. My mom introduced me to "the standards" like Cole Porter and Frank Sinatra. She taught me their lyrics and we danced them in our kitchen. We had a long-running repartee about my musicality: "Oh, mom, I wish I could sing," I'd lament. Her response: "Oh, honey I wish you could too!"
Thanks to my Journaling, when I turned 50, I wrote down in my goals list that I'd take voice lessons. And so it goes in my life, when I set my goals, the universe provides avenues and options. One day in my local newspaper, an article about the Kingston School of Music, a school for students of all ages, showed up.
At my new school, I found some familiar faces. Their names were Inner Critics, equal opportunity creativity destroyers. Fortunately, having experienced their gyrations in my writing life, I had the skills to deal with them. Best plan of action--sing every day. Of course, that meant listening to my voice (Oh, Yuck). I taped all my classes and forced myself to pay attention. In time, I learned how to confront myself compassionately and discovered how relaxing and healthy breathing was and that water drinking not only made me a better singer but a far less wrinkled one.
A year later, I debuted in my school recital performing Frank Sinatra's "All the Way" (thanks for the introduction, mom). When I sang on stage, I traveled to another world. I think it is called an "out-of-body experience." I called it my cosmic home. After, my teacher Dorothy asked, "How did it go?" "Were you scared?" "No way," I answered, "When's the next recital?"
Two years later, I recorded my first CD of All the Way and Winter Wonderland. This year my creative collaborator, arranger, and producer Perry Rossi and I will celebrate 10 years working together by releasing an updated CD.
Lady With A Song is a journal: I share songs of my music journey from the day I discovered my vocal talents (All The Time) to the day I became a real singer (I’ve Gotta Be Me).
And yes, my mother who art in heaven and I continue our musical dialogue. I tell her, "Mom, I know I can sing," and she tells me, "Oh, honey, I know you can too."
#RockWriteON!