In the beginning...I am a "Joisey" girl who grew up in the shadow of THE CITY. My home town is Hawthorne, NJ. One day I woke up and found myself residing in St. Petersburg on Florida's Suncoast. Hmm... Had I traded one asylum for another? Why, yes I had. After more than 20 years living in "God's Waiting Room," I now live in "God's Country" - Presque Isle County, Michigan. |
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What Got Me Started?I first picked up the guitar at age 10. The following year my family moved a lot and good ol' Mom suggested that I try out for a talent show at the new school. After strumming and singing for the audition, silence filled the room. Was humiliation was on the way? Nah, I'd just stunned them with a big, clear voice! I was hooked on performing from the first round of applause. |
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Under the InfluenceMuch of my high school years were spent learning David Bowie songs by ear (much to the horror of my parents and teachers). Although my compositions are vastly different than his, I've tried to emulate what I like best in his writing. |
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Style!A variety of styles go into creating my songs. After all, variety is the Spice of Life! Folk, Blues, Rock, Pop, Metal and Jazz are just a few of the flavors to savor. Together, we explore philosophy, relationships, the human condition, humor, global and environmental issues... Satisfying and deliciously different! Comments include Progressive, Dynamic and Alternative Acoustic. Some characterize it as Americana. I've received several awards for the quality of my songwriting. |
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PerformancesThrough the years, I've appeared at many venues in the state of Florida. Among them: Skipper's Smokehouse, First Night St. Petersburg, the Will McLean Festival, the South Florida Folk Festival, and the Wings & Strings Festival. 1997 marked my first festival performance featuring national acoustic acts at the Suwannee Springfest in Live Oak, FL. This festival presented such notables as the Austin Lounge Lizards, Iris Dement, Peter Rowan, Pierce Pettis, and Richard Gilewitz. I've been involved with Ruth Eckerd Hall by presenting a lecture on folk music in America combined with a performance of my compositions. This took place before a Peter, Paul and Mary concert. For three seasons I produced, hosted and performed in Keeping Company... with Donna Klein where three other songwriters join me in an interactive round-robin performance. I started a new concert series in 2008, Donna Klein's Song Pull, where a performing songwriter joins me for an afternoon of swapping songs and stories for our audience in an intimate setting in Presque Isle county. Song swaps have been held at the Domaci Gallery and the Painted Lady. Both are located in downtown Rogers City, MI. |
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Where am I?I spent five years tending to the needs of the Women Musicians' Alliance as its founder and president.
I'm also teaching music, forming a guitar orchestra, and am presenting an informance program in schools. Jodi Brege and I joined forces in June 2009 to form Gemini Moon. We're a mostly acoustic duo. Jodi is bringing a new dimension to my songs that I didn't even know existed! We're having fun interpreting the music and bringing it to you! I'm available as a solo or duo specializing in house concerts and small venues. If you'd like to find out more about how you can have me or Gemini Moon at your home or venue, please contact me! The lure of the footlights has drawn me back to the theatre like a moth to the light. I've become involved with the Rogers City Community Theater, performing in three musicals since 2007. Roles include Soupy Sue in "Urinetown, the Musical," Domina in "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum," and most recently, Ronnette in "Little Shop of Horrors" (for which I was also the music director). Summer 2008, I directed the summer youth theater production of Disney's "Alice in Wonderland." During autumn of 2008 I appeared in "The Pajama Game" as Mabel, where I got to do a little soft shoe and have a lot of fun! I was music director for "Hello, Dolly!" in early spring 2009. That was followed by directing the dinner theatre murder-mystery, "Murder at the Café Noir." I served as music director for the 2009 summer youth theatre production of "Disney's Aladdin, Jr." RCCT presented "Curtains" this winter, and I had the honor of portraying Carmen Bernstein, the character they loved to hate. I will once again be directing the summer youth theatre production. This time we're doing "Honk! Jr." the musical story of the Ugly Duckling. Kids, check it out on YouTube and I think you'll be quite pleasantly surprised! This show won the Olivier Award (the British equivalent to the USA's Tony Award) for best musical in 2000. |
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Get a printable version of my biographical brochure! Get a printable version of the informance program brochure! Available in .pdf format now! |
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I've
got a recording titled "Sail Beyond the Sunset" ready for listening.
Its formal release is still to be determined.
