My Vocal Journey: The Formative Years

I started choir in 7th grade. Ms. McGee was my teacher. She always commented on my perfect posture in class. I was regarded as one of the better singers here too. She would make us hold out notes and tell us they needed to sound "rich, like a hot fudge sundae." It's something I think about when I'm singing still to this day. I continued in choir in 8th grade with Mr. Carr. I was allowed a few solo lines in songs.

My freshman year of high school, I was in Women's Chorus with Mrs. Mackey. Who would become known as Ma Mackey as I went on to Concert Choir, Honors Choir and Rebelaires (the show choir). I spent at least two hours a day in her class. Add to that evening performances for Rebelaires and then also the musicals that she directed. She was my second mother. I was frequently chosen for solos. I also sang the National Anthem for several basketball games and sang at a few pep rallies too. This is where I really started to stand out from the others. I wasn't popular by any means, but people knew me because I could sing. 

I contemplated going into music for a career. I had always hoped that I would be singing along to the muzak in a store and some big name record exec would sign me right then. Of course, that didn't happen. 

Stay tuned for the next blog where I talk about my karaoke days and where that lead.