I played the drum in a Christmas play and I remember always singing to myself. My mother put me in piano lessons, so I suppose that was where singing began to really grow. Money was tight, so those lessons stopped, so I listened to the musical Orphan Annie a lot in order to sing along. (also Salty and Saltina!) I have memories of riding my bike singing about everything around me and in me and writing music. My big brother recently told me he remembers me singing along with "The Sun will Come out Tomorrow"....apparently he was tortured by my constant racket! Gotta love it.

My first concert was in Las Vegas a couple of years ago actually. I got V.I.P. tickets to see a band I had never heard of called, The Dave Matthews Band in 2009 with a close girlfriend of mine and her eldest daughter...I almost didn't go, but evereyone around me said I was crazy if I didn't. I'm glad I did of course. I suppose you can say I lived under a rock for many years and missed much of the 90's and early 2000 in music...which is why I didn't know who they were. I am still discovering large pieces of the musical pie & am soaking up all kinds of sounds right now...it's been an interesting journey.

Orphan Annie when I was a little kiddo...ha! Ella Fitzgerald, Whitney Houston, Linda Ronstadt, Carol Bernet (freakin awesome entertainer), and Bett Midler to name a few. Many of the 80's/early 90's popular top 40's were probably pretty influential too..Michael Jackson, Madonna, Narvanna and all of that. I love to dance, so anything dancable/rhythmic is influenctial. Love folks from Louis Armstrong to Sting...both classically influenced as well as alternative rock/country/Blues & black punk. I dig it all man...

Currently I sing (and am starting to play some intruments too) for The Bathtub Gin Serenaders. We jam to early hot jazz music and anything that sounds like it could have been written back then. I am about to sing with a band called The Mixers as their 1950-60's songstress. Of course, playing with other local jazz-cats, random styles of musicians and reaching musical project goals (check it out on wordpress.com) is a constant. I LOVE meeting new music and good-hearted musicians. WOOT!

Ella Fitzgerald because she gave me roots would swing it like the Lady of Song that she was and still is! Whitney Houston because she helped me when no one else was around. Singing with STING would probably make me pass out with pure happiness and joy...he is a creative musical genius and add Alicia Keys on piano/vocals...oooo buddy! A duet with Michael Bubble', cause our voices blend well and he's pretty smooth. Bett Midler cause she's funny as hec and Makana from the islands of Hawaii for the synergy! Let's not forget Maroon 5...of course.

T.V. audience of who knows how many & the football stadium when I sang the National Antheme. I hated Karaoke, so I made myself face my fear and sang to unsuspecting drinkers...maybe 7 people. I chose Alicia Keys, Peggy Sue & Bonnie Raite. About the same amount of people for one of my jazz performance sets at a winery...good times and splendid.

WHAT?!? No way...I'll make my own smattering of an album that is 100 discs long with everything in it and in every style! Awful question! LOL