Influences- Believe it or not Elvis, Motown and Creedence! Lots of others. My teenage years were in the 70’s which I like most of that music but I have always loved music from the 60’s. I loved the dances from the 50’s and 60’s but the music….it was fun music and it was soulful and romantic and in the words of American Bandstand kids “it had a good beat and you could dance to it”, ha ha. I grew up also listening to country music and my mom always sang the most beautiful gospel songs, even wrote a few.
Inspirations? May sound odd but it would be Johnny Martin. He was the song leader at our church and a wonderful man. He knew so much about choral music and shared his talents with so many. His singing and leadership brought about some wonderful things. We all strived to do our best in singing to please “Uncle Johnny”.
“Vocal” heroes? I love Patsy Cline. I love all her songs and her voice. I would love to be able to sound like her. I do a lot of her songs (not with the band)just on my own. I really like Aretha Franklin and most all the Motown girls. I loved Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye, Johnny Mathis, Jerry Butler. Most of my vocal heroes today are country.
Favorite song? Too hard to pick an absolute favorite, possibly “Feels So Right” (all time fav)
Favorite song as performed by the JFB? I love “This Magic Moment” cause Jack and I sing that one together. Most recently I’m liking “Just My Imagination” and I like all the fast ones! I like the back up harmonies with Kent, he has a great voice.
Gear? Shur mic, mic stand, music stand, tambourine
Fav local bands/musicians? Up the Creek, Moonwoods, Skip Bond and the Fugitives
Supporters? My husband. He is not a huge music fan, he would much rather be in the woods hunting but he recognizes how much I love doing this and he is all for it. He never fusses if I go straight to practice and there is no supper, or how many weekends we may play, he is wonderful. He may not be at all our gigs but he is very supportive otherwise. Also my daughter and son-in-law, their style of music is a bit newer than what we play (although my daughter loves oldies as much as me cause she grew up listening and dancing to it with me!)but they enjoy our group, my son in that he tells me he thinks I sing great and he’s not embarrassed to tell his friends that so that’s high praise indeed.
Hobbies? My husband has a motorcycle and we love to ride when we have the time. We have several friends that have them and love to get together on rides. I love to read but there’s hardly ever time. My favorite thing is my sweet, beautiful, precious granddaughter Alivia Grace! (yes I only have one). I think every little smile and every little trick is the most precious one ever performed by a child! Of course to her papa and me they are (along with when ours were babies of course!)
