Isn't she just the cutest!!!
Shelley is another very talented friend of mine who has a fabulous voice as well as plays the piano.
She has a wonderful spirit and I love to hear her sing.
At the end of the post is a link to her singing the National Anthem.
It's fab and you need to give her a listen.
I have always loved music. I remember when I was still in elementary school listening to the AM radio station in my dark basement bedroom. I remember my first solo, sung from the choir loft of the United Methodist Church in Chillicothe Missouri when I was 10 or 11 (and seeing as I can barely remember what I did yesterday, that is quite an accomplishment!). At one point in my life I wanted to be a famous singer. That would still be really cool, but I’m afraid that ship has sailed! I sang in my high school choir, but more often than not, they would need me to be the accompanist, which I also loved to do. I also played alto sax in the band, and I made both the all-state band and choir. I taught myself to play the guitar so I could accompany myself when I sang. However, it wasn’t until I went to college at BYU and decided to take private voice lessons that things really fell into place for me. I was randomly assigned a teacher who, over the 3 ½ years I was there, would become my mentor and friend, and saw the potential in me. I ended up minoring in music and even giving a senior vocal recital. So yes, music has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.
I appreciate all kinds of music (sorry, but I don’t consider rap to be music), with my tastes running from David Garret (rock violin) to TranSiberian Orchestra to Journey, but I mostly listen to country. I am not totally a fan of current country music, at least I can understand the lyrics to most of it! I love anything with lots of harmony, so my favorite groups are Blackhawk and Diamond Rio – I have every one of their CD’s! I also LOVE The Band Perry. They have a very original sound and are a lot of fun to listen to! I have recently acquired a love of religious music, especially from the groups Mercy River and Jericho Road. Again, that beautiful harmony gets me every time! I listen closely to song lyrics, and nothing moves me like an amazing message sung in tight harmony. I love the peace and comfort I get from listening to this music, and more often than not I am brought to tears by the beautiful messages.
As for my singing, I have sung in a semi-professional group in Las Vegas, in a barbershop group, and various choirs here and there, but I mainly prefer to sing and accompany myself. I love to sing at churches, because even though I still get very nervous, I love to share my spirit and my testimony through song. I am sort of famous in Trimble County (if that is even possible!) for singing the National Anthem at ball games. The greatest complement I ever received on my singing was from a veteran who said he had never heard the Anthem sung better. I am very patriotic, as well as a purist when it comes to the National Anthem (none of that warbling stuff for me!), and every time I sing it I try to make it the very best I can to honor our great country.
I do not sing in the shower, oddly enough, but my favorite place to sing is in my car, where I can put in a CD, crank it up, and belt out whatever I am in the mood for. I almost hate to admit this, but when I take road trips with my kids, my favorite group to jam to is the Backstreet Boys! I also love to sing to Styx and The Beach Boys and the groups I already mentioned. I wear my IPod when I clean or when I exercise, and always have music on at the house.
I am so very grateful for the talent I have been given, and even though it makes me more nervous than I care to admit, I love to share my talent with anyone who will listen. I do not know what I would do if I didn’t have music in my life, and I hope I never have to find out. It truly does move me like nothing else can – it is the song of my heart – and I thank God for the influence it has had in my life!
Click Here to listen to Shelley
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