About Me

Where I’m Coming From

Growing up in Newport, Rhode Island, I studied ballet, jazz, tap dance, and classical piano and went to every amazing Newport Jazz & Folk festival every summer, but my first 2 consuming loves were dance and groove music. I loved to sing but I HAD to dance.  Coming to music through movement, I was the dancer in the family. But as great as that passion was, I secretly wanted to sing, dare I say, just like Ella. And then there were Memphis & Motown artists, Sam & Dave, Isaac Hayes, Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, Jimi, Billie, Bessie, The Stones, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Aretha, Rita Coolidge, Chaka, Marvin, Etta, Laura Nyro, Bonnie Raitt, Stevie Wonder, Al Green, Steve Winwood, Luther, all singing, shouting, pleading in the simplest, sexiest, most elegant way and fueling my young fire.  So the groove has been my king, lyric & melody my queen, and I continue to be their humble servant.

My one omnipresent memory as a music devotee and budding artist was that I wanted to sing & dance & entertain the world and believed that I would.  My father used to tell the story that as a very young child, I had removed all the labels from my record collection but knew exactly which one was which. Music is my passion and has always been a very physical, visceral, reactive, spiritual experience for me.  As a performer, communication always begins with the groove.  As a singer, the lyrics must be personal, uplifting and compelling and often triumphant over the angst. The great artists who captured my heart & soul were all able to move the most people to smile, sing, dance and feel in the most impassioned way, and that has always been my enduring aspiration.

In that light California beckoned and I started gigging in San Luis Obispo, my first home after leaving the East Coast.  Then Santa Cruz welcomed and gave me the confidence to move to Los Angeles.  I was a workhorse in the right places at the right times to have a wondrous performing career.  It was always about the journey with very cool, talented, fun, challenging musicians, agents, producers, managers and bands.  There, as a Venice beach girl, I discovered my passion for inline skating and skate dancing, and my world was rocked again.

Moving to Miami a few years ago to marry my wonderful guy brought me to a new, dynamic and very large stage of life.  After a gig at the Hollywood Beach Theatre and a couple of videos on YouTube, I decided to make my first record, “Peace of My Heart.”  Inspired by the late & oh so great Isaac Hayes and songs he’d co-written & produced, more old school R&B tunes and Joplin’s irrepressible “Piece of My Heart,” my creative fire was lit again.  Working with a young producer/drummer, Raphael Ramos, and co-executive producer, Marshall Freeman, who understood my vision, the CD came to life. We tried to do what Isaac was best known for… bringing fresh new grooves & arrangements to some powerful old school hit songs, and I believe we’ve done just that.   When I realized it was time to look for help in bringing the project to market, a friend introduced me to Don Mizell, a music industry veteran & Grammy winner, who became my Executive Creative Producer and whose keen perception, creativity & concepts brought even more dynamic magic. Just a few years after that, I auditioned for the Miami HEAT Golden Oldies (on my birthday, 9/11) and have been with the squad for the last 5 seasons. Talk about an old dancer’s dream gig!