I began music lessons when I was 7
years old. At age 10, I was playing for church services on a regular basis in Sunday school, morning and evening
Worship Services and as an accompanist for a number of gospel groups. My father was in the Navy so I had the distinct advantage
of learning from various teachers and traveling to different parts of the world. My musical education includes the Orient
and I was also under the tutelage of a European Doctorate. I was the pianist for the chorus in every school
I attended and would accompany various band members for their city and state competitions. I also played keyboard in a band
called "The 4th Dimension" that won First Place in a citywide contest held at the local Mall.
In the spring of 1971, I joined a church where I played the piano for Sunday
school, Children's Church, and eventually became organist for the Worship Service. I served there as my ministry for 8 years.
During that time I was the pianist for the Easter/Christmas Cantatas, helped with the adult choir and worked with the Youth
Program where our teen choir entered competition with the Word of Life Ministries and won First Place in the National competition
at Schroon Lake, NY.
In 1974, I began my 'formal' education. In college I was: the accompanist for the Artist in Residence
Program for three years, the back-up accompanist for the College Performance Choir, was in a pilot program for video vocal
training by acclaimed soprano, Lara Browning of California, studied cello and was first chair in the college orchestra, and
performed numerous solos in various college programs. I also played for various community meetings such as the Lion's Club.
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While living in the resort area of Pinehurst, North Carolina, I would be the
guest speaker for community service clubs and played for the Country Club of North Carolina for their annual fund raiser "Casino
Night". I also started playing in various restaurants, I did the general dinner muzack and became known as the 'Pink Panther'.
The children would not know some of the Moldie Oldie songs like, "Unforgettable", "Fly Me to the Moon", or "Strangers in the
Night", but they did recognize the "Pink Panther Theme" song. So when I would walk around during breaks, the kids would start
pointing and saying, "There goes the Pink Panther Lady!!" Well, the name stuck, advertising began along those lines, and I
would start wearing something pink every time I played. People from as far away as Greensboro, NC, (90 miles one way) would
come every weekend to hear me play.
Later in my career I directed various church choirs, wrote and performed songs
for church services, held seminars on MUSIC (Musical Understanding for Singing In Choirs), and directed a hand bell choir.
I have performed with The Women's Chorus of Dallas, was an accompanist for their ensemble, and did Community Theater where
I sang and acted in several musicals. Here are a few shows I was in: "Bells Are Ringing", "Red, Hot and Cole", "The Sound
of Music" (where I played a dual role as Elsa, the Captain's first fiance' and also as Sister Margaritte one of the singing
nuns) and was musical director for "Cabaret".
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