Today Is World Voice Day!

This is a day when the international community of vocalists is celebrating... the voice! According to the official World Voice Day website:

Every year on April 16, otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeons and other voice health professionals worldwide join together to recognize World Voice Day. World Voice Day encourages men and women, young and old, to assess their vocal health and take action to improve or maintain good voice habits. The American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery has sponsored the U.S. observance of World Voice Day since its inception in 2002.

To honor this day, I'd like to ask you, dear readers, some questions:

• How is your voice feeling? sounding?
  

• What vocal techniques have you learned (and from where) that have helped you stay out of the otolaryngologist's office?

• What are your burning questions about how your voice works and what affects it?

• What are the ideas you want the sound of your voice to communicate?
  

• Why do you sing?

• How do you maintain the physical health of your voice?

Your answers to any and all of these questions will be shared with the community of blog readers here. We all thank you!

Click the comment link at the website to share your thoughts.

Chronic breathiness or hoarseness? Suspect vocal damage!

I was eating lunch when my one of my new students' mother called. "Hello", I said. "Well, you were right", she said. Sadly, I had guessed I would be right. It wasn't the first time I'd correctly suspected vocal damage.

She had taken her little actress daughter to the doctor after my suggestion at her last voice lesson to get her vocal cords inspected. Her doctor found lesions on both vocal cords. He told them she should not talk for a week and that it will be a long, long time before she should attempt to sing. She had been scheduled to audition for two productions... one a movie... and it's all on hold for now.

I knew something was wrong because I had way too much trouble getting this little girl to be able to sing in her head voice. When I did gently coax a head tone out of her, nothing I suggested could help her sing very far up the scale, and those notes were very breathy. She tried her best to follow my directions, but she could not focus her spread tone into a healthy, clear, bell-like sound. The breathiness in both her chest and head voices and her limited range cautioned me to stop the vocal training until she could get checked out. And thank God her mother took the initiative and the discovery of vocal injury was made.

Anything which keeps your vocal cords from closing properly, such as a bump of tissue caused by injury, swelling, any kind of lesion or other obstruction, will cause problems such as breathiness, hoarseness, fatigue, vocal cracks and other limitations in your speaking and singing voice such as an inability to sing in head voice. Fortunately, these symptoms are a cry for help... which needs to be heeded.

It is imperative to get a correct diagnosis as to the type of vocal lesion present, because some injuries respond quite well to rest and corrective vocal training, and some require surgery. And sometimes the lesion is malignant. Don't fool around with chronic breathiness or hoarseness. Get to the bottom of the problem. For a "symptom tree", see: http://voiceproblem.org/disorders/vflesions/index.asp . If you suspect a problem, make an appointment with a doctor who can inspect your cords and who knows about singers' voices (get references).

You can actually click a link and hear examples of some types of vocal damage at: http://www.gbmc.org/voice/disorders.cfm .

Here's a wake up... you can cause your vocal cords to hemorrhage (bleed) from just ONE episode of traumatic vocal abuse. A jingle singer I worked with in Memphis named Janie Fricke was diagnosed with this many years ago. Good news... with rest, she did fully recover - and she became a highly lauded country singer with a major hit career. I myself had vocal damage from the insertion of an endotracheal tube (I was on a ventilator for a while many years ago). With the help of my vocal teacher Gerald Arthur, I fully recovered and then went on to my own career at MTM records.

This mother had been told for years that her daughter's breathy sound was natural for her... that there was "nothing wrong - that's just the way her voice sounds". Therefore, her daughter has been re-injuring her vocal cords constantly. Hopefully, this talented and precious little girl's voice will mend with time. When her injury sufficiently heals, she will need vocal training to fully recover.

Read into this post your own cautionary tale. Sometimes you may wish to make a breathy sound for a momentary "effect", but don't fool around with chronic breathiness that you can't focus into clear tone. If you think you have a problem, get checked out with a good voice teacher and/or a doctor who specializes in voices.

Vocal Aerobics- the importance of physical exercise

I have a new understanding to offer you for the phrase "Move it or Lose it!" Think of the word "it" as meaning "voice".

If you sing according to Power, Path & Performance principles, you'll notice you don't get vocally tired. You'll also notice that you do get physically tired! That's because singing correctly will use the big muscles of your core (abs, back, thighs, buttocks) and minimize incorrect over-use of the little muscles of your throat. The state of your body at any given time will affect your vocal ability - for better or for worse.

It should go without saying that part of the state of your body has to do with your rest, stress, hydration and nutrition levels. However, in this post, I want to concentrate on the levels of flexibility, coordination and strength of your muscles.

I have noticed that people who don't do much physical exercise don't contract their lower abdominal muscles when they sing. This means they won't be encouraging the abdominal contents to shift upwards, which is vital for supporting the upper movement of the diaphragm. This results in all kinds of vocal limitations.

These sedentary people also don't get good breath in. Their shoulders tend to be rounded forward, ribcage slumped, trunk sort of compact and arms hanging limply at the sides like rib anchors.

They also tend to be rather numb in performance. It takes physical energy to communicate.

Great vocal exercises can work out your physical core if you do them properly. I used to notice my own abs get sore after a number of vocal lessons. (They don't get sore anymore... I use them too much, and they are strong!) But I suggest working out your core so you can do your exercises more correctly. You'll find yourself singing longer without strain. Remember- once physical fatigue sets in, vocal fatigue can quickly follow.

My suggestions:

• Find an exercise routine you will actually do regularly - at least 3 or 4 times a week.
• If you go to a gym, consider hiring a personal trainer for at least one round of lessons. Let them know you are a singer or public speaker. When holding your breath to push against a weight, be careful not to put too much pressure on your vocal cords. (Don't grunt hard).
• Find a routine you can take with you wherever you go. I used to use Cindy Crawford tapes in my hotel room before my concerts. I didn't know why then, but I knew from experience that I sang better for exercising at least 30 minutes before a show.

My cautions:

• Don't use your physical strength against your voice! In your mind right now, separate what you should do when weight training from what you should do when singing. Weight training requires you to tense muscles in your neck, which you MUST relax when you sing. Also remember to relax "buff" chest and throat muscles when you sing or speak. Float your head on your shoulders, like you wouldn't do while weight training.
• Don't work out too much - or incorrectly with weights. If you injure your neck muscles, you will definitely affect your voice. Again... find a great personal trainer to help you protect yourself with correct form. Don't weight train the day of performance.
• Remember to rest your muscles with a day off when weight training. You can do aerobic training (treadmill, etc.) every day, but not weight training the same muscles.

The bug is spreading... vocalists beware!

The dreaded scratchiness at the back of your throat... the fatigue that you can't explain... the headache from the first tinges of fever... and you know.... THE BUG IS TRYING TO GET YOU!!

Here in Nashville, we are definately experiencing the season to be sneezing (and throwing up and coughing... well, you get the picture)

What can successfully nip an oncoming cold in the bud? I know there are things that don't work, things that some people are allergic to, and things that work for some but not for others.

Use common sense and go to the doctor if your symptoms warrent. Pneumonia or serious sinus infection can take hold fast. Also...do not take any layperson's medical advice (including the following) without consulting a trusted doctor. Most remedies, natural or not, are powerful enough to have unwanted or dangerous side effects in some people.

That said, here are some things that have worked for me when I feel a cold coming on.

• Hot bath with 2 cups Epsom salts (don't take hot bath if you are or could be pregnant)
• Airborne (find at most drugstores and grocers)
• Zicam (find at most drugstores)
• Echinacea Synergy (not for those allergic to the daisy family)
• FlumaxPro (homeopathic remedy)
• heparsulph.calc. 30x (homeopathic remedy)
• Holy Basil (homeopathic remedy)
• the Master Tonic (go to "About Judy" tab on my website and click on left to see recipe)
• Vick Salve on the soles of feet (for coughs)
• "Firewater" (a concoction of lemon juice, honey or grade B maple syrup and Cayenne pepper)
• UltraInflamX (supplement that fights inflammation)
• Vibe (vit/min suppliment)
• Sambucol black elderberry cough syrup
• Ginger tea (1 tsp grated ginger root -steep in cup of hot water- plus 1 tsp lemon juice)

Also important... I eat very lightly or not at all. I find that my body needs to harness all its resources to fight the invaders, not digest heavy meals. My homemade chicken soup (hint... use organically raised chicken and lots of garlic!) can make me feel better if I'm not too sick to eat.
And of course, warm clothes - including something at my neck- and precious sleep!

Now... what do YOU find helpful that you'd like to share?

Audition Cattle Calls and Vocalist Abuse

OK, I'm back and I'm mad!

Yes, I'm finally moved into my new digs and will now get back to regular posts on this blog. I hope you missed me-

This one is going to be a rant. I have a question for everyone who sets up audition "cattle calls" for these American Idol shows and spin-offs. Why do you have singers standing in the extreme cold from the wee hours of the morning (say 3 or 4 o'clock am) until you finally allow them to sing- cold, tired and numb- sometime in the latter part of the day? Do you know these are human beings? Do you know that their voices, not to mention their bodies, are affected by such abuse? These people are worth more than this. They allow themselves to be treated this way, then usually leave with their hearts broken. Yes, the music business is hard, but does it have to be CRUEL?

Why can't you designate a warm, dry, safe place somewhere for people to wait for their auditions? Maybe have a cutoff after so many show up, then hold auditions for more days? You know, money considerations sometimes have to make room for basic human rights. If you auditioners ran a third world country, we might not be trading with you.

I've heard these horror stories from my clients for a couple weeks in a row, and I'd like to join any other voice teacher who'd like to throw in on this protest. I'd also like to hear from any of you reading this blog who have had similar experience with this kind of auditioning. Maybe we can raise our voices and get these practices changed. Click the comment link and tell us your story.

Friendly holiday reminders for singers

Friendly reminders for singers:

• Getting ready for a road trip? Don't forget to take and pack your immune system enhancers such as Vibe, NRGize, Airborne, echinacea, epsom salts or other alternative medical therapies you've found by experience to work.
• Getting ready for a holiday parties and family reunions? Getting ready for outside games or events? Don't forget to wear something which will protect your ears and your neck. Also... don't forget to bring water and stay well-hydrated.
• Getting ready for holiday feasts? Don't forget to limit mucous-enhancing foods like rich cream-based sauces, heavy casseroles, fatty meat portions, excessive deserts, alcoholic and caffeinated drinks. You CAN have some of these things, after all, even YOU can celebrate, but if you limit these heavy and toxic substances, you will be able to be in better voice. (Also better health). I say this as I wolf down a slice of my mother's traditional homemade pecan pie)
• Getting ready for a holiday performance? Don't forget to warm up your voice with your vocal exercises!

May your Christmas and holiday season be merry and bright, filled with peace, hope and love. If you are having a hard season, may friends spring up all around you to help you carry your burdens, and may you be surprised by the comforting presence of God.

Love and blessing from my house to yours,

Judy

Overpowering Vocals

Overpowering vocals is bad vocal technique because it communicates a kind of power that is counterproductive on several levels, including:

• Yelling is not persuasive communication that invites listening. So if you want me to listen to you, don't yell at me.
• Screaming your melody to the top of your lungs may make me momentarily go "Wow, the singer is certainly trying to be great", but it won't make me go buy your album.
• Over-blowing your vocal cords hurts them. If you value your instrument, you must take care of it unless you intend it to only work badly for a short season.

Watching the Country Music Awards Show last night (just like every other genre of music award show where energy and emotions are high), I saw overpowering in several performances. If you've never done these kinds of shows, they tend to be events where it's hard to hear well. You have a lot of ambient sound swirling round and it's easy to get disoriented, disconnected to your voice. Then, oh my gosh, you have to make such an impact so you give it all you've got.

Mistake.

Giving it all you've got translates to pushing 100% of the breath pressure you have available through your vocal cords- and 100% is TOO MUCH PRESSURE! Doing this always results in a lack of control. Lack of control makes you pitchy, makes your vibrato flutter irregularly or unnaturally, makes you unable to execute vocal embellishments (licks or ad libs) well. It also causes your tone to be too thin or harsh, because it tightens your throat.

You need to do what great sparring partners do... learn to pull your punches. Control what you are giving out and it will be much more effective (not to mention, it won't hurt them or you!). Back off the forward breath pressure until your power seems to be balanced at your tailbone. Then you can actually give more communicative life to your performance.

Here's the magic equation for best vocal performance:
Back off the pressure and add passion.

Country artists who habitually balance pressure and passion just right include Reba (the queen of balanced vocals), LeAnn Rimes, Faith, Trisha, Jennifer Nettles, Clay Walker, Brad Paisley, Randy Travis, Garth Brooks and sometimes Keith Urban (he began pushing too hard at the end of his performance). Notice again... these all give quite empassioned performances. Martina and Gary of Rascal Flatts can also be great and balanced but were, I thought, pushing just a little too hard last night.

Did you catch the CMA's last night? Do you agree with my assessments? What did I miss?

Should singers lift weights?

Lifting weights can be helpful or hurtful to the voice; it all depends on how and when you do it.

How weight lifting can help? If done right:

• Physical stamina-- just like any other physical workout, it builds strength and endurance, increases blood flow and in general is good for physical health.
• Mental and emotional well-being-- it releases endorphins and lifts the spirits- makes you feel good, clears the head and increases positive attitude.
• Breath capacity-- it causes deeper breathing, increasing lung capacity and releasing toxins with the exhale. It also increased abdominal muscle tone, which is necessary to support the diaphragm as you breathe.
• Physical appearance-- it increases muscle tone and definition.

How can weight lifting hurt? If done incorrectly:

• It can over-strengthen small muscles in the vocal apparatus, causing a lack of flexibility in the larynx... NOT GOOD for singing!
• It can cause fatigue, compromising breath support and control.
• It can tighten the throat, neck and shoulders-- all of which must be free and flexible for singing and speaking.
• Tightening the glottis while holding the breath can actually damage the vocal aparatus!

I train with weights myself... both machine and free weights from 5 to 12 pounds, depending on the exercise and how fit I am at the time.

Here are some guidelines I find useful to protect the voice when lifting weights:

• Limit the amount of weight you lift! If you push yourself to the limit, you can't help but strain your voice
• DON'T HOLD YOUR BREATH!!... Holding your breath is what tightens the glottis and can lead to damage. Instead, exhale as you lift.
• Move your head a bit side-to-side while lifting so as to limit "freezing" the muscles of neck and shoulders.
• Stretch out your muscles before and especially after you lift
• Don't lift weights right before singing... give your throat, neck and shoulders time to relax. The site I mention below suggests you wait at least 12 hours after lifting before you sing.
• Find a personal trainer who trains SINGERS and knows how to protect them.

Here is a website where I found a great discussion on this subject:

http://choralnet.org/resources/viewResource.phtml?id=1826&lang=en&category=11

Final word... do be careful. If you strain any of the muscles in the throat, neck and/or shoulders, it WILL hurt your voice, I promise you. But I wouldn't worry about a little weight training, correctly applied. I have personally benefitted from it, and I have had many vocal students who are athletes that regularly lift weights. When they heed my advice not to use their upper body strength against their voices, they experience no adverse affects on their voices from wise weight training.

I invite your comments!

Voice lessons... How many should you take?

So you decide to take voice lessons . How many should you take?

The short answer: as many as it takes to get you where you want to be.

The longer answer: it depends:

1. If you are looking for a vocal assessment as to how you are singing right now: One. At this assessment lesson (one or two hours is recommended), you should get a professional opinion as to how well you're singing right now, and what it might take to get your voice ready for where you want to go. You should also get help with your weakest area(s) AT THE FIRST LESSON... so no matter what, you will get real, and immediate, benefit for whatever money you spend on vocal training.
2. If you have vocal problems such as straining, weakness, breathing issues and/or performance communication disconnect, you should take as many as you need to conquer those problems. At the first lesson, major problems the teacher notices should be spelled out for you.
3. If you have limited funds, you should be honest with the teacher and seek options such as longer intervals between regular lessons (once every other week or even less), supplemented with vocal training on media (such as my Power, Path & Performance cds)
4. If you are a long-distance student, I recommend scheduling an assessment lesson, getting the cds and coming back for a lesson whenever it is convenient for your travel schedule.
5. If you have studied with me, you can also schedule phone lessons from time to time as necessary when you can't get in to my office.
6. If you are a professional vocalist, my recommendation is to stay in touch with your voice teacher throughout your career. That doesn't necessarily mean weekly lessons, but it does mean touching base with a lesson or two in between your road tour; phone lessons or when you feel something going wrong; updating your warm-up vocalises from time to time. In my humble opinion, a professional vocalist being "watched over" by a competent vocal coach is non-negotiable...protective of your career, preventing subtle, limiting vocal dysfunction from setting in.
7. If you, for any reason, want to increase your vocal ability, keep coming to lessons.

Most importantly, however many lessons you choose to take: KEEP PRACTICING the correct vocal training you have received!!! To paraphrase an old adage... use it correctly or lose it! If you practice correct technique, you will find your voice continuing to improve well into older age!

Singing and Eating Disorders - Part Two

This is the second of two posts on eating disorders and the voice. We'll continue where we left off with the story of Judy and her student, Jenni Schaefer...

Judy... Little by little, as Jenni got help, she got stronger. However, voice lessons became even harder. She developed a diaphragmatic spasm of some kind and a kind of fatalism took hold, making her expect the strange uncontrolled vibrato weirdness to happen at a certain place in her range. I sent her to Vanderbilt Voice Clinic. Only when they couldn't find anything organically wrong did Jenni start to believe she could beat this strange vocal problem. Soon after, I was able to coach her into the flexible rib stretch necessary to allow the issue to completely disappear.


Jenni... "Anorexia is characterized by intense perfectionism. While singing, I would concentrate more on being perfect than on getting a greater message across."

Jenni kept improving, but it was two-steps forward, one-step back. It was hard for her to picture singing to someone. She was stuck in self-consciousness. She began to experience feelings, but with the feelings came anger at being critiqued, which made her feel judged. At one point, I suggested she practice differently and she flew into a rage. I didn't see it coming. I didn't read the signs that said I was pushing too far, and the lesson ended in disaster.

Jenni... "All eating disorders are characterized by constant self-criticism. It is difficult to sing when a negative voice is constantly screaming in your ear."

The trust and friendship Jenni and I had developed made the misunderstanding short-lived. We got back to the business of vocal training and then another challenge set in. It was a long season of intense sadness. I was afraid for her; she would cry, literally for days, and then go numb. She pushed people away, saying she had no friends. For a while, she stopped singing and cancelled voice lessons.

Jenni... "Depression is often an underlying symptom of an eating disorder. When lost in despair and hopelessness, singing can seem too vulnerable because emotions might leak out. So Ed would often build yet another 'protective' wall."

Jenni and I began working together again, and this time every lesson seemed to break new ground. Her recovery was solid, her physical and emotional health much more stable. I watched her persevere with great courage through those monumental battles of recovery. And I watched her find her voice at last.

One of the last pieces in the puzzle was put in place by the brilliant performance coach Diane Kimbrough. Diane told Jenni to stop worrying about 'going there' every time she sang. She said this is way too much pressure for an artist to have to re-experience the emotional scene during every performance. Instead, Diane suggested, forget yourself and make THEM (the audience) feel something! It was a miracle.

Jenni stopped focusing inward and made the connection, through the song, to someone else. Her voice is now strong, controlled, confident and beautiful. She FEELS joy, frustration, anger, and love. All of this is giving her a voice with which to rock the world. She speaks and sings all over the country to entertain, teach and prove that recovery from an eating disorder is indeed possible. And oh, I so love to hear her laugh!

For those struggling with an eating disorder, we hope you read in our story that it's never too late to reach out for help, start healing- and start singing your heart out!

Jenni's contact info:
Jenni Schaefer - singer, songwriter, speaker, author of Life Without Ed: How One Woman Declared Independence from Her Eating Disorder and How You Can Too (McGraw-Hill) Website: http://www.jennischaefer.com/
Address: P.O. Box 330724 Nashville, TN 37203-7505 Consultant, Center for Change, http://www.centerforchange.com/

Diane Kimbrough's contact info:

615-297-1524 (website soon to be up)

Singing and Eating Disorders - Part One

This is the first of two posts on eating disorders and the voice.

Eating disorders are now epidemic. Singers and others in the entertainment business with its requisite media exposure are, I believe, especially vulnerable to these debilitating secret illnesses.

No one can approach their full vocal potential while chained to an eating disorder. Why? Because the voice will have problems in these areas:

• Breathing (Power)
• Tone (Path though an open throat)
• Communication (Performance)

That's right --- with an eating disorder --- everything I teach in Power, Path & Performance vocal training ... everything necessary to the workings of your voice ... is compromised and plagued with problems; some very pesky to diagnose and correct.

From denial to her long-term recovery from anorexia/bulimia, I've been Jenni Schaefer's voice teacher and friend. Jenni recovered using a unique therapeutic approach that involved treating her eating disorder as a relationship, rather than an illness or condition. Jenni actually named her anorexia/bulimia, "Ed," an acronym for "eating disorder." She and I co-wrote the song "Life Without Ed" which is also the title of her McGraw-Hill book endorsed by Dr. Phil and many others.

Testimonials tell us her story is powerful, so here it is from both our points of reference:

Judy... What I noticed the first time I met Jenni was her strange numbness. She couldn't move out of the 'guarded stance:' slumped shoulders, head hung forward, eyebrows frozen, jaw clenched, spine and hips frozen, arms limp and legs locked. She was like a stick figure. Her voice was thin, colorless. She complained that her throat hurt when she sang. Her range was limited, and she had several 'breaks' in her voice. I tried to help her loosen up, but I could barely get her to lift her arms from her sides to allow ribcage expansion. She inhaled from the upper chest in short gasps.

Jenni... "With Ed, I was disconnected from my body... felt like a floating head. I was rigid and had difficulty moving. In therapy sessions, I was encouraged to ‘just move’ --- anything."

Judy... I also had a lot of trouble helping Jenni connect to her songs. When I asked her to visualize singing "Valentines Day" to someone she loved, she couldn't think of anyone! Finally she began to connect by imagining singing to children in a cancer ward where she had worked. An odd thing... She didn't want me to look at her when she sang.

Jenni... "I was disconnected from feelings. I lived in my head. A big purpose of my eating disorder was to starve and stuff feelings --- to keep me out of my emotions. So when I was supposed to connect with feelings in a song, it was not only completely foreign to me, it was also terrifying."

Judy... Jenni was easily deflated and crushed. I had to be very careful not to push her too far with exercises. She somehow needed to sing, but music didn't seem to move her. Because she didn't have the energy to keep her posture erect and flexible, she usually just stood still and lifeless. Or walked like a zombie.

Jenni... "I had no energy --- restricting, binging and purging requires a lot of energy (physical and emotional) and leaves little left for anything else."

Judy... Jenni couldn't understand why she didn't feel something. She would watch me express feelings she couldn't experience, and I think that was a big part of why she reached out for help. She asked me to pray for her. She thought since she didn't feel something, she couldn't pray herself.

Jenni... "Singing is spiritual. An eating disorder kills all spiritual connection. This was a huge hurdle."

To be continued...

Singing in extreme heat

Here in Nashville it was 100 degrees today.

I was withering in the heat under a tree on the sidelines, watching my son Peter race around the asphalt in his "Crit 3" bike race. It had to have been 115 on that road track (whew!)

Anyway, I began to think about how important it is for singers to take special care when singing in this heat. Number one is, of course, to be well hydrated.

According to the NYU Voice Center, even on a normal day a physically inactive person "uses about 2 liters of fluid a day just to compensate for production of urine, sweat, and humidification lost in the air you breath, when you talk and when you sing". They go on to say the paranasal sinuses use about a liter a day, and that you make about a liter of saliva a day. Wow. Makes me thirsty just to think about it!

Also, it's not enough just to take a bottle of water with you, especially in this heat. I find it important to drink enough water the day before your gig, sip during performance, and continue drinking after singing. It's amazing how much water evaporated from your vocal cords as breath flows between them during phonation.

Yes, pure water works best, but in extreme heat I find it important to have electrolytes replenished. You can do this with a high quality nutritional supplement or even something as simple and easily found as Gatoraide. You can also dilute water with a small amount of fruit juice. (3 parts water, 1 part juice counts as water, according to nutritionist Liz Flannigan). Take it easy on caffeine and alcohol, because they are dehydrating compounds. It's good to eat raw veggies like celery, which adds minerals and has an alkalizing effect on the body.

True Story:
I passed out at the mic in a Kansas auditorium one fourth of July with about 5,000 people in attendance. The air condition had gone out and it was hot anyway, but I also had a touch of the stomach flu. I was singing "Until I Met You" and just fell into my band's arms. My bass player had the opportunity to give the one liner he'd always dreamed about: "Is there a doctor in the house?". After a trip to the emergency room to rule out drugs (hehehe, they always think that, don't they?) my husband John (the drummer) was instructed to pour about 4 quarts of Gatoraide down me during the night while the bus drove us to our next gig. I was able to say "On with the show"!

Do you have a story about singing in the heat you could share?

Oh, and by the way... my son won the overall for the weekend bike races!! YEAH!!!