I say, people with unusual skill sets create unusual opportunities that others eventually claim as the industry standard. I cannot help but take a look back at some of industry's «standards» who, a the beginning of their careers, were considered as different and the public wasn't so sure how to accept them, if at all.

Elvis Presley who was told to go back driving a truck...Lucille Ball who was kicked out of drama school because she was too shy and timid...Fred Astaire was told he couldn't act, couldn't sing, balding but can dance a little...Joesphine Baker...Theodore Seuss Geisel...Edith Piaf...Henry Ford...on and on and on...

A critic tells me that «I should...». Funny isn't it? Whenever I hear someone start a sentence with «I should», I bite my tongue and think of all those before me who had it even worse. I look upon them as inspiration to go on doing what I do, on my own terms.

So here is where I begin my rant.

You can't please everybody everytime but dang it, I cannot believe how one particular critic (must be amateur) tells me what I should and shouldn't do with my music and my voice. If you like it, thank you – if you don't, I appreciate the time you took to review my material but please have the professionalism and respect to know where you end and I begin. Otherwise, you're only hurting yourself.

When an established music critic messaged me behind the scenes upon reading a scathing review of my CD (I wasn't even aware of it). He wrote how he laughed when the writer mentions that I should be growling when I sing and that my voice wasn't made for the blues. Add to that, all blues women who do not sound like Janis Joplin are not blues singers.

Wow. That critic needs a serious history lesson about the blues. Need I say more?

This just proves that my fans and audience are educated and I am rewarded by those who are with me in my court and truly understand what I am doing. For now, only my voice carries the nuance and intent of my words and I am grateful that I can enunciate each word I wrote so that you can listen to the whole story of the song.

My writing is mine. My voice is my own. I have no intentions of copying or emulating those who I respect and have (had) their own voices. Doing so would simply be wrong. It strips me of my originality and take away from those I revere. What's the point in copying? Why sound like someone else? Really. Think about it. Why stake ones place with a reference to someone else when being true to oneself earns a well deserved and proper place? Is it because it's easier? Why sound the same? What a waste of time that is. What a loss of identity it is.

Business is business and music is no different. Some 'clients' will buy your product or service, others may not - on the first glance. ;-) We know it's a hard business to be in the music industry and even tougher to please everybody. I have noted your suggestion - but I will stay true to my gut instincts and stay my course because I've learned that up until today, my gut instincts have never failed me. My fans and audiences have my back. I sing and write, they seem find the connection so I perform for them, from my heart. Then through them, I find new fans, friends and audiences. Along with that comes the courage to break through boundaries and keep on doing what I do.

Come see us play, what I offer does comes straight from my heart. Here's the calendar. I look forward to seeing you.