Karaoke Soul

I was talking to Clint this evening about how we both have such wide music tastes. We told each other little stories about how we had come across different artists and bands over the years.

Looking back it seems strange how my taste in music developed because I started off in such an insolar environment. I don't remember the radio ever being played in our house when I was a kid. We played a lot of music but it was all Mum and Dad's old 45's, mostly Elvis and other 50's and 60's stuff. I don't think I really became aware of the Charts until the Eighties. My eldest sister, Karen started taking me to concerts as soon as I was old enough (my first concert was The Nolans!). I had no control over which concerts we went to (if you know my sister, you'd understand) but I am grateful she did take me to so many because it introduced me not only to live music but a huge variety of music too.

Aside from my sister, there are two other influences which I attribute my eclectic music collection to. The first is a covers band called Panama (Picture above). During the nineties, I went to see this band a lot. It's probably worth mentioning that Panama were the house band at a club in Orlando. I was totally obsessed with them for years. Even though they were only a covers band, I still rate them in my top five of live shows! They knew how to work an audience better than most signed bands I have seen since. Almost all the band members took to the mic and it meant they could cover many different styles. Everything from Dobie Gray to Pearl Jam, REM to Janes Addiction, Gin Blossoms to Stevie Ray Vaughn, Journey to Greenday. Sadly Panama and the club I used to see them at are no more although some of the band members have since joined other Orlando bands.

Finally, my last big influence was Karaoke. I always think Karaoke is a bit like Marmite. You either love it or hate it. I love it. I ran a karaoke business for about fifteen years with my Dad. All of my Dad's family love karaoke and all of them have great voices. A lot of the music I now like, I first heard at a Karaoke. CDs I own by Dido, Jewel, Van Morrison and Staind were all were bought after hearing someone sing one of their songs at a karaoke.

Most of the music I own I can link back to these three sources. I have a huge music collection spanning decades and genres. I like songs that tell a story or provoke emotion but I especially like songs I can sing along to, I suppose that is the karaoke girl coming out in me.