I’m very excited to report that I placed second over all in the 20 and over division at the National Finals of the Showstopper talent competition. I performed a Song and Dance Routine to the classic Kander and Ebb song “New York, New York”. Receiving a Platinum award level, I won the 20 and over Song and Dance category. The Song and Dance category requires competitors to combine vocal and dance technique into one seamless performance.

This was my third year to compete in the Showstopper competition. I received Platinum awards for the last three years, but this is my first year to “place” in competitive 20 and over division. Performing for the judges puts much more pressure on me than performing for an audience. I know the judges are looking for good dance technique and strong vocal quality. I also have to make sure that I connect with them during the performance. Competing in the Showstopper competitions has helped me to tremendously improve my overall performance quality. I’m thrilled to have improved my scores every year and continued my development as a performer.

I’ll have to pack up right after my show in Tucson and head straight to Sierra Vista, but I should be able to make it in plenty of time for our time slot which will be no earlier than 6:30. The theme for the event is “Love is in the Air”, so we are going to pull love songs from my Broadway and Standards repertoire for us to perform together.

The event raises funds for the Cochise Children’s Choir’s general fund. I am very much looking forward for the opportunity to work with Rick and helping out this worthy organization.

Below is just one example of one of the show’s new graphics.

All I need to add this exciting new feature to your booking is access to the video input of your large HD or projection television.

The festivities of the night will include a Broadway Review singing performance by Suzanne and dances by the award winning dancers from the Alma Dolores International Dance Centre. The food for the night will be catered by La Vist de Sonoita.

Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. For more information, contact Sonoita Singer at 520-455-5412.

Saturday, September 15th, the Huachuca Youth Football and Cheer Association will be holding their Season Opening Ceremony around 12:00 between the Mighty Might and Pee Wee football games. They plan to have a Color Guard there and have asked me to sing the National Anthem. This will be my third year in a row to have this honor. I am always thrilled when groups asked me to sing anything patriotic, especially the National Anthem.

The dancers from the Alma Dolores International Dance Center will be performing several numbers with the band including High School Musical and Greased Lightening. Alma has asked me to sing “All That Jazz” from the musical Chicago in a production number with the band and dancers. We’ve been rehearsing for several weeks and we are all very excited about tonight’s show. In addition, there will be other guest artist joining the Buena Jazz Band.

I am very excited to be part of this fun variety show.

The group was made up of former and active members of the U. S. Navy, Marines and Coast Guard and their spouses ranging in age from around 40 to their late 80′s. Many of the member of the group have known each other for many years through the association. Their familiarity with each-other made this show especially fun for me.

I printed out a list of the songs that I sing in my “Sentimental Journey” show and had the event’s organizer suggest audience members to which we could dedicate each song. Having an extra meaning to each of the songs in the show really personalized the songs and added a bit of humor to the show. My personal favorite was singing “Some One to Watch Over Me” and dedicating it to the two gentlemen in the audience who were Pearl Harbor survivors.

This was such a friendly warm group of people for which to sing I couldn’t have had a better time, especially when they were kind enough to give me a standing ovation at the end of the show.

The performance will be in the clubhouse area of the Tucson Estates neighborhood from roughly 2 pm to 4 pm. The show will be a combination of my Sentimental Journey collection with a smattering of Broadway numbers.

My next singing performance will be Friday June 8th at the Alma Dolores International Dance Center Spring Recital. As part of the Flamenco section of the show, I will be performing a solo song and dance to the music of Bizet’s Carmen. I plan to perform this same song and dance at the Showstoppers competition in Anaheim.

Looking way into the future, I have booking for Saturday Feb 9th, 2008 at Tucson Estates. One of my friends from the Veterans Hospital lives there and has booked me for show at the clubhouse.

I met with the couple a few weeks ago to allow them to custom select songs from my repertoire. In addition to songs that I sing on a regular basis, I have added 4 new songs that were their favorites.

I worked this week to create a master backing track for the show. I am very excited about the show and helping this couple celebrate the 50th birthday with their many friends and family that will be attending the event.

You can either click on the Listening Station link in the top navbar of the page (second tab,) on the far right Listening Center block, or click on this Listening Center link. I will probably go in and re-record some of these songs over the next couple of weeks and try to get more perfected versions of these songs online over the next couple of weeks. I will also try to record the rest of the Great American Song Book show and add it to the Sentimental Journey collection.

I hope you enjoy these songs and they give you a bit of an idea as to what my live shows are like.

I am currently hard at work recording some song material to upload to the site for your listening pleasure. My husband has gotten me a new sound capture card and some mixing software to create the files.  Shouldnt be a whole lot longer until the first batch is uploaded.