A little girl who wants to be a country music singer offers us tips on how she avoids stage fright and how she manages to sing in front of people. She is directing this to people who want to enter show business or become singers when they are older.
People ask me this all the time: Ronee', how do you avoid being scared when you get up to sing in front of people? Aren't you scared?
Well, whenever I go up in front of an audience, I just try to focus on the Lord and give my fear of singing in front of people to Him; and He somehow helps me get through whatever song I am singing. I also love to sing, and I enjoy singing in front of an audience; I always have, and I feel honored that God gave me the ability to share my Gift of song with others.
Now, I don't always sing Christian-based material (I do a lot of secular, or non-Christian, material), but I still love the music, and if I sing a particular song, I sing it because I either love the song, or I enjoy singing it.
When I go up on stage, I put my fears outside of my mind, and I go on and I try to do the best job I possibly can; and USUALLY I get through without any problems. Or I do something like imagine the people in their underwear, and all of a sudden, I am not so scared any longer because the picture in my mind is funny, and then I feel comfortable; and then I can go out and do my singing. Now, I HAVE messed up a FEW times, and while I am embarrassed for a time, I don't let it bother me. I just try to laugh it off, and I then go on and try to finish the song in the best way I can. No, it ISN'T always easy, especially if I get a fit of uncontrollable giggles or the hiccups or even if i accidentally burp while singing; but I DO manage. I also have forgotten the words to some of the stuff I sing, and I even have had the pleasure (NOT!) of tripping up the stage or tripping over the mic stand; and I nearly fall and break my neck; and after I laugh and get to my feet, I bow, and I then start to sing. Or I do the song over if I messed up. Of course, the audience is laughing, but I try NOT to think about that and TRY to go on with my song!
You probably know by now that I want to be a country singer like my favorite singer, Loretta Lynn. I have always loved Loretta Lynn, and I enjoy singing her songs. I think I do a pretty good job at some of them, especially "Coal Miner's Daughter", "You Ain't Woman Enough (To Take My Man)", "God Bless America Again", "Lead Me On", and "Love Is The Foundation". I also love to sing stuff by Tammy Wynette ("Stand By Your Man"), Patsy Cline ("Crazy", "Walkin' After Midnight"), Reba McEntire ("How Blue" and "Til Love Comes Again"), Tanya Tucker ("Delta Dawn"), and Donna Fargo ("Funny Face" and "The Happiest Girl In The Whole U.S.A."). I do a lot of the old stuff, the kind of country music my maman and daddy were raised on; and I love a lot of the woman singers of that day. I also love a lot of the songs; they are such classics, and I think we should do all we can to keep these classic country songs alive. They are too good to miss, and many people today don't even get to hear them now because they are so into the new country, and I'm sorry, but they just don't have the same emotion in the songs like the country classics do.
People also ask me if it bothers me that I am disabled. I tell them that being disabled has NOTHING to do with my wanting to be a singer; it is ONLY a SMALL part of who I am, and it has NOTHING to do with music or my wanting to be a singer! There are plenty of disabled people in the music business, and they are doing quite well for themselves. Like Ronnie Milsap, who is a legendary country singer who happened to be born blind; but it certainly hasn't stopped him into becoming one of the greatest country singers of his day! He had many hits throughout the 70's, 80's, and 90's, and today, he is still performing and wowing crowds the world over with his talent and musical genius!
Or look at Itzhak Perlman, the concert virtuoso on the violin: he walks on crutches and braces, too, just like I do, but that hasn't gotten into the way of his becoming a classical music giant and selling out arenas wherever he plays! That man is a gifted musician, and when he plays, people are always in awe of his talent; and his disability is at once forgotten, and people are focusing on his talent, which is the way it SHOULD be.
I figure, if people like Ronnie Milsap or Itzhak Perlman can make it, even with their disabilities, then BY GOD, I can too! So I don't let my disability get in my way, and I just go on stage to sing and have a good time! There is nothing more satisfying to me than to make people feel good with what I do or make them smile; so this is why I sing. If I can be a success at what I do, then that will be great, but if not, oh, well...at least I had fun trying to become famous! It was fun while it lasted!
I DO have to admit ONE thing, though, before I go: I usually do NOT get THAT nervous on stage, except at one place: the Grand Ole Opry. Now THAT is enough to give ANY singer the willies, especially if they aren't used to singing there! I have been honored to have sung there on several occasions, but each time, the butterflies in my stomach are working overtime, and that is probably when I do the most praying, to ask the Lord for His help in getting me through it! Talk about needing COURAGE; THAT is when I need it the MOST!!
P.S.: If you want to become a singer, you have to really WANT to do it! You have to have the drive and determination, and you also have to have at least SOME natural ability or talent. You also have to spend a lot of time practicing or rehearsing because if you want to become good at your craft, you have to put in a lot of extra time in developing your own style or your voice. You also have to put up with rejection; not everyone is going to like what you do, and you have to learn to take criticism from people.
You also have to learn how to control your voice and use it in such a way where you don't hurt yourself. If you aren't careful, you can really do a lot of harm, and you can end up damaging your throat or your vocal cords. It doesn't hurt to take some voice lessons; if anything, it is going to teach you how to project your voice to its fullest potential and also help strengthen your lungs or chest muscles. I sing as loud as I do because I still take voice lessons even now, and even though I have asthma, it has helped tremendously, and my breathing has improved because OF my singing. So singing is very beneficial!
Now if you are sick or have a sore throat, it helps to get as much rest between singing because if you try to sing then, you are only asking for trouble, and you can wind up with a nasty infection or worse. It also helps drinking plenty of fluid (preferably juices or water) prior to going on stage; those stage lights can get hot, and they can also be murder on your voice if you aren't prepared. Another good thing to do is do what I call "vocal exercises": practice your scales or do some other method in working on your pitch or on your volume. You'll find out that this is very helpful, especially prior to a show, or if the weather is less than ideal out. The weather can really have an effect on how well you sing prior to your performance, and this is why I say you should be spending time in exercising your voice and/or drinking plenty of fluids prior to a show.
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Reviewed by Toretha Wright
11/6/2003
Karen - have you thought about self publishing your short stories? They are good enough to be in a book.
You sing too? So do I! I would LOVE to hear you sometime! I am taking a Vocal Class at Tarrant County College NorthEast Campus right now, it is closest to our house. I sang all throughout middleschool,high school, college, church AND took piano lessons for 8 years!
Oh now we singing!!
Thanks for the lesson on how to protect my vocal cords...the only excercise my voice ever gets is when I yell at my husband or the boys!!
Oh ya and the dogs if the try to eat the pigs alive!!!
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