Getting Caught Up

If you were a regular attendee of the group’s performances in 2018, you could have seen as many as five vocalists form our trio of girls. Up until last April, we were counting on returning Emma, Sarah, and Sierra again in 2018.

At this point it would remiss of me to leave out an online introduction to Emma. Emma, a recent graduate of Bloomfield (NY) High School, joined the group in June of 2017 to replace Michelle, who after seven seasons with the group went on the med. school.  Emma lends a strong lead vocal, especially on the Eddie Gorme song, “Don’t Try To Fight It Baby.”

Emma, performing in Canandaigua

Welcome Frankie!

Our plans to return the 2017 line-up in 2018 changed when Sarah announced that she accepted an internship in New Jersey over that summer. Because of this opportunity, Sarah was unavailable to perform at most of our shows. To fill the void, Sierra brought her neighbor, Frankie, a then-junior at Penfield High School, into the fold.

Frankie has an extensive theater background, including productions of Fiddler of the Roof, Shrek, the Musical, and Wizard of Oz. While at Bay Trail Middle School, Frankie played the lead in Annie, Jr. In addition to theater, Frankie performs with the Penfield High School Jazz Choir.

Frankie proved to be a fast learner, and in less than one month’s time, from mid-May to early June, Frankie grasped the basics of the performance. Almost by providence, a mid-June performance was cancelled due to the threat of thunderstorms. The group certainly would have been less than ready to perform that show with total confidence. In July, Emma, Frankie and Sierra had a successful, and well-received, debut at the Burgundy Basin Inn car cruise night.

Emma, Frankie & Sierra carried most of the 2018 performances, seen here at Marge’s Lakeside Inn.

Enter Michelle!

Another challenge arose during the 2018 tour when Sierra, who had previous commitments, could not sing at two shows. Amazingly, Michelle, on two-days notice, returned to sing with us at the What’s ‘Ur Scoop performance in Penfield with Emma and Frankie. With no practice, the girls rose to the occasion. Only a periodic drizzle dampened the event. Once an It’s My Party girl, always one, as Michelle proved that night. Needless to say, Michelle’s performance was fantastic.

Michelle “hit it out of the park” at What’s ‘Ur Scoop.

Our final show of 2018 in Newark was postponed two days because of a threat of rain. Sierra had to leave for college and was unable to sing on the rate date. Michelle was also unavailable, but by this time Sarah was back in town. With two just practices, the group of Emma, Frankie and Sarah performed to a receptive audience on the Erie Canal, even adding two new songs to the repertoire.

Many of our local fans are asking if Frankie will return this year. Happily, the answer is yes. Many concert-goers commented on her singing, highlighted by her rendition of the Lesley Gore tune, “You Don’t Own Me,” an absolute bear of a song to sing.

So, if you see us this summer, and you have not done so already, please welcome Emma & Frankie to the group.

Frankie, singing in Canadaigua

It has been awhile since we last posted. Feel free to comment on your most memorable moments from Emma’s debut during tour 2017, and Frankie’s debut tour of 2018. We have some exciting updates on the upcoming 2019 tour and the time we have spent in the recording studio, which we will share in future posts.