You probably didn't realize that I was a singer for many years. I started late in life, I was 29 years old. After my husband died in 1978, I started to sing. This was a dream of mine since I was a little girl.
I first started with a band in 1981 and didn't like it much as I was just a tamborine player and singer (no band wanted a singer who didn't play an instrument).
In 1983, I got my first set of keyboards and the lessons I took for 9 years on the accordion help me NOT!! I met a wonderful couple who showed me what a 3 cord progression was and I was hooked! I practiced for hours everyday!
In 1984 I started my own band. Debra-Fae and Gunshy. We comprised of 5. Myself, lead guitarist, base player, drummer and a keyboard player. I played a keyboard that strapped on like a guitar. My band was good, but I couldn't stand the travel. I was away from my kids.
In 1985, I worked with another musician and we formed a duo called Goodie & Two Shoes. We were amazing together, but he quit to go back to school, so I went solo with my keyboards, computer and digital synthesizers. I did this for over 6 years, working weekends in pubs around Edmonton.
When my 2 younger children became teenagers, I had to quit! They needed much guidance and I had to be there for them. I missed it terribly.
So over 10 years went by until we decided to get a Karaoke machine for fun. That is how it all began! As I was a professional singer, I could not stand how my voice sounded on these small machines, so we got bigger and better, until we really had a business!
I called one of my old places I used to do a single at, and was hired on the phone! Hubby's nickname was Woody, so we called our Karaoke Company "Woody's Karaoke". I was there 3 nights/week for over 5 years! I had to leave due to illness in 2006.
I sure look slim and young here! Amazing how much a person changes in 7 years!
