Queenie: All I ever wanted to do was sing and act

Queenie

I was born in Florida and raised on Rhode Island. I grew up with the radio on. AM Radio was the background of every morning – family-friendly DJs with booming voices. Salty Brine played everything from The Supremes, The Doors and The Carpenters to Frank Sinatra. I don’t remember there being the divisions between styles and genres that exist now.

I learnt harmony from the radio. Matching the different lines came naturally. I subsequently learnt how it all worked from my chorus teachers, Ms Grana, Mrs Munson and Ms Almeida. They taught me the mechanics of harmony and melody and recognised my talent by choosing me for solos at school concerts. That’s when I realised others liked my voice.

All I ever wanted to do was sing and act. Oliver was the first film I ever saw, and my siblings and I performed it endlessly. My mother planned for us all to attend university. By that time, I thought only of singing and stardom, sure it was coming my way. And it did, albeit briefly.

After a year recording, touring and clubbing I had a serious boyfriend and wanted a different life. I moved to London to be with him in 1986 because his music career was very busy. Having spent so much time on the road, I craved stability and a normal life.

As my children grew up, I found I couldn’t pursue my career as before. One’s priorities change. I loved singing just as much, but touring was now out of the question. I had a full-time job with the children. Once they were a bit older, I’d do the odd gig but I never had any sustained plan.

I moved to Southampton from Hertfordshire when my son left school, because he said he wanted to work on botas. Living here was much better than we expected. I embraced Southampton’s music culture, singing at blues jams, soul nights, karaoke nights and even doing some recordings. We’ve been very happy here and I don’t intend to move again.

My Aretha Franklin tribute was inspired by seeing so many great tribute acts like the Small Fakers. I’ve always been something of a mimic, so I decided to give it a try. If I get an idea I just go for it. We did one night, in the bar of Mayflower Studios. It was sold out – me with a 10-piece band! But despite the great attendance, I only made about £30, which was heart-breaking. I’m now represented by my agency and I’m happy.

I became involved in Jazz Story, which explores Southampton’s connections with Jazz since the 1920s, thanks to Don John, who I met when I first moved to Southampton. I was surprised and delighted to be asked to be one of the six vocalists performing on 18^th October.

I’m terribly excited about the show. It’s a challenge for me because Jazz is completely different from every other genre. There’s the element of improvisation which allows for individual artistic expression in real time, live, every time. I usually sing to backing tracks, so it’s a privilege to work with real, quality musicians like Peter Edwards.

I must say the musical connection between the USA and the UK resonates with me deeply. I’m fascinated by music history and I learnt a lot about the importance of the Concorde Club soon after we arrived here. I also have older friends that used to go there when they were young.

It’s beautiful to know that at a time when America was still segregated, black American musicians were able to travel to different parts of the world to be received with honour and respect by music lovers who valued their talent and did not reject them based on the colour of their skin.

I think it’s really important to bring jazz to a wider, and potentially younger, audience.

In the film St Louis Blues (1958), the biopic of the composer WC Handy, jazz is described as the first truly original American art form. It celebrates a freedom that most young people by nature readily understand and celebrate. I believe jazz should be introduced to children from a young age, along with classical, folk and other genres. There’s more to music than what’s currently directed at them.

Jazz Story is at Mayflower Studios on 18^th October