No Comfort Zone for me in 2017!

So I believe this will be a year of me living outside of my comfort zone. I've been singing since I was a little girl of about 9 or 10 years old and have been singing professionally for over 20 years, yet in just the first month of this brand new year I have found myself way outside of my comfort zone during my second gig of 2017. I had the pleasure of stepping into the shoes of my friend and colleague Marlene Hill to perform in the Swinging at the Cotton Club Show. To say I was nervous would be a grave understatement. All week long heading up to the performance on 28 January I was practicing the seven songs I'd be singing during the just shy of two hour show. I sing loads of genres during the many shows I perform each year including Soul, Motown, Jazz, Blues, Classic Rock and Funk with the occasional Pop song thrown in to show I'm current. However, singing in the style of those famed Cotton Club shows is a bit of a stretch for me. Out of the list of songs I was given to learn for the show, I only knew two already, God Bless the Child and Can't Help Lovin' That Man, and had at least heard of a third one, Stormy Weather.

The January performance would be my 2nd with this company having depped for Marlene just over a year ago. With that only being a one-off show, I didn't feel the pressure I'm feeling now having to cover six shows in the span of two weeks. The cracks were showing a bit during the first half of Saturday's show and I'm choosing to blame that on the difficulty I was having hearing myself. Struggling to hear myself against an amazing eight-piece orchestra added to trying to remember cues and how the songs actually go, was definitely all the building blocks of discomfort, but I got through.

During the break, I had a bit of a pep talk with myself and remembered that this was only music and performing is what I live and breathe for so I allowed myself to relax and enjoy myself during the second half. What a difference remembering the pleasure of what I get to do night after night as a profession made.

As I young person my dream was always to be able to do music for my living and not have to get up to an alarm clock in the morning. And I am living proof that dreams do come true.

So I've got five more Cotton Club shows starting 2 February in theatres that zigzag the country. I need to be off book and have my lyrics in my head by Thursday and I'm about 70% there. So, there's still a bit of work to be done to be ready, plus there's the issue of changing the key for Stormy Weather. Marlene beautifully sings this song in a pretty high key, and I struggled. So the band leader is checking to see if they have the arrangement in a lower key. If not, we might have to switch this one out to something else. I hope we can keep the song in because musically it is a great moment in the show. I'll keep you posted on this one.

My discomfort won't be ending after my run in the Cotton Club shows. I have also booked myself for a James Bond Themed charity event later in the year and I have never in my life sung any of these iconic songs like Goldfinger, Skyfall, etc. I only have to include five or six Bond songs, but how in the world do you choose which ones? Luckily I came across an article today, 23 Best and Worst Bond Theme Songs. That's a lot of material to sift through to find the best tunes, so thankfully it's been done for me here. Obviously, I have to include the Bassey classics, Diamonds Are Forever and Goldfinger. Then there's Tina Turner's Golden Eye and Gladys Knight's License to Kill. Another great one to include in my set would be Nobody Does it Better by Carly Simon and Live & Let Die by Paul McCartney.

So that leaves one more song and this is where the choice gets difficult. Should I include Skyfall? Do you have any suggestions?

Yes, 2017 is the year of being outside of my comfort zone, and though it feels intense and scary, I like it out here.

I welcome your Bond theme song suggestions ... please help!!

Getting Back to My Jazz Roots!

I am looking forward to performing at the Winchester Jazz Festival this year and for the chance to get back to my Jazz roots.

I have always loved Jazz, Swing and Big Band music and my favourite singer of all time is Ella Fitzgerald. Listening to her is a real slice of Heaven! Let me just say that I don't delude myself into thinking I can singing anywhere near as good as Ms. Fitzgerald, but I have learned what I know about "scatting" from trying to imitate the magic she creates when she scats!

Before moving to the UK and just after I left working on cruise ships in 2007, I moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin to be near my parents, having lived in Florida for the eight plus years prior. During my last contract on ships I started putting together my Jazz repertoire with the aim of forming a Jazz trio or quartet when I settled into Milwaukee. I did just that and the beautiful journey of celebrating this amazing art form with Jazz lovers in Milwaukee and Chicago (my home town) was underway, and for two years I was out most weekends either performing as a 4-piece or Duo.

Gloria Miller Quartet

Once I moved to the UK I started to diversify my repertoire to include other genres of music catering more to Soul & Funk fans, slowly moving away from singing Jazz, and I have missed it! So when I saw a post on Facebook about the Winchester Jazz Festival, I jumped at the chance to apply to perform and was thrilled when I received the email that they wanted to book my Duo. The Gloria Miller Duo will be performing at Greens Wine Bar on 23 September kicking off at 7pm! This is a free event so come out and support me and Frankie Lewis (guitarist) as we perform some Jazz Standards plus selections from my original CD, Let Go. Click here for more info.

For International Jazz Day on 30 April this year I recorded a cover of an Anita Baker Tune, Good Enough ...

I even tried my hand at scatting, which definitely needs some work! This video features Jazz Greats old and new and the inspiration behind what I do, even when I'm not singing Jazz. Check it out and let me know what you think in the comments section!

I hope to see you at the Winchester Jazz Festival and definitely stop by Greens Wine Bar to see The Gloria Miller Duo on Friday, 23 September at 7pm.

If you would like to purchase my latest release, Let Go, click here.

Editor's Note - 1 August 2015

The thing about switching to a monthly newsletter format is that there's so much more to talk about all at once. I promise to be brief and to the point, but it's gonna be hard because July was quite busy. Oh well, here goes ...

Midnight Soul Sisters

The Midnight Soul Sisters had a gig in Glasgow Scotland at the Thistle Hotel on 2 July and it took them the entire day to get to the venue to perform a 20-minute Motown set. The response from the crowd made the journey completely worth it, plus it was good bonding time with the girls being in the car together for several hours. Then on the 4th of July MSS headlined a festival in Kent. Click here to watch the promo video we put together from this show.

On 9 July I attended a Strategy Day with Shaping Portsmouth's Cultural Partnership group at Portsmouth Guildhall. It's great to be a part of the group that is setting the cultural tone of my adopted city and I look forward to helping Portsmouth grow in to an even more diverse cultural hub on the South Coast.

Groove Star

On 11 July Motown Singer, Marlene Hill performed at a private event at Esseborne Manor House in Andover, while Mayfield original soul band performed at The Jolly Sailor in Southsea to a very enthusiastic crowd.

My dynamic 70's act, Groove Star, performed at a private event in Rowlands Castle on the 18 of July and Gemma Anderson performed her Motown to Modern show in Blackpool on 25 July and my Diana Ross Tribute Act made an appearance at a Casino in Southsea on 31 July.

Me and James (Nephew)

I also found time to get home to Chicago for a family reunion and it was an absolute delight seeing my parents, family and friends during my way too short trip. I managed to eat in all my favourite food places around Chicago and struggled to get into that Diana Ross dress after a week of indulgence.

My radio show on ExpressFM, Glo's Music for the Soul, will be moving to Friday nights at 9pm starting this week. Some of my previous Sunday shows have been themed including Ladies of Soul, 90's R&B and Chicago Soul. If you'd like to here some of the past shows, click here. And please join me on Friday for a brand new show of Motown, Soul, Blues, Jazz, Funk & more!

Finally, I am looking to take on an apprentice starting in September to work with me up to 30 hours a week. This apprenticeship is ideal for someone interested in music or event planning, and who has good computer and social media skills. Please get in touch if you or someone you know might be interested. 02392 894 902.

I tried to update you as much as possible without being too wordy. How did I do?? Anyway, that's it for now. Have a great month!!

Check Out:  5-Tips for Booking Entertainment

Week in Review: 23 Feb. - 1 March, 2015

Marlene Hill

My good friend and GME Artist Marlene Hill lit up the stage as Motormouth Maybelle in the Portsmouth Player's production of Hairspray which enjoyed a 4-night run from the 24th though 28th at The King's Theatre in Southsea. When I don't have her booked on various events, Marlene is usually busy performing as a featured vocalist in the Swingin' At The Cotton Club Show with the Harry Strutters Hot Rhythm Orchestra. Since Marlene was busy with Hairspray, she asked me to cover one of her Cotton Club shows and on Thursday, I did my very best to fill her very talented shoes at The Brook Theatre in Kent. With only a couple weeks to learn six songs, and one acoustic rehearsal with band leader, Maurice Dennis, I took to the stage with the eight-piece orchestra and six Jivin' Lindy Hoppers in front of a capacity crowd, and had one of the best performing nights I've had in a long time!

I was incredibly nervous right before my first song, and it didn't help matters that because I was wearing long gloves as part of my costume, I couldn't get my lyrics on the iPad to work. Here's a little tip: if you are dependent on lyrics, as I am, and need your iPad, as I do, the iPad won't respond to your touch if you are wearing long gloves. So, the band is vamping as I am desperately trying to pull up the lyrics. When I realized what was happening, I snatched off the problematic glove which sent the bling I was wearing over the glove flying across the stage! Yes, people I am a professional, but sometimes these things happen. Finally, after about eight measures of vamping, I finally started singing 'Miss Jenny's Ball' with one glove on and the other in my hand. During the instrumental break, I managed to get my other glove on, retrieve the rogue bracelet and pull myself together.

Thankfully, it was smooth sailing from there, I even got my swing dance on with the other singer, Megs, and the Lindy Hoppers for a raucous finale of 'It Don't Mean a Thing!' What an amazing experience and I'm so thankful to Marlene for getting me all the music and lyrics I needed, and to all the performers who warmly welcomed me into the fold. I do hope they call on me again if the need arises!

On Friday, I saw Marlene in action in Hairspray, and in my admittedly biased opinion, she was the best thing on that stage. Alright, there were a few other amazing performers on the stage too! It was a fantastic production, and the staging and costumes were excellent. Aside from a few sound issues, the performers really brought the music to life and the dancing was spot on!

Finally, on Saturday I performed with The Midnight Soul Sisters at Akamba Garden Centre, an African themed venue in Solihull, to a very rowdy crowd. There were four or five tables who were celebrating birthdays and a hen party sprinkled throughout the audience which made for a very celebratory atmosphere from song one. Normally, people sit and watch during our first song which is 'Ain't No Mountain High Enough,' but not this time. The dance floor was packed before the end of the first song.

If you would like to book Marlene Hill, The Midnight Soul Sisters, or any of the amazing GME Acts, please get in touch to discuss your entertainment needs. Call me at 02392 894902 or email: gloria@gloriamillermusic.com. 

That's it for this edition, have an amazing week!

Gloria xx

Week In Review: 16-22 February 2015

I had a rare Monday booking where Supremely, Diana Ross made an appearance at the Portsmouth Pride Fest Showcase held at Three Bar in Southsea. The evening was hosted by Drag Artiste, Linda Bacardi and Chairperson David Lee-Bastable was also on hand to officially open the event.

Other acts performing on the night were Blokezone, The Blues Brothers by The Disco Divas, & One for The Road! There was certainly a Variety Show feel about the evening, and all the acts were united in one purpose - to show their SUPPORT for Pride.

I will also be performing my Diana Ross Tribute show during the main Pride event on the 20th of June at Victoria Park with performances at the Portsmouth Guildhall. For more information on this event, click here.

On Tuesday, I took a cheeky day off and spent the afternoon with the hubs and in-laws on the Isle of Wight, and it was a bonus that it was sunny too!

Wednesday I had band rehearsal with Mayfield in the lovely Mayfield Studios. In between prepping songs to record for our second album, we have some shows coming up that we're preparing for, the next one being March of the Mods in Reading on the 15th of March. Tickets are still available so click here to purchase yours!

Thursday Move On Up performed our first gig of the year at The Wine Vaults in Southsea, and as usual we had a fantastic crowd that sparked us on to give a high-energy performance of Soul, Funk, Blues & Rock classics. We will be back at The Vaults on the 16th of July. Save the date.

On Friday I had a vocal coaching consultation with a prospective new student in the morning, and then headed to Southampton for my Social Media Class.

All week I was nursing a bit of a head cold, but on Friday the cold starting fighting back so I had to cancel my vocal session with Mayfield that was scheduled for Saturday, and spent the entire weekend in bed just trying to feel better.

GME is a leading provider of star-quality entertainment at affordable prices, so why not contact us today to discuss entertainment for your wedding, birthday, anniversary or for your venue. 02392 894 902.

Have a fantastic week!

Gloria xx

Week in Review - 16 January 2014

Spain

As I write this week's edition I am sitting on the Veranda of my lovely hotel room in Spain enjoying the afterglow of my first gig of the year at Le Cabaret just outside of Moraira. Through the wonder that is Google I was contacted by this venue that did a search for a Diana Ross Tribute and here I am having a mini-break because honestly, this hasn't at all felt like work! I flew to Alicante very early Saturday morning (I was up with the chickens) and on Saturday night entertained a room full of British ex-pats at this fabulous revamped venue run by Mike Lee and Valerie Sheehy! I have been given the 'star' treatment, which I could easily get used to! Every detail of this booking has been seen too with the utmost care and I am enjoying the glorious sunshine before I had back to England tonight.

I performed my Diana Ross Tribute Show along with my Disco Divas show and every available floor space in the venue was turned into a dance floor. The highlight for me was when I was singing Amy Winehouse's 'Valerie' and a gaggle of ladies started screaming and headed to the dance floor. They were so raccous that I finally had to ask what they had them so worked up, and it turned out that one of he ladies was called 'Valerie' and she was dancing up a storm! So I grabbed her and we had a little boogie together! After the show Valerie pulled me to the side and told me that she was a cancer survivor and that was the first time in 18 months that she felt strong enough to get up and dance. Then she hugged me and thanked me profusely for giving her the opportunity to dance because she used to be a dancer. It is these types of moments that make what I do a sheer joy! 

What a way to start the year and if the rest of my shows go half as good as this one, I am in for a fantastic year of performing! We've already discussed having me back again, as well as some of GME's acts! I'll keep you posted as these shows develop!

In other news, on Monday I attended the first Cultural Partnership meeting of the year which is a work stream within Shaping Portsmouth, and is made up of business leaders and individuals involved in the arts in the Portsmouth area who play a vital role in cultivating a strong cultural image for the city. Since Portsmouth is my adopted city, and is s rich soil in which to grow GME, I want to do my part in giving back to my local community and the Cultural Partnership work stream affords me many opportunities to get involved, not just in areas of music but in the arts as a whole.

On Thursday, Dominic Elton of Mayfield Studios and I met with the organizers of Victorious Vintage to discuss ways that the studio can get involved with this year's festival! Victorious is a massive event for Portsmouth and Mayfield Studios and GME are looking forward to supporting this event. Watch this space for more details.

The rest of the week was spent organizing the entertainment for weddings and private events as well as putting the final touches on the brand new GME website that will be launching in the next few weeks!

What are you celebrating this year? Getting married, a milestone birthday, an anniversary? Or maybe you don't need a reason to celebrate, you just want to? Call me to discuss adding a bit of sparkle to your next event with one of our quality Acts. We provide solo performers up to 8-piece bands covering all genres of music from the 30's through today including star quality Tribute Acts. My new office number is 02392 894902, or you can email me at gloria@gloriamillermusic.com.

That's it for now. Have a great week!

Week In Review - 5 December 2014

Most of this week has been spent planning for 2015 and there are some really exciting things developing for next year. More on that latter ...

On Monday, I joined Martin Bargent of Brown Sugar Events on ExpressFM to discuss The All Woman Christmas Shopping & Indulgence Show being held on Sunday at The Norton Park Hotel in Winchester. We had a lovely chat with Phil Russell on the morning show discussing the event and the charity it benefits, The Katie Piper Foundation. I will be one of several exhibitors, and will also be perform a few holiday favourites and more during the course of the day. For more information or to purchase tickets, click here!

Phil, Glo & Martin!

On Tuesday, I met with Helen at Creative Click to discuss my new website. I got a little peak at it and its looking very cool! I built my current website, and the new one will have a similar feel, but will be much more high tech because the professionals know how to do sooooooo much more than I do! It was very difficult letting go of the website, but after two years in business I thought this would be a good time to launch a new site. Watch this space!

One of the exciting developments for 2015 is that I will be presenting a weekly radio show on ExpressFM starting in January. I currently do a monthly internet show called Glo's Music for the Soul, which I will now turn into a weekly format focusing on an eclectic mix of music that soothes the soul! On Thursday I met with Rob at the station to discuss the show and next week I'm going in to learn the equipment and do some test recording. I have to admit, I am quite nervous about this weekly show ... but I'm equally as excited! This is like a dream come true! Doing a monthly show is challenging, and I know the weekly one will be even more so, but I am up for it and will give it my all!

I'm working on the December edition of the internet show next week and have a great show planned with soulful Holiday classics, and a bit of Funk, R&B and Jazz too!  Click here to listen to November's show!

Today I am gearing up for a three-gig weekend, with the first one tonight at The Phoenix in Crookhorn where I will be performing Simply, Tina Turner! On Saturday I am in Reading at Wokefield Park performing with The Midnight Soul Sisters. Then on Sunday, I will head to Winchester for the All Woman Show. I am looking forward to a busy weekend of performing.
Finally, I've got a couple of my top acts booked out this weekend. Tonight, Damiain Lodrick will be performing solo at The Piranha Bar and on Saturday, GME's artist of the month, Everyday Sunshine, will be performing at the same venue!  If you're looking for something to do this weekend, why not come to one of these shows! I guarantee you'll have a great time!

Damiain Lodrick

Remember, Gloria Miller Entertainment is a full-service entertainment agency and we provide premium entertainment at affordable prices for Weddings, Events, Venues, Festivals and Cruise Ships offering Solo Performers up to 8-piece Bands, Tribute and Variety Acts. Contact us at 02392 280829 today to discuss your entertainment needs for 2015.

That's it for now! Have a wonderful weekend.

Week in Review - 21 November 2014

I am so thankful for a much needed easy week! Not that much to report, so let's dig in! On Monday I attended the Shaping Portsmouth Conference held at The Pyramids in Southsea featuring a fantastic lineup of speakers including the Lord Mayor of Portsmouth, Cllr. Steven Wylie, Jonathan Goring of Ben Ainslie Racing and Stef Nienaltowski, Chair of Business & Enterprise with Shaping Portsmouth to name a few.

Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday of this week I was in the office getting caught up on paperwork, working on Marketing with Creative Click and putting the finishing touches on my radio show, Glo's Music for the Soul, which will be aired on One World Radio next week! Speaking of radio shows, I've been in talks with ExpressFM to start a weekly radio show beginning in January! Watch this space for more details on my new terrestrial show as well as the on-line version!

Also, on Tuesday I had a great rehearsal with my original Soul band, Mayfield in preparation for our show at The Jolly Sailor on Saturday! We'll be debuting our latest song, 'Do What You Want With Me' along with performing songs from our current release, Tempo of Your Soul. I have featured our single, 'Ready, Set, Go!' on the radio show which is one of the new songs going on our second CD, Keep On!

Also thanks to having a light week, I've been able to put the finishing touches on the 60's version of Supremely, Diana Ross which I will be performing on Friday at Rock Zombie in Dudley with Jacqui Carroll of Ready Steady Go! If you're going to be in the Dudley area and you're looking for something to do, why not join us! Click here for more info.

Red Embers

On Saturday, one of Gloria Miller Entertainment's top bands, Red Embers, will be performing at a private event at The Lake Yard Club in Poole. Formed in August 2012, Red Embers are a group of musicians who have a real passion and intimate sensibility for jazz. Still a young band, Red Embers have that passion to succeed, and to make music that moves people by taking old and new tunes and making them their own. I am now taking bookings for Red Embers as well as all of the amazing performers I am blessed to book for! Contact me at 07504 611 173 or email me at gloria@gloriamillermusic.com today to discuss your entertainment for 2015!

Wedding Day 2009

Lastly, I will be exhibiting and performing at the Portsmouth Wedding Show on Sunday at The Pyramids. Sunday is also my 5th Wedding Anniversary ... Neal doesn't know yet that I'm working on our anniversary ... Shhhhh!!

That's it for this week ... have an amazing weekend!

Week In Review - 7 November 2014

Me and my brother Arthur!

I'm baaaaack! Did you miss me? It is always difficult getting back into the swing of things when you've had a break, but I was really ready to get back to work. To be honest, I worked a little everyday during the second week I was away. Just one of the many joys of running your own business and having no staff. I had a fantastic time cruising with the hubs on Royal Caribbean's Oasis and then spending some time with my family & friends in Chicago and Milwaukee. I even did some singing with the lovely and talented Jeannine Rivers at her Halloween/Birthday Celebration Gig in Milwaukee!

Bethany & Yasmin

Speaking of staff, the Cathedral Innovation Centre (CIC) where I'm based has offered me admin assistance from their two interns, Bethany Young and Yasmin Trueman, and I already feel the relief of having less on my plate so I can focus more on securing bookings for my acts and event planning opportunities for GME. I met with them on Wednesday and turned over several weekly duties that seemed to eat up all my time, but are necessary to keep things ticking along. CIC has been an incredible resource for me and their support is much appreciated.

David Williams

Also on Wednesday I attend the Brown Bag Lunch launch event hosted by CIC at the Portsmouth Library where David Williams, CEO of Portsmouth City Council  discussed why social enterprise and entrepreneurship is important to Portsmouth as a city. It was good to learn that there is support for small businesses from the Council and see their desire to help these companies grow and thrive in Portsmouth.

I think having had some much needed rest has opened up my creative channels, because I finished the lyrics to a song and wrote a song for my original band, Mayfield. We are in the process of opening a recording studio and launching a record company where we will record and release our second album, Keep On! Last year we released our debut release, Tempo of Your Soul, and on this next project we are definitely raising the bar with some great soul & funk tunes. Click here to see the video for our new song, Ready Set Go!

On Thursday, I had a meeting at The Woodmancote in Emsworth where I will be performing Supremely, Diana Ross on Monday. I have a full weekend of gigs starting tonight in Portsmouth at The Wellington for their 9th Anniversary Party. Then on Saturday I'm off to perform with The Midnight Soul Sisters at Akamba Garden Center in Birmingham. And, on Sunday I'm covering the lead vocals with Beau performing a fantastic set of Soul, Funk & Rock covers at The Lord Raglan also in Emsworth. I might have to give myself Tuesday off to recover from four gigs in a row.

Fedora Cafe

One of my top acts, Fedora Cafe will be performing at a private party on Saturday in Gosport. If you are looking for something unique for you next event, this is the act for you.

The sultry, sexy and slightly mysterious sounds of Fedora Café will transport you around the world and through the decades with their Cafe-Jazz meets Film-Noir brand of music! My client instantly wanted them for his event and Fedora Cafe were kind enough to learn a special song 'Nobody Loves A Fairy When She's 40th!' You might have guest that this event is a 40th birthday party!

Please take a moment to like my GME Facebook Page. Starting the beginning of the year, I will be posting gig, event and music updates to this page instead of my personal FB page.  Click here to like!

Marlene Hill

Remember to get in touch with GME for your entertainment needs. Get a jump on 2015 by contacting me about Fedora Cafe, my Artist of the Month, Marlene Hill, or any other of my fantastic acts. Call me at 07504 611173 or email me at gloria@gloriamillermusic.com.

Well, that's it for now. Time to prep for my full weekend of gigs ... LOL! Have a fabulous weekend.

Gloria Miller Entertainment

Week in Review - 26 September 2014

Craig Charles

I usually start my weekly review with the beginning of the week, but in this edition I'm going to start with the weekend.

On Friday my originals band Mayfield did a show with the much celebrated Craig Charles at The Cellar in Southampton, and what an amazing night we had performing in a sold-out venue to a room full of Soul & Funk enthusiasts and sharing the stage with the most amazing DJ I have experienced since living in the UK! Mayfield performed a 1-hour set of our most Soulful, Funky tunes and the audience was with us from start to finish. At one point, I scanned the entire crowd that stretched right to the back of the venue, and each person was bouncing, dancing and grooving to our tunes. That was the most fabulous feeling! Many of our Portsmouth fans joined us in Southampton and we made many new fans who bought CDs and Vinyls after we finished. The hi-light of the evening for me was when Mr. Charles held up our album and the crowd erupted into thunderous applause. That was well cool!

Now, my plan was to stay for about 20 minutes of Craig's set because this is a 3-gig weekend for me and the mounting years means I need my rest ... LOL! Well, before I knew it I was drenched in sweat, dancing like a teenager at a rave, and more than an hour had past. I finally made the very tough decision to get my old bag of bones home and to bed. What a night!

Move On Up

As I write this, it's Saturday night and I just finished a sound check with my covers band, Move On Up, and will be heading back to Southwick Park Golf Club for a private event. Since we finished the sound check at 7:30pm and I live just 15 minutes from the venue, I decided to come home and do a bit of work :). On Sunday, it's up to London with Move On Up to perform songs from my CD, Let Go, at Pizza Express Jazz Club in Soho! I am deliciously tired, but looking forward to rockin' it tonight and tomorrow.

The earlier part of the week was all about photo shoots. On Tuesday, I drove to Somerset for a 12-hour power shoot with my latest venture, The Midnight Soul Sisters. Within MSS are several tribute acts, including Diana Ross (me), Tina Turner, The Supremes, The Ronettes, Beyonce, Whitney Houston and The Three Degrees. During the shoot there were many wig and costume changes, and much laughter and fun as we transformed ourselves into these great performers. My favourite wig of the day was the giant Afro I got to sport during The Three Degrees shoot. There is something very powerful about the Afro ... as soon as I got that thing on my hands went to my hips, my head tilted to the side, and I was dripping attitude ... LOL! Yeah, I was feeling that Afro! I'll post some of the pics once they're done.

Me as Tina Turner

On Thursday, I had two photo shoots, one for my new Tina Turner Tribute show in the morning, and then later for the four ladies of the Cathedral Innovation Center who have been nominated for a Venus Award. We're going to be featured in The News Porstmouth this week as we lead up to the Venus Awards Ceremony on the 1st of October. Hopefully, in next week's edition I'll be announcing that I am a Venus Award winner ... fingers crossed!

The rest of my week was basically prepping for photo shoots and gigs, while trying to fit in the daily running of GME. I had a little breather the beginning of September to recover from a very busy summer, but now it seems that I'm back to the grind through the end of the year. To be honest, I wouldn't have it any other way!

That's it for now ... I've got to get back to my gig.

Week In Review - 20 September 2014

The highlight of this week was attending Ladies Day at The Southampton Boat Show hosted by Sherry Claridge of UK Women Magazine on Thursday. The luncheon was held at Kuti's Royal Thai Pier and the food and company of 70 amazing women from across Hampshire were amazing! There was lots of networking, laughter and raffle prizes throughout the afternoon and I was delighted to be invited to make a 2-minute presentation about GME. The event was presented by Tara Howard of The Venus Awards, whose energy and enthusiasm are infectious. I was joined by my good friend and colleague, Janey Howl and we enjoyed a lovely late afternoon stroll around the Boat Show trying to work off the 3-course meal and dreaming a bit about the good life while touring a few of the amazing yachts on display. I left that boat show thinking that I definitely need to dream bigger ... LOL!

On Friday, I was at The Jolly Sailor judging the second semi-final of Southsea's Got Talent, and the seven contestants were outstanding. I wanted to put everybody through to the final, but sadly we could only put four through. The standout performance came from Harriet Standen, the teeny tiny singer with the huge voice! She wowed us with her version of 'And I Am Telling You' and earned first place in the semi-final. I can't wait to hear her at the final on the 3rd of October.

Tonight (Saturday) I am back at The Jolly Sailor with my originals band Mayfield hosting a charity event for Rowans Hospice. The night will be kicked off by Martin Jackson of SoulTime DJs spinning some great N-Soul, Soul & Motown. Mayfield will hit the stage around 9:15pm with two sets of funky soul originals and a few covers done the Mayfield way. We will also be debuting our brand new song, Ready Set Go, which we are currently working on in the studio. I'll give you a sneak preview once the track is finished. Watch this space.

Finally, on Sunday I will be joining my covers band, Move On Up to rehearse for our show at Pizza Express Jazz Club in Soho on 28 September. We will be performing original songs from my solo release, Let Go, as well as some Jazz & Blues covers. Tickets are still available for this show and your support would be greatly appreciated. Click here to purchase your tickets!

That's it for this week ... have an amazing weekend!

Week In Review - 12 September 2014

As I'm just completing my second year of running GME, I am starting to see a pattern developing for my busy season, definitely the summer, and my breathing season, September & January. This works great with my companies' year because I like to use the first month of my business year, September, for planning. That's exactly what this week has been about ... Setting my annual, quarterly and monthly goals, and laying out a plan for how to reach those goals. 

Red Embers, GME Act

I want this year to be more focused on the acts I represent and the clients who book them. This area was a little bit neglected last year as I focused on several large events. This year I aim to strike a much better balance between these two vital areas of my business.

On Wednesday, I attended a Marketing Strategy Workshop at the Innovation Space in Portsmouth. The workshop was led by Lizz Clarke of LCM, who I work with in the Business & Enterprise work stream of Shaping Portsmouth. As I go into my third year, I realize that if I want to grow my performer and client base, I need to develop a solid marketing strategy. The tips Lizz shared has given me the tools to begin this process. All of us who attended this workshop seemed to be unclear of what 'marketing' actually is. Before this workshop, I wasn't clear on the differences, if any, between marketing, advertising & PR. Here's my take on Lizz's definition of marketing:

Lizz Clarke, LCM

'Marketing involves tactics that drive revenue. Those tactics include: advertising, PR, sales, social media, promotions, networking, etc.' 

As I build GME's marketing strategy for 2015 I have to look at all these areas with the aim of driving revenue. That's a lot to think about, but vitally important to the growth of the business. I encourage you to develop your own marketing strategy, and find ways to make yourself more marketable, no matter what you do in life. For businesses, contacting Lizz Clarke is a great way to start this process.

Also on Wednesday, my originals band Mayfield had an amazing rehearsal in our very own recording studio! The studio is still being built, but our last few rehearsals have been in this awesome space, and the recording room is sounding great! We should be fully up and running by early 2015. 

On Saturday we are  recording a demo at River Studios in Southampton to have a trial run on one of the mixing boards that we are considering for Mayfield Studios. We will be releasing our second album in late 2015 and have already written several new songs for the project. The demo will be of our newest song, Ready, Set, Go! which we will be recording over the next couple weeks. Watch this space for your sneak listen to this track. We may even offer it as a free download! Stay tuned to find out.

In addition to preparing to go into the studio to record the demo, we are also getting ready for a couple big shows happening this month:

20 Sep - The Jolly Sailor, Southsea - Rowan's Charity Event w/SoulTime DJ Martin Jackson (free entry)

26 Sep - The Cellars, Southampton - Supporting Soul & Funk DJ Craig Charles of BBC Radio 6 (sold out)

If you can't wait for the sneak listen to 'Ready, Set, Go!' then come see Mayfield at The Jolly Sailor where we'll be debuting this new song! Can't wait to hear what you think of this new tune!

I've got a full day on Sunday, starting with judging the OpenMic UK auditions at Ferneham Hall in Fareham in the afternoon, then I'll be heading to The Pyramids in Southsea where I'm exhibiting and performing Supremely, Diana Ross at a wedding show. Getting married? Then join me at The Portsmouth Wedding Show on Sunday!

Finally, I am performing my own songs from my solo release, Let Go, backed by my covers band, Move On Up! We will be supporting Alt3r Ego at Pizza Express Jazz Club in Soho, London on the 28th of September from 12:00 noon. Tickets are £15, but if you order your tickets in advance quoting 'Yemen7' the tickets are just £10. Click here to purchase your tickets!

Well, that's it for now. Have a fabulous weekend!

Week in Review - 5 September 2014

I am still unwinding from a very busy summer, and it actually feels weird having a bit of down time. September is my planning and goal setting month, so this week I've been thinking about areas in which I'd like to see growth. Of course, the obvious is book more gigs for my acts, but within the 'more gigs' I am also looking at the quality of those gigs. I currently have some great acts and over the course of this month will be adding a few more to my books. The challenge is now pairing these great acts with the types of bookings that regard the level of talent and professionalism my acts bring to their performances. I think a great way to meet this challenge is by connecting with local businesses and venues as well as branching out to other markets across the UK. This week I made some great connections through an organization that I recently joined, Shaping Portsmouth, when I attended my first meeting with the Cultural Partnership work stream on Monday.

It was great being in the room with the people who drive culture in our area, and I was amazed by the number of fantastic programs being offered ranging from opportunities to partner with Portsmouth University, to the Making Waves Film Festival happening 22-28 September, to a program I want to get involved with, Get Into Music. This program targets 14-24 year olds and works with local schools, colleges, universities, local business, venues, promoters and music industry professionals. Get Into Music aims to make young people aware of the opportunities available to them within the music industry, predominantly offstage opportunities.

Andy Grays of Portsmouth Cultural Trust invited me to attend a meeting held at the Guildhall on Wednesday to discuss Get Into Music, and I was also given a copy of their development plan. I am really looking forward to supporting this program. I will keep you updated on my involvement with their upcoming events.

I've been working from home since I started GME two years ago, and one year ago I was taken under the wings of the Cathedral Innovation Center in Portsmouth, which allowed me the use of office space a few days a week. As I go into year three of the business I thought I might want to secure a permanent office space outside of my home, and this week I viewed several small offices ranging from large office complexes, to small industrial estates and sadly, all out of my price range. I also emailed Francis Davis, of CIC informing him that I was looking for permanent space, and today I had a lovely chat with him. I am thrilled to announce that Francis has offered me several options to choose from for a full-time office space and each at a rental rate I can afford. So, in October, I will be moving into my own office. More details to follow ...

The Wine Vaults in Southsea is a venue I book acts in on a regular basis, and last night my band, Move On Up performed to a packed house, and enthusiastic crowd! Our sets were a unique blend of Jazz, Soul, Blues and a bit of Classic Rock covers and the audience really showed their appreciation for this eclectic mix of genres by singing and dancing along. What a great night!

Tonight, I am return to The Jolly Sailor to judge the first of two semi-finals of Southsea's Got Talent. This is going to be a terribly difficult night because we have put through some amazing performers from the individual heats that have been going on monthly since March. Tonight me and my fellow judges, Ross McInally, Landlord of Jolly Sailor and Cheryl Buggy of Express FM will be battling it out to determine who goes through to the Final and will be a step closer to claiming the £1,000 Grand Prize!

I have a rare weekend off this week, but the hubs has already assigned me some household duties. So, for the next two days I'll be 'fall' cleaning and organizing. Oh how I wish I had a couple gigs ... LOL!

GME is now accepting bookings for 2015. Get in touch to discuss the entertainment your special events for next year. Call me at 07504 611 173 or click here to request a quote for your next event.

That's it for now ... have a great weekend!