It has been a wild and wonderful Sing Out Loud ride from the launch of the challenge in September until now. In partnership with NextTribe, I conducted a nationwide search for a woman to perform at my second album release concert in Austin on December 8th. NextTribe helped get the word out by sharing my story and connecting with women who really love to sing but have been holding back for whatever reason.
Watch the concert on Thursday Dec. 8th via livestreaming. Click here to sign up for this free event.
We received more than 30 entries from all over the country. Woman sang their favorite songs; some were original compositions, some in Spanish and even one in French. All shared their stories about their relationship with music.
Every woman said how much they enjoyed singing, that it made them happy but that life sometimes got in the way of following that happiness. So, just like me, they pursued other goals, focused on the other people in their lives, and pushed music to the side. Many of these woman faced major difficulties like divorce, illness, death of loved one, and financial strains but through all of that, music remained.
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So many things in life can blow us off course, but we have to know what to hold onto in the midst of the storm, what to truly value. I didn’t always understand why I kept coming back to music even after I tried to walk away many times.
Years ago I was working with a vocal coach when I was contemplating how much “easier” life might be if I just quit music once and for all. I’ve never forgotten her response. She said, “Lurleen, this is over. It’s already been decided for you. You are going to work through whatever issues you have and you’re going to do it through singing.”
She could see that my heart was committed but my ego and very busy brain were struggling. I was actively fighting what made me truly happy. Much of the progress I’ve made has been from prioritizing the feelings I have when I’m singing, writing, and performing. I have learned that those feelings don’t lie. They are the rare kind of immutable truth that you can always trust.
Give it Up for Our Two Winners
With that truth in mind, I launched the Sing Out Loud Challenge because I wanted to give women a chance to connect with their own truth around music and to commit to honoring their creativity going foreword. The judges and I identified seven semi-finalists but couldn’t choose between the top two submissions so it was TIE!
We are flying in Julie Russell from Nashville and Stacy Cohen from upstate New York. You can see their submission videos and read more about their stories on my website as well as the profiles on all the semi-finalists starting early next week. But here’s a bit about our two inspiring winners.
Stacy Cohen; Bethel, New York
“Years ago, I started a distillery with a restaurant and bar that featured Live Music across the highway from the original Woodstock Festival site in Bethel, NY. I performed alone and with everybody that played there. I then lost it all through a very bad divorce that put me into bankruptcy. It is music (and a “little help from my friends”) that has held me together through the trauma and drama of the legal proceedings that went on for several years and through Covid. I have lost much but feel that I will be OK and have an opportunity for new beginnings now at 64.”
Julie Russell; Nashville, Tennessee
After suffering through and recovering from two major car accidents and reconnecting with music, Julie was in another accident and discovered that the surgery she desperately needed could cause her to lose her voice permanently.
“I was crushed. It’s hard to explain how devastated I felt. It wasn’t simply the potential loss of something I loved; I felt like I would be losing a part of myself, a little piece of who I was. One of those unique qualities that made me, me.” After the surgery, she was able to regain the use of her voice through extensive rehab. Her determination is truly inspiring.
Hear Them Sing
The concert is right around the corner on Thursday, Dec. 8th. Everyone can tune in for the live stream. All the details are available here. Our streaming attendees will have the chance to win a VIP gift bag, and we will be raising money for The Center for Child Protection at the live concert and via streaming.
If you are someone who wished they’d entered the contest, you can reach out to me at lurleeninfo@gmail.com We are exploring having a Sing Out Loud Retreat in the spring next year and I would love to connect with any NextTriber who might be interested in attending.
Please plan on joining us online on December 8th!
Sing On!!!
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