Vocal Maintenance for Changing Weather

As the weather changes, it is particularly important that we take good care of our vocal health. Always dress appropriately for the season. Wear your jacket or coat as is suitable for the temperature. When the weather gets really cold, wear your scarf, hat and gloves.

Taking care of your body is very important when it comes to keeping your voice in good shape. Be sure to eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Drink eight 8-oz glasses of water per day and get at least eight hours of sleep per night.

It’s very easy to get carried away when your favorite sports team is winning (or losing), but please don’t yell while attending sporting activities. This puts undue strain on your vocal cords.

If you use good judgement and take good care of your health, you will be able to rely on your voice to serve you well.

Celebrating African American Patriots on this Memorial Day

Buffalo Soldiers ca. 1898

I am so moved by the legacy of the Buffalo Soldiers. They fought valiantly for the benefit of a Country that had no regard for them. These men and so many others who sacrificed their lives for America are the true American Patriots. They exhibited tremendous commitment and valor in the hope of a better day for all people.



Excerpt from Fath Davis Ruffin’s article on Buffalo Soldiers:

African American men have fought in every American war, yet the Buffalo Soldiers, two cavalry and four regiments, have a unique place in history and memory. They helped the United States become a vast continental nation and ultimately a world power. Facing discrimination in the Army and in the towns where they were stationed, Buffalo Soldiers persevered to be a credit to their people and to the nation.

The National Museum of American History acquired two collections documenting the Buffalo Soldiers and sometimes their families. As a curator in the Division of Home and Community Life, I see these collections as more than records of military service, but as an entry point into the lives and legacies of these remarkable men.

Fath Davis Ruffins
Museum Coordinator
National Museum of African American History and Culture


Read the entire article:
https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/manylenses/buffalosoldiers

Bob Marley Buffalo Soldier Video

Edward Wickliffe Wimp, Esq

Edward Wickliffe Wimp, Esq

This year has been quite a roller-coaster ride for our family. Our son Edward has graduated from Law School, prepared for the Bar Exam, waited anxiously for Bar Exam Results, passed the Bar Exam, been sworn into the Florida Bar and is now working at his first job as a licensed Attorney.

Whew! It’s been quite a wild ride for all of us! For any readers of this blog who are parents of adult children, we know that their battles are our battles, their struggles are our struggles. We cry when they are sad and we rejoice when things are going their way.

Words cannot express the pride that Ed and I feel. Our son has persevered through some very tough conditions. He has been tenacious in reaching his goals and we are absolutely thrilled for him. Edward is the embodiment of this wonderful quote by Mary Anne Radmacher…

“Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying ‘I will try again tomorrow.”

Bravo Edward! Wishing you a lifetime of happiness and tremendous success in your esteemed profession. We love you!

Mom and Dad

MOTOWN…Pride of the Motor City!

Greta Pope Entertainment partners with The Windy City Chapter of The Links Incorporated to bring great entertainment to You!

Click on image to purchase tickets

MOTOWN…Pride of the Motor City!

Join internationally acclaimed vocalist Greta Pope for a fabulously exciting look back at the legendary 1960s MOTOWN Era. This show features the male vocal group The Spaniels Forever and promises to have you dancing in your seat! Hear the music of Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, Smokey Robinson, Ike and Tina Turner, The Temptations, Diana Ross and The Supremes, Sam Cooke, Dusty Springfield, Elvis, Curtis Mayfield, The Spaniels and so many others.

MOTOWN…Pride of the Motor City! is touring theaters accross the United States. For information and booking, contact info@gretapope.com or call 773-965-4200.

 

 

A Very Special Evening

Lauren as Ti Moune

Last evening I returned to Morgan Park Academy, where my son attended school. Morgan Park Academy is a private independent day school in Chicago, where Edward was a student for his middle and high school years. During Edward’s time there, I was very involved in the Mother’s Club and many other activities at the school. I chaired the major annual fundraiser twice and served as a member of the Board of Trustees for a number of years. I was a fixture at the school, in the hope of getting an occasional glimpse of my child during the school day.

As I pulled into the parking lot last night, a flood of wonderful memories overtook me. My mind went back to Edward’s first day at the school; the many baseball games and golf tournaments that he participated in; the Middle School Dance; the High School Prom; the time spent at boarding school in England and the elegant outdoor graduation ceremony on the beautiful Morgan Park Academy campus. As part of the graduation ceremony, Edward was asked to perform one of his original compositions. He stepped up to the microphone, played his guitar and sang Goodbye For Now, a beautiful song expressing how he valued the friendships that he had made at Morgan Park Academy and how much he would miss his classmates. There was not a dry eye in the house. Edward’s Grammy Kay was with us for that very special occasion. It was a glorious day. We were all so proud and spent the day celebrating. Grammy Kay passed away in 2012.

I was delighted to have an opportunity to go back to Morgan Park Academy last night to see one of my very talented voice students, Lauren, play the lead role in Once On This Island. She played the role of Ti Moune and was absolutely fantastic! She looked beautiful and performed like a pro. I was so proud of her. Congrats Lauren on a job very well done!

The entire evening was such a treat, blending the past and the present. Thanks Lauren for giving me a reason to once again experience the magic that is Morgan Park Academy. It has been a huge part of our lives and will always have a special place in our hearts.

Long live the Maroon and Ivory!!!

                                                       

 

MOTOWN…Pride of the Motor City!

MOTOWN…Pride of the Motor City!

Join internationally-acclaimed vocalist Greta Pope for a fabulously exciting look back at the legendary 1960’s Motown Era. This show features the male vocal group The Spaniels Forever and promises to have you dancing in your seat. Hear the music of Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, Ike and Tina Turner, The Temptations, Diana Ross and The Supremes, Smokey Robinson, Sam Cooke, Martha Reeves and The Vandellas, Curtis Mayfield and so many others.

 

MOTOWN…Pride of the Motor City!

Blue Bamboo Center for the Arts

Episcopal Church of St. John the Baptist

Greta Pope Entertainment, Inc.