FAVORITE LINE FROM A SONG:   I’m not fool enough to ever think that I could be the master of my fate.  But it’s up to me to choose my roads in life; rocky may well be the one I take.   There’s a need to be something more than just the reflection of a man.  I can’t survive in someone’s shadow.  I need my very own little spot to stand. 

  Hailing from San Francisco, California, Miss Loretta Gooden the second girl and fifth child among 12 children was in 3 singing groups by age 13; two within the family. She developed an ear for harmony very early and her powerful delivery, even at that age, catapulted her professional career in the right direction. Managed by her mother/mentor, her gospel roots are easily identified in each song. Loretta has traveled near and far to bring and share her musical message through song, which she believes is the universal language.


“At 19, I opened a gospel concert for Shirley Ceasar, the Queen of Gospel, at the San Francisco Auditorium and by the age of 24, had performed in several plays at the San Francisco Opera House and featured in a special performance for (then Mayor of SF now Senator) Diane Feinstein.

  

I don't sing it, if I don't feel it.
At West Baden Gardens in French Lick, IN.  Meeting place of Al Capone, back in the day.
 

Voted the best female gospel group and background of Northern California (Bay Area Music Magazine), I sang and toured with my sisters over 20 years as The Angeletts of San Francisco driving to and from Oklahoma along the coastline back to Seattle, Washington in an RV and two other groups over 6 weeks. From there sang for Willie Brown’s Inaugural Ball and private parties. Later when my daughter graduated from high school, I began singing the smooth jazz of the late great ladies of jazz; Billie Holiday, Nancy Wilson, Dinah Washington, Sarah Vaughn, Bessie Smith, Jo Stafford and those I grew up listening to my mother sing. She had a beautiful voice, a brilliant whistle and played the piano and organ like she was born to it. With feeling enough for us all. I think she was one of the most passionate singers and musicians I’ve ever known. I just want to share what music makes me feel.” Miss Loretta
 

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Information

CAPRICORN
January 10
Born in a ’55 Plymouth
Carnations and Pearls

Character:  Pure romantic, shy and athletic

“Now it’s come to my attention LOVE has many definitions Mr. Webster never mentioned.” I call this loving YOU.

  

   
ON MY OWN

Continuing my solo career, I decided to move to Sun Valley/Hailey, Idaho, with my youngest brother, Jamie, and his girlfriend. He said to me, one night: “Bruce Willis (the actor) lives here and owns a club around the corner. They have karaoke!” The club is called the MINT and, well, the rest is history. This was a job for “the secret weapon” (Chain of Fools), especially if I was going to reside in Sun Valley. It has always worked when it comes to musically introducing myself to a new area or venue and, the very next couple of weeks, I received a phone call from the club asking if I would sit in with Bruce Willis and his Accelerators at the Mint. Believe it or not I said I’d have to check my schedule.

 

  
 Music can soothe the wildest beast.