Alana Lee is definitely your average teenager, and if you ask her, she’ll tell you the same.  She gets up each morning and tries to find the perfect outfit to wear to school.  She goes to her high school dances.  She hangs out with friends and loves to shop.  If you looked at her, you would see the typical, bright-eyed American girl with aspirations of greatness.  And, there is no doubt, Alana’s voice will excel her to that level.

At the tender age of 14, Alana produced her first single written by her production company for the music video called “Butterflies.”  When Alana first set out to create the video, she had no idea what to expect; all she knew was she was having fun with her friends in a way most teens can’t experience.  What came next was nothing shy of amazing.

After a few months of being live on YouTube, Alana’s video recorded over 11.5 million views, and that number continues to grow.  She was almost an overnight Internet recording sensation!

Maybe the video is so successful because of Alana’s good looks, or maybe it’s because the youth today love YouTube and simply watched it over and over- but I don’t think so.  The real reason the video has done so well is because of Alana’s fresh voice that’s full of passion for whatever she sings about.  The talented young singer puts heart into her music, and it shows.  The video also does quite well because of its great cast and story plot.

Few adults really know what goes on when they send their kids to school.  It’s actually a downright brutal experience for most, and this video shows how vicious kids can be.  The cast is comprised of all Alana’s close friends who create the “perfect” chemistry, giving the video believable reality.

It’s tough enough for adults to break into the music world, but imagine a 14-year-old doing it – and she’s succeeding.  Some musicians would do anything to have the kind of views for their music videos as Alana has for hers.  In fact, she is in great company; many top legends in the music industry have as many hits as she does, including her inspiration – Taylor Swift.

Now, let’s go back nine years ago.  Alana made her first live performance on a cruise ship while vacationing with her family, at the sweet age of six.  Even then she had stardom written all over her, because she wasn’t shy in the least.  Alana got on that stage and wowed the audience, and her parents, as it was at that moment they realized she had a wonderful talent.

To make it in this cut throat industry, Alana will have to overcome many tough obstacles including finding time to practice, record and produce more music.  She will have to do this while going to school and keeping up her grades.  In addition, Alana must also create moments to hang out with her friends, and, in general, experience childhood to its fullest.

She will have to battle the politics and harsh criticism that comes with the fame and glam of being a musician.  But heck, Alana’s in high school; it should just be like any other day in class, except she won’t get bullied.  This is one task she will be able to pass with flying colors.

It won’t be hard to do, especially with the love and guidance of her family and friends.  Alana credits their support as the main reason she has accomplished so much already.

In 2011, Alana released another single titled, “Synchronize,” written for her by her manager.  This song boasts a message of what it’s like to have a  true friend – a bond that cannot be broken.  Everyone in life can think back to that one person this song talks about.  That special someone who could finish your sentences, or all they had to do was look at you and you knew exactly what they were thinking.

When I first listened to the song it blasted me back to 1990 through 1993 – one of the best times in my life as I was surrounded by great friends.  It brought back memories of my best friend, who sadly we lost in 2006, and all those good times we had together.  Times I hold dear to my heart, and memories nobody can take from me.

Just listen to this song and you will know exactly what I’m talking about.  It will bring a smile to your face and tears to your eyes as you reminisce about good times with your best bud.  Add in Alana’s youthful voice, and it completes the formula for time travel.

Lastly, she completed and released, “This is Me,” a song that talks about something we all hold dear- ourselves!  Alana compliments this song with a pictorial montage of her life from her days as a baby to her teenage years where she is today.  It’s a wonderful video that shows you how she’s grown and matured throughout the last decade to today.

I can’t say I am a true “psychic” or anything, but I can predict we will see a whole lot more of this young, talented artist in the future.  In fact, don’t be surprised if you see Alana someday accepting her first Grammy Award.

To find out more about Alana Lee and view her videos, visit http://alanaleemusic.net  or go and LIKE her Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/alanaleeproductions

Justin Bieber has made it a long time without any major scandal or controversy, which is an oddity in the public eye.  I think the worst thing that almost cost him his career was that he cut his signature hairstyle, and that really disappointed the ladies.  Now, Bieber is facing the worst scandal of his career at the age of 17, and should it be true, it could destroy his career.

It’s been alleged that Bieber has fathered a child and the mother is so sure it’s his, she’s demanding a court ordered paternity test to prove what she already knows and will validate her claim for child support.

Now I am personally not a fan of Bieber, but the mother’s story is delusional at best.  If it did happen, it’s a stroke of bad luck and proves that testosterone is the worst thing in the world, making young teenage boys go temporarily insane.

The girl involved states that a security guard saw her getting into a concert, which she attended at the Staples Center last year.  The guard asked her if she wanted to come backstage and meet Bieber after he performed – now what girl would say no to that.  However, why didn’t he take a few of the other thousands of screaming tweens backstage?  Then, her story gets even more strange.  She alleges that when Bieber met her it was love at first sight.  They started making out, then he asked her to come to a place a bit more private, which she obliged.

You’d think it would be his changing room; however, the young pop star took her to the bathroom where she conceived this baby.

Come on, this is a person who rented the very same arena to watch a movie in private with his girlfriend, Selena Gomez.  So, why in the world would Bieber take this other girl to the bathroom?  I personally think the popular singer is the victim of a girl’s fantasy.  I know this young woman has a child, but she probably thought back to the guy she slept with that is actually the father and said, “Hmm, I have an idea!”  Realizing he would never pay, she went after her dream man.  On the other hand, she may not know who the real father is, and it may get very Maury Povich up in here.

If this is Bieber’s child, it is very out of character for the pop star and this could destroy his career.  Why?  Teen idols don’t tend to have it very easy in their adult years because their fan base goes on to the next young heartthrob.  In other words, these girls throw them to the curb like yesterday’s designer looks. Bieber, being 17, is almost at that plateau where he would make it or become another victim to teenage stardom.  Since he’s at that critical age, and if he has a child, he will no longer be as desirable among teenage girls.  Moms will not want to have their girls look at him as a role model.  It could spell tragedy.  Hopefully, he has invested that money into something other than renting arenas.

Only time will tell, but it’s not looking good for old Bieber!

Its been over 30 years that we’ve heard “are you ready for some football” sung by the Country legend Hank Williams Jr.  Unfortunately that tradition will come to an end as last week the legendary kickoff of Monday Night Football was fired.

ESPN who purchased the rights to Monday Night Football a few years ago fired Williams for his comments about President Obama.  He openly criticized President Obama as a “mass murderer who tried to destroy an entire race of people”.

On his website following the firing William’s stated this: “After reading hundreds of e-mails, I have made MY decision. By pulling my opening Oct 3rd, You (ESPN) stepped on the Toes of The First Amendment. Freedom of Speech, so therefore Me, My Song, and All My Rowdy Friends are OUT OF HERE. It’s been a great run.” — Hank Williams Jr.”

Who will be introducing Monday Night Football is yet to be seen, but a three plus decade tradition is now gone.  Honestly, like President Obama or not, that statement was not based on sound facts, but did they have a right to fire him?  Did ESPN step on his right to freedom of speech?  Hank Williams Jr.’s comments do not reflect the opinions of ESPN or their affiliates?  To me this does prove that we are not truly “free” to say what we want regardless how right or wrong it is.  I guess American’s do have to be more careful for what they say or face stiff penalties.  True, he’s not jailed for talking about our President but he sure is being treated like one.

Would this have happened had he chastised a Republican or President Bush?  The world may never know!

I recently had the great honor of catching up with the very talented Sandy Atkinson over freshly made sangria and tapas at a hip basement bar in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida.

The singer encompasses many musical genres such as blues, rock, soul, folk and even jazz, making her hard to categorize but delightful to listen to.  Atkinson’s smoky and sultry vocals captivate the soul.  Beautifully dynamic, this amazing singer offers something for every type, no matter their style.

Atkinson, originally from the Appalachian foothills in South Carolina, also known as The Piedmont, began singing back when she was only five-years-old.  She started out at school and church events.  Raised with a strong gospel influence, Atkinson participated in tent singings.  At fourteen, her mother presented her with a guitar, and it wasn’t long after that Atkinson began songwriting.  From that moment, the young singer’s love of music escalated.

In 1988, Atkinson performed a song, along with some of her friends, at a local festival.  The head of the venue, also a club owner, heard her voice and asked if she could play at his club on a Friday night.  For years to follow, Atkinson did indeed perform at the club and at the festival, thus gaining the highly esteemed reputation of a songwriter and gifted blues singer.

Wanting to explore the option of singing as a career, Atkinson decided to spend a summer in Maine, near Portland.  The gig, held at a resort called Camp Ellis, was a great way of allowing Atkinson to expand upon her musical abilities.

Then, in 1994, the singer moved to Florida and it was at this juncture that her life changed.  Atkinson fell in love with the “Sunshine State” after visitng her sister.  The warm climate also proved to be quite inviting.  Many great musicians in Florida began recognizing Atkinson’s great musical talents and encouraged her to further her career.

In 1995, Atkinson released her first CD, which was self-titled.  The CD featured ten original songs and was performed with Little Juke and 1 Nite Stand, a band which Atkinson put together and named.  Little Juke performed as the lead guitarist.  The CD received outstanding reviews from critics, and earned airtime on many radio stations around the nation, Australia and Europe.

Four years later, Atkinson’s second CD came out.  It also got much praise and played on blues shows all over the world.  Why Baby Why was produced by Tampa Bay’s Blues Godfather, Rock Bottom.  Rock achieved great popularity as a bluesman, especially in Europe.  He was also a tremendous help to Atkinson over the years, mentoring her with her musical career.  “I learned about the business from him.  He was always there to help others.  Rock believed it was important to give something back, like with a charity,” stated Atkinson.  In 2001, Rock died of a heart attack.  On Sept. 25th, Atkinson will play in Rock’s honor at Skipper’s Smokehouse in Tampa, marking the 10 year anniversary of his death.

Atkinson’s third CD, Million Dollar Baby, emerged in 2001 and featured guitarist Tomcat Blake; it had twelve more original songs on it.

In 2005, From There to Here was released, which included a compilation of Atkinson’s songs from her first three CD’s along with five new selections.  There would be twenty-two songs in total.

Atkinson’s fifth CD debuted in 2010, featuring a collection of her studio sessions and a live recording from a show at The Palladium Theatre in St. Petersburg.  This CD was the first to be recorded with Atkinson’s band, The True Loves, named after her first true love- music.

There is no doubt that Atkinson has come far since her early days singing at church events and small town festivals.  In addition to her CDs, Atkinson served as the committee chairperson for the Suncoast Blues Society’s “Blues in the School” program, which Rock Bottom was initially asked to be head of.  Rock booked the first session, but sadly passed away before he was able to participate. Atkinson took over for Rock and acted as chairperson from 2001-2005 in order to develop the project.  Atkinson was excited to tell me about some of her experiences while on this very special committee.  “I went to this fourth grade class in Clearwater.  I  showed the kids how the guitar works and talked about who Rock {Bottom} was.  I played a song by Rock, too.  I also sang, “Hound Dog” to them, by Big Mama Thornton.  I let them all touch the guitar.  I tried to think ahead of time what could I write for a group of kids about the blues; something thye could relate to at that age and still be entertaining.  I came up with ‘I Lost My Homework’,” Atkinson chuckled.  The singer still occasionally visits schools and does sessions.  The Suncoast Blues Society established a scholarship fund in Rock’s name for children that want to study music.  The schlolarship is awarded annually.

This fall, on October 9th, Atkinson will be performing at a benefit concert to raise awareness for Autism.  The event will take place at The Beach Theatre in St. Pete Beach.  Atkinson and her band, The True Loves will be performing along with a line-up of other amazing Tampa Bay musicians.  Tom Bell, Gale Trippsmith, Ronny Elliott, and the Black Honkeys will all take stage that Sunday from 1-6 pm.  Bobby Collins will be heading the event.  Collins is an advocate for Autism, and took over for Wendy Wrucha, a former speech pathologist who worked at All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg.  Wrucha died unexpectedly when she contracted menigitis in March of this year.  The speech pathologist helped Autistic children and was an avid supporter for finding a cure.  She worked hard at raising funds and even ran in the 2010 NYC marathon, where she personally was able to bring in $2600 in sponsorship.  Bobby Collins, a friend of Wrucha’s, along with a few others, took over for her after her passing.  Collins heads the local Autism chapter now, and is very excited for his October concert.  Because of Collins and his friends, Autism Speaks in the Tampa Bay area proudly lives on.  The concert will be sponsored by TBT (Tampa Bay Times) and will be hosted by Marvelous Marvin; it would have certainly made Wrucha proud.  For more information, please go to www.wendyswarriors.org and AutismSpeaks.org.  Tickets for the concert are $7.00.

Atkinson plays some pretty amazing venues, that’s for sure.  “I love performing at Tobacco Road in Miami, as well as Skipper’s Smokehouse in Tampa, the National Women in Blues Fest in North Carolina, Dunedin Wines and Brew, the Naples Jazz Fest and Ribfest here in St. Petersburg,” Atkinson stated.  In addition to performing in the U.S., the singer has traveled to Norway, where she enjoying performing at the Muddy Waters Blues Fest in Oslo.  And if she had a choice of where she would love to one day perform, the answer was an easy one for Atkinson.  “The Chicago Blues Fest would be amazing,” the singer said smiling.

Atkinson is not necessarily considered to be a traditional blues singer.  With musical influenes ranging from Etta James and Elvis to Janis Joplin and Big Mama Thornton, Atkinson has complexity.  She doesn’t fit into a classic mold, and that is a good thing.  Her voice is raw, intriguing and magical.  I get a strong Joplin vibe from Atkinson, which makes sense considering she listened to the famous singer’s albums many times over when younger.  “When I was a kid, I would take a radio into my bedroom.  I listened to many different singers and types of music; it was never just one kind of genre,” explained Atkinson.

The singer also contributes her great love of music variety to her parents, especially her mother.  “She was an influence to me and a huge Elvis fan,” confided Atkinson.

There is plenty of heart and soul in Atkinson’s music.  “For me, words and music come together.  It’s a feeling I get.  Mood defies the style; it’s what I feel at the moment,” states the singer.  “One time I went to Key West with my sister.  While there I saw a bumper sticker which read, ‘A woman’s place is in control.”  Atkinson took a sip from her glass of sangria and laughed.  For the bluesy singer and songwriter, the moment does indeed defy her music.  Passionate, soulful and strong is what describes Atkinson best.  In fact, the singer showcases her personality with her very own t-shirt and tank top logo:  “When the blues reach down and try to steal your soul, it takes a bitch to rock and roll.”  Clever and humorously written, these are words to live by especially in the music world.

With so many other strong and talented female singers out there in the industry, if given the opportunity to meet one of them, who would Atkinson choose?  “I would love to meet Bonnie Raitt.  I hear very good things about her and who she is as a person,” explained the singer.

For Atkinson, life is pretty darn good.  Getting to perform on stage and being able to entertain audiences is a dream come true.  Yet, the singer still can wish for more.  “In music, I would love to be known one day as a writer.  Songwriting is such an important contribution.

With her caring and passionate soul, Atkinson decided to write a song about the BP oil spill disaster.  “To me that was an outrageous, irresponsible incident,” stated the singer.  “I wrote the song, ‘Greed and Lust,’ also known as ‘The Gulf is Crying.’”  The song was featured on Atkinson’s last CD, and is also on a site with songs from other artists sponsored by Blues Revue Magazine.  For more information go to http://bluesrevue.com/2010/blues-for-the-gulf-compilation-available/.

Atkinson is currently working on a Christmas CD, along with a compilation album, which will feature the “best of’s.”  Duke Robelard, who has won many awards in his career, including being nominated for the Grammys, is recording one of her songs, along with a female artist he is promoting.  In addition, Atkinson has started a children’s book titled, “I Lost My Homework,” stemming form her days educating children on the blues.

And perhaps a few of those fourth graders may one day wish to follow in Atkinson’s footsteps.  For those who aspire to be musicians, the singer has some helpful advice.  “Take groups of CD’s, all different kinds, and listen to various songs.  Pick about ten different ones that you like.  Dynamics are important; learn to stretch your voice.  Also, work with other musicians and learn from them.  In addition, try an open mike as this gives great opportunity for feedback, which allows for growth.  And don’t get discouraged, as with this kind of economy there are more bands than gigs.  People always want to be entertained and hear music.  I say, if it’s part of your soul, feed it,” Atkinson spoke proudly.

The wonderfully skilled singer and songwriter has worked hard over the years and knows just what it takes to be successful.  Yet, for Atkinson, music is not just a job; it’s a way of life and who she is as an individual.  “Music is fun and it is my refuge,” confided Atkinson.  “It will always be my first true love, no matter what happens.”

For more information on Sandy Atkinson, please visit her website at:

sandyatkinson.net

-or-

www.triviamusicart.com

Atkinson’s CD’s are available for purchase at:

Reverb Nation at reverbnation.com

iTunes

Amazon.com

Daddy Kool Records at daddykool.com