A Visit with Yvonne Washington by Sally Adams and David Lorms

HOUSTON - Nov. 25, 2014 - PRLog -- She has been compared to Aretha Franklin and Billie Holiday.  She has sung before presidents, hipsters and rodeo fans.  She is Houston’s own Yvonne Washington and she was David Lorms’ latest guest on Make It Happen with David Lorms http://www.spreaker.com/user/kbrzsports.

Ms. Washington started singing and dancing at age 5 – at a rodeo no less!  “What – I don’t look like a rodeo star?!?  It happened when I visited my teenage girl cousins in San Saba, Texas, they would consider me their toy!  Well, I was pretty cute! They had me singing and dancing for everyone they could find.   The Rodeo Manager at a San Saba rodeo wanted her to perform.  “I didn’t want to get on that great big horse and ride – so I just sang my heart out!”  She was placed on steps behind the podium and sang “Jumbalaya Crawfish Pie” to the delighted hoots and hollers of the crowd.  A star was born – or so this 5 year old and her cousins thought!

During the interview, Lorms played selections of great music sung beautifully by Ms. Washington.  As “Autumn in New York” faded to the background, Lorms asked her about her musical influences.  One of Ms. Washington’s early musical impacts happened at the tender age of 14 while she attended a Catholic all-girl high school (all girl!) in San Antonio.  That’s when she attended church services twice every Sunday. First she went to mass and then she traveled to a nearby Baptist church for some “good singing.”  After much high-drama (as only a 14 year old girl can do) and whining, her mother let her join the Baptist Church choir!  Ms. Washington learned that choral music could be fun. “We had a great time at rehearsal cutting up and getting in trouble!  The best thing, though, was the music.  It was just phenomenal!”  Ever since, music has since been a very important part of Ms. Washington’s life.

In San Antonio she formed a gospel group while called the Christian Messengers.  Lorms asked how they arrived upon that name. “Well, my mother worked at the Baptist Bookstore” she laughed.  “Some choir robes with ‘CM’ embroidered on them were never picked up.  She gave them to us and we had to come up with a name to match the robes!”  They sang gospel in lots of Texas churches which they called the ‘church circuit.’

Ms. Washington married “Mr. Wonderful” after 2 years of college, where she was studying to become a teacher. Two daughters followed and added to her husband’s two sons.  Ms. Washington left music behind to become a great mom.    But disaster struck the happy family.  Her husband was injured in the Phillips Petroleum explosion.  He survived, 22 souls didn’t, but it took his toll.  It was time for Ms. Washington to go to work.  “I took jobs like wrapping Christmas packages at Sears and steam pressing men’s trousers.  Let’s just say I didn’t shine at either!  Finally I opened a day care in my home and was very happy and successful there. I began singing in Houston at night and taking care of little ones in the day.”  She sang at Times Square, the Red Rooster and with “Captain Pink and the High C.”  Ms. Washington became a headliner in the 90s.  “These were tough times because of the Disco Thing!” she snickers.  She sang at a lot of parties, weddings and funerals.  When she sang at the funeral of a former Secretary of State, it was in front of high-ranking dignitaries including former Presidents.  At parties she met the likes of Little Richard (she called him “Littl Mr. Richard” all night), The Pointer Sisters (“funny, talented and TALL”), and Richard Simmons (the boys in the band just loved him!).  “One of the funniest things happened while I was in China.  I was trailed by Chinese people everywhere.  I found out they thought I was Patti LaBelle!”

The movie “Autumn in New York” theme song (starring Richard Gere) was also sung by Ms. Washington. “The way I got the gig is much more interesting than the movie turned out to be!” she laughs.  She met a friend-of-a-friend who loved her voice and knew people in Hollywood that were looking for a singer for the theme song.  The next thing she knew she was whisked off to California and spent a day recording in the Earth Wind and Fire studios. “The limo, hotel and studio musicians were all just so fine!”

Lorms asked about her musical influences and her answer included Mahalia Jackson, and The Soul Stirrers with Sam Cooke.  She has recorded a CD called A Holiday with Yvonne Washington.  People were confused because they thought it was a Christmas collection – when it was actually a tribute to Billie Holiday!  Trivia note:  On the album cover she wore Joan Crawford’s earrings! Her latest CD, Trust In Me, contatins her famous rendition of Amazing Grace.

She loves to sing Sunday Jazz brunches as she did with Brenham’s for many years.  Every other Monday you can hear and see her at Club Sambuca.  She has sung at Stages and wants to perform a one woman show at The Alley Theater and sing in Paris.  You can purchase her songs from Amazon, iTunes, CDBaby  or visit her site, www.yvonnewashington.com.

“So what do you REALLY think about today’s singers?” asked Lorms.  The “crooning” bothers her and she thinks there are too many electronic tools being used.  “These people are just not really singing. They are cheating!”   She is a fan of Jennifer Hudson and hope she keeps on belting it out.  “And Beyonce can sing, too” she smiles.

What’s next for Ms. Washington?  She says she wants to be Jamie Foxx!  “I want to sing on the set of a movie.  His money would be nice as well!”  She is also interested in making a CD of gospel music from The Hymnal.

If you wish to buy her music, book her for a performance or just get to know her a bit, visit her site: www.yvonnewashington.com.  She’s busy – her agent called her with a booking during the show!

David Lorms hosts Make It Happen With David Lorms, an internet radio show on www.KBREEZESports.com live every Wednesday at noon about entrepreneurs, business owners, and people who have had success in their lives, their challenges and failures turned into success, and advise for people to better their lives and careers. Past episodes are available by pod cast on http://www.spreaker.com/user/7420120 or on Lorms's web site http://www.lormsinsuranceservices.com and on iHeartRadio.