How time flies when you’re having fun!

It’s hard to believe that in October I’ll be completing my 15th year as a full time vocalist and bandleader. This is my SECOND ACT! Previously being a Buyer for retail, I’m event driven so I feel compelled to shout it out to anyone who wants to listen. YAY 15 years! There will be a celebration of some kind for this milestone so stay tuned for that announcement.

I started getting serious about this music “thing” way back in 2000 and I threw myself a big birthday party at the Gypsy Tea Room in Deep Ellum. What a night it was singing with a full band for the 1st time ever and hearing that applause from friends & family. My husband knew what was just around the corner poor guy!

For 8 years I led a double life working on my music skills while maintaining a 55+ hour work week as a Buyer. After I retired from Neiman Marcus (16 years) I had two other quick Buying positions elsewhere. Both companies were sold and I was downsized. The writing was on the wall! October 28,2008 I came home early (5 pm), walked in the door and announced “guess what honey” I’m going to be a singer now. Timing is everything!

I can write a book about my exciting world in retailing but I’ll save that for another time.  Let me simply say, being a Buyer was sometimes glamorous but a hard job with long long hours, lots of late nights, weekends and continually meeting people. Sounds like the music business doesn’t it!  I loved the travel part of that job taking me all over the world! I always sought out music venues and was able to “sit in”.

Side note: I’m still envisioning  traveling on the road with my music … it will happen!

To continue…my husband, after he got over the shock of this new 2nd Act career choice understood that music is also business not so dissimilar from retail. You plan an assortment of merchandise (now it’s the music set list), you advertise (I do it all no adv.department), you call vendors (it’s music venues),you deal with personnel (now I’m the HR department hiring my musicians) and finally, you have to deal with accounts payable (nothing new there). Oh and did I mention gig planning, rehearsing and learning new music? I do work well under pressure.

With 5 nationally reviewed CD’s,5 singles,over 1600 gigs,7 original cabaret shows, an independent record label, all female jazz band, my first jazz quintet and being honored as a Sammons Cabaret Artist of The Year, it’s been a wonderful musical journey!  All of this to say, I LOVE BEING A MUSICIAN and this 2nd ACT just as much as I loved retailing. I’m happy that I can sing my heart out, use some of my learned marketing skills, be musically creative and work with so many great musicians!  To this I say …

Onward and upward to another 15 years ….
and by the way….

I STILL NEED AN AGENT ! Anyone, anyone?

To book or contact Carolyn, reach out to management@carolynleejones.com

carolynleejones.com   haveyoumetmissjones.com     thesatindollsband.com