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Elyse writes: "I
like everything about country music and the people involved in
it...it's friendly, like a community"
Paul Rellinger of Peterborough
This Week wrote about Elyse Saunders on March 25 '08:
Think back, perhaps way back, to when you were in your late teens. The world, as they say, was yours to conquer.
Chances are you had energy to spare.
Confidence, bravado and sheer determination formed the centre of your persona.
At just 19 years old, Elyse Saunders is daring to dream an ages-old dream. But more than that, the Peterborough teen is taking determined steps to make it a reality, up to and including her departure this Saturday for a Nashville recording studio where her developing singing voice will be given full
license to impress.
Armed with lyrics penned by locally-based songwriter Cyril
Rawson, the Thomas
A Stewart School
(TAS) grad is taking her lifelong desire to sing to the next level. In Nashville, she'll be backed by a number of accomplished musicians and singers, Canadian country music recording artist Lisa Brokop among them. Pretty heady stuff for a girl who first sang in front of an audience just some four years ago during the TAS Idols competition.
"I was pretty nervous...it's a lot different singing in front of people than at home," notes Saunders.
"I always sang. It was just something I loved to do. The TAS Idol thing was big for me. Family says you're good, is supportive, no matter what, so it was nice to do well in front of that audience."
Leaning on her days dancing with Move 'n' Grooove, Saunders refined her stage presence, placing high at singing competitions in Barrie, Durham and Bethany. At that latter, one of her three songs was Don't Forget To Remember Me, which she also sang at her Grade 12 graduation. Her success was brought to Rawson's attention. Now they get together twice a week, Saunders having made it clear that country is the music genre she wants to pursue.
"I like everything about country music and the people involved in it...it's friendly, like a community," notes Saunders, who is slowly but surely learning to play guitar with the goal of eventually writing songs.
Saunders' mom Barb, who sang and played guitar herself, now plays the role of proud parent very well, pointing out that her daughter, despite the time demands of her music, was an Honours student in high school. Her father Michael, meanwhile, is accompanying her to Music City -- an extension of past forays to venues to expose his daughter to other singers and their styles.
Also in the teen's corner are local veteran musicians Jan
Schoute and Brent
Bailey. This past December, Saunders performed with the duo at Dobro. The year's final month, in fact, was a busy one for her. A CD of Christmas music for a Barrie toy drive saw Saunders contribute a track, Where Are You Christmas?, while she also sang on STAR 93.3 and The Wolf 101.5 FM in support of local toy drives. Petes fans, meanwhile, might recall her singing of the national anthem at the March 12 home game against Brampton.
Basically, Saunders will sing anywhere, anytime.
"Cyril is really working on giving my voice emotion and developing my own style," says Saunders.
"I really want to record a CD. Right now, I have these five songs that Cyril wrote, so there's not enough there yet but eventually. But I'm still learning. I've always been competitive and strong. That's really helped me in everything I've done and it's helping me now."
ELYSE
SAUNDERS HAS GUESTED WITH:
Lisa Brokop Jan
Schoute, Brent
Bailey,
Cyril
Rawson
PETERBOROUGH Venues
that ELYSE SAUNDERS has PERFORMed in:
Dobro
Restaurant & Bar,
Thomas
A Stewart School
Contact
Information FOR ELYSE SAUNDERS:
Sorry, we do not have
any Contact information for Elyse Saunders, but send
us an E-Mail and we'll do our
best to get the message to her ASAP
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