Volume 2: Intriguing Facts You Didn't Know About Indie Collaborative Musicians

By Eileen Sherman, co-founder of the Indie Collaborative

I can proudly state that on any given day or night of the year, an INDIE COLLABORATIVE member is either entertaining devoted fans, offering an in-depth interview on a podcast, receiving a well-deserved award, or laying down some incredible sounds in a recording studio. While our 2000+ electrifying members shine a special light on music around the globe, I think it’s always fun to take a peek behind the scenes. With that in mind, I plan to ask (throughout the year) a unique question to random members. So, don’t be surprised when you hear from me! In the meantime, keep reading and learn what these 10 “victims” had to say:

1. Falu Shah

(GRAMMY® Award winner and a four-time GRAMMY® Award nominee and the first Indian-born singer/songwriter to win a GRAMMY® Award.)

Question: When you were a little girl, who was your favorite musical artist and why?

Answer: My favorite artist was LATA Mangeshkar because of the purity of her musical notes. (EXTRA NOTE: LATA Mangeshkar recorded songs in over 36 languages in India! )

2. Trevor Sewell

(Seven albums, six American tours, seventeen international awards, and co-producer of the Grammy-nominated album, Bored.)

Question: It’s Summer, and an excellent time for outdoor summer concerts around the globe. As an amazing R&B guitarist, if you had your choice of any female artist, today, who would you choose to tour with you around the world, and why would she be the perfect touring partner?

Answer: I'd love to tour with Kate Bush as I think her show would be brilliant and probably be different every night. She's a true artist who has always remained true to herself and never followed trends. And yep, it’s safe to say, I am a fan!

3. Dave Kinnoin

(Songwriter for some of the most beloved characters in television and movies, including Kermit the Frog, Mickey Mouse, Big Bird, and Winnie the Pooh. Winner of 20 Awards for Children’s music!)

Question: Your many songs (and their lyrics) are always so charming, witty, and clever. If you were asked to pick just one song from your catalog to be included in a survey of the top 100 wittiest songs of the last 50 years, which one would you choose, and why?  

Answer: I would choose “Monday Again” from my Getting Bigger album because it expresses my dismay at the inevitable arrival of the beginning of the work week by using made-up words such as “…When your diddily-dop is broken, and your biddily-bop is blue…you know that it’s Monday again.”

4. Karen Olson, Ph.D

(Multi-award-winning musician and Billboard Chart Topping artist, music visionary, podcast host, international speaker, and bestselling author.)

Question: If you could plan a dream concert with another outstanding artist, where would you perform it, who would be the other artist, and what song would you choose to begin the program? 

Answer: My dream concert would take place in the Isaac Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall, featuring a performance with the radiant Vivian Fang Liu. We would open with “Sounds Within,” a luminous journey of sound and soul, merging East and West, ancient and modern, in a space where every note becomes a prayer.

5. Dana Cohenour

(Award-Winning Children’s Recording Artist/Entertainer.)

Question: You are a fantastic and highly inventive children's singer/songwriter. Putting children's music aside, what is your next favorite genre of music and why? 

Answer: I love every style of music, and try to introduce children to all of them. If I’m cooking dinner, though, a lovely Brazilian Bossa Nova never fails to lift my spirits and get me dancing around the kitchen.

6. Jerome Brooks, Jr.

(Award-winning composer, musical arranger, recording vocalist, and actor.)

Question: Besides being an outstanding musical theater composer, you are a very versatile stage performer. What iconic song from musical theater history is your favorite and why?

Answer: The iconic Musical Theater song that I love to perform is the jazzy “Honeysuckle Rose,” composed by the great Thomas “Fats” Waller with lyrics by Andy Razaf. I love how it starts as a recitative and goes into a swing! 

7. Valerie Smalkin

(Award-winning songwriter, puppeteer, and children’s entertainer.)

Question: You are a sensational and very funny puppeteer. Growing up, who was your favorite puppet character, and why?

Answer: Is it Shari Lewis or Lamb Chop that I adore? In any case, Shari was an amazingly brilliant, talented, and funny woman, and Lamb Chop always followed her lead!

8. Emily Drennan

(Vocal Soloist at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Radio City Music Hall, and with dozens of symphonies around the world, as well as a Billboard top-charting music producer.)

Question: As a highly sought-after vocalist and musical theater performer, you have performed with orchestras far and wide. Many, many incredible musicians have accompanied you. If, however, you were preparing a solo concert and could only choose one musician to accompany you, who would that be, and why? 

Answer: I would choose my Mom, Patti Drennan! She is a fantastic pianist with perfect pitch and can play any song in any key. I have grown up with her accompanying me on countless shows, including at people’s homes for an intimate birthday song, at contests, or soloing at The Kennedy Center. She relaxes me with her familiarity, and she can and will sing background vocals for me, as we sound quite alike!  Moreover, she is usually free or nearly so. Ha! If anyone were truly on the table, I would also strongly consider Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, or David Foster. All extraordinary musicians!

9. Christina Gaudet

(Award-winning singer/songwriter, film and music producer, actor, and film & video director.)

Question:  While you began your career as a triple threat (outstanding dancer, singer, actor) in musical theater, you found your way to becoming an award-winning Rock artist. If you had to advise a new artist, today, who was contemplating a change of musical focus, what would be your favorite piece of advice to the artist? 

Answer: The greatest gift you can give yourself as an artist is to create your own musical voice with your own stories to tell.

10. Ricky Persaud, Jr.

(Award-winning multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger, musical director, and vocalist.)

Question: You are an accomplished multi-instrumentalist, a fantastic musical arranger, an extraordinary vocalist, and are very versatile in almost every genre. I imagine you have many favorite music heroes (from different walks of musical life) since childhood. If you could only choose one, which of those heroes would you invite to perform at your next birthday party?

Answer: If I could invite just one of my heroes to perform at my next birthday party, it would probably be Bob Marley. His easy-going, laid-back, and optimistic outlook would be the kind of vibe I would want at my party.

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That's it for this installment of Fun IC Facts – stay tuned for the next one!