The Queens of Karaoke!

This past week was pretty fabulous.


Yesterday, our cousin Clarence a photographer for "Souuuul Train(!)" invited us over to the set to watch the going-ons. I didn't know that Soul Train was still on the air since I haven't been watching much tv, but there it was in all it's glory, still very much alive and kicking. The set was full of energy--as were the dancers--many of them young talents looking for exposure. One kid told us that he and a friend drive from Arizona every month just to be a part of the tapings. That's real dedication! But the set is a lot of fun, so I'm sure the drive is a cinch.

The saddest part of our Soul Train experience was that we missed John Legend, who had wrapped his musical set a few hours before we got there. Aw Shucks! But we did get to catch a young boy group called B5 who were very reminiscent of the Jackson 5 and New Edition and just as talented. The little girls will love 'em.

On Saturday, Shawnelle and I went Karoke-ing (is that a word?). We are closet performers, so Karoke is how at least a few people get to hear what only our family and neighbors have been subjected to for years. Saturday was the first time we've performed as solo acts. Shawnelle, the better vocalist, killed (in a good way) Bob Marley's "Is this Love" a song we've done before at The Shattuck Down Low in Berkeley. I sang "I Want You Back" by the aforementioned Jackson 5, and should have told the Host to drop the note, but instead had to keep pitch with a pre-pubescent Michael Jackson. I did fine, but would have enjoyed singing lower--I'm a full-grown woman and an alto at that! Heck, I'd probably have a hard time singing as high as the full grown Michael Jackson.

For our final hoo-rah, we sang a duet of The Fugees' "Killing Me Softly" and the crowd really enjoyed it. We've been singing this one for years so it wasn't really an "Oh my god what should we sing" kind of performance, but it did the trick for a big finale.

Let's hope that next week proves to be equally as entertaining as our last.

Nee