For our Grand Opening the 29th of August, we were LUCKY! The first performer had rl issues and couldn't log, and OneSummer Oh was in our place to see the event. So we asked her if she would sing for us, and she said yes! She saved our Opening with a wonderful performance! Now more about this amazing woman...
Le Cercle des Voyageurs (LCV) : Where do you come from?
OneSummer Oh (OO) : Northern California near San Francisco in the valley.
LCV : When started your interest for music?
OO : When I was in my mother tummy. I always been around music. I do not remember a time in my life other than when my parents died I stopped for a few years.
LCV : And when did you start singing?
OO : I guess when I started talking. My parents would take me and my younger sisters to their shows we would be behind the stage.
LCV : To their shows? They were musicians?
OO : Yes. They had a band. It was nice but I did not like as a child going out infront of people .. I am next to the youngest in my family, short, my younger sister is even taller and I looked like my mother side of the family so she would call me her indian SQUAW.
LCV : What are your inspirations?
OO : When I found out their was something more than country music .. I love the Stones , Muddy Waters , and all the old time blues singers.
LCV : Could you tell me about your RL musical experiences?
OO : I was present of my chouir class and I also had to give speaches at shows and that hard made me sick to my tummy too. I went to a family reunion and my cousin has me to come back and do back up singing in his band, so I started there, and then we were just here in sl, I was making clothing and poofers, then someone heard me singing in voice and said : "you should be a singer here". So I started to sing.
LCV : What is the difference between singing in sl and singing in rl for you?
OO : First I did not have the right things to sing here and people gave bad reviews but then afterwords when I got the right stuff, things started happening. I am a shy personn not to much of a talker and that for sure is the indian in me I am told. My father was full blood irish , mother german and american indian, but I lived a little mixed up life .. strong irish and then indian too .. so sure I take after both my parents . The indian side quiet, Irish side loud , and german side thinking all the time hahaha!
LCV : lol
OO : I know it must sound cazy but that is being very truthful.
LCV : Do you use your origins also in the choice of your songs?
OO : Yes, always as a child it was country music and when I heard other styles of music at an early age I would beg my parents to do that style. But of couse they had a band , so we had to do their stuff. Now I just sing up a storm to what I want or the music that touches me. I do not need to ask for permission anymore.
LCV : Is there one musical style in particular that touches you more?
OO : Blues. You can sing the blues if your happy , sad , hurted .. or whatever , you feel it in your soul. It vibrates your being in. As a child, I would jump out of bed just to hear my father early on Saturday morning playing the blues.
LCV : Your parents really gave you the love of music it seems.
OO : Yes. My father was the youngest of 13 children. They all played music and all my cousings play too.
LCV : Did you learn also instruments?
OO : Yes. My father brought so many different things home for us to learn to play. Only thing is he expected us to pick them up and just play .hahahaha
LCV : LOL
OO : Only thing I liked was the guitar and I do play that. But I like backtracks better to sing to .. I think it gives a show more of a real show feeling. I do know and understand that their are guitar players here in sl and I have dual stream with them but still I like back tracks better.
LCV : Do you think you can transmit in sl as much as you do in rl with your music?
OO : Of couse some of the songs I do are songs we do in real life. I may not be the lead singer in rl now but I am the backup of my cousin all the way. Sometimes he will ask me to do a blues or rock song but I rather be in the background.
LCV : What are your best musical experiences in rl and in sl?
OO : Real life was when my father did backup playing with Johnny Cash. I got to meet him but the show was then cancel because he was on drugs or drank something and passed out on the stage. Got to meet Dolly Pardon when she started out with Buck Ownen (no one even knew her then), and I've seen Jimi Hendrix, but mother made us leave because he smelt dope. But all the people that my father played with as band were extra cool.
LCV : It doesn't give you the desire to play in band? you prefer to sing single?
OO : Oh rl life I just stay with my family here. I enjoy doing dual streaming too. So I do my dual streaming and do that here as well ...... again I rather be in the background ..
LCV : Do you have plans for your artistic life, both in RL and SL?
OO : At this point I am not sure. I found out two weeks ago I have cancer.
LCV : Oh I'm sorry.
OO : I will have it removed in two weeks and undergo treatment. But no matter what, I will never stop singing. Singing means life and I am not giving up on that.
LCV : A few more words you would like to let us know about you?
OO : I love life, people , I pray for mankind and all our sorrows .... I would love to see people giving more of themselves, not be selfish ...... helping others who are in need of help .... giving what they can to improve the world .. loving one another .. that would be a dream come true .. Through music you can touch people no matter where they are from in the world .. Open your heart sing. I wish the world was not ME ME ME but US US US. I have thought this all my life and have tried hard to live my life helping others in one way or another. That came from my father, he would bring homeless people home and we would feed them give clothing and let them bath in our home. He said what if that was you .?? always always be kind to all you may need help someday. I am sure that is old fashion thinking but when you are raised like that you never lose the teaching of your parents. I am who I am here in sl no different than real life, so you meet me here in sl and real life honest careing for all. I am not to much of a bla bla bla rather people honest and real. Being humble and respecting all.
LCV : hank you very much for your time and for accepting the interview OneSummer :)
OO : Thank you so much.
This is the portrait of a valuable woman. She talks from her heart, is real, brave and natural. The kind of human we would love to meet much more. And she is also very talented. Her voice has a unic groove that is able to carry you high. A woman and an artist to discover for sure.
Interview by Angiliak Crystal.
This interview will be available the 31st of August also in our monthly magazine, displayed in our venue, our group and our subscribomatic.
 |
| OneSummer Oh |
