Years ago I made a promotional record for Gene Norman, a night club owner and record producer. He owned the “Crescendo” a night club on the Sunset Strip. Billy Strange, Nancy Sinatra’s record producer is the band behind my voice on this recording. Recently my niece who lives in London discovered this recording on You Tube. I was probably in my late 20′s when this was made.  I hope you enjoy it. It sure was fun to hear this lost recording.

There are two recordings on You Tube by me. It Hurts and Ordinary Girl. Click on You Tube and type in Chuck Marone to hear them.

Botox and nose drops and needles for knitting,

Walkers and handrails and new dental fittings,

Bundles of magazines tied up in string,

These are a few of my favorite things.

Cadillacs and cataracts, hearing aids and glasses,

Polident and Fixodent and false teeth in glasses,

Pacemakers, golf carts and porches with swings,

These are a few of my favorite things.

When the pipes leak, When the bones creak,

When the knees go bad,

I simply remember my favorite things,

And then I don’t feel so bad.

Hot tea and crumpets and corn pads for bunions,

No spicy hot food or food cooked with onions,

Bathrobes and heating pads and hot meals they bring,

These are a few of my favorite things.

Back pain, confused brains and no need for sinnin’,

Thin bones and fractures and hair that is thinnin’,

And we won’t mention our short shrunken frames,

When we remember our favorite things.

When the joints ache, When the hips break,

When the eyes grow dim,

Then I remember the great life I’ve had,

And then I don’t feel so bad.

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Ms. Andrews received a standing ovation from the crowd that lasted over four minutes and repeated encores. Please share Ms. Andrews’ clever wit and humor with others who would appreciate it .

Let’s face it, even though I stay fit, work out and eat right, age does take its toll, in particular, my voice. My voice was not the same in my late 60s as it was when I was singing for a living. Quite frankly I didn’t like what I heard. Of course my friends and wife said, just get up there and do it, you can still sing. You guessed it, I went and bought Karaoke CDs and learned a few songs. I entered a contest and won the right to compete in the finals. My secretary recommended I should sing Sinatra’s hit New York, New York. Everybody loves that song. I was also born in New York City. Guess What? I split first place with a female singer in her twenties and there I was, an old man of 70, singing again. I won about $350, which paid for the CD’s and gas to get to the Texas Station every week.

Hey all you creative seniors out there, don’t allow the years of inactivity to take away the things you used to do and love. Do you believe age is just a number? I do. Do your thing, applause comes in many, many ways! I hope you enjoy my moment on stage at Texas Station . It was great fun!

Watch my video! I hope you enjoy it.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUkynVTH7tE[/youtube]

My advise to those of you who sang professionally at one time in your life or to those who just enjoy singing for fun, display your talent at any number of places in your city. Here are some tips to get you started. Choose your song carefully, make sure it showcases your style and talent. Pick a song most people are familiar with, but do it your way, your spin. Judges and the audience will appreciate your command and style rather than a copy of the “same old thing”. Just be yourself. Keep it somewhat short, you do not want to bore the judges and your audience. Hit one out of the park and take your bows. Most importantly, if you are having fun , you can be sure the audience and judges will be too. Move around the stage and for goodness sake, don’t sing to the monitor, sing to the audience. Judges love that! Dress is very important. Come out there and look like an entertainer. Dress sharp! In closing, don’t expect to win the top spot based solely on your singing voice. Believe me, judges look at 3 criteria; vocal ability, stage presence and of course, audience reaction. Shine my friends, shine!

No matter what Simon Cowell, from American Idol, has said about Karaoke, it is an art form. Karaoke is very entertaining when done well. I have personally seen and heard many great performers on the Karaoke stage. There is a lot of undiscovered talent out there. Unfortunately they are not heard by enough folks. Everyone loves to be appreciated and admired and show off their creativity. Creativity, like singing, may play an important role in healthy aging . Even though our brains age, it doesn’t stop us from being creative. When you have interesting things to do, you tend to be more outgoing and have a more positive attitude, and therefore you are healthier as a result. Being creative is really emotionally good for you at any age.

Most of the singers of today do not hold my interest except for one, Michael Buble. (pronounced boob lay) Sounds French. He is in my opinion, one of, if not the very best singers of popular songs today. Early on Michael’s music-loving Italian grandfather introduced him to the singers who became Buble’s idols. Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Elvis Presley, Bobby Darin and Ray Charles are a few of his favorites. Michael has a warm and engaging voice and an indisputable taste in music. He chooses great songs and beautiful melodies much like his idols. He sings to packed theaters and arenas all over the world. His debut album was an international success, earning him his first Juno Award for best new talent. His second album, “It’s Time”, brought him much international fame and sold 5.5 million copies . His latest CD “Call Me Irresponsible” boasts more of Buble’s modern interpretations of standards from a variety of eras. His popularity continues to grow as he continues to tour the globe.

This is a great video about Micheal’s newest album.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PKus57KWpE[/youtube]

We had the pleasure of seeing and hearing him live here in Las Vegas in 2007. When you see and hear him live in concert you appreciate his music and talent even more. Besides a great voice he is a great showman. Michael will be on stage with,“david foster & friends”, May 23 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. We are looking forward to seeing Michael along with Josh Groban, Andrea Bocelli, Peter Cetera and Katharine McPhee. They are all paying tribute to one of the world’s greatest songwriters and producers, David Foster. We will keep you posted and let you know just how great the show was. We know it will be fantastic! We are looking forward to Michael’s next CD.

We’ve both always been lovers of music all our lives. Music lifts the spirit and keeps one motivated and inspired. The effects of music are felt in almost every area of our lives. Music also has a way of bringing people together simply by sharing the same favorite songs, singer or types of music. Music can enhance your health in many ways. Use music to boost memory, ease depression, motivate and keep energy up during exercise, relieve stress and even alleviate pain. Studies show that just listening to music an hour a day can relieve pain by as much as 20 per cent. Classical music can help lower blood pressure and help you get a good night’s sleep. Michael’s music is relaxing and great to listen to right before falling asleep. He has a way of relaxing you and releasing the tensions of the day. Music is definitely a great choice for a healthy lifestyle.

One afternoon I went to the local radio station in Pasadena in hopes of getting an audition with Cliffy Stone. While practicing in an empty studio a gentleman by the name of Billy Strange heard me sing and introduced me to Cliffy. That introduction landed me a job on the local country and western radio show, hosted by Cliffy Stone, who also had a local television show called “Hometown Jamboree”. After some months on radio I had my chance to perform on the television show. The first song I sang on television was called “Buttons and Bows”. Another song that was received really well was “Unchained Melody”. After that experience I had the urge to travel. I went on the road with a trio, primarily as a singer and front man. Traveling was a lot of fun, since I was able to see many places I had never been. After the trio I joined up with the“Four Jokers”, a musical comedy group who owned a nightclub in Encino, CA. We worked at home at the “Four Jokers Club” and also did some traveling. Hawaii was a venue that the “Four Jokers” worked before I joined the group. We all headed for Hawaii, this was my first time. We spent many months there and I fell in love with the Island.

After the Jokers, one of the best jazz accordionist in the music business, Ray Lewis, and I formed a musical comedy duo known as “Lewis and Marone”. We traveled to many places including Tokyo, Japan. We played in a club there called the “Copa Cabana”. We also sang for the troops in Thailand during the Viet Nam War. While at home in southern California we worked various nightclubs. We built a large following in San Gabriel Valley at a club called “Jack London Square”. Ray and I were together about ten years. During this time I cut a few records with several record companies. Although I never achieved a hit record I felt extremely successful in the music business doing what I truly enjoyed.

Music is my passion in life and even though I no longer sing professionally, music will always be a part of my life. I take my i-Pod to the gym and outdoors while I am working in the yard. Did you know that music can keep you motivated, especially when you are exercising? People who listen to music while doing their exercise routine actually lose twice as much weight as those who don’t listen to music. Music has many other benefits for your health, state of mind and physical well-being. It can reduce pain and anxiety, enhance relaxation, elevate mood and accelerate learning. You don’t have to be a musician to enjoy music, it transcends all ages, cultures, and languages. What a sad world this would be without music.

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