FOR THE NEW YEAR wouldn’t it be great to say, "I love what I do, and do what I love". How many people can say that?
I know that I can! I feel very blessed being in the profession that I have chosen. The new term for professionals that provide services in the fitness and activities industries is called "lifestyle director". During my position as a lifestyle director I have had the pleasure of meeting others that “love what they do and do what they love”. One gentleman that I have met is Freddie Hall. Freddie Hall is a wonderful performer and I have seen him capture the attention of small children and adults. When Freddie isn’t performing, he has some fun stories to share. One of my favorites is his story about being on The Gong Show. The following is his recount of that adventure:
"Many years ago when I was living in the Los Angeles area, I had an opportunity to audition for The Gong Show, produced and hosted by Chuck Barris. Being on the show afforded me the opportunity to meet Gene Gene the Dancing Machine, the Unknown Comic, and Chuck Barris himself. The three judges for my performance were Jamie Farr, Chuck Woolery, and JP Morgan. The competition involved 6-7 acts, and it was tough. However, there were some weird acts as well as straight acts. I was one of the straight acts, which involved singing and playing the guitar. I performed the song, Listen to the Falling Rain. After performing, one of three things could happen. You were either gonged because you were horrendous, you received a score between 1 and 10 and the judges said thank you, or you won the prize which amounted to $516.32. I was the last one to perform and was anxiously awaiting the judge’s scores. Well, to my surprise, I was the chosen one with a top score of 10 and got the big bucks."
Freddie was kind enough to share his life with me. His interview follows:
How old were you when you started to entertain?
I was eighteen when I started entertaining. I was attending a college in Upstate New York where I taught myself how to play guitar. I’ve been living in Arizona for three and a half years. I relocated here from the Boston area to get away from the snow and cold weather.
How do you describe your performances?
Whether performing solo with my guitar or as part of a duo or trio, I am upbeat, high energy, melodic, catchy, engaging, warm, jazzy and contagious.
What is your favorite part of performing?
I think my favorite part of performing is interacting and engaging with the audience. Being able to tell a story through music and watching and listening to how people respond is awesome. It’s a feeling of accomplishment, knowing that I can create an inner feeling for my audience that is conveyed through music.
Who are some of your idols and influences?
I have met Nat King Cole, Gladys Knight, Aretha Franklin, Bill Cosby, The Temptations, Redd Foxx and Fats Domino. The biggest influence on my music has been Nat King Cole. I met him while I was still in high school in upstate New York.
I actually sang with The Temptations in Orlando, FL.