Visitors
The single most amazing thing about Cathy Fitzgerald is that she used to be a soprano. Yes, I mean that wonderful bass singer in our chorus…
was a soprano…
once upon a time.
Cathy started singing in junior high and high school chorus. She enjoyed it immensely and loved being able to “express herself in song”. Then she grew up, had a family and got away from music. She was never taught to read music and was apprehensive about getting back into singing if she would be expected to be able to sight-read.
Then came Adelines. Several people were responsible for hooking Cathy. One source was not even a chorus member. Cathy happened to be friends with Jill Challenger’s mom, Pat. (Jill is a former Adeline). Cathy and Pat would sit together at swim competitions and talk, and several times Pat mentioned Sweet Adelines. But that wasn’t enough to strike Cathy’s interest. It was in a Weight Watchers meeting where Cathy heard our own Marilyn Grau and Sharon Morse bragging about the many awards won by the chorus at last year’s regional competition. It was Marilyn and Sharon who invited Cathy to come to a rehearsal.
Still, Cathy was a little nervous. “I was not sure if I could sing anymore because after ‘guiding’ my two daughters, April, 26 and Christy, 29, my voice was far from soprano. I didn’t want to embarrass these ladies, so I taped myself singing ‘You’re a Grand Old Flag’ and ‘Yankee Doodle’ and played them into the phone for Marilyn to hear. I’m sure she thought I was a little odd. She still said, ‘I’ll pick you up’ and now I’m hooked.”
She joined the chorus last summer and has fallen in love with the bass part. She enjoys it mainly because “I don’t make funny, painful faces and the veins don’t pop out in my neck like they do when I try to hit those high notes.”
Like many of us in the chorus, Cathy’s favorite song is “Bandstand in Central Park”. She said it reminds her of her husband, Jim with whom she has shared 19 years of marriage. And since they were first married, his hair has turned to gray and she still considers him “my best friend and my heart”.
Cathy’s makes a living as a Weight Watchers leader. She says, “This is one way to keep this issue under control for me. I also enjoy helping others succeed and reach their goals.” She has even helped some of her fellow Adelines in dealing with “this issue”.
For fun she likes to walk, hike, craft, read, dabble in sewing, bike ride, dance, and of course, SING!
When asked to tell what she sees as the best thing about Sweet Adelines, she responded, “I have to say I have never met a group of women that have made me feel as welcome as all of you. From the moment I walked into the church to ‘check it out’, I felt accepted. Thank you to all.”