inside the booth

the life of a vocal talent nomad

There’s something magical about a recording booth.  I was always fascinated by the processes that happened inside of one, and how a voice could evoke emotions, paint vivid pictures, and even sell products—all without being seen.  As a young girl, I spent hours experimenting with my voice,  recording pretend talk shows on a cassette tape recorder. Although I didn’t have access to professional equipment, I poured my heart into every line. What did I know? I was just a little girl who thought content would make up for any technical shortcomings. I knew at a very young age that I loved working with my voice, but I didn’t know how to achieve that, or how many starts, stops, and detours would come with the pursuit of voice as a career!

As a kid born in the city of New Orleans, I had many creative interests, and music was a big one. Around age 9, inspired by all the records and artists I obsessed over, I started to sing, play guitar and write songs. Then by age 13, I wanted to know more about how those records were made. Reading the liner notes on every album in the house, I wondered about the people who created them. I thought,.. How do I get to be one of them? What I didn’t know then, is that I was taking a baby step in the direction of becoming a V.T.N .or Vocal Talent Nomad.

what’s behind the door?

When I was around 12 or 13 years old, while walking around my old neighborhood in a suburb of New Orleans, I decided to take a small, yet fateful detour. About a half-mile away from home was a mysterious building, that I had been curious about. We drove past it many times. I remember that over the door hung a sign, identifying it as a recording studio. All by myself and without so much as a thought about safety, or stranger-danger, I knocked on the big, mysterious door. I suspected that behind that door I’d find answers to questions about a subject I was passionate about.

A friendly gentleman answered the door. “Hello, can I help you?”

“Um…Hi…my name is Mary, and I sing. Can I please come in and see the studio?” 

Luckily, the studio wasn’t busy that day, and the owner had a kind heart.  He gave me a tour around the studio, patiently explaining what all the machines were for. I saw up close, cables, microphones, music stands, a grand piano, and for the very first time…a vocal booth!  I did my best to take in all the sights. The owner asked about the songs I wrote, and I explalined that I played a little guitar and sang. Within a few minutes a microphone and stool was set up for me to try on for size. The microphone was adjusted for my short height, and I was handed a guitar to play. “Here’s how you do a mic check.” he said.

That day, I cut my very first vocal in a recording studio. Wow!

By the next day my mother was on the phone speaking with the owner. A meeting was held to discuss signing me to a development deal. The terms were simple. I would add backing vocals to demos and various projects for the studio, and in return, I could record my own songs there for free.  By the end of my teen years, I was familiar with most of the recording studios in the New Orleans area. Just knowing that I stood and recorded in the same spaces as artists like Patti Labelle, the Meters, the Neville Brothers and even Paul McCartney, filled me with awe and gratitude. For you youngsters, these were the days before home vocal booths. If you wanted to record, you booked time in a studio.

With each new project, I learned more about using my voice, pacing, and how to adapt my tone to fit different commercial styles. The world of voice work requires us to be continuously honing our skills.

getting there without a map

I wish I could tell you that it was an easy, smooth path going from a kid playing around with a cassette recorder, into professional voice work, but that would be a lie. There is no map, no guidebook for being a vocal talent nomad.

Not long after college graduation I was lucky to get a job working for a local television station in the programming and promotions department.  It was a desk job at first, but eventually, I was producing promo spots, psa’s and writing v.o.c.’s.  I enjoyed it, but I still wanted more creative input.  I thought,…If I can sing commercially, then why can’t I speak?

Eventually, I got the opportunity to voice a commercial spot for a local business. I loved the process, and I loved the familiar feeling of being back in a vocal booth. I worked at the tv station full-time for five years. When a friend of mine suggested I look into an opportunity, one that would lead me to another road entirely, I was intrigued. An audition and a call back led to me joining the cast of a new musical, featuring female songs of the 1960’s. Opening at the Contemporary Arts Center, and ultimately settling into a little theatre in the heart of the French Quarter. The show was popular with locals and tourists alike. Best of all, I was able to act and sing many of the songs from the records I obsessed over in my childhood. I was so lucky to be a part of it. I phased out of full time work at the station, to embrace the life of a performer.

I was young, energetic, and idealistic. I wasn’t getting rich, but I managed to pay the bills, At the same time, I was able to continue working as a freelance voiceover talent. I made audio production connections through the show, and my TV Station connections were a Godsend, continuing to give me work when they could. Finally making money using my voice, I was becoming what I call a Voice Talent Nomad (VTN). Someone who works for a variety of clients, for an indeterminate amount of time, on a diverse range of projects, either on stage, behind a microphone in a studio, or on the road.

the chapter called boz

The 60’s musical finally closed, but we continued to work for corporate events in a condensed version of the show. The director who hired me initially, recommended me to the director of a new show coming to New Orleans. It was while performing in that musical, (where I played the part of a singing, tap-dancing Nun) that yours truly was recommended for, and ultimately landed a gig singing background vocals for one show, at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. I’d be singing in front of thousands of people. Who was I singing with? None other than Grammy Award winner Boz Scaggs, and his band of top-notch L.A. musicians.

You are probably thinking: why on Earth would the popular singer who gave us songs like “Lido”, “Lowdown”, and “Love, Look What You’ve Done To Me”, want a tap dancing, singer, nun-actress-voiceover person from New Orleans to be his background singer? Well, what can I tell you? Sometimes life takes wild and unexpected turns. Together with another female New Orleans-based singer, we became Boz’s New Orleans Ladies.

The gig went really well, and that led to being asked to perform again for another show this time, overseas at the Tokyo Dome. Thankfully, I was able to take a leave of absence from the musical, allowing an understudy to step (or should I say tap dance?) into the role. I honestly thought I’d be rejoining the cast, but each time I thought the music gig had ended, I was asked to tour again, and again. I spent my 30th birthday in San Francisco rehearsing for one tour. Another time, We rehearsed in a room right next to Billy Idol’s band at the Record Plant in Los Angeles. I sang above the clouds on a mountaintop for a show in Whistler, British Columbia, another time at a picturesque winery in California. We did a series of shows in Reno, a televised concert that aired on NHK-TV in Japan, and we played sold out concerts in cities like Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, and Hiroshima. We played Jazz Fest for a second time, joined by the Tower Of Power horn section. What an experience!

Still, the truth of the matter is that as a background singer, you are in service of someone else’s career. It was a truly wonderful time. Boz ‘s music is loved for good reason! However when an artist changes direction, adds or subtracts band members for any reason whatsoever, the gig for that person ends. I had three truly great years of working with a Grammy Winning talent, and his great team, before it all faded away, as unexpectedly as it began. As a Vocal Talent Nomad there was nothing for me to do, except cherish the memories made, and move onward. A few years later I got a call from his new road manager asking if I could do a gig in New Orleans with him, but with other work commitments and no way to call in a sub, sadly, I couldn’t do it.

what i wish i had known

When it comes to a traditional work setting versus being a vocal talent nomad, there are of course, advantages and challenges. Some of The pros? I was able to travel, meet amazing artists, grow and work on a diverse range of projects. I gained valuable experience, sometimes made very good money, and had the prospect of new and interesting work around every corner. I learned to stretch and adapt my skills to fit the client’s needs.

Some of The cons? There is no guarantee of employment, no retirement, no conventional ladder to climb to success, There’s really only the gig du jour. Who knows if the gig will lead to more work beyond that one job? Without an agent, it’s on you to find work. Steady gigs do exist, but usually there is no fail-proof way to protect your interests, and you can be let go for any reason. It was often tempting for me to run back to the safety of a 9 to 5. But within the context of being a vocal talent nomad, there were important life lessons that I still had to learn.

What about freebies?

Ah, money! As a VTN this was always a hard subject for me. If you haven’t caught on yet, people who work for a living are paid money. In freelance work, there is no set fee structure, and often, you get what you negotiate for. You may get asked to do work for the exposure. I formed my opinion on this based upon years of sometimes being asked to work for little, or even nothing. You will not be able to sustain yourself as a VTN working for free. Let me assure you, your landlord, plumber and doctor don’t do their jobs for exposure. Perhaps exposure helps out one in a million people, but on average, this arrangement benefits everyone but you, the person doing the work.

You may be asked to do free work for charity. Did you know that some charitable organizations doing good work in the world, have CEO’s making well into 6 figures a year? Why aren’t they asked to forego their salary? Once, I was asked to sing the national anthem for an event aligned with a very good cause. I was willing to sing for free, however it was going to actually COST me to do the job. It would have required that I get two days of childcare, pay for parking, travel about 50 miles each way, a day in advance for rehearsal, and then do the actual event the next day. All for FREE. I asked if they could just cover my babysitter’s fee for the two days. They said NO and I had to decline the request.

When someone asks you to work for free, implying that paid work will follow, I’d be careful. If they are unsure whether or not your voice is right for their project, that’s what demos and auditions are for. Send them a short audio clip of your voice, express your interest in the project and wait for a reply. You might feel funny asking about the compensation. I get it. Agents usually handle that part for us very nicely and it’s not as comfortable for the talent, who typically just want to focus on creative side. Not everyone has an agent. Working for yourself, you have to look out for your financial best interests.

Practice some approaches in advance. Once they express interest in working with you, and if they haven’t made the payment clear, you could say “I’d love to do this project for you. But before I commit, can you tell me what the job is paying? Or “What is the talent budget for this project?” Or “I charge a minimum of (fill in the blank) per hour. Does that align with your budget?” Do it with a smile, and some confidence. You’re not being rude to ask what you would be paid to do the work. Remember to factor in things like residuals versus buyouts, local versus national use, internet and social media use, are you expected to edit, add production music, mix, etc.? Have that conversation before you record, and not after. If you’re not sure where to start, check out the GVAA Rate Guide for voiceover work at https://globalvoiceacademy.com/gvaa-rate-guide-2/ These are non-union suggestions, and of course you can adapt your fees to reflect your market size and your experience level.

my best detour yet

I really thought I wanted to be a free spirit, traveling around singing, doing voiceovers out of hotel rooms and such. Turns out that meant little, without a happy and balanced personal life. Thankfully, another detour brought me to my husband Edward, a multi-talented instrumentalist and tech guru, We met one evening on a gig where he played bass, and I sang, though, we did so many of those, that neither of us can remember which gig it was.

We married, built a life together, and before you know it, we were a family of four, joined by our two beautiful kids. Ed is still my favorite bass player, and my spouse 31 years later. Who knows why life goes in one direction, and then shifts dramatically, bringing big changes. Had I continued living out of a suitcase, I might have missed out on what became the most important relationship in my personal life. Turns out, for all my non-conforming career moves, having a family of my own needed to be included in the mix, in order for me to be truly happy.

I tried to keep up with both voice work and being mommy. For a few years Ed would drop me off somewhere to cut a voiceover, or sing a gig, with the kids riding along in the back seat. I usually cut copy quickly, so he’d drive around until I was done, then he would pick me up and we’d go home. Once, an old friend of my husband got me hired to add backing vocals on a session for Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails. We had one child then, and no available babysitter. I don’t see well at night to drive myself. The studio was a renovated funeral home, and the room where I sang was the old embalming room! There were photos of Marilyn Manson hanging over the toilet in the bathroom. You should have seen the look on the producer’s face when this sweet family of three walked in the door! I got a check at the end of the session and we went home. So many memories, but I could tell that the way I was working just wasn’t sustainable.

The birth of Miss V.

In 2004, I made a decision to go back to school for about two years, so I could earn a Master’s degree. After doing that, (with a brief pause thanks to Hurricane Katrina) I had a job offer waiting for me to become a full-time teacher in our public school district’s talented arts program. It was work that would allow me to be present for my family, while also funneling a broad range of my skills and experiences into a definable, singular job description. I traded nomadic work life for assurances of income, health insurance, and predictable hours. I taught young, creative actors in 1st through 12th grades, from 2007 until I took retirement in 2020. If you asked me to tell you which way of working I enjoyed more - freelance vs. structured, I’d have to say that each one was appropriate for me during a particular period in my life. I’m grateful I was able to experience and benefit from both.

It’s clear just how influential that very first recording studio experience was on me so many years ago. A recording studio was a symbol of getting to be a professional voice talent! A few years ago during summer break from school, my family and I took a vacation to London. We found a neighborhood known as St. John’s Wood, and stopped to stand in front of the most famous recording studio building of all time, Abbey Road. Chills ran down my spine as I thought of the masterful recordings produced there, including one known by the name of the studio. Yes, they are my favorite band of all time. And yes, the four of us took a cheesy picture walking through the iconic zebra crossing. If you’re not sure what I’m talking about, please look up the album Abbey Road. You’re welcome.

there’s no place like home

Being born in New Orleans, where so many creative people have had the will, and found a way to forge their own unique path seems appropriate for me. Creatives from every discipline you can imagine have called it home. Some, but not all are famous, but each in their own way, create art for others to enjoy. Whether in music, film, art, audio or video, NOLA provides opportunities and a rich enviornment for developing and practicing one’s craft. There is no doubt that the golden era of studio musicians, producers and engineers, responsible for the creation of music loved the world over, shaped my life for years. By the way, I’m talking about multi-track tape machines, pre-digital recording, and no Auto-Tune thank you very much. Working as a young, inexperienced artist on projects for, and with New Orleans music icons like Irma Thomas, Allen Toussaint, Cosimo Matassa, and Wardell Quezerque (known as the Creole Beethoven) was life changing, If any of those names are unfamiliar to you, please google them. Their influence still resonates all over the globe.

Pro Tools, Adobe Audition, Audacity, Reaper and the DAW I currently use, Logic Pro help to facilitate the at home-independent creators out there. They offer ever improving recording capabilities, and are easily available. Wonderful recording studios, audio production companies, and gifted producers out there remain busy and very profitable. Some of them exist only a few miles away from me, but now, a perfectly good recording and editing space is only steps away from my kitchen. It’s nice having access to both.

Understanding the importance of a full-circle moment, I am reminded of the excitement I felt as a kid, every time I open the door to my own vocal booth…the one at home… just about to press “RECORD”.  The best part of doing it now, is that I have learned it’s also perfectly okay for me to press STOP.

Confident in knowing that when I’m ready, I can try again.

-Mary