The Post Standard
Contributing writer Jane A. Thompson recently interviewed Molly Shea. Shea is na area up-and-coming singer who has been making a name for herself throughout her high school years. She's sung at such events as the national Can-Am Races. She was scheduled to sing Wednesday at the VIP Reception for the Cayuga County Fair, Weedsport. She's on tap to sing the National anthem for the Auburn Doubledays game July 20th. She also plays the violin and guitar.
Name: Molly Shea, 18, of Auburn
Education: Recently graduated from Auburn High School.
Family Members: Father Pat, mother Kathy, Dog Nessie and cats Bernard, Dudley and Salem.
What she would like to change about her hometown?"I'd create more places for teends to go, more recreational activities. I also would like to see more musical acts come into the area like they used to when the Schine Theater was open, not just in area bars. Teens need to see established acts. They are something to aspire to and learn from."
How she got the "gig" singing for the Cayuga County Fair?"At Auburn High School, Mrs(Andrea)Fusco's journalism class wrote an article about me when I sang at the Auburn High Talent show, and submitted it to their Citizen Teen Page, Patti DeMaio of the Cayuga County Fair read the article and called me to ask if I would like to entertain the VIP reception.......Singing at the county fair means a lot."
What kind of music she likes to sing? " I sing a mix of everything, but I love blues/rock, especially blues. At the Fair I'll be singing everything from Jewel to Stevie Ray Vaughan, I'm pretty versatile."
Who she has performed with recently? "I've sung with Mark Chitambar's band Packy Lambart at Dello's Tratorria. That was a lot of fun. I've done work with the Auburn Players in their musicals. I've also sung the national anthem at the CANAM Auto Races in Canada, where I sang both the Canadian and American versions for television. It was very challenging to learn both anthems."
What she does on her off hours? " Well, they're not exactly off hours, but I work at Speno Music fixing guitars and doing retail work for them, and I love the job. It's not like work. Nick and Mike Speno are great people to work for, and I've learned a lot from them. I just finished building a Fender Telecaster, under Mike's supervision. I wanted a guitar that sounded like the one Stevie Ray Vaughan played, so Mike got in all the parts and helped me build it."
Where she'll be heading in the fall? " I am going to go to Cayuga Community College for two years, then head to Berklee School of music in Boston. Music is what I want to do with my life. There's nothing else I want to do."
Jane Thompson