| Forward
by Bill Kole: Being Arlene’s husband and backup guitarist / drummer for years gives me a fairly unique perspective on her and her talent. She’s not just a naturally engaging performer, she is a student of singing and the human voice and as with everything, doesn’t go halfway. No matter what the gig: a wedding, a club, a corporate event, invariably someone would venture a puzzled query “How come she’s not famous?". Arlene always kind of laughed it off as some form of drunken flattery, but I knew better. These folks were touched by her performance and knew they were witnessing a rare talent. As did I. She has the gift of taking any song and making it her own. She becomes intimate with the music and sings from her heart. For Arlene, it’s not about fame or money, it’s truly about the music. Tears flow at the sight of a baby, an old person, or just about any heartfelt advertisement. Her empathy is deep and real. In fact, if you listen carefully during some of the tracks, you can hear her voice shaking. That’s real. She’s crying. And that is why people respond so intensely to her music. I’ve done my best to try and capture the true essence of her gift. If I’ve done my job, be prepared to feel the power of a truly gifted performer.
|