Anjelyc Morales: ok cool , i must warn you i'm very nosy and if i ramble feel free to shoosh me...could be why i blog and write
Antonio Galloway: Not a problem. It should be fun
Anjelyc Morales: ooh nice thanks! my first question is how you began singing? not necessarily in SL but in general
Antonio Galloway: is it too early to shoosh you?
Antonio Galloway: Kidding
Anjelyc Morales: LOL! Well Twi does it, but i keep going
Antonio Galloway: I like you already.
Anjelyc Morales: hehe tks, you only have to tell me as much as you want lol
Anjelyc Morales: I'm not pushy...mostly
Antonio Galloway: Well.... i started singing way back when I was in kindergarten. My music teacher gave me a solo in a school play. She said I had poise and heard me singing into a hairbrush so she started me young. lol Then I sang in school all through grade school and high school having solos. Also sang in the churches and one thing led to another and eventually started getting requests to sing around the area.
Anjelyc Morales: oh how neat, I used to sing in school also but I don't really do it too much anymore - except for my son lol; Do you have professional RL experience? Or just more of a regular type school & church background
Antonio Galloway: Well.... i started singing way back when I was in kindergarten. My music teacher gave me a solo in a school play. She said I had poise and heard me singing into a hairbrush so she started me young lol. Then I sang in school all through grade school and high school having solos. Also sang in the churches and one thing led to another and eventually started getting requests to sing around the area. Yes I have recorded several albums, sang on the radio, TV, and internet... and got to sing across the country which was a lot of fun. I learned a lot. Eventually I settled in Las Vegas and sang there as well. It all started in the churches. I did a lot of gospel and they booked me one after anotherAnjelyc Morales: Oh nice, do you know Wayne Newton?!
Antonio Galloway: hahahaha Actually..... no but used to work across the street from his mansion in Vegas.
Anjelyc Morales: That's how my father began singing and still to this day sings, very soulful, those gospel singers
Antonio Galloway: Its a wonderful training ground.
Anjelyc Morales: Nice...so according to Twilight, you are a 'Rat Pack' singer. Is there any particular reason that genre speaks to you the most?
Antonio Galloway: Many reasons. The first is, I grew up with that music. I came from an Italian family and we lived in Dean Martin's hometown so... we always had the music of Dean and Frank as the background for so many of my memories growing up. SO many of their songs trigger events that happened. It's funny but those songs have a place in my heart. They are "home" to me. I always loved the way the guys have fun, and were so cool. I admired them a great deal and when I grew up moved to Las Vegas where the Rat Pack called home.
Anjelyc Morales: Oh how neat, I grew up around alot of Italian families lol...do you ever sing outside the genre? Or do you tend to stick to it for the most part
Antonio Galloway: I tend to stay within the genre for the most part.... however.... I was classically trained in opera so... I can hear my music teacher in the back of my head at times telling me to expand. lol So, I do throw in songs from musicals, some more contemporary things as well and some Elvis tunes along the way. I try and have fun and will only sing songs I have fun doing. So yes I do tons of Sinatra and Dino but... I love all types of music so, you never know what I'll throw in anything from Elvis to Lionel Richie to Andrea Bocelli
Anjelyc Morales: i luv Lionel Richie, my mom raised me on Motown so I tend to want to hear all that kind of music every now and then lol...ooh I'm going to request one next time LOL, put you on the spot :P
Antonio Galloway: hahahahaha if I have the song I'm always happy to do it. If I get enough requests for songs I don't have I will go out and learn it.
Anjelyc Morales: I'll give you advance notice then lol...I like almost anything by him tho lol I want to know how a singer starts to become a performer in SL, I imagine it's quite hard and a bit of a struggle so would you mind telling me a bit about how you got your start?
Antonio Galloway: Sure, be glad too. When I first started SL, I had a lady in my life who was always telling me I needed to sing in SL. She would tell me every chance she got because she believed in me, probably more than I believed in myself. I let it go for nearly two years. I always wanted to do it, but lacked the time to devote to it. This year a few things changed in my RL that opened up some time. Asea, my partner in SL started repeating the same thing I was told before... that I should sing in SL, she kicked my butt a few times. Finally I got the nerve to contact a few people and doors opened up and I got booked into several clubs rather quickly. I wish I would have done this way back when, but I am lucky.
Anjelyc Morales: oh so you haven't been doing this too long then?
Antonio Galloway: No. I am really new to the SL music scene having only started this past Spring.
Anjelyc Morales: Oh wow, that I didn't know I've only heard you once but I thought you were an SL professional! Well thank goodness for that great lady in your life kicking your butt into submission lol. Is there any particular song or request that you would consider a favorite to sing?
Antonio Galloway: Great question, but thats a tough one.
Anjelyc Morales: I figured :D
Antonio Galloway: I'd have to say I have a handful of favorites... and certain songs I get requested nearly each and every performance. I'd have to say either "Can't Help Falling In Love With You", "Besame Mucho" or "Always On My Mind" Those are requested often and I always get a good response from the audience
Anjelyc Morales: I have a good question...I want to know if you have like crazy tv fans...SL groupies? That strikes me as hilariously awesome if it happens
Anjelyc Morales: yes she absolutely does! LOL
Antonio Galloway: Yes, I have some truly amazing people who follow me around. I love them all dearly. There is a small handful that have gotten to know me and I have a lot of fun with from the stage. I've been blessed with great fans but if I had to pick the crazies I'd go with Zin, Twi, Chelle, Asea and Kelly. Those people tend to keep me in stitches. I once mentioned a crush I had on Wonder Woman during a song introduction... and by the time I finished the next song I looked out there and had three women dressed as Wonder Woman. It got me laughing hard.
Anjelyc Morales: LOL omg yeah when Twi and Kelly get together its a gigglefest definitely
Anjelyc Morales: What inspires the songs that you sing, and the way that you sing them? Every song is different, love, fun, happy...yep I'm nosy and want as much dirt as possible. Like for instance, do you think of your lovely lady friend when you sing a love song hehe
Antonio Galloway: I find that certain songs hit certain chords in my life.... being a musician I relate to music very well and certain songs trigger memories good and bad. Sometimes I remember lost love in my own life and that nearly brings me to tears during a song, or maybe remembering a goofy event with my daughter, or laughing with friends and yes certain people tend to respresent songs to me. Even my grandparents or mom and dad have songs that bring them to mind. Do I sing romantic songs to my lady? The answer would be yeah. LOL
Anjelyc Morales: that's so true, like when people hear a song on the radio even and get all choked up...I imagine its more so for the persons singing them
Antonio Galloway: Absolutely. I relate so much to the words especially since I try and feel those words, I wont just sing a song to sing it.
Anjelyc Morales: If you could explain to someone how it feels for you to sing for an audience, whether in RL or SL how would you describe it?
Antonio Galloway: It's a rush. Let me explain... yes there is always that touch of nervousness in every performance but I have found I am able to express myself on the stage by just relaxing, having fun and cutting loose. If I laugh it makes the audience remember that and they want to come back because 9 out of 10 times they had fun because I had fun too.
Anjelyc Morales: That's a good answer lol now this is my last question but its hopefully thought provoking lol so take as much time and words as you need to answer it in your own way
Anjelyc Morales: What do you think everyone in SL can do to further support live entertainment on the grid and keep venues such as Club Jester alive and kicking? What advice would you give all of us music lovers to keep singers like you around...
Antonio Galloway: It's simple but it's probably the MOST overlooked aspect of live music in SL. Its this.... DONATE to the venue. Yes, we singers appreciate your tips to us, however if the audience doesn't support the club then there will be no places for the singers in SL to sing. It costs a lot to keep those doors open. It's why I always encourage the audience several times during a gig to donate to the club. As a singer I have seen clubs disappear because the owners couldn't keep them going. The sad thing is many of those same clubs were always packed. People just didn't donate. The clubs and even the singers aren't doing this to get rich. We do this because we love the music. So if I can leave you with one message... make sure you send love to the clubs. I love Club Jester and the wonderful people in it. Twi, Kelly... those two are amazing people and I want to see this club and all the others survive so we can continue to have wonderful times every week within their doors.
Anjelyc Morales: So true, and I agree the most overlooked. Anywhere else, especially in RL you pay or some kind of cover charge, ticket fee...it's so important to support the venue. Tier fees are no joke on SL lol its like paying RL apartment rent
**THIS IS WHERE WE GOSSIPPED PROFUSELY ABOUT TWILIGHT DARWIN!**
Antonio Galloway: Hope all my answers made sense. LOL
Anjelyc Morales: LOL totally did, thanks so much for meeting up with me I hope I didn't ask too much lolll
Every Friday at 6 pm SLT, Antonio sings at Club Jester! It is a friendly venue with wonderful live entertainment and the most welcoming people you ever want to meet. I hope all of you stop by and hear Antonio's amazing singing, as well as all the other performers at Club Jester!
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