Image Up Advertising & Design

I remember back in the early 60s around July. It seemed like Channel 9 in Los Angeles would always run one of my family's favorite movies, Yankee Doodle Dandy. It was the story of George M. Cohan, one of America's great songwriters but who's songs are starting to slip through the cracks of time. Songs like "You're A Grand Old Flag," "Over There" and even the title song for the movie, Yankee Doodle Dandy are fading from the American musical landscape. We no longer can gather together and sing these classic patriotic songs without someone asking when was this a hit? The only song all Americans can join together in one voice is Lee Greenwood's "God Bless The U.S.A." Yes… "God Bless The U.S.A." is a great song but America's collective memory is so short that it can only remember the most current "thing" and nothing else. It's a real shame that this is what has happened to us as a musical nation. Well, hope is not lost, we still have Karaoke! Yes, Karaoke is one of the last places you can still go and sing along with songs that you may have long ago forgotten the lyrics or even the melody to. You can join, Rosie Ingalls, Barb Miller and Blas Vallejo aka D.J. Blast for Good Times Karaoke on any given month. Whatever genre of music you like to sing… Country, Rock, Blues, Show tunes, Spanish, or even patriotic songs, you will probably find them here at our Sun Lakes Karaoke with Barb, Rosie & D.J. Blast. Join us on Sat., July 8 in the Main Clubhouse Ballroom followed by the South Clubhouse on Fri., July 28. The shows begin at 5:30 pm and go until 9 pm. If you can make it, we'll leave a mic on for you. We at Good Times Karaoke wish everyone a Happy Fourth of July! 26 | SUN LAKES LIFESTYLES | JULY 2017 | Karaoke Group Chorale We are reorganizing this summer in preparation for a new season beginning in September. New Director Mark Faber has set his sights on an exciting yet familiar holiday program. Mark's mission for the Chorale is "to keep singing in harmony with others for the enjoyment, enrichment, and education of our members and audiences." After Mark chooses the songs for our December program, he'll make the arrangements available to our accompanist, Sharalee Boyer, who will make part-specific CDs which we will duplicate for section members. We encourage all our members (plus new ones) to return in the fall. A picnic is planned for Aug 19, and a sing-along potluck will be held on Sept 8, the Friday before our first Monday rehearsal, which is scheduled for Sept. 11. If you'd like to join (or return to) the Chorale in the fall, be sure to let us know. For more information, contact Linda Vieira at 797-0315 or lvieira@eltree.com.

• Cover