My name is AmandaBailey and I have been enjoying and learning music since I was a very little girl. I always loved hearing my grandparents sing and play musical instruments. My Grandma Shane played both the organ and the piano in her home and my Grandpa Shane has the most beautiful bass voice I ever heard. My Grandpa Roberts was in a Big Band growing up and played the spoons. My dad would always sing us to sleep on his guitar, and tell us about his High School Band. It was from these stories and moments in my life that my love and appreciation for music began. 

After watching others in my family learn to play instruments I really wanted to learn to play the piano. I begged my mom  to let me have lessons. After a few trials of my mom and sister teaching me, my Grandma Roberts finally told my mom she would pay for me to have lessons.

My first recital was a Christmas Recital in 1992, and I played “Up on the House Top”. I knew then I loved the piano and wanted to continue learning. 

It wasn't long after my first recital that I became interested in singing. In 6th grade they had a musical called "Of Mice and Mozart.” I remember it so well,my best friend had to dress up like a chicken! Anyway, After participating in the Musical I loved to sing and I joined the school choir. 

I continued to take my piano lessons, but I spent most of my time singing. At the end of my high school career, I was given many opportunities by my High School Choir Director to combine both. He would allow me to come into the concert choir classes and play as the accompanist. He encouraged me to to join Drama and do the Musical "Music Man" where I was cast as a sales man and a gossiping pick-a-little lady. He would send me home with Sonata Music from his own piano library and encourage me to perform solo performances, helping me learn memorization on the piano. He also encouraged me to join the local community college Choir with him as the director. 

I felt empowered by him and his encouragement and it is because of him I continued the next 2 years of my education getting an AA in Liberal Arts taking advanced choir and piano courses and beginning to teach children in our church community lessons. He passed away of Brain Cancer about 10 years ago; however the impact he made on me as an educator and teacher will last a lifetime.