The MS Concert for the Cure

On Sunday, October 28th, I attended a very special benefit concert, MS Concert for the Cure, at The 120 Tavern & Music Hall. 

Jeanne Wilkie Yuhaschek, who suffers from MS, reached out to musicians to help her raise awareness and money for a cure for Multiple Sclerosis.  Having friends affected by this chronic, often disabling disease, Angela Reign jumped on board, as she truly believes in using her many talents to help raise awareness for diseases without a cure.  Southside of the Tracks, the home-grown, southern rock band from Marietta, Ga., opened the show.

I had the good fortune to interview Angela Reign prior to her performance.  As with many musicians, she grew up around music through church.  In fact, when she was 9-yrs old, she was already singing in the adult church choir.  From middle school throughout college, she competed in choir competitions and participated in many musical productions, often landed lead roles. 

Unbelievably, Angela was a shy kid, but far from a wallflower on stage.  She aimed to make every performance a magical experience for all in attendance.  She said, “As cliché as it may sound, my life was the stage, and I knew it always would be.”

Her parents shaped her love for music.  “My mom sang to me from a very early age; everything from the Big Bopper to Elvis Presley.  Then my Dad introduced me to the 70’s greatest rockers such as the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Fleetwood Mac, etc.  Listening to his old Big Chill soundtrack spinning on the record player is one of my favorite memories.”  She also stated, “I was a product of the 80s with my older sister, jamming to Prince, Madonna, Michael Jackson and the hair bands.  Music helps me connect to some of my earliest memories.  Some people say the sense of smell can bring back memories from the deepest parts of their brain, but for me it is music.  Overall, music is part of my every day.  I still love relaxing to some of my dad’s old 45s.  Music is my church; my worship!”

I asked Angela about her musical style and how it evolved.  “My musical style has evolved quickly, going from an acoustic duo to a high-powered 5-piece band in the first year,” she said.  “But in all ways, I’ve stayed true to delivering with passion.  I bring a sense of theatre to my stage performance and make every song a one-act play.  I become the character in every song.  My influences run the gambit from Lady Antebellum to Lady Gaga. I want to sing moving songs and perform them with unparalleled passion and power.”

She continued, “I never expected to be performing on some of the stages I get to grace now and perform in front of some of the audiences I have had the opportunity to perform for these past 2 years.  The evolution from a duo playing for small crowds to a full band performing at some of the most prestigious venues in Atlanta has been amazing!  I still pinch myself.”

Angela’s roots and growing up in the church run deep.  When asked if she uses her music as therapy, her words were, “Yes.  Music really is the language of God for me.  I feel it, sense it, and embrace it as part of my very soul and being.  I don’t think I could exist without it.”

Before a performance, she listens to music - of course - to energize.  She also drinks lots of water to stay hydrated, and performs a 30 min yoga routine to calm her nerves.  “I believe in getting my mind and body ready so I can give my fans my all, because that’s what they deserve. Whether 30 show up or 3,000, I’m going to bring everything I have to the performance.”  And what a performance it was!  Forget Jane Fonda or Jillian Michaels, if you want a workout, try keeping up with Angela’s moves on stage.  Whew, I got tired just watching her!

Her musical taste is very eclectic.  Before a show, she puts her iPad on shuffle, but finds myself flipping forward to the following artists:

• John Mayer
• Adele
• Allison Krauss
• Evanescence
• Rascal Flatts
• Kenny Loggins
• Fleetwood Mac
• Bob Seger

Since giving back is paramount, Angela gives the following advice for young, aspiring artists:

• Don’t ever forget why you sing or play music
• Network, network, and network!
• Don’t ever leave a stage feeling like you didn’t give it everything…blood, sweat, & tears.
• Tear it up on stage and perform with passion.
• Surround yourself with a team that believes in your dream as much as you do!
• Concentrate as much on the business side of music as the music itself…it is a business after all!  (do this if you want it to be more than a hobby)
• Don’t be afraid to fail; you will learn from it!

So, what’s next for Angela Reign?  Jimmy Macs on Nov 3rd, Smith’s Olde Bar on Jan 5th, and she and the band are working on our next EP in the studio.  As we ended the interview, she shared, “We have some amazing new songs planned for the New Year, and we are gearing up for 2013 to become the hottest band in the Southeast!”

My dear readers please make an effort to catch a performance, because this vivacious singer has a set of pipes that a church organ would envy.  When it comes to talent, all I have to say is, “Angela totally reigns!”

For more information about MS, and to donate to the cause, contact Jeanne Wilkie Yuhaschek  by clicking here. 

For more information about Angela Reign, visit her website, www.angelareign.com.