by Eddie LeShure

Born in Steubenville, Ohio, Wendy Hayes has always loved music and singing.

However, being quite shy as a child, she would never sing front of anyone.  Yet this shyness could not suppress her desire to communicate through music, and at age 12 she took up the flute.  She could then express those ideas and thoughts for which she could not find words. Small wonder then that jazz, steeped in improvisation and deep personal expression, now provides an intriguing medium for her.

Wendy attended Appalachian State University on a flute scholarship and it was there that shyness gave way to the deep desire to sing. During her sophomore year, she changed her major to Vocal Performance and her career was launched.

In college, she focused primarily on opera and art song, winning competitions locally, statewide, and regionally. A two-time winner of ASU’s prestigious concerto-aria competition, Wendy also received 1st runner up in the NC NATSAA competition in 1998.  After hours, she would sing standards wherever she could find a microphone and an audience. Wendy went on to complete her Master’s Degree in Vocal Performance, also at ASU, and then joined the voice faculty for 8 years before embarking on a full time, professional singing/acting career.

More than 15 years as a professional singer and actress has allowed Wendy to perform in regional theatres and club/cabaret venues from the Southeast to Tokyo. She’s appeared in leading roles on the stages of Flat Rock Playhouse, Florida Repertory Theatre, Little Theatre on the Square (Illinois), Blowing Rock Stage Company, Opera Carolina, Tokyo Disney, and on several cruise ships as production singer/dancer and headliner – to mention just a few. During that time Wendy wrote two one-woman shows.  She received additional training at University of Louisville, The Institute of Vocal Performance Pedagogy with Richard Miller at Oberlin College, and through the Brevard Music Center Opera Program.

In 2009, Wendy debuted “Everything is Rosie” (a tribute to her all-time favorite girl singer Rosemary Clooney), and in 2010 “Ladies and Gentlemen”, which celebrates such pioneers as Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Peggy Lee and Ella Fitzgerald. “I believe they’re all relevant today, as the ability to interpret a lyric never goes out of style. To be moved by a lyric is one of the greatest experiences, and you’re talking about masters here.”

Her debut album “I Remember You” was released December 24, 2010. Backed by a superb quartet featuring Andy Page (guitar), Zack Page (bass) and Rick Dilling (drums), plus special guest Jim Calabrese on tenor sax/clarinet, Wendy croons swing tunes and ballads from the Great American Songbook.

The quartet is now working on a new as yet untitled CD, which is taking the group in a different direction. “It’s all about jazz and not just crooning. This time we’ll stretch out more and the approach will show more diversity.” explains Hayes. “We have everything from swing to funk to original music.  It’s very exciting. I used to want to be like Rosemary Clooney who I love, but now I wish to be Chet Baker and Dee Dee Bridgewater’s love child – with a dash of Tierney Sutton for spice! I’m looking to chart new territory for myself”

“Wendy is always pushing herself to expand her repertoire into more difficult material.  She’s not afraid of a challenging piece of music and her pitch and vocal control is so precise, she’s able to tackle difficult material and nail it.”

~ Bassist Zack Page

I asked Wendy how she chooses her material, “Picking songs is pretty easy for me. Does it move me in some way and do I think it’ll be a challenge musically and/or emotionally?  If so, I’m in!  I’ve recently discovered that I’ve outgrown some songs that no longer challenge me. This is probably why I now enjoy performing tunes of Monk, Silver, and the like…not that I’ve left ALL the standards behind! : )”

“Wendy has the attributes of all the great jazz singers – great sense of rhythm, beautifully clear tone, amazing range – and she moves within many styles with ease and conveys the meaning of the lyrics with emotion and feeling!”

~ Drummer Rick Dilling

www.wendyhayes.net