ABOUT LYNNE
“I have been a teacher and singer for over 30 years. I am passionate about both. I have given master classes in London, Edinburgh, Amsterdam and Los Angeles. One thing is certain… Singing Rocks!”
I was classically Bel Canto trained but always felt that I was being told to breathe in too deeply and to raise my chest too high. This resulted in not being able to reach my top range. I came away from classical training and moved into heavy rock singing. This brought different demands vocally, and I knew there were times I was straining my voice. I needed a more contemporary sound, and a technique that would develop my range and protect my voice.
After studying with several other teachers in the UK, I still wasn't able to get the answers I wanted. That changed when I came across a book called 'Singing for the Stars” by author Seth Riggs. He had developed exercises for contemporary singing, and I found the approach I had been looking for.
I was able to get in touch with the man himself and discovered he was an amazing vocal coach to several Grammy winners, including Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Luther Vandross, Barbra Streisand and many, many more great artistes.
I flew out to Los Angeles and started one to one lessons with Seth Riggs. After a few months I was asked to become an associate - the FIRST UK associate of Seth Riggs. I was the only English teacher working for him at his student summer camp in Bel Air, Los Angeles, where I also met and learnt from teachers and students from San Francisco, Las, Vegas, Chicago, Nashville and Sydney, Australia. I am no longer an associate but I amassed a hugely valuable amount of knowledge from the whole American experience.
“I believe we are all capable of singing but we are all prone to bad habits and fear of failing”.
Large ornate gates welcomed us in.There were rides, arcades, amusements galore, swimming pool, sunken trampolines, Indian Teepees and horses. A bright red steam train took the students around the whole campus.
At lunchtime a wonderful barbecue was served by Michael Jackson's staff. Piped Cinderella music was on constantly. After lunch the students were plied with popcorn, candy floss and other sweet goodies, to be eaten when they all went into Michael Jackson's 50 seat movie theatre to see 'Planet of the Apes'.
After that followed rides on the ferris wheel, carousel and dodgems, and more candy. Along with an elephant and giraffe, there were snakes and a reptile and insect area.
I had a tarantula spider placed on me, which made me very nervous .The tarantula keeper picked up the spider to find it had wet my chest. He told me that the spider liked me!
Although it was a wonderful day with so much to see and do, behind the Disney music and the jolliness of the fairground was a memory of underlying sadness.
Chief features writer Tom King of the Evening Echo learning how to sing.
“ I could hear the difference after only 12 weeks”
DEE HUNTER
Before: Fallen Angel
"Recording taken of my voice before training with Lynne Austin-Dutton"
After: Evergreen
"Recording after 12 weeks of training with Lynne"
