Michele Lane
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Michele Lane

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"Lawyer's music binds her to friends"

Lawyer's music binds her to friends
San Ramon resident produces Musical Gift Card suitable for Girlfriends

By Michelle Fitzhugh-Craig, STAFF WRITER – Tri Valley Harold - March 7, 2006

SAN RAMON — Michele Lane is proud to say she gets by with a little help from her friends.
Through constant moves as a child, a rocky first marriage, a divorce, working full time while going to law school at night, opening a private practice and even through the struggles of being a single mother, her friends stuck by her.
It was their dedication that prompted her to write a special song to them. This particular song I wrote in 2000 for my high school girlfriends and some other friends of mine who helped me along the way, Lane explains.
Its really about how all along the way, they were there. And no matter how old you get or how fat you get or whatever is happening in your life, they’re there.
To help solve problems ... and go shopping, she adds with a smile. Understanding the special bond girlfriends have with one another, the San Ramon resident decided to turn her song into a musical gift card that women everywhere can share with their own girlfriends. I think it is a way to celebrate those special friendships that women have with one another that can’t be duplicated with any other relationship, says Lane, 56.
The CD, Girlfriends, is an upbeat jazzy tune that touches the heart, puts a smile on the face and causes feet to start tapping. The card includes the songs lyrics, space to write a personal note and comes in a uniquely designed package that is a self-contained mailer so a woman can send it to her friends as is. The greeting card recently was made available to the public through Lanes Web site, http://www.girlfriendsmusic.com, and at two local shops; Girlfriends in Danville and Belinda M Designs in Walnut Creek. The cost of the musical gift CD varies by location, but runs about $10 each.
I was amazed at the concept. ... It was wonderful, says Belinda McNeely. The owner of Belinda M Designs hadn’t even listened to the CD until after she agreed to sell it in her women’s apparel and accessories shop. Women buy gifts for other women all the time, and they have a great deal of respect for their friends. Aside from the concept of girlfriends, I was so impressed with this ladies talents.
Always having been a car and shower singer, Lane says she didn’t sing in public until 1998. It was prompting from her second husband, Duane Schmidt, to sing at his company’s talent show that got her on stage. She agreed before realizing that the little talent show turned out to be at the Ronald Reagan International Trade Center in Washington, D.C., in front of about 2,500 people. She got through her first solo performance wearing a costume resembling the company’s logo and was an instant hit.
Lane began rewriting songs for special occasions. As her confidence grew, she began singing in public more, performing at special events and writing her own material. Today, when a new melody or words come to mind, Lane gets help from her arranger to create a song. Her debut CD, Letting Go, her lifes journey to this point through song, also is available on her Web site.
A San Ramon attorney who specializes in employment law with an emphasis on training and enforcement of discrimination law, Lane also wanted to recognize her friends who are breast cancer survivors and those who lost their lives to the disease. A portion of CD sales goes to the American Cancer Society, designated specifically to help fund breast cancer research.
It’s a way that, when people buy these, there is a contribution that can be made. ... It’s a better way of supporting breast cancer (research) than I just could by writing a check based on what I do for a living, says Lane.
When he is not at his day job as a software salesman, Schmidt serves as his wife’s business manager. He says he enjoys experiencing his wife’s second career. I think it’s wonderful, it’s a great joy, says Schmidt, his eyes getting misty as he glances at his wife with pride. It brings tears. ... What I see in her (when she sings) is her heart comes out.
Lane says her other biggest fans include her 27-year-old son, who lives in North Carolina, and daughter, 20, who attends Chico State. Lane and Schmidt say they wish they could quit their day jobs and focus on the music they both say is a blessing.
I do love what I do with the law, Lane says. It gives me an opportunity to allow people to feel heard, work through their emotions and still keep the workplace safe. But I love to write music. For me, if I could sit at a little piano someplace ... I would love to be able to do more of these gift cards for people and occasions and write songs that make people think and cherish their relationships. I’m just going to follow the spirit and see what happens in the future. If I can contribute to raising, elevating the one song to be a little more healing, loving and fun, then that’s what Id - Tri Valley Harold - 3/7/06


Discography

The "Letting Go" album is available at www.MicheleSings.com; CDBaby.com, iTunes and about 40 downloads sites around the world.

The "Girlfriends" single in the form of a "Girlfriends Music Gift Card" is available at www.GirlfriendsMusic.com and selected boutiques in the US.

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Bio

Michele’s energetic personality permeates her music...she has that "certain something" that commands the listener's attention and pulls people into the spell she weaves with her distinctive voice. Her presence exudes confidence and most importantly her sheer joy in performing. Once you have been in her presence, you will keep coming back for more.

She is an outstanding singer, songwriter, recording artist and captivating entertainer with a scintillating and seductive style. Her repertoire of original songs reveals her comedic flare which can be customized to fit any venue and never fails to keep audiences coming back for more. Equally at home with Broadway, Jazz standards and R & B she has the versatility to entertain in nightclubs, cabaret, concerts and dinner theatre.

Her music is being enjoyed around the world has international sales continue to grow. Michele has performed in a wide range of venues from the Ronald Ragan Convention Center in Washington DC for a sit down dinner for 2,500, to small jazz clubs in San Francisco, and charity events at private estates which boast of 10,000 sq foot ballrooms just for such events. The past few years she has been touring, Austria, Czech Republic and Italy with the Blackhawk Chorus including performing at the Vatican.

Here is an excerpt from a new article titled:
Lawyer's music binds her to friends by producing a musical gift card suitable for “GIRLFRIENDS”.

Its really about how all along the way, they were there. And no matter how old you get or how fat you get or whatever is happening in your life, they’re there.

To help solve problems, and go shopping, she adds with a smile. Understanding the special bond girlfriends have with one another, the San Ramon resident decided to turn her song into a musical gift card that women everywhere can share with their own girlfriends. I think it is a way to celebrate those special friendships that women have with one another that can’t be duplicated with any other relationship, says Lane, 56.

The song, “Girlfriends”, is an upbeat jazzy tune that touches the heart, puts a smile on the face and causes feet to start tapping. The card includes the songs lyrics, space to write a personal note and comes in a uniquely designed package that is a self-contained mailer so a woman can send it to her friends as is. The greeting card recently was made available to the public through specialized boutiques and her personal web site, www.girlfriendsmusic.com.