Photo: Stephen Clarke
It has been too long to verify the year, but I do recall working on a children’s album at C and B studios, with Chuck Quappe on the control board and his wife Barrie delivering her silky backup vocals.
However something was missing from the tracks.
“Kids, that’s it - we need to have kids singing along, what good is a children’s album without children.” I forgot who made the suggestion; nevertheless it was a good one. A few days later we gathered a litter of offsprings and there amongst them was six year old Teri Quappe, daughter to Chuck and Barrie. Keeping it in the family was an OK idea, but could she sing?
I was blown away; this little mischievous devil that I’ve known since birth (she still affectionately calls me Uncle George) had the voice of an angel.
As she sang along, never missing a note her mom grinned with approval and her music scholarly dad sarcastically suggested that I should take vocal lessons from his six year old. Well, nearly two decades later Teri is still part of my recording sessions whenever I’m in need of some sweet polished harmony. I recall over the years when Chuck would sternly make Teri practice her tonality – “do re mi fa so la ti do”. I would simply roll my eyes.
Well it all paid off and on stage is where Teri really stands out amongst the rest. Put her in a theatre, turn on the spots and her vocals shine in The Wizard of OZ, Robin Hood, Fiddler on the Roof and Annie. What’s so amazing about Teri’s voice is its flexibility for any project, be it drama, studio or nightclub whatever the task, she can handle it and still maintain her own personality.
Teri has an ability to try anything out-of-the ordinary, for example when not on stage she’s behind the wheel of an ambulance responding to 911 calls, yet back on stage she might be dancing in the chorus line or sitting in the director’s chair. In fact just last year she was the choreographer and director for Godspell at the Prospect Playhouse and in the same play conveying her devilish pretend as Judas.