Soulful song bird

by Christi Marsico
Tuesday, June 10, 2008 12:51 PM MDT

Singer Pat Grace plugged in some cords and took a quick sip of her iced tea while talking to an elderly man at Garden Square assisted living center.

The man noted that she's a good artist because she can keep singing despite disturbances.

Grace thanked him as she adjusted her music stand and waited for the other folks at the center to get settled.

"It's good to see the whole gang here," Grace said. "Let's get this show on the road."

The volume on hearing aids was adjusted as the accompaniment music to Patsy Cline's "Sweet Dreams" began.

A few heads bobbed and some closed their eyes as this soulful singer set the ambience with warmth and memories.

As the afternoon unfolded, Grace sang a few more Patsy Cline songs, as well as classic standards, such as "(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons" and "You Made Me Love You (I Didn't Want to Do It)."

For the last 3-4 years, Grace has been serenading crowds at local assisted living centers once a month and also singing for private parties.

She has recorded two CDs with Milt Clark, featuring the same classic genres that she volunteers to sing at the centers.

"I try to bring them happy memories," Grace said.

This mother of four and a grandmother of nine wanted to be a Broadway singer and comedian as a child. Grace said she now feels blessed to share her talent with the community.

She took another sip of her ice tea and asked the Garden Square audience if they had been practicing.

A few ladies laughed and smiled while a nearby man declared "yes."

Encouraging the group to sing along, Grace held out her microphone to the crowd and slowly circled around to make sure everyone got a chance to be heard.

A majority of the folks swayed gently, tapping their feet and bobbing their heads to Grace's soothing tunes.

"We'll pretend this is a smoky bar," Grace said to them as the music for Etta James' "At Last" began.

Grace enjoys singing smoky bar blues songs the best, noting that she is an expressive person. Those songs speak to her and give her an emotional outlet.

"I get a lot more out of this than they do," Grace said.

The aroma of pot roast and powder floated into the room as Grace lifted her arms and began to dance with an imaginary partner.

"He's tall, good looking and rich," Grace said with a smile.

For her closing number, she put a Nat King Cole CD into her player and turned to the audience members, who are clearly her fans.

"My closing song is ‘Unforgettable,’ because that's how I feel about you all," Grace said.

After the last note was sung, she thanked the audience for showing up and announced upcoming events while a few elderly ladies waited by the side to thank her.

"I just hope to give them a part of their past," Grace said.

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