We were lucky to catch up with Anne House recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Anne, thanks for joining us today. Do you wish you had started sooner?

If I could go back in time – wow! What a prospect!

I’m a big fan of time-travel stories – books, movies, etc and I can’t imagine really changing much because of what I would have lost out on. I would have liked to try sooner than 50 but I would have lost out on my kids and such.

I’ve been singing for a very long time, since I was about 5. Always in chorale groups though. Since I was young, I’ve wanted to be a singer. Dreams of being on the stage were common. But I’ve always been a ……fluffy girl so those dreams were pretty remote – then wasn’t the time. I grew up, had a family, took workshops and classes. Once my kids were grown, though – all bets were off! I could start doing things for myself. With the advent of artists like Megan Blue, Sarah Potenza, Katie Kadan and Jennarie I thought “well, maybe I can”. Then came Lizzo and Keala Settle I was finally convinced that at the ripe age of 50 I could……… And now I do!

Anne, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

By trade, I’m a computer technician – software support – but I’ve been singing since I was 5 or 6. First with my church in the children’s choir (Thank you, John Erickson!), then in school and other choirs/madrigals/small group singers, and in college. Later, I sang in the Society for Creative Anachronism, a worldwide medieval recreation society – bardic arts are a thing there! Recently (pre-covid) the company I worked for offered a buyout and I thought hard about this one – ultimately, I decided that I would try to pursue music. My company opted not to accept my buyout request, so I pursued it part-time. What I needed most though, was information. I talked to people but felt like I wasn’t getting anywhere. How to get the info? Well, a podcast – interview-style with music – was created! Open Mic w/Anne House gives local musicians a platform to talk about their experiences and their musical journey, and I get to ask questions!

Here’s the thing – local music is so very important! Not only do you get a boost in the community, Usually, you get better music, you can afford to eat and/or drink – therefore supporting the venue that puts people in the community to work – and you can tip the musician, keeping them in business. All this for less than the cost of a ticket to the “big names”. Our community prospers, and that musician is on the path to being bigger and bigger. We need that.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

This is going to sound a little weird, but it’s the jaw drop. I am a dramatic soprano, and I like watching people hear me for the first time – jaws usually drop and heads swivel. Like I said – a little weird, but there it is

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

I am a big proponent of shopping local – from your farmers market to the little family-owned convenience store. Music *is* a local business. Consider this: tickets for one of the big-name shows in the metroplex can run upwards of $150 each (for a good seat, anyway). Then there is parking at about $25, a beer at $10 each, dinner at $50 (minimum), and most likely a stay at a hotel (because 1 beer is not really all you’ll drink, and we all know that!). And now, consider how much it costs you to go to a local musician – a beer might cost $5, dinner $30 and at most, the door fee is about $10. The music is better, and you can chip into their tip jar really well! You’ll support the local economy better by going to a local music event.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.annehousemusic.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/isingsoprano51/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/openmicwannehouse/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@openmicwannehouse