By Denise Marsh
Synchronicity
I’ve met some of my dearest and talented friends at Village Music and Café in Wellington. It’s almost like it brings everything and everyone “full circle”; It is a magical place. The really interesting thing is, so many people that work in the educational field have a side hustle in the arts. I first met “Chris” in passing at the café and she was very sweet and funny. The next time I “met” her she was singing with a band called “Derailed”. She has a presence about her; an affinity for bringing out the best in people. The night I heard her sing, I was so impressed with her skilled guitar playing and flexible vocals. Months later, Chris inspired me to do the open mic for musicians instead of the writers’ night (I am not sure that she was even aware of this influence she had over me). One day I was going through a situation, and she said to me, “you’re Spicey, D – you can handle anything.” The name kind of stuck and (five years later) she has as well….
I chose her for this interview because I have always been intrigued by her and now, we get to “learn” together. Let’s dive into the interview.
The Magic of Music
AW: You currently work in the field of Education. What is your position?
CRW: I am actually a therapist in Wellington for a High School. I work in a third-party situation and get “stationed” at a particular school.
AW: Do you feel like music has affected your job in counseling?
CRW: Yes. I actually use music a lot of times to connect with the kids. I don’t play my own music to the kids, but I do play music in the background. Many times, it relaxes the kids and opens up the lines of communication. I don’t know how the kids would react if I sang to them. I don’t think they believe that I actually sing, lol. They are so used to seeing me in this particular “role”.
AW: When did you know that you could sing and also play guitar?
CRW : I think in middle school. But I have a funny story for you. I was actually at an assembly in Middle School, and I saw this girl go up on stage. I was in 6th grade, and she was in 8th grade. She came up and played “Stairway to Heaven” and I was in awe and said to myself, “I want to do that”. My friend had a lot of nerve to be able to do that. We got together and formed a Duo and sang around for fun parties. My friend would help with the vocals. But then when I went away to college and stopped singing, I literally felt a “hole” in my life. Fast forward, years later I was still missing music and I saw an advertisement for “Adult Band camp” at Village Music and Café in Wellington. So, I called Donna Willey, one of the owners and said, “I started music but never came back to it, do you think this might be a good opportunity for me?”. Donna was very encouraging and said, “definitely give it a try”. So, I realized my friend, John, was in the camp so I would know him at the camp, and it seemed like a good idea. I dragged my guitar out that night and went out that night and John and I practiced. We had all these plans to start a band and he said, “wait, you’re going to be the singer because you are the only one that can sing “and so that happened. I think it isn’t just about someone being able to sing lyrics, but you also have to have guts to be able to play in front of others-that is a real skill. When you play an instrument that is a big deal, but singing is very important. I always loved to sing for fun in the car, in the shower and just privately. I had a “rumors” album I loved and of course, Led Zeppelin but I wanted to make more of it. I was extremely nervous to sing in front of other people.
In fact, I still get nervous performing in front of other people but knowing that I would be “in charge of” the singing part and not the instrument part too made it less stressful, more organized, and feasible to do. I liked that everyone would have their own “part” and I could focus on my own part which would be the singing. I don’t enjoy solo gigs as much. Although, ironically, I did some Facebook lives solo where I sang to an audience because it was an outlet for me and others being so isolated during Covid. I even took requests and was shocked that it ended up being very successful. I don’t know where I got the nerve to do that. It started out as me doing a song for my uncle’s birthday and I didn’t realize that it was going out to everyone, not just him. I thought I would do it and send it right to him, but it went to everyone, and it became popular. I started doing different dedications without even practicing to many people who requested specific songs. I actually ended up getting some gigs out of that whole situation.
AW: Is it true that you are the lead singer for two different bands?
CRW: Yes. I sing for both bands and some of the band members have “overlapped”. Remedy plays more versatile music like Amy Winehouse and Maroon 5 where SoulShine mostly does Classic, and Rock and Roll.
AW: Who are the members of each band?
CRW: The Soulshine band consists of : Bob Lombardo, Lead Guitar; Gene Garrison, Bass and Ron Wuraftic, Drums. Remedy shares Lead Guitar, Bob Lombardo; John Hayes, Bass and Lenny Townsend, Drums. I do Vocals and Guitar for both.
AW: Is it challenging trying to balance your day job with your night job?
CRW: No, because I either practice one time a week for each band or sometimes it is just a few hours on a Tuesday night or a Saturday. Plus, we only have a few gigs a month. It really isn’t anything overwhelming at all. It is not a burden because it is more of an outlet. I enjoy it and also it is a great stress reliever. Also, I get to be with friends and make new friends.
AW: What are two of your favorite songs to sing?
CRW: I really like to sing “Angel from Montgomery” (by John Prine) and “Valerie” (by Mark Ronson). The songs I sing for the two bands are in different styles, so I get a variation of music. When I am with SoulShine, a lot of the song selections are male driven whereas when I play with Remedy, I can play some of the other songs. I like that I can “change things up” which shows flexibility in range and style and also good practice for me.
AW: Do you write and perform your own music, or do you mostly play covers?
CRW: We do mostly covers with both bands. I have written some things on my own but haven’t had the nerve to play them, yet…Maybe I will one day. I would love to do a band collaboration but that’s a really hard thing to do. We will see – I will work on that!
AW: What is something special about you that people don’t know?
CRW: I have a very close relationship with my sons; I am very proud of them. My youngest is in the Airforce and my oldest works Wellington Auto Collision. I tend to be very stubborn, but I am also a very positive person. Also, I am technically a social introvert, lol.
AW: What are your future plans for your music and in general?
CRW: I will keep working and go to Nashville in the Summer. But for now, I am going to go back to work on August 5th and do my thing. In the future, I would love to have a duo with another female; two singers or possibly incorporate a piano player. It is actually easier to get more gigs that way; People are more apt to hire two or three people than a full band.
When I retire, I would like to become a foster parent and also travel more.
Pictured below: Remedy.
Hitting All the Right Notes
I feel honored to know Christine Walsh-Ranieri, (“Chris” to all her friends and fans.) She is full of surprises and her music always makes you want to dance. I hope that you will treat yourself to see/hear some of her music either with SoulShine or Remedy. Once you meet Chris you’ll fall in love with her magnetic personality! She has played at other locations like Winston Trails’ Clubhouse, but my favorite place to see her is at Village Music and Café in Wellington Florida. You can go to their website to see when Remedy or SoulShine will be performing there next. Make sure you make reservations as both bands truly pack the house!
Notes: For more information on Adult Band Camp contact Donna or Steve Willey at Village Music and Café in Wellington.
Video clips of Chris Walsh-Ranieri with the SoulShine band below.