I never really thought I could sing. Not in front of people anyway, and
don't even think about putting me on a stage. So what happened that I'm hanging out in bars just waiting to get up onstage and belt out a tune?

It all started in April 2006. I was new to town, and had made a few friends. These friends went to a place called O'Briens on Friday nights. I had gone to a concert, and the friends I was with wanted to go to a bar for a beer. My friends had said to try to come by, so I suggested that bar. We went, and I discovered a place I could really be myself. I wasn't brave enough to sing that night, but I vowed I would go back. The next Friday came, and I (not so bravely) got up and sang for the first time. Ok, so it sucked. But as I got comfortable and made friends, I realized that I was getting better. My voice was stronger, and I was getting compliments from everywhere. It was amazing, and I was having a ball. Soon, I felt weird if I missed a Friday. Like something was totally missing from my week.

Flash forward about a year. O'Brians is a fixture in my life, and I'm having a grand ol' time. Coyote has been bugging me to go out and get to some other
venues, see some different people, try a different night... so I talk Chick (Kim) into coming with me to the Cock n' Lion on a Thursday. All of a sudden, my love for karaoke turned into an outright addiction. I hit as many shows as I could in the next week. I played my little heart out, and loved every second of it. I really became the Mouse of Dog and Pony Sound... and darnit, I want to stay.

For me, karaoke is as much about the people as it is the music. I'm not the best singer in the world, but the other Pals (and people in the bars) make me feel like I am. I have such a great time at the Dog and Pony shows, no matter what venue I'm at or who is hosting. It's this big fuzzy family, and I'm part of it. It's such a great thing, I don't ever want to lose it.

~Emily (a.k.a. Mouse}