Karaoke Forums

…singing karaoke-in-public, experience/song?

(not sure if this would be more appropriate in the “singer’s forum”, but I figured this might be okay)

I’m new here, and I’m sure a lot of you guys know each others' history, but maybe some newbies might enjoy reading/sharing.  

Looong time ago - I was hanging with a buddy while he was setting up to run the house karaoke rig at some little dive down the street.  Remember those big-HUGE discs?  

Nobody was in the bar yet, and he told me to sing a song.  I told him to not waste his breath, I was not going to sing on a mic, even in an empty bar, not even in front of him, just forget it, drop it, let it gooooo!

Oh… he’s a persistent one!

I remember I picked a Beatles song, cause I thought it would be easy.  

Needless to say, a couple practice songs under my belt, some liquid confidence and hearing some other singers…

Well, that was mine.  

as far as karaoke goes i was with 2 friends and 1 swore if i got up to sing he would....not having sung for a long time i was kinda nervous about it but figured what the heck, i'll go for it....so i sang and he backed out saying he was to drunk now, yet 5 min. earlier he said he wasn't drunk enough. go figure l....

Billy

Ah yes, I remember it well. I was working at a bar as "Entertainment Director" which meant part time bartender and singer of dirty songs, teller of dirty jokes, and general pain the the donkey.  I loved that job.

The boss was having two guys come in and demo this new thing called "karaoke" and the place was packed.  Everyone was singing and having a great time and I was just watching and nothing more.  It was about the end of the evening when the karaoke guy came to me (he was a friend) and insisted that I sing something.  I picked one at random from the selection of about 200 songs and sang "Rocky Mountain High" and the crowd yelled out for me to do another (mostly becasue they were all too drunk) but the song they wanted wasn't in the book so I did what came naturally at that bar and seemed perfectly natural to me.  I grabbed the house guitar, which brought a hail of Boos.  Realizing my faux pas and not wanting to be killed by a rain of Budwiser missles, I withdrew.  Thus ended my life as a solo performer and began a new one as  KJ.    I think I hate John Denver now....

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Okay, who took my pants?

when I first started singing karaoke, I was nervous. It had been literally decades since I'd last sang in a public place... and then, there were 18 other folks in the chorus! I had two solos, and they weren't very long, and I was always nervous when I sang them!

Flash forward nearly 20 years, and suddenly I'm in a bar with people singing... some good, some bad, some REALLY bad. I thought I could do as well as the really bad ones, and after a few weeks of going to this venue, decided to try it. I was nervous as all get out, but the KJ made a crack to me when I handed her my slip. And this was after a few beers to work up the nerve to do this... being judged by an entire bar full of folks was very nerve wracking!

Me: "Um, I've never done this before!"
Her: (with a wicked grin) "But have you ever done KARAOKE before?"

I started to laugh, and then really got the joke. It did more to alieviate most of my fears than the buzz I had from the beer.

My first song was ok (extremely weak voice, shaking from being nervous, I stared at the screen as the words came across and highlighted), and I daresay I wasn't the worst in the room. I certainly wasn't the best. I chose a song that was comfortable to me as it was one I considered "MY" song from an age ago. But I'll tell ya, I loved the experience, and immediately went from a virgin to a ho in a night! !

I thought karaoke was a joke when I first heard of it when I was 20 - was running sound for bands since I was 16 (could be in bars if you were working but couldn't drink but couldn't leave the spot you were working).  My parents bought a karaoke machine for home using tapes, then started going out to karaoke almost nightly when they found a place that did 'LaserKaraoke' - words actually highlighted on the screen as you sang.  The talked about how much fun they always had.  When I turned 21 they brought me in to one of their hangouts.  I went to drink & listen - nothing more.  Sound was terrible IMO, they were literally using home speakers off of an all in one Pioneer laserdisc unit - no amps, mixers or anything.  Sound was distorted but for some reason people didn't seem to care, but then again, there was nothing good to compare it to as far as karaoke venues.
So I went out with them for a while & finally went to a new place with them - it ran 5 nights 9-close.  They actually had real sound gear (1990), 4 3 way 15" Peavey speakers, bi-amped, real mixer, effects, BBE.  This was the best karaoke sound in it's day.  I started going there with friends of mine without the parents (or would stay till close after they left) - drinks were great.  Got to know many of the people & one night I had enough Tequila poppers the host asked if I wanted to sing the last song - no one but my friends & a couple others, so I said sure.  Did Nights In White Satin & haven't looked back.  This place was packed & heard people commenting all the time on how good the sound was (at this point in time it was great for karaoke).  Unfortunately, one night had weird power brownouts throughout the night, never going all the way off, but lights would be dimming in different sections of the bar, after we all left, the place burned down.  I continued to follow the host/company, he had several other shows with comparible equiment in each venue with the largest selection of music (at the time), 31 Pioneer laserdiscs which equates to about 868 songs.  I started working for this company as there set up/tear down guy (roadie), but made more doing that than running sound - at this time this company was making $250-350 PER show & they were running nearly 3 shows each night of the week - paying their hosts $50 per night (this was good in '90).  
Eventually this company split up & I went with one of the new spawn company from tem closer to my area.  Worked with them helping them upgrade their equipment from the cheap stuff they were using to pro grade - triamped system (with subs - a first for the area in karaoke, man our shows WERE PACKED) for 3 years while purchasing my equipment & discs & started my own company in '94.  My first system consisted of
Peavey Unity 8 mixer
Peavey CS800 power amp
Peavey CS1000 power amp
Peavey VSX 2 way crossover
2 Ross speakers customized with Peavey Black Widow drivers, compression driver & bi-amp capable crossover.
BBE Sonic Maximizer
Alesis Midiverb 3 effects
Alesis MEQ230 dual 31 band eq
Peavey Powered floor monitor with a cheap Rat Shack 5 band eq (lol)
2 Pioneer laserplayers capable of cdg playback  
3 Shure SM58 mics (which 2 are still in active duty use today - I sold the other)
Had most of the Pioneer, Nu-Tech, Tip-Tip laserdisc library & about 100 Sound Choice & Music Maestro discs.  Yeah I learned fast on the bad brands & quit buying them over the better quality.  Still have all those orignal cdg's & laserdiscs & they too are in active duty.

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            Um,......how about cassette tapes and lyric sheets?   My dad's LIONS club installation dinner.  The host looked like the female of the Saturday Night Live lounge duo.  She had MAYBE 100 songs.  NO one was singing. I felt bad for the lady, and they DID have an open bar......My very first karaoke song?  Would you believe "Mame"?????  


            Anyway, once I broke the ice, my brother went up and sang "Oklahoma"  (oh boy, SHOW TUNES!), then EVERYONE got into the act, including a re-singing of Mame with a rockettes-style dance line.  :dancin:    My father (the new King LION) later told me how glad he was that I came..........actually a very good memory....

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"No Contests, No Divas, Just A Good Time!"

" Disc based and loving it..."

My first time was in Arizona.... I was with my ex and his nephew.. We had taken him out for his 21st birthday...  A lot of liquor was flowing and they talked me into it.. They didn't sing but I did cause I was(in the words of someone else around here) 10 foot tall and bullet proof!!!!LOL.. I sang Madonna (cause we all think we can), Like a virgin..... I haven't sang the song since but I haven't put down the microphone either... Now no matter where I roam to I always find the nearest Karaoke bar and put a song in....

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Will sing or fish for food!!I'm not quite right!!

I remember some of the first time I sang karaoke.
It was at a little bar in Houston ,Texas called the Relief Pitcher (catchy name)
I was convinced that I should sing "Don't be Cruel" . It was cruel ,but I had a great time. I then learned some songs that were actually in my vocal range and began to frequent more and more venues.
By the way it is much more fun if you are not overly imbibing on adult beverages.
I look for new spots all the time but think we finally found a place to be regulars in OKC with Richard and Susie.
All of you guys that are "scared" because of what your friends will say,
You had the fortitude to get up and do something they won't and you will meet new friends.
Blue

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The main difference between monkeys and man..............
Thumbs

My first time was about 4-5 years ago.  CAVS JB jukebox unit.   Small separate room in a huge bar.   Although I never went further than that room,  I hung there 3-4 times a week for over a year trying to learn to sing.  I liked the cassette feature on the side.  Enabled me to hear what I sounded like  :(

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

My first time was 18 years ago in Hawaii. Some friends took me to a karaoke club and put in a song for me. It was Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys. By the time it was my turn I had heard about 20 singers and thought I would be OK no matter how bad I did.

Oh, THAT first time...  :D

(sorry, a bit of ill humor)

Got my first little "tape" karaoke machine as a gift in 1990. So I sang at home with the few tapes I had. Then, in 1992 at my hubby's company christmas dinner, I got up in a crowd for the first time. It was scary, my knees were knocking, and my heart was pounding louder than the music. But I made it through. I sang "Blue Kentucky Girl" by Emmylou Harris. I'll never forget that night, it was fun:) My first taste of karaoke applause.... it was addicting.

.

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♥ Laugh your heart out, dance in the rain. Cherish the memories, ignore the pain. Love and learn, forget and forgive. Because you only have one life to live. ♥

yes but how did you get on wiv the girl?

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"Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those that matter... Don't mind...And those that mind... Don't matter."

you are right Charmin no girl ever forgets her first...it was 1994
I was judging at a horse show and because it was quite a long way from home, was being billeted with one of the show committee members. They had an after show function in an old hall...the ladies of the committee provided the meal and there was a 12inch disc player. We are talking the middle of nowhere so something like that was a huge novelty. I sang Dont it make your brown eyes blue and crazy yeah yeah I know I am the girl who doesnt know any country...but it was a country show and that was about all there was
I too was hooked

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"Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those that matter... Don't mind...And those that mind... Don't matter."

1947 Rocky Ridge Elemenary I sang in the room for grades 1-4..Tennessee Waltz & Cool Water. Probably 40 kids. Since then it has become a very small catholic church whic only does mass in latin. The next time was in '67 when 6th fleet flag admiral was giving a beach party in Athens for the prime miister of Greece I sang Dayo maybe 4000...

BK (before karaoke) we jammed in bars all over the world..I have entertained many and other than an occasional drink never charged a dime.I have emCeed functions and sang for large crowds.

AK (after karaoke) A gal started doing karaoke in a small bar in Wellington Co..My home town..She keppt buuging me to sing OK let me know when She called me up I dont need no music I sang Bllod In The Saddle Tex Ritter. My old buddys were falli8ng off their bar stools She was in total shock.. IThe next song was real karaoke and I sang Your Cheatin Heart Dont ask me for a year after while you loose track Been hooked ever since.

So thats my story best I can recall..

Music has sent and acompanied me on many binges. It also kept me sober for manyyears.. Without it I would be nothing....

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First time?  Oh I remember it too well!  Boyfriend at the time, was doing a job and of course I went everywhere with him.  He sang beautifully, and so did my daughter.  She is the reason we met in the first place.  Dragged me to a karaoke to hear her, and ended up marrying the KJ!  (Many years later!)  Anyway, went all over with him.  He said he could hear me sing in the van on the way to jobs and I had a great voice so I should try it.  Finally one night with some friends and my daughter I snuck a song in with her name on the slip, and shook like crazy  knowing I was going to give this a try.  He came up to her for her turn, handed her the mic, with a strange look, (must of known she wouldn't sing that song), but walked away.  The music started , all my friends stood around me to hide, and I sang the only song I thought I would know well enough to make a fool out of myself with.  I could hear my daughter saying, "Mom he is looking all  around, he knows it isn't me!"  I sang "Your Good Girls Gonna Go Bad".  Tammy Wynette.  Well when I finished, I got a huge clap from the crowd, and a big "You were great from him."  I have been singing for almost 14 years now, and not to badly I might say.  He is still great and if it weren't for him, I would never have gotten the courage to ever get up in front of anyone to do something like that.  It really gets in your blood and your whole being.  I love it.  Started doing jobs myself, we did real well.  He continues, I just go out now and then and sing.  We aren't together anymore, but I would love to hear him sing again.  I guess we all have had a first, and I am sure have all felt the fear.
But, wouldn't trade that first experience for the world.

I don't drink, and I don't watch TV. So believe it or not, I had never seen karaoke when I went to dinner with my family in April 2005. There was a karaoke host in the restaurant, and my cousins wanted to stay and sing. I had never sang before, other than "Happy Birthday", Christmas carols, and once a year around the piano at a party, but my wife and I got up and did "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'" together. Was there a funky version of that with Nancy Sinatra actually on video? That's what I recall, anyway. I also got up and did a couple of other songs.

One thing led to another, and when I quit smoking I decided I would take up singing as a hobby to give me an incentive not to start smoking again. Well, there is nothing more dangerous than a middle-aged man with a new hobby. It is almost 2 years later, and I have a complete live sound setup with 450 CDG disks, a PC, self-written karaoke software (I am a software developer by trade) and an insatiable desire to go to karaoke despite the fact that I find bars boring beyond belief. I do amateur KJ work (state parks, clubs, other non-drinking venues) and am starting to do live sound for some local musicians.

Do you recall what Nancy Sinatra looked like on her Sugar Town album  :shock:

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

I would like to say I was her body double...but...

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"Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those that matter... Don't mind...And those that mind... Don't matter."

So it's fair to say Matt recalls  LOL

I was a huge fan of several of Nancy Sinatras albums.  Never listened to one though !  

(Had no interest in the music or hearing her.)

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".