Ausschnitt aus einem Interview, in dem Myrna ein bißchen aus ihrem Leben erzählt:


JOE KREIN: CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF. WHERE WERE YOU BORN AND RAISED?

MYRNA SMITH : I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN SOUTH NEW JERSEY. I'M NOT TO FAR FROM YOU. A LOT OF MY FAMILY STILL LIVES THERE. I MOVED TO CALIFORNIA IN 1973. I BOUGHT A HOME. THAT'S BECAUSE JERRY SHILLING LIVED HERE. WE WERE DATING AT THE TIME. I LATER MARRIED HIM. MY MOTHER AND MY SON LIVED WITH ME. I MOVED OUT HERE AND ELVIS HAD JUST GIVEN ME A CADILLAC. I FLEW TO MEMPHIS WITH JERRY TO PICK UP THE CAR. ELVIS HAD ALSO GIVEN HIM A CAR. SO WE ALL DROVE HERE FROM MEMPHIS TO CALIFORNIA. I WASN'T SO USED TO SUCH A BIG CAR. (LAUGHING)

WELL WE ALL KNOW HOW MUCH ELVIS LIKED CADILLAC'S

WHEN DID YOU START IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS?

I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS. SINCE I WAS FIVE YEARS OLD. MY FATHER HAD A RADIO SHOW IN NEW JERSEY. IT WAS A GOSPEL SHOW. I SING ON THAT SHOW. THAT WAS SO MUCH FUN!

DID YOU LATER BECOME INVOLVED IN GROUPS? I MEAN DID YOU START RIGHT OFF WITH THE "SWEETS?

YES I DID. I ALSO TAUGHT HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH FOR THREE YEARS. BUT I WAS SINGING WHILE I WAS TEACHING. I WAS WORKING IN SESSIONS. THE FIRST ONE I DID WAS WITH DION WARRICK, AND BURK BACCURACK. HE CALLED ME , HE SAID YOU HAVE TO DO THIS SESSION! BECAUSE HE HAD CALLED ME PREVIOUSLY TO DO ONE. BUT I DIDN'T DO IT. I WAS AFRAID. BUT FINALLY CONVINCED ME. SO I DID BACK UP FOR ALL HER RECORDINGS. YOU SEE DION AND I WENT TO THE SAME CHURCH. SO DID SISSY HOUSTON. WHITNEY'S MOM. HER MOM WAS OUR CHOIR DIRECTOR.

GOODNESS WHAT TALENT IN ONE CHOIR!

SO I DID SESSIONS UNTIL I JOINED THE SWEET INSPIRATIONS. WEXLER SAID TO US THAT WE SHOULD START A GIRL GROUP OF OUR OWN. SO I HAD TO QUIT TEACHING SCHOOL. SO I COULD DO THIS SINGING THING! WE WERE TRAVELING SO MUCH. I FOUND THAT I COULD NOT DO BOTH.

(LAUGHING)

BUT SINGING HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE LOVE OF MY LIFE.

IT WAS FUNNY BECAUSE ONE DAY , MY MANAGER GOT A LETTER FROM A FAN. HE WANTED TO KNOW IF THE MYRNA SMITH IN THE SWEETS WAS HIS EX TEACHER. HE TOLD HIM I WAS. NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT.

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http://www.elvis2001.net/myrna%20smith.htm