ME/CFS South Australia Inc: Jo Hicks

ME/CFS SOUTH AUSTRALIA INC

Registered Charity 3104

Email:
sacfs@sacfs.asn.au

Mailing address:
PO Box 322,
Modbury North,
South Australia 5092

Phone:
1300 128 339

Office Hours:
Monday - Friday,
10am - 4pm
(phone)

ME/CFS South Australia Inc supports the needs of sufferers of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and related illnesses. We do this by providing services and information to members.

ME/CFS South Australia Inc aims to keep members informed of various research projects, diets, medications, therapies, news items, etc. All communication, both verbal and written, is merely to disseminate information and not to make recommendations or directives.

Unless otherwise stated, the views expressed on this Web site are not necessarily the official views of the Society or its Committee and are not simply an endorsement of products or services.

Jo Hicks

Wednesday 2 May 2007

Society member, Jo Hicks, is a jazz singer who has released All Of Me, a CD of popular and jazz standards.

Jo has supplied us with samples of three tracks from her album:

Here is Jo’s story:

Born, raised and educated in Adelaide. Studied classical piano at the Elder Conservatorium with Clemens Leske Senior, and then moved to Sydney. Read stories and worked puppets on Channel 9 Adelaide before the Sydney adventure.

Studied drama at theatre school in North Sydney, before playing to theatres up and down the East Coast. Broke away entirely to become a Meter Maid on the Gold Coast... Different!

Enjoyed playing in Musicals from Gilbert and Sullivan to light opera for a few years.

In the meantime, married and had four children. It wasn’t until about seven years ago, after playing Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady that I actually was told that I could sing, so I decided to go to a singing teacher to find out for sure if this was so. I then learnt Jazz for a year and now study with Thomas Edmonds for classical singing.

In 2005, I decided to make a CD to sell at all my concerts. The CD took six months to complete and was launched in March 2006.

I appear at a festival in NSW each year, but since learning that I have CFS, my abilities have been reduced somewhat, but I refuse to let it wrap me up and isolate me. Although I do find it difficult to take a role in a production now, the concerts are a different thing again.

For me there is no stress. Just complete love and enjoyment of singing, and the wonder of the human voice, and how lucky I am so be able to sing a little. During the time of actually singing, there is no weariness or fear, just joy. Very uplifting.

I hope that this little bit of information can help somebody who feels that their life is over, and that all they can do is sit and be miserable. Sometimes, I admit, this happens to me too, but I know that it is only for a moment in time and that I will be back again shortly. Why this has happened to me now when at this middle part of my life, I have just discovered singing? But at least I can still sing at times, and can listen to my CD for reassurance, and I keep testing my voice each day to make sure it is still there!

The CD, at this time, is available from Video Network Goolwa ([08] 8555 2926), Surround Sound Victor Harbor ([08] 8552 6255), and all local radio stations. However, I still have a supply here at home. If people would like to ring me on (08) 8555 0991, or 0419 144 124. The cost is only $20 and how about Mother’s Day or Father’s Day or Birthdays?!