Singing for Joy: Celebration #17
A LIfe Renewed
Last summer, a former neighbor called to ask if I would take her mom to UMDNJ in Newark where she was to receive a liver transplant. My friend was too far away at her job to get her Mom to the hospital in the time that she had been given. Of course, was my answer. My friend said , "Mom is afraid and is not sure she wants to go." I was in a focused mode and said, "I can't convince her, if she wants to go, I'm happy to take her. " In a few minutes I called Malvonia and heard the indecision in her voice. I said to her, "Malvonia, I have two questions for you. Do you want to sing? Or do you want to die?" Without hesitation she replied, "I want to sing." I'll be there to get you in five minutes, I told her.
Off we went to the hospital and several days later I heard that she had emerged from anesthesia singing. The nurses and doctors were amazed and she said "I am reborn."
Expunging the Inner Naysayers
In the weeks that followed I visited Malvonia often and heard her childhood story. It is one that many of us have heard. A dad that controlled and criticized and tore her down: You're ugly, no count, can't sing, no talent, never amount to anything. She was in exaulted music circles in Detroit where they lived, in the company of Dizzy Gillispe and Nat King Cole. At one time she sang back up for Natalie Cole, but Dad cut her feet from under her. But she could not bring her own voice out clearly.
Then came financial difficulties /and a bad marriage and children to support alone. And finally in the month before her 59th birthday, a liver transplant. Many health philosophies hold that the liver is the seat of anger and if that is so, Malvionia's anger was killing her. We do certainly know that the liver is one of the body's basic filters and when it is full of toxins, you clean it, replace it or you die.
Malvonia was lucky, that she was able to replace hers; even tho she was cleaning it as well, but not soon enough. In her case, it took cutting out the anger, sorrow, insults, bad feelings for her to reclaim her angel voice and begin anew.
Gives singer a second chance
Malvonia is a gifted singer. She can bee bop, scat, croon, doo wop, rock and roll with the best of them. So far we have one of her originals for you to hear on boomermade. Enjoy. And just wait, just wait for more: she is a major talent.
Listen to Malvonia sing:



And finally in the re-release category this fall is a CD of Tina Turner's most memorable songs entitled simply "Tina". For a megastar such as she--could you name it anything else?? This release accompanies her big national tour which kicked off a few days ago 


