[4] At 15, her brother invited her to join his rock band, and she was exposed to the likes of Todd Rundgren, The Police, and Led Zeppelin.
In 1978 she took home first prize at the Concours de Musique du Canada and the Canadian Outstanding Artist Award in 1987.
She received a Masters in piano performance and a professional studies diploma in voice, while working cleaning bathrooms and answering phones at the school.
She sang in advertising for Dove Soap, MasterCard, Kit Kat, Kitchen Aid, and Maxwell House.
[6] She directed musical theater for ASPIRA's Project Enhance which teams professional musicians with at risk students.