Heidi Roizen, Founder and Lyricist
Until she suddenly decided to make a 180-degree career turn and follow her passion to create music that would motivate her (and others) to lose weight and get in shape, Heidi Roizen was a well-known technology entrepreneur and venture capitalist. Even as a child, Heidi was an entrepreneur, running a puppet theatre for children’s parties and retail establishments from the early age of twelve well into college. With the earnings from this and other jobs she put herself through Stanford University, receiving both her BA and MBA. Immediately afterward, catching the Silicon Valley bug, she co-founded, ran and ultimately sold a software company called T/Maker, a pioneer in early personal computer software -- making Heidi one of the rare women CEOs in the technology industry. She was also honored to have been elected to the leadership of the two largest trade associations in the software and venture industries. For the last ten years, Heidi has been investing in startups, and has served on more than 20 boards of companies ranging in size from 1 to 2,000 employees. Until, one day last summer, the idea for SkinnySongs popped into Heidi’s head, and she decided she just had to do it. So here she is.
Heidi is married to orthopedic surgeon David Mohler and has two daughters, Niki and Marleyna. You can also read more about Heidi at www.Heidi.Roizen.com.
David Malloy, Producer and Songwriter
David Malloy is the recipient of an extraordinary forty Number One Awards from Billboard and other recognized music industry tracking organizations. In David’s own words, "I believe in the power of a good song in the hands of an inspired artist." His work has included veteran country greats such as Reba McEntire, Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton, Rodney Crowell, Tanya Tucker, and Rosanne Cash. In addition, David has discovered and developed many new artists who have gone on to sell millions of records, such as newcomers Billy Gilman, Andy Griggs, Darle Singletary, Jeff Bates and Mindy McCready. As the son of one of the top recording engineers in the world (David’s father recorded over 5,000 records for over 150 artists ranging from Elvis Presley to Frank Sinatra), David is conversant in both Country and Pop and understands how to bring them together to achieve great music and big hits. David won his first BMI country songwriters award at the age of 15, and at the age of 18 he won again for Then You Walk In. He has also had two Grammy nominations as a songwriter, for Driving my Life Away and One Voice. After numerous early successes writing for, recording, and producing Eddie Rabbitt, David worked in the A&R department of Columbia/Epic Records and then ran the Nashville division of Electra Records. David was a also producer at Electra Records in Los Angeles. Most recently, David finished producing the Mercury Records debut of Dancing
With The Stars' Julianne Hough and enjoyed chart success with Tim McGraw's
version of 'Suspicions' (previously a #1 hit David co-wrote with the late
Eddie Rabbitt). Other recent projects include co-producing a beach-themed
concept album, Edge Of The Blue, with #1 songwriter/producer Tim Johnson.
The CD is available at TuneTees (www.tuneteesonline.com).
George Daly, Executive Producer
George Daly, CEO of About Records, is a veteran music industry executive who began his career as a musician, playing with famed guitarists Nils Lofgren and Roy Buchanan. George is the co-author of many songs including the million-selling Slow-Dancer (made popular by many artists, including Boz Scaggs). First mentored by the music industry legend Clive Davis, George has over two decades of experience as a senior executive at the Majors including Columbia Records (Sony BMG), Elektra Records (WMG), Atlantic Records (WMG), and Zoo Entertainment (Bertelsmann Music Group). George has also worked directly with Doug Morris, then President of Atlantic Records and now Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Universal Music Group, and, as head of West Coast A&R, the legendary Ahmet Ertegun, founder and Chairman of Atlantic Records. The recipient of numerous Gold and Platinum awards, George discovered such original music talents as the seminal new-wave group The Cars, pop sensation The Tubes, modern edge rockers Tool, and the Multi-Platinum singer-songwriter Vanessa Carlton. In addition, George has worked professionally with industry legends including The Eagles and Carlos Santana, as well as other famous musical artists.
Tania Hancheroff: Vocalist on Skinny Jeans, I’m a Hottie Now, Thin!, Objects In The Mirror, and Incredible Shrinking Woman
Tania Hancheroff began her musical career at the piano at age five, and by fourteen she was competing in classical recitals around her hometown of Vancouver, BC. By eighteen, she’d earned the Associateship of the Royal Conservatory of Toronto in Piano Performance. After graduating from high school, Tania was intent on pursuing her goal of becoming a veterinarian and enrolled at the University of British Columbia. But after her first year and a life-changing backpacking trip through Europe, she realized her passion to pursue music was her much bigger dream. She entered a Commercial Music Program at a local college and explored the transition from classical to jazz piano (with much frustration). Thankfully, she quickly switched her major to Voice and earned her Bachelors Degree in Jazz (Vocal Performance). By twenty, Tania was performing all over Vancouver in top-40 and soul bands and found herself getting calls to sing on jingle, soundtrack and album sessions. This led to background vocal sessions for artists and bands such as Bon Jovi, INXS, Jessica Simpson, Seal, Raffi and Paul Rogers (of Bad Company), as well as live appearances with icons like the late Ray Charles and famed composer/producer David Foster. Tania now lives in Nashville, where she is in high demand as a top call session singer. Recent work has included singing on the new TODAY SHOW theme, numerical tags for Bob Kingsley's American Country Countdown, and background vocals on albums by Montgomery Gentry, Jake Owen, Mark Chesnutt, and Hugh Prestwood as well as the latest Joan Osborne offering in which she had the honor of singing backgrounds alongside Allison Krauss. You can find out more about Tania at www.taniahancheroff.com
Kaleo Sallas (AKA Kaleo Futuristo): Vocalist on You Da Boss and Use It To Lose It
Kaleo Futuristo’s upbringing was anything but smooth. He was born to an unwed European-American mother and a Hawaiian-Spanish-Puerto Rican father who left the family before Kaleo was born. Although his mother provided more than enough love and spiritual support for her children, she struggled financially to provide for her kids, and Kaleo’s early years were filled with hand-me-down clothes, watered down milk, and old rewrapped toys for Christmas. At the age of 5, Kaleo almost died when he had a horrific accident, falling head first from a three story structure, suffering various head injuries and two broken arms. Although an extremely traumatizing experience, his amazingly quick recovery would exemplify the mental, physical and spiritual strength that would come to define this amazing musician’s artistic abilities. His upbringing in the racially mixed city of Pasadena, his attendance at a predominately African-American high school, and his later work as a teacher in the Pasadena Unified School District have given Kaleo’s music a unique perspective on all people, cultures, and viewpoints that he has been blessed enough to live with, teach and grow up with. As a young musician, Kaleo was recognized with All-City Music Honors in Pasadena for his musicianship. As a young artist, he received full-ride scholarships to art schools for his visual art. As a scholar, he earned a Bachelors Degree from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and even as an athlete at the university, he excelled and conquered great odds. After playing virtually no organized football for his whole life, he tried out for the UCLA Football team, and guess what? He surprised everyone as a walk-on and made the national powerhouse team. Kaleo, in the Hawaiian language, means "the voice, the music, and the song." Named by his late, spiritually rich TuTu(grandmother), Kaleo believes he is destined to achieve his goals and to see his true purpose come to fruition. You can find out more about Kaleo at www.kaleofuturisto.com, www.myspace.com/kaleofuturisto, and www.youtube.com/futuristo.
Larkin Gayl: Vocalist on Think I’ll Go To Saks
Though she was raised singing along side her folk musician father and spent her childhood committing to memory every vocal harmony that The Manhattan Transfer ever recorded, Larkin Gayl never had specific designs on a music career. Instead, she worked as a hospice caregiver and mentor to challenged youth. "I learned a lot about the human experience by the time I turned 21," she marvels. It's evident that these truly special and individualized experiences mean more to her than any popular success could, but she seems to also realize her immense potential to write and sing songs that provoke deep feelings or otherwise therapeutic moments to listeners on the other side of the microphone that she may never get to meet. Now, armed with an acoustic guitar and a gorgeous vintage microphone named Ramona, Larkin Gayl is set to take on the world, one seductive, emotionally stirring song at a time. After winning the "Marin Idol" competition in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she thankfully avoided the Simon Cowell-style histrionics of the popular television series, Larkin experience her own relative version of overnight success. Her appearance caught the attention of About Records, a Northern California independent label with veteran executives, experienced in the major label music business. She was soon signed to a recording contract and granted the freedom to further explore what had previously been just a personal form of expression. She is currently putting the finishing touches on her full length debut album utilizing young but seasoned session musicians who play along side such soul-stirrers as Tom Waits, Norah Jones and Tori Amos. The album is due early 2008.
Rachelle Byrne: Vocalist on Who The Hell Is That?
Rachelle Byrne has the rare qualities of a natural: an exceptionally good ear, the ability to harmonize easily, to retain songs and song parts and deliver them flawlessly, and to hear each note in a played chord. Though there were some musical influences in her family, Rachelle's singing career began in a Detroit audition in which at the age of 17, with no previous singing experience, she was persuaded by a friend to compete against 12 other girls for a singing part, which she handily won.
Rachelle, who is a single mom - the mother of a sweet and enthusiastic 11 year old - sings with a soulful and genuine presence that keeps listeners holding on to her vocal delivery. She sings with a versatile style with lots of jazz underpinnings and sings each song with emotion and sincerity, topped with loads of enthusiasm and musicality. Her contagious love of music is underscored by the professionalism she has gained through performances at countless venues, including, among others The Penthouse Suite at the Fairmont Hotel, Auberge du Soleil, fine country clubs and private clubs, wineries, weddings, and more.
Rachelle has performed locally with Michael Bolivar, Peter Welker, Michael Barclay, City Lights, Grant Johnson, and nationally Chris Hayes from Huey Lewis and the News, Metro with Lenny Landry, Steve Rubart and Topcat, Michael Revinous of the Drifters, and many others nationally.
Recent recording projects include the album, "Beating Hearts," by Warren Dennis, Michael Barclay's album, "Michael Barclay and friends," and many jingles for on air.
Susan Ashton: Vocalist on Blowin’ You Off At 8
Susan Rae Hill was born in Irving, TX, on July 17, 1967. The adult contemporary vocalist's first single -- recorded using her mother's maiden name of Ashton to avoid confusion with Kim Hill -- gained an audience with CCM radio listeners around America in 1991, and made her album Wakened by the Wind the biggest-selling debut in the history of the Sparrow label. Ashton reached number one in the Christian charts two more times that year, received a Dove award for New Artist of the Year and won a CCM readers and reporters poll for Best New Artist. Her second album, Angels of Mercy (1992), proved her staying potential: it spawned four CCM number one singles and was nominated for a Grammy in the Best Pop Gospel Album category. Ashton won the 1993 CCM readers award for Favorite Inspirational Album and a reporters poll for Best Female Artist. She narrowly missed capturing Dove awards for Female Vocalist of the Year, Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year and Contemporary Album of the Year. Also in 1993, released her self-titled third album, with two singles charting number one. She was nominated for a 1994 Dove award in the category Female Vocalist of the Year. Ashton also branched out that year, recording
Along the Road with Margaret Becker and Christine Dente. That album was voted the Favorite Inspirational Album and Favorite Vocal Event in the 1995 readers' polls, and was nominated for Dove awards in the Group of the Year and Recorded Music Packaging of the Year categories. Ashton herself was nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year. Susan Ashton's collection of hits, So Far...The Best of Susan Ashton Volume 1, appeared in 1995. The following year, Ashton released A Distant Call. Closer, her debut for Capitol Nashville, followed in mid-1999.
Lori Sutherland: SkinnySongs Consulting Producer, Worldwide Sales & Operations
Managing Director, Lewis & Sutherland Assoicates LLC
While Lori does not sing well enough to qualify as musical talent, it is her sales artistry that is going to help SkinnySongs become a monster hit. Lori brings 20+ years expertise building technology & consumer companies to SkinnySongs, where she is advising and setting up manufacturing, fulfillment, ecommerce, marketing and sales; she's having a blast using her expertise and creativity promoting something that integrates her personal interests in fitness and music.
Lori was one of the few female and youngest senior executives in the computer industry as VP of International Sales & Marketing. Prior to that she worked in marketing, communications, sales, and management roles at New Venture/Ketchum Communications PacTel InfoSystems NEC, 3Com, & T/Maker. She brings a lifelong study of and involvement in fitness and health to SkinnySongs, starting at 14 when family medical issues had an enormous impact on her lifestyle - she began learning about exercise, diet, stress, and studied with a renowned nutritionist in Los Angeles. A native Californian, born in Orange County, raised in Palm Springs, Lori's creative and entrepreneurial talents emerged at a young age. She ran a custom macrame business (in the '70's!), at 14 was a professional linesperson for the Association of Tennis Professionals, and by 16 managed retail tennis, exercise & fashion businesses. Lori was a competitive tennis player, rowed on the women's crew team at Stanford, has been an avid runner, hiker, aerobics, step exerciser, studied jazz, Brazilian dance, belly dancing, and is now a devoted yogini. Lori graduated from Stanford University, where she was in Cap and Gown Honor Society, on the crew team, and a founding member of Student Arts at Stanford.
Lori is married to tech entrepreneur and founder/CEO of Teneros, Steve Lewis and they have 3 daughters ages 14, 13 and 10.
