Biographies
Michelle Lopez
Vocals
Michelle has been singing since she was a little girl. Yes another one of those stories of the girl singing to herself in the mirror with a hairbrush microphone – she has to admit. She loved all kinds of music. On any given day you’d hear her singing anything from Pat Benatar, to Heart, Olivia Newton-John, Barbara Streistand, Gloria Estefan or Amy Grant. Her Dad was a musician and great singer. He played the trumpet for Michelle and her 8 siblings all the time when they were growing up. Michelle loved listening to him … and misses the smell of that old trumpet case!
She joined the guitar led ‘folk group’ choir at her church back in Connecticut when she was about 11 years old. Throughout middle school, high school and beyond she did a lot with music ranging from singing at weddings to local theatre. She also learned to play the guitar in her late-teens and began playing in the choir. In her early twenties, the leader of the choir needed to step down due to the demands of her young family and Michelle took over as music director. The ‘Folk Group’ at Holy Angels Parish in South Meriden, CT was a big part of her life for the next 10 years. She talked her Dad into joining the choir, and even though his health was not good at this point in his life with one prosthetic leg and lungs not strong enough to play the trumpet any more , he sang with her. One of Michelle's absolute favorite music memories of her life is singing a duet with her Dad every Christmas Eve Mass at their church – one of the best Christmas Carole’s ever written: “O Holy Night”. He passed away too young and she misses him so much!
In her early thirties, Michelle moved her family from Connecticut to Oklahoma for an exciting opportunity with her job to help open an office here. She gave them a 2-year commitment to stay and get the office established. Well that was the fall of 1998 and that 2-year commitment turned into 11 years! She still works for the same company - 25 years now! Michelle, her husband of 24 years Jerry, and their three AMAZING children: Joelle 20, Jordan 18 and Julia 13 have made Oklahoma their home.
Music took a backseat in Michelle's life for several years after her move to Oklahoma. She did miss it, but had a young family to raise, a full time demanding job and a lot of kids' sporting events to attend! She still sang around the house and in the car with her kids who also share her love of music. About 5 years ago one of her best friends, Becky McNeill, invited Michelle to join her and her friend Mike Dudzinski [our very own master of Bass … aka ‘Dudz’] for their band practice (Fusion) just to see how Michelle would like it and if she would fit in. Well, that was one of the greatest things that could have happened to her musically because it ultimately evolved into this awesome ensemble of musicians “zero2sixty”! Michelle feels fortunate to be able to make music with a great group of people. Even through changes and additions to the group over the last 5 years, she feels blessed to have developed some deep friendships in this band. It’s like an extended family to her! Michelle has 5 brothers back home and 3 sisters that she misses very much and doesn’t get to see that often, so now having a few new ‘brothers’ [and a new sister!] is just awesome!
Outside of making music with this great band, Michelle's other hobbies are really centered around her amazing family and being the best Mom she can be for her children. Both of her daughters are very good singers and Michelle absolutely loves supporting them in their musical activities and events. You may see her older daughter get up and join the band on a song now and then, but not too often since most of our music is not exactly her cup of tea! Her son, who can sing as well but doesn’t like to admit it in public (sorry Jordan!), is an amazing athlete and supporting him as he pursues his baseball dreams is an exciting part of Michelle's family life right now as well.
