FAQ
How do you pronounce your name?
Gagné is a French Canadian name (Quebec). Just call me Jeannie Gahn-YAY, and you're speaking French like a native. I am definitely NOT Jeannie GAG-knee! (My relative Gonyea on NPR stresses the first syllable; guess his branch of the family went with phoenitics.) Pitcher Eric Gagne is not my relative but if you like baseball, you'll recognize it. There you have it!
How can I purchase your CDs?
I have two solo CDs: Must Be Love (2005) and Wide Open Heart (1999). It's easy to get one! I've put a handy PayPal link on this website which is secure. Click on "store" on the sidebar to get there. Or, you can go to cdbaby.com/gagne2 and cdbaby.com/gagne, or even to amazon.com. If you see me in person, I have them too!
When did you start singing and writing songs?
When I was small, I started on the piano at home. I grew up around big brothers who loved music, and my mom is a terrific musician and very supportive, too. My brother David played classical music beautifully on piano, and also played the soundtrack to West Side Story a lot, which I was singing along with as a toddler. (It's still one of my favorite scores.) He's a music professor now, too. Another brother Stephen is a former rock-and-roll sound man now movie-producer, and he taught me to listen to people like Led Zeppelin, Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan. He also brought me to major rock concerts like The Grateful Dead and Laura Nero when I was small.
I picked up the guitar when I was eight and started writing songs. I always had my hands on the piano. I studied piano for many years while in school, then went on to study voice.
Who are some of your influences?
My influences are many, and diverse. Vocally my biggest influences are Laura Nero, Sarah Vaughan, Joni Mitchell, Chaka Kahn, Bonnie Raitt, and Ella Fitzgerald. I have always listened to jazz, folk/rock, rock, blues, R&B, and singer/songwriters. Early songwriting influences are people like James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, and some favorite Motown tunes. Classical music that I especially love comes from the Romantic period, composers such as Ravel and Rachmaninoff.
What is your teaching philosophy?
Everybody learns differently, and I respect that. Since learning vocal technique requires the imagination --you can't see what's going on inside your larynx, and what the singer hears is different from what everyone else hears outside his or her head-- it's my job to come up with images and exercises that work with each student's learning style. Also, there is no one "that's how you must sing" technique, it depends on what you're singing. Ofentimes students definitely have unhealthy habits that we work to replace with healthy ones. Much of my focus is teaching students to sing the styles they want to sing --whether it's rock, R&B, jazz, or chill songs with a guitar-- in a healthy, efficient way that maximizes each person's unique vocal quality,
Why are you involved so much in music for the Unitarian Universalist church?
UUs are a great bunch of folks who care about the world we live in and the people in it. I came across the local UU church in my town almost by accident, and ever since they've been an awesome community and support for me and my family. Every where I travel around the country visiting UU churches I am greeted with open arms and big smiles. In places where there is such a big heart, I will focus my energy and give my music. One of the seven UU Principles is to respect "the inherent worth and dignity of every person." I believe if everyone around the world practiced this standard, we'd be living in a much healthier, happier world.