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the insults and taunts, she found comfort in music. Pink Floyd andThe Beatles were two of her favorite bands to listen to growing up, but it was Led Zeppelin that really got her heart racing and her mind buzzing. The English rock band, led by legendary vocalist Robert Plant, produced a string of hits like “Stairway to Heaven” and “Whole Lotta Love,” which are still listened to today. Inspired by these incredible bands, Germanotta formed a band with some high school friends that they called Mackin’ Pulsifer. They were a classic rock cover band that performed at small clubs around NewYork City, and of course, Led Zeppelin songs were part of their repertoire . Germanotta was also building her musical versatility by performing in her high school jazz band, skills that would come in handy years later when she connected with the one and only Tony Bennett.

“I have a real passion for Robert Plant’s vocals; Led Zeppelin was a huge inspiration for me. I’m certain that side of my musicianship will seep through the pores of music in the future.”

Vibrant Voice Supreme talent is a must-have for making it in the music industry, but a little dose of luck sprinkled along the way can often be what ignites a career and keeps it from flagging in the winds of mediocrity. For Germanotta, one of those meaningful moments occurred when she was singing to herself in a store one day. Her voice grabbed the ears and the attention of the store’s owner, who just so happened to be a musician whose uncle, Don Lawrence, was a voice teacher. As it turned out, this was no local teacher with a side gig working nights and weekends with youth, but rather a big-time teacher who had helped a dazzling list of stars push their golden vocal cords to amazing heights. The store owner passed along his uncle’s telephone number to Germanotta, and she made the phone call that forever altered the trajectory of her career.

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