CLEVELAND -- Robin Meade is known around the world as the face of the Headline News morning show. She was once voted the "Sexiest Newscaster" by Playboy.com.
Still, the New London grad and former anchor at WMFD remains an Ohio gal.
"I still keep tabs on my local people," she said, noting she follows local news online at the News Journal, Sandusky Register and Norwalk Reflector.
Meade said she has no plans to leave CNN, although she has been exploring other talents. Around 7 p.m. Saturday, Meade will perform as a country artist at Jim Brickman Summer Musicfest at Classic Park in Cleveland. Meade arrives in Ohio today, and will be throwing the first pitch at the Cleveland Indians game Friday.
Singing country music may seem at odds with Meade's persona, but she said the transition was completely natural.
"I've always sang since I was little," Meade said. "Speaking in front of people was something I had to learn, but growing up as a preacher's kid, singing was always a part of my life."
Right until she started her professional career as an anchor at WMFD, Meade was still performing in pageants.
"I didn't sing country though at that time," she said. "I did the show tunes all the girls were doing. The year I won Miss Ohio, I sang 'Alexander's Ragtime Band' by Liza Minnelli."
A few years ago, when Meade was interviewing country artist Kenny Chesney in Atlanta, she said the pair hit it off -- which also was the jumpstart to her musical career.
"He said to me, 'Why don't you come out on stage with me and sing Uncle Cracker's part during "When the Sun Goes Down."' I told my husband, 'He'll probably forget,' but just in case, I went home and memorized the whole song," Meade said.
Meade ended up impressing more than just Chesney.
"That experience sparked friendships in Nashville and I've been going there now for a couple years," Meade said. "I've recorded some songs and parodies, but I've made it known that I wanted to learn to write my own songs."
Later, at a charity event, Meade said her music producer introduced her to well-known pianist Jim Brickman.
Like Chesney, the pair bonded immediately, and soon would be co-writing the song "Welcome Home," which will appear on Brickman's upcoming album "Home." The song also will be performed live at Saturday's concert.
"This is a late afternoon music festival, with different performers performing their own sets," Meade said. "I'll come on around 7 p.m. and I plan to do two originals and two cover songs because I don't believe in making an audience sit through a bunch of songs they don't know."
At 9:30 p.m., Meade will perform with Brickman.
"The running joke is that I'm going on stage with my friends," Meade said. "I love the heart of country. The artists and fans are so welcoming. I have a lot of people helping me explore that passion, but I don't intend to not be an anchor at (Headline News). I don't think this will ever take away from my day job. What I do at HLN is something innate and natural.
"This is just another way to express my creativity."
No comments:
Post a Comment