What a thrill it is to see how we have all transformed (and matured).

Nancy Sides is the name I left behind in the dust when I married Royal Trew at 18. In spite of my parents’ worries about my education, I put myself through Hartt School of Music and U-Conn and then bore my wonderful son Erin Trew. When Royal died suddenly in 1975 in a motorcycle accident, I was left a bewildered single Mom of a 3 year old. Realizing how short life can be, I decided to take a huge risk and pursue my music career seriously.

In the last 33 years, I have been lead vocalist for 5 different musical groups, soloed in hundreds of churches for weddings, funerals, and Sunday services. I have done music therapy with children and the elderly, enjoyed recording “jingles” and showcasing songwriters’ material.

I am currently teaching voice in Boulder, Colorado. I recently added a new specialty to my work: helping stroke survivors with aphasia learn to speak again using combined physical therapy and vocal techniques. Now it only took me 33 years to find out what I want to do when I grow up. This work is a miracle in action and I hope to write a book about it in the next couple of years.

I met Jim Sugden in the Redding Congregational Church choir and we married in 1993. We’ve been having a ball discovering all the wonders of the Rocky Mountains together. My son, Erin, is a police officer in Stamford CT, and has blessed us with two beautiful grandsons. With Jim’s three children added to the fold, we have lots of great reasons to travel the country.

I can’t wait to see you all again. It’s been a long journey since “The Twelve Days Before the Prom.”