Sandy hails from a small town in South Central Pennsylvania and has a voice as big as the Appalachian mountains she grew up in. Deep, rich and lush, her vocals evoke memories of a time when country music was country music. Standing five feet ten inches tall, her strong, powerful voice fits her to a tee.
Sandy is one of seven children and as long as she can remember, she has been singing. Whether performing as a small child with a voice that was bigger than she was, or as a grown woman who has finally evolved into having her own sound, her life has always revolved around music.
For several years she sang with various bands from her area until her ever increasing work schedule of fifty and sixty hours a week made it impossible to schedule gigs. What little time she had available she wanted to spend with her daughter. They would go off on big “adventures” at a moments notice. A sunny day, an eight dollar tank of gas and a picnic lunch took them to so many beautiful and interesting destinations. From beaches to caverns, from museums to zoos, they traveled side by side, singing all the way. Being poor was no reason not to broaden your horizons.
In the intervening years, Sandy would sit in with some old friends from time to time, but getting to sing a few numbers only left her wanting more. She longed for the stage like a sailor longs for the sea, so she put her dreams away.
Years passed, and as a twice divorced single mother with a daughter to raise, there always seemed to be more pressing matters to be dealt with. Throughout the heartaches and shortcomings in her life, many times Sandy would soothe both her daughter, and herself, by singing a long forgotten ballad. She had sworn off the thought of ever finding a safe and lasting relationship, so it was just the two of them making it through life as best they could.
But sometimes, her old dream of singing again would haunt her like a ghost in the night. It just wouldn\'t be quieted.
Then fate smiled on Sandy the day she met the man who would change her life. A quite, gentle man, they talked about fishing, beaches and boats. She gave him the “Reader’s Digest” version of her life and expected she’d never hear from him again. To her surprise he simply replied “It sounds like you’ve had a lot to overcome.” No judgments, no advice, just unconditional acceptance. She had finally found her safe haven and she was no longer afraid to take another chance on love.
That was nearly ten years ago. Her daughter had married the year before and, a few years later, had a daughter of her own. Sandy would sing with the little child, continuing the tradition she had started with her own daughter so long ago. It was during one of these times that her husband convinced her to start singing again. He said “You have to sing, you were born to sing.”
Sandy had been able to take a nine-to-five job and had her evenings available again. Maybe she could unpack those old dreams and dust them off. Sure, why not?
They started small, working at a local lounge and private parties but things began to snowball when she met another man who would leave an indelible mark on her life.
Jim McCoy, Sandy\'s producer, (pictured on the CD) hosts a Patsy Cline tribute every Labor Day weekend at his Troubadour Lounge in Berkeley Springs, WV. Jim gave Patsy her first chance to sing on live radio with his band in Winchester, VA and they remained friends throughout her life.
Sandy’s favorite singer of all time was Patsy Cline and she sang some of Patsy’s songs on stage. She had the honor of meeting Patsy’s husband, and Jim’s friend, Charlie Dick and had her picture taken with Jim and Charlie and the car used in the movie “Sweet Dreams”. It was a singers dream come true and all of the years of yearning just seemed to fade away.
As the day was winding down, Sandy was packing up to leave when Jim sent word through the crowd that he wanted to talk to her before she left. After she made her way to Jim he said “I like how you sing and I have a song I’d like you to record. It’s called “Payin’ Off the Limousine.” Sandy couldn’t believe her luck, but she knew she had to tell him the truth. In spite of the great opportunity before her, as her heart sank, she confessed that she couldn’t read music. Jim just smiled up at her and said “That’s okay. That just means you sing from the heart.” Once again she had found unconditional acceptance.
That one song ended up becoming a whole CD. Some of the songs Jim had recorded years ago, and at nearly eighty years old, he is still chasing the dream. Once you have music in your blood, it just won’t let go. That’s how the name for the CD came to be “Old Dreams and Limousines.” It is a tribute to two fated singer’s undying love for traditional country music.
Sandy and Jim hope that you enjoy this CD as much as they did making it. They almost lost this work to a fire that burned to within twenty feet of the studio, so they consider themselves fortunate to present this music to you. There must be a reason that this work has survived. It stands as a testament that it’s never too late to make your dreams come true.
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