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Stories of the Magic, Episode 8
In this episode of Stories of the Magic, we have the pleasure of hearing from Laura Dickinson. Laura is best known for her extensive work as a series regular on the Emmy award-winning Phineas and Ferb. She’s also featured on the show’s five chart-topping soundtrack albums, and the Disney Channel original movie Phineas and Ferb: Across the Second Dimension. Laura is the singing voice of Tori Spelling’s pirate princess and several other characters on Jake and the Neverland Pirates, and she recently began working as a recurring vocalist and vocal contractor on Disney Channel’s newest animated movie and series, Sofia the First, set to air in fall 2012 and early 2013 respectively.
Laura just returned from a North American tour with UK Rockstars Spiritualized promoting their new album Sweet Heart, Sweet Light – which she also sang background vocals on. Prior to that, she was in Baton Rouge filming the new Glee-esque movie Pitch Perfect, backed by Universal and produced by Elizabeth Banks.
Laura has been the principal vocalist and vocal contractor of the Pageant of the Masters since 2004, performing with a 30-piece orchestra for over 100,000 people each summer in beautiful Laguna Beach, California. She also musically directs, arranges for and performs with the a cappella rock band formerly known as Groove 66, Vybration. Vybration recently returned from headlining in Hong Kong and is currently touring while continuing to promote music education in schools with the Orange County Performing Arts Center’s ArtsTeach program.
And that’s just part of her bio!
Officially the contest to win Ron Schneider’s book (From Dreamer to Dreamfinder: A Life and Lessons Learned in 40 Years Behind a Nametag (affiliate link)) is to have ended on August 29th and I would be announcing the winner on this episode. However, I’ve decided to extend it a bit longer. I know there are more stories out there, so I’m leaving the incentive—or bribe, whatever—in place a little longer. More details to come after the interview. but you’ll have to listen to the end to find out how!
Laura talks to us about:
- How she started working at Disneyland (including some much-beloved and now past attractions she worked), making history as she did so!
- How she came back to Disney and began performing with Groove 66;
- What drew her to working for Disney–and what made her change her mind;
- Being at Walt Disney World in the Voices of Liberty (including the time Edward James Olmos kissed her onstage);
- Her unique role in Groove 66;
- The challenges that go with performing outside & with different makeups of the groups for a capella music;
- Transitioning from Groove 66 to Vybration (This is the link to their Facebook–like them there!)
- A little bit about Phineas & Ferb, Jake and the Neverland Pirates, and Sofia the First–tune in next week for more on all of these;
- A couple of fun stories from when she worked at the Disneyland Resort, including a celebrity encounter and how she felt about the guests who frequently came to see the Groove 66 shows;
Also hear Laura sing Fields of Gold.
Find Laura:
Podcasts Spotlighted in this Episode:
I want to hear from you, so please email me, leave a comment below, or call the Listener Feedback line at (734) 23-STORY.
If you call in, don’t worry about having to sound perfect. If you ask me to, I’ll edit out any mistakes so you sound as good as you possibly can. You’re even welcome to start your entire story over again and I’ll use the “take” you want!
If you want to submit a story anonymously, for whatever reason you may have, email it to me and tell you me you wanted it shared that way. I’ll read it on the podcast, but keep your name private.
Thanks for listening!
Music and voiceovers provided by Rick Moyer.
