Indiana University senior born to perform

BLOOMINGTON, Ind - Indiana University senior, Monte Parker was born into a family of musicians, and she always knew there was no escaping it.

Some of her first memories as a child are holding instruments and singing with her dad, said Parker in an interview Wednesday. Pursuing her passion, she went onto join the Indiana University Ladies First A Capella group within her first two weeks on campus. Parker also serves as the group’s president and music director.

When Parker was growing up, her dad was the guitarist and lead singer in the band, Big Soap. She said that they had a special relationship growing up, as they would often write their own songs to sing before bedtime.

“I never knew anything else but singing,” she said. “We would always sing together, and by the time I was 6 he taught me how to harmonize.”

It was not just Parker’s dad that influenced her passion for music, but also her mom and aunt. Her mom started teaching her how to play the piano when she was 7, which led to her aunt giving her formal lessons. They eventually enrolled her in piano competitions, and she competed until she graduated high school.

“Piano is what sets you apart as a musician, many of the girls in Ladies First don’t have formal music training, and it is a skill that helped me get promoted to music director,” she said.

Ladies First is an all-female a capella group that is heavily involved in the Bloomington community. The group takes pride in performing popular music as well as classics. One of the group’s most prized moments was in 2012 when they sang with Madonna and Cee Lo Green at Super Bowl XLVI.

A capella is a unique type of singing without any instruments, and mastering the skill takes a lot of practice Parker said. The group practices seven or more hours a week in Simon Hall on IU’s campus. Each meeting consists of warming up, doing vocal exercises and drills and rehearsing for upcoming shows.

“The group has been around since 1999 and is filled with history, so we take it really seriously to continue the legacy,” she said. “We are very self-made, and it is so cool to say that I’m a part of it.”

Parker said as an only child she longed to have siblings growing up, and Ladies First provided her with just that. The group shares a commonality, enhancing their musical potential, said Parker. They regularly spend time together outside of practice, and they even have gone on trips as a group, she said.

“I love Ladies First so much because it gives me the opportunity to do what I love, with people who love singing just as much as me,” she said.

Ladies First is currently preparing for their winter showcase Nov. 30 at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater in downtown Bloomington.