SHEIILA DEBASTIANI'S STORY

"Music has always played an important role in my life.  I am the youngest of 4 children, and my earliest memories include my sister teaching me to sing rounds so we could sing together, and my mother dressing me up when we had company to sing 'I'm a Little Teapot.'  I started singing solos in church when I was 5 years old.  I played the clarinet and oboe and was a majorette in high school.  I started playing guitar when I was 13.  There were times when I was busy raising our son that I didn't play much.  When Praise Bands became popular in churches, the youth wanted to form their own band, so I dusted off my guitar, took some lessons on my own, started giving lessons to the youth at church who are interested.  The ukulele seemed like it might be an easy and fun instrument to play.  My husband's birthday gift to me in 2016 was a ukulele, which led to learning to play the bass and baritone ukulele.  I also dabble a little with the mandolin and mountain dulcimer."