Lisa McCormick

continued from nére 11

set and it caused there to be a lot of work on
everyone’s part. They were very upset and it
caused there to be a lot of difference between
us for years. They just couldn’t accept it. They
didn’t want it to be true."

Even though McCormick learned a lot
about herself at Marlboro College, she eventu-
ally transferred to Keene State in order to pur-
sue a degree in education.Yet, upon graduating
Lisa possessed an English degree and subse-
quently found employment at Landmark College
in Putney, Vermont. According to McCormick, the
school was unique in the fact that, “It is the only
college in the country that’s specifically designed
for dyslexic students . Everyone there is at col-
lege-level IQ, but they may not have the read-
ing-writing skills that other entry-level college
students have. We were given extensive special

training on how to teach dyslexics, because

you're teaching some pretty basic skills to young
adults, and a lot of the materials written for that
skill level are aimed at children." In spite of the
rewarding work, McCormick found signing her
contract for the following year to be extremely
difficult, and she subsequently left the school
feeling, “...there was something else I needed
to reckon with.”

While the decision to leave Landmark
College was relatively easy, forging a career in
the music industry proved to be extremely diffi-
cult. Almost immediately Lisa McCormick found
herself working as a waitress, and many other
menial positions soon followed. Private music
instruction also sewed as a means of support,
as McCormick attempted to hone her interests
and find a niche. “At first I was going to be the
next great female electric guitar player. I thought
the world had a shortage of wonderful female
electric guitar players. I bought an amp, guitar
and a book of scales, but it just didn't click. Then
I started writing songs.... I focused on acoustic
guitar....Then I decided I wanted to be in a rock
band. When that fell apart I... just pick(ed) up
the guitar and... (went) to work.”

Consequently, McCormick began to
perform in coffeehouses and small clubs
throughout the northeast, including The Folkway
in Peterborough, New Hampshire, where her
career began to rise on an otherwise.ordinary
Tuesday night. Performing before a modest
crowd of thirteen patrons, she received a rous-
ing applause at the conclusion of each song from
one indistinguishable man. At the end of the
evening he approached McCormick, introduc-
ing himself as Jonathan Edwards, a legendary
folk singer best known for classic hits, “Sunshine”
and “Shanty.” It was then, according to
McCormick, “...he said he really liked my work
and I gave him a tape. I didn’t have any expec-
tations... (but) one day he called me out of the
blue and asked me for more stuff. And then a
couple of weeks later he called and asked if I
wanted to make a record." ~

In the recording studio, McCormick
began to realize how close to reality her dream
had become, but work on her debut album
ceased when a tumor was discovered in her
spinal cord. Although it originally began to dis-
able her about four years ago, the tumor was
not diagnosed for a year and a half. Extremely
desperate and on constant narcotic pain killers,
an MRI was eventually performed on July 24th,
1996.At that point, ‘‘I had decided if they couldn't
find a way out, I'd find my own way out. Some-
thing had to be done,” stated McCormick.

Upon detecting the tumor, surgery was
performed within several weeks, but a full re-
covery took much longer. Two weeks were spent
in the hospital, and radiation therapy was also
performed despite. the doctor's belief that they
had removed all cancerous cells. According to
McCormick, at the time of the operation, “It was
in doubt (whether I would be able to walk again.)
The fact that I had some feeling in my legs when
I woke up was extremely good news.... It was

like having five hundred pound weights strapped
to your legs and told to go live a normal life.“

Even today, ‘normal’ does not quite
define the life of Lisa McCormick. As a result of
intensive physical therapy, she returned to the
recording studio on crutches and completed her
debut album entitled “Right Now.” Having gar-
nered three preliminary Grammy nominations
in the categories of Best Pop Female Vocal Per-
formance, Song of the Year, and Pop Album of
the Year, she now finds herself approaching the
spotlight in folk music.

After opening for numerous national
artists including Ani DiFranco,Aimee Mann, and
Patty Larkin, she remains on tour with solo per-
formances becoming more frequent. Although
it has taken thirty-eight years, Lisa McCormick,
has remained true to the childhood ideals of the
‘60s and she is now living her dream. It is all
happening right now.

Gay Money

continued from aére 12

ganizations, using some of the findings of this
report, to make a whole lotta money,” Kates
writes. After conducting market research, Kates
suggests the best way to target the gay com-
munity is to cultivate long-term, mutually ben-
eficial re|ationships.These relationships should
be based on trust and demonstrate integrity and
ethics toward gay men and their issues. Hiring
gay employees, contributing to gay causes, pro-
viding a high quality product, and maintaining a
high profile are suggested as ways to favorably
position a product or service. “Some products
such as Absolut vodka and Doc Marten boots
have achieved such high brand awareness and
loyalty among gay men that they are viewed
commonly as gay brands," concludes Kates.

In Twenty Million New Customers!
Understanding Gay Men’s Consumer ' '
Behavior, Steven M. Kates provides a detailed
academic study of an area of consumer
research that has historically received little
attention. His thorough study provides a
groundbreaking look at the consumer patterns
of gay men and the implications this research
has for business owners. Now it’s time for
someone to study the consumer behavior of
lesbians.

  No place like home

continued from afre 12 _,
Fiatherthen continuing our games of rep-
etition, which land us back again and again in
the land of 02, we need to recognize and face
our demons and bring them safely into the light
for all of our community.We have no other means
but to start with ourselves and our own aware-
ness. Our society can be a home, but home is a
place we always create.To live in a society where
we remain unwilling to express our demons with
truth, care and openness; to disallow the expres-
sion of awareness within the natural boundaries
of wholesome behavior; and to pacify ourselves
with challenges of commission without compas-
sion is to deny Dorothy’s contribution to our lives.
Wholesome is a place entitled “Some-
where Over the Rainbow”, where we all under-
stand how to live together without the violation
of another living thing. Such is a true home. Per-
haps to reveal our natural gifts of compassion,
truthful expression, patience, guidance and non-
tolerance of that which divides us is to do what
Dorothy did. She learns to artfully reveal to her-
self and others the ignorance of our various

times and ages in ways that teach us what

wholesome is, rather than repeating our ways
of violation. She chooses self-Iove_and commu-
nity when she concludes, “There’s no place like
home.” While attending this piece of community
theater, consider that,‘ like Dorothy, we have the
opportunity to live well with our brothers, our sis-

ters, and our cousins, as long as we accept the

g I

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