Join a choir at your school, church, or community center. 

Career

Join a choir.

Take a songwriting class online or in school, and get a jumpstart on writing your own songs.

Education

Take a class in songwriting.

Check out these free lessons on how to get started playing blues harmonica.

Learn how to play blues harmonica.

Singers

Sing songs on stage, radio, television, or motion pictures.

Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

Artistic

Second Interest High-Point

Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

Enterprising

First Interest High-Point

Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Social

Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Realistic

Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Investigative

Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Conventional

Third Interest High-Point

Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed

Musicians, Singers, and Related Workers

Musicians and Singers

Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations

Entertainers and Performers, Sports and Related Workers

Memorize musical selections and routines, or sing following printed text, musical notation, or customer instructions.

Sing as a soloist or as a member of a vocal group.

Perform before live audiences, or in television, radio, or movie productions.

Interpret or modify music, applying knowledge of harmony, melody, rhythm, and voice production to individualize presentations and maintain audience interest.

Practice singing exercises and study with vocal coaches to develop voice and skills and to rehearse for upcoming roles.

Sing a cappella or with musical accompaniment.

Observe choral leaders or prompters for cues or directions in vocal presentation.

Seek out and learn new music suitable for live performance or recording.

Compose songs or create vocal arrangements.

Collaborate with a manager or agent who handles administrative details, finds work, and negotiates contracts.

Learn acting, dancing, and other skills required for dramatic singing roles.

Research particular roles to find out more about a character, or the time and place in which a piece is set.

Audio equalizers

Compact disk CD players

Compact disk CD trainers

Effects pedals

Effects racks

In-ear monitors IEM

Karaoke machines

Laptop computers

Live microphones

Loudspeaker systems

Microphone stands

Monitor microphones

MP3 trainers

Personal computers

Sound mixers

Studio microphones

Tablet computers

Universal serial bus USB microphones

Vocal processors

Wireless microphones

Acoustica Mixcraft

Apple GarageBand

Audacity

Avid Technology Pro Tools

Avid Technology Sibelius

Cantovation Sing & See

MakeMusic Finale

Singing Success

Children's Songwriter

[Roadtripper #1] Was music always something in your family and in your childhood? [Ella] My uncle, uh, his name was Floyd Johnson. I used to call him Uncle Flud, and he wasn't the formal musician, just like I'm not, but he, in his time, his relaxing time, he would always have a harmonica. When he finished his work and he finished his dinner, then he would go into, get a comfortable seat and I would sit on the floor and listen to him, and he would just, he would just be playing. Then one day, my mother said, "Well, you like this, uh, harmonica so much, I'm gonna, "for Christmas, I'm gonna buy you one." You know, we didn't have any extra money, and my mother worked what they called day-work, and she had worked, put in some extra hours just to buy me a harmonica. Now I got all kinds of harmonicas.  Well, you know. [Roadtripper #1] So that was your first instrument, was harmonica? [Ella] First, yes. See I was a teenage program program director for the YWCA, so I worked on teenagers a lot. They were very much interested in all kinds of dances and I had them on stage, but then I would, uh, they wanted me to go first because I was always making up songs, making up rhymes all the time anyway. And uh, someone said, "Ella, you know, some of these little songs that you've "written, we recorded." Someone introduced me to someone that was in New York, uh, City, who had a recording company and then it just progressed from there. [Roadtripper #2] How did you deal with th-the critical... or the critiques from people, like, "Ella, why are you "singing for kids?" Or were there, how did you ever deal with people--? [Ella] Oh no, you know, if you, if you ever are going to be a professional, you have to take that along with everything. 'Cause uh, people have told me, "Oh, this is the worst song "that you could have--" You know, you can't be discouraged. So you hope that whatever you do, that has, it has something worthwhile, that's what you're sharing. Yes. [Roadtripper #3] Can you play a song? [Ella laughing] Can I play a song? Let's see, uh, this is a song called "The Cuckoo". The cuckoo is a pretty bird; she sings and she flies, but she never hollers "cuckoo" until the fourth day of July. Let's try it. [roadtrippers singing along] Oh, cuckoo. [Ella] She's a pretty bird. [all] ♪ She's a pretty bird She sings and she flies ♪ [Ella] But she never-- [all] ♪ But she never ♪ ♪ hollers cuckoo 'til the fourth day of July ♪ [Ella] By yourself. [playing harmonica] [roadtrippers] ♪ Oh cuckoo, she's a pretty bird ♪ ♪ She sings and she flies ♪ ♪ but she never hollers cuckoo ♪ ♪ 'til the fourth day of July ♪♪ [Ella laughing] That was great! [Roadtripper #2] We're working on our harmony. [Ella] Bravo! Got some harmony in there, too. [Roadtripper #1] Dropped the bass. [Roadtripper #2] That was good. [Roadtripper #1] I think it's so cool that you didn't formally learn it. So you just feel it? [Ella] Feel, yes. [Roadtripper #1] I think that's a limitation on so many people, like, "I need to 'learn' "how to play." [Ella] Well, you know, I think of this tune. That's what it is. I think of the tune, and then I play it. Whatever you feel, that's what you should put into your instruments. And you know, it makes me feel good just to be able to share this with you today. And uh, and if you, if there's something that you do like, and if it's not harmful to other people, or if it's helping other people grow, well that's a, that's a, that's a plus. Yeah, so, as they say, keep on keeping on. 

Chance

Family

Hobbies & Pastimes

Negativity

Interview

Arriving in Philadelphia, the crew meets with Rosemarie Certo, the owner of Dock Street Brewing Co., where they get a taste of her award-winning beer and her passion for the craft. Next, the team travels to Chicago to speak with Grammy Award-winning children's folk singer Ella Jenkins, who teaches the Roadtrippers a song. The team also meets with Paolo Davanzo and Lisa Marr-a happy-go-lucky couple that shares their love for filmmaking by helping students learn the art through affordable film and media arts classes.

Follow Your Own Rules 

Was music always something in your family and in your childhood? >> My uncle, his name was Floyd Johnson, and I used to call him Uncle Flood, and he wasn't a formal musician, just like I'm not. But he, in his relaxing time, he would always have a harmonica when he finished his work and finished his dinner. Then he would go and get a comfortable seat and then I would sit on the floor and listen to him. And he would just be playing. Then one day my mother said, well you like the harmonica so much, for Christmas I'm gonna buy you one. We didn't have any extra money and my mother worked what they called day work and she had worked put in some extra hours just to buy me a harmonica. Now I got all kinds of harmonicas, well. >> So that was your first instrument was a harmonica? >> First, yes, see I was a teenage program director for the YWCA so I worked around teenagers a lot. They were very much interested in all kinds of dances and I had them on stage, but then they wanted me to go first because I was always making up songs, making up rhymes all the time anyway. Someone said, Ella, some of these little songs that you've written should really be recorded. Someone introduced me to someone that was in New York city who had a recording company, and then it just progress from them. 

It Just Progressed From There

How did you deal with the critiques from people, like Ella, why are you singing for kids? How did you ever deal with people >> Oh well, people, if you ever are going to be professional, you have to take that along with everything. Cuz people have told me oh, this is the worst song that you could have, you know, you can't be discouraged. So you hope that whatever you do, it has something worthwhile that what your sharing is. >> Can you play a song? >> [LAUGH] Can I play a song, let's see. This is a song called The Cuckoo. The cuckoo is a pretty bird. She sings and she flies but she never howls cuckoo til the 4th day of July. So let's do it. [MUSIC] [LAUGH] That was great. >> We're working on our harmony. >> That was good. Got some harmony in there. [LAUGH] >> I dropped the bass notes. >> That was good. >> [LAUGH] 

You Can't Be Discouraged

I think it's so cool that you didn't formally learn it. So you just feel it? >> Yes, certainly. >> I think that's a limitation on so many people like, oh I need to learn how to play an instrument. >> Well, I think of this tune, that's what it is. I think of the tune and then I play it. Whatever you feel, that's what you should put into your instruments. And it makes me feel good just to be able to share this with you today. Let's just say if there's something that you do like, and if it's not harmful to other people, or if it's helping other people grow, well, that's a plus, yeah. So as they say, keep on keeping on. 

Keep On Keepin' On

I find that really interesting, for the fact that you've been through various periods in our time within the United States. I was wondering has the effect of, it's kind of a deep question, but the effect of racism, and Civil Rights Movement has that put any effect on your career at all? >> Well, you know, this is, I always think progress, because I've gone to the deep south and I've been on tours where very difficult to get a place to stay, because of my color but, so there's a certain kind of feeling that you might have within you. For me, because it had happened many times, a lump would be in my throat and my stomach. My stomach. I could feel it through my stomach growling. Just like I'm approaching a restaurant and I wanna go in there, but I'm not sure, if I'm gonna be accepted or not. I remember going on a tour with a young man who was about 21 years old and he was driving, and he played Congo drums, so we had an act together, but our first night in Illinois, he went to a restaurant and the man said, sorry we can't serve you, this is a private club, I said what? It looked just like an ordinary restaurant. Suddenly, the mailman came in with his bag and what not, and I said, is he a member of your club, too? He said, I'll tell you lady, we can't serve you. So I took a big piece of paper, and I took some crayon. And I wrote, does not serve colored people here, and I put it in his window. And of course the man didn't appreciate that, and so, as soon as we got a little distance from, then he went out and took it out of the window. Now, he didn't want a service, but yet, he was still ashamed the fact that someone would know that, you know. So experiences like that, make you want to do more. You don't have to be hostile. But you know what's right and what's wrong. 

Struggle

Values

Handling Racism

When I was in high school read a lot of history like in history books, and most of it was of around slavery. And so, every time I used to get to very uncomfortable I'd say is that all we can read about black people, what they've achieved or haven't achieved because slavery was a part of our past. But at the time it wasn't anything that I was proud of having been a part of that. >> Mm-hm. >> But now I always feel history is very important. You can't go forward unless you go backwards first. And so, I became very, very much interested in helping to solve some of the problems. But you have to get a lot of people working together and then when you have big leaders like Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, and these people, they inspire you. And I hope that, because of your age now, I hope that you haven't forgotten that this has been, sometimes you can't be where you are today if it hadn't been for Martin Luther King. 

Self-Reflection

History Is Important

[Ella playing harmonica, roadtrippers singing] [Ella] That was great! [Roadtripper #1] We're working on our harmony. [Ella] Bravo, that was great! See, I was a teenage program director for the YWCA, so I worked on teenagers a lot. And so they were very much interested in all kinds of dances and they would cha-cha-cha, they had the tango. So I had them on stage, but then they wanted me to go first because I was always making up songs, making up rhymes all the time anyway. And uh, someone said, "Ella, you know, some of these little songs that "you've written, we recorded." Someone introduced me to someone that was in New York, uh, City, who had a recording company and then it just progressed from there. If there's something that you do like, and if it's not harmful to other people, or if it's helping other people grow, well that's a, that's a, that's a plus. Yeah, so, as they say, keep on keeping on. 

Ella Jenkins

Children's Songwriter

Videos

Ella Jenkins

Milestones

Education

Career

Career Roadmap

My work combines:

My work combines:

Art

Music

Being Creative

Interviewed By

Do It Anyway