Best Solo Performer: Michelle Chenard

March 23, 2008

Popular Northern Michigan musician Michelle Chenard – Best Solo Performer in this year’s reader survey – almost missed her calling. “I actually had thoughts of being a veterinarian when I was in school,” says this former “Yooper,” who graduated from Newberry High School in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. “My guidance counselor steered me away from it – he told me that it was hard to get a job as a vet.”
After graduation, Chenard attended one semester at Central Michigan University before discovering college life wasn’t for her. Luckily, Chenard’s years of growing up in a musical family provided the basis for her future.
She took off for Florida to be in a band and music has been her life ever since.

MUSICAL ROOTS
Singing and playing guitar since she was seven years old, it’s no surprise that Chenard has found success.
“My dad played guitar and [sang] and I learned to sing harmony by singing with him. My grandparents were musical and played piano, organ, guitar and liked to write songs,” says Chenard. “When I was growing up we would go to my grandparents’ cottage and get guitars out and sing around the campfire.”
Songwriting began just as naturally. “I was dabbling around in songwriting when I was first starting to play guitar,” she remembers. “The first song I ever attempted to write was about a boy I was in love with who was surfing and drowned – I was probably about eight or nine when I came up with that idea.”

HER INSPIRATION
Although surrounded by musical influence throughout her life, Chenard credits a cousin with providing the most inspiration.
“My biggest influence in my family was my older cousin Megan – she was 10 years older and she played amazing guitar. She was a Joni Mitchell kind of girl’s inspiration, giving me a path to get into music.”
Listening to Linda Ronstadt, Heart, Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin and U2 while growing up gave Chenard strong musicians to emulate as she cultivated her own sound.
“Women weren’t such a big factor in the music scene – there were women out there – but they didn’t have such a strong hold as they do now; Tori Amos, Fiona Apple blow me away and inspire me.”
Chenard’s own sound encompasses a little bit of everything from jazz to rock, blues and pop, always complemented by her own guitar playing.

SHE WRITES THE SONGS
Chenard admits she wasn’t dedicated about songwriting until after high school.
“I probably didn’t get serious about it until I was in my first rock band in Florida,” she says. “We wrote some stuff and recorded it; (that’s) when I actively started pursuing songwriting more.”
Writing her own music, Chenard is influenced by things going on in the world. “My songwriting, I think, has gotten better all the time, more mature,” she says. “The subject matter changes a lot.”
With two solo CDs out there – 39 Drops was her bestseller – she’s constantly working on new material.
“Most of the places around here, I do predominantly cover music, then I throw in original (music) between covers,” says Chenard. “But when I do festivals, I do mostly originals.”
Collaborating with another local singer-songwriter, Pete Kehoe, the two often submit original songs. “We write together mostly to submit music for things that are posted... online – producers looking for songs …or TV shows looking for music for certain scenes.”
They also collaborated on the 2006 CD, “Live at the Pink Pony” (named after the well-known bar and grill at The Chippewa Hotel on Mackinac Island), which has been a successful offering.

COMING HOME
When Chenard relocated to Petoskey in 2000, she enjoyed musical success with the band “Leavin’ Dodge.” The group put out three CDs and played all over Michigan. “(It was) easy to get to most of our gigs from here,” she says. “Plus it’s a beautiful place.”
When “Leavin’ Dodge broke up, Chenard changed direction.
“We disbanded in 2001 and that’s when I started performing solo. My cousin who was in the band decided she had had enough of being on the road.”
Although Chenard’s proud to put down roots and call Northern Michigan home: “The best part of it is the quality of life; I feel peaceful every time I see the lake,” she admits. “The thing I’m most proud of is that I’m able to make a living at something I love to do and that I can continue to perfect my craft as I go.”
Look for Michelle Chenard at many venues in the Northern Michigan area throughout the year and quite often on Mackinac Island during the summer. Visit www.michellechenard.com for more information.