If you’ve ever had the pleasure of attending an LBFE summer cookout or holiday party, chances are you have met our friend, Louise. A self proclaimed social butterfly and extrovert, Louise loves to meet new people. Her approach to life is to treat everyone with kindness. Always an entertainer, the past 14 months have been difficult for our friend Louise. Now that she’s fully vaccinated and restrictions are being lifted – she is already making plans to stretch those social muscles and get back into the world.
Of the many elements that make Louise an accomplished person is her musical talent. She grew up in a musical family, often singing with her sister and brothers. It’s no surprise that in 1951 she met and fell in love with a lounge singer. Louise and Paul married a year later in 1952 and shared a life filled with singing and dancing. They spent years surrounded by other musicians and singers in night clubs, hotel lounges and cafes.
In 2003 Paul and Louise started their own cabaret-style music group, You and Broadway. They assembled their network of now retired or semi-retired musicians and created a space for people to perform together. A house band provides the backdrop, and individuals are welcomed to come up and perform.
Paul played the role of emcee and lead singer, Louise coordinated the talent and advertising. That is until one day a band member heard her singing to herself and encouraged her to perform. She nervously agreed, and now at the age of 92 you can still find her working a crowd, singing songs by Nat King Cole and other classics. Volunteers, peers, and staff from LBFE have all enjoyed attending her shows. One Boston College student has even performed alongside Louise while a volunteer with LBFE.
In December of 2011 after 59 years of marriage, Paul passed away. To keep his legacy alive, Louise and her son Howard continued You & Broadway. They’ve operated out of several venues, and now perform at the Brookline Senior Center. She’s looking forward to resuming practice again in June, and hopes the group will be performing for audiences again soon.