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Roots
Born
and raised on the east coast of Florida, Melinda enjoyed
growing up in a rural environment with four sisters, a brother,
and her large extended family. Animals and music were her
childhood passions, along with her intense love for the
out-of-doors. The Girl Scout Brownie troop she belonged
to in Florida and the happy memories associated there became
a strong influence toward her life work.
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The
gift of an old guitar on her 12th birthday changed her life.
From teaching herself to play her guitar and sing her own songs
late at night in bed with a flashlight underneath a blanket when
she was a teenager, to performing for audiences all over the country
and around the world, Melinda's music career has seen no bounds.
With folk music and spiritual hymns serving as her music base,
she financed herself through college at Florida State University
singing Rock & Roll with the touring band, "Rain." From there,
her musical roots broadened to Jazz, Latin, Blues, Country, Fusion
and Pop, creating stepping stones through the dance clubs, lounge,
cabaret and show room circuit from Florida to Hawaii. All the
while, her voice and guitar gigs continued on the side. As lead
singer in her band and as a solo Performer, Melinda opened numerous
large concerts for prestigious local and International Musicians,
Performers and Entertainers, working with a range of perfomers
from Bob Hope to Stephen Stills to Lynn Anderson to Shamu the
Whale. TV and Radio also played a big part in the development
of her professional talent.
Melinda
with Bob Hope rehearsing for Hawaii's Silver Jubilee
-1985
All
of these life experiences have inspired a broad spectrum
of musical experiences and specialties that make Melinda
and her music unique. With 14 albums to her credit, and
more on the way, Melinda received Hawaii's prestigious 'Hoku
Award' given by the Hawaii Academy of Recording Artists
for Best Female Vocalist for her album, Road to Paradise.
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Girl
Scouts - We Change the World!
Living in Hawaii since 1979, Melinda, a composer, producer, professional
performing/recording artist, creative dance teacher and mom, has
been very involved with the Girl Scout Council of Hawai'i as Choir
Mistress, Board member, chairperson, co-chair and media ambassador
for many events, special event coordinator, and Na Hokulele Girl
Scout choir director (7 years). Along with her other professional
commitments, she led her daughter's Girl Scout Troop #755 from Daisies
to Cadettes. In October 1991 Melinda was honored as a Woman of Distinction
and inducted into the Girl Scout Council of Hawaii's Distinguished
Alumnae Hall of Fame.
On May 4, 1991, Melinda received Girl Scouting's
highest honor, the Thanks Badge, for the world-wide impact of
her original composition, "We Change the World."
In
2000, she was honored as a National Song Leader for GSUSA in recognition
of her millennium theme song Growing Strong.
For the 90th Anniversary of Girl Scouts in 2002, Melinda composed
the song Every Girl, Everywhere sung, choreographed and
celebrated by hundreds of thousands of Girl Scouts throughout
the Nation in honor of this special Birthday.
Melinda
Caroll with Choir at Madison Square Garden October 2002
Every Girl, Everywhere was introduced by Melinda and a
host of singing and dancing Girl Scouts on March 12, 2002 at the
Washington D.C. Gala, held at the National Building Museum. The
event was attended by 1,100 distinguished guests, including Girl
Scout alumnae, men and women of Congress, First Lady, Laura Bush,
and members of the President's Cabinet.
For the past 10 years Melinda has dedicated herself to providing
a source of music for Girl Scouts and Girl Guides everywhere.
Her music CD and songbook series, Girl Scouts'® Greatest Hits,
with the newest release, Volume 8, 'Fur, Feathers and Fun!'
has been a wonderful musical resource for Girl Scouts all across
the land.
Today, Melinda receives numerous invitations to perform songs
from the Girl Scouts'® Greatest Hits series across the
country. Along with her music production duties running Legend
Productions Inc, she finds time to tour nation and worldwide,
visiting Girl Scout councils, working side by side with their
local song leaders and all-girl choirs, and participating with
them in special events, concerts, and facilitating song leading
and creative dance workshops.
Melinda
performing at Seaworld in San Diego, California.
Girl Scout-Imperial Council-San Diego.(2000)
"People
always ask me where I get the inspiration to write songs for Girl
Scouts. I get it from the people it has been my privilege to work
with! Each time we celebrate together, each time we meet, we reconnect
with our fundamental beliefs of goodness and kindness. We empower
young girls and women to continue this courageous tradition. We
honor our past and we create new memories and experiences to share
with each other! The music carries us and the memories sustain
us! Thank you, Girl Scouts, for being such a wonderful part of
my life, and thank you for all you do for the girls - thank you
for making the world a better place!"
Melinda is a lifetime member of Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. She resides in Maui with her husband, George Rosete. She enjoys mixing her passion for music and creative dance along with her love for Girl Scouting. It is her deepest wish that her album projects with Girl Scouts will inspire young girls and women everywhere to sing, to dance and to share the music of Girl Scouting, and to carry their excellent ideals forward from generation to generation.
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