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Sunshine Becker
Sunshine Becker
Sunshine Becker July 23, 2011 @ Mann Center (Philadelphia) with Furthur
Background information
Birth nameSunshine Flower Garcia
Also known asSunshine (Garcia) Becker
Born (1972-07-01) July 1, 1972 (age 52)
Oakland, California
GenresRock, jazz, gospel, R&B
OccupationSinger
InstrumentVocals Flute
Years active1992–present
Websitefurthur.net

Sunshine Becker (born Sunshine Flower Garcia on July 1, 1972) is an American singer who performed backing vocals for the band Furthur.[1] Despite her maiden name, Garcia, she is not related to Jerry Garcia, an incorrect assumption made by some because of her involvement with Furthur, a post-Garcia incarnation of the Grateful Dead. Similarly, despite her first name, Sunshine, she is not to be confused with Sunshine Kesey, daughter of Ken Kesey and Carolyn Adams (aka Mountain Girl or MG), Jerry Garcia's second wife.[2][3]

Early life

Sunshine was born in Oakland, California, to Gabriel Garcia and Juddee Kawaiola (née Watrous). Her father, who is of Hispanic descent, is from New Mexico and is a musician, playing primarily tenor saxophone, but also guitar, bass, piano, and drums. Her mother, who is of Dutch, French, and English descent, is from San Francisco, and studied theater in college. Sunshine's parents met and married in Oakland, CA. She has a brother, Sean Gabriel Garcia, who is 4 years older, and who selected the middle name, Flower, for her when she was born. She grew up in the East Bay area in Oakland, CA and attended James Logan High School in Union City, CA, where she graduated in 1990.[4]

Musical career

Sunshine Becker
Sunshine performing with Furthur at the Mann Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia on July 23, 2011.

In the sixth grade, at 11 years of age, Sunshine learned to play the recorder and flute. As a freshman in high school, she joined the school's prestigious marching band, eventually becoming the flute/woodwind section leader and in 1988, they won a competition at the Fiesta Bowl.[5][6] Following high school, Sunshine attended California State University in Hayward, CA from 1990 to 1992, majoring in Expressive Arts. Having left Cal State, she moved into a house in San Francisco with several other aspiring musicians, including Jeff Pehrson, Jim Brunberg (of Box Set) and Jay Shaffer (of Passenger). Over the next few years, Sunshine worked variously as a vocalist with Oakland Youth Chorus' touring a cappella ensemble Vocal Motion, jam bands Passenger and Box Set, the funky drummer Ziggy Modeliste, and as a studio session singer.[7] She ultimately concentrated her efforts in 1995 with SoVoSó (meaning "from the SOul to the VOice to the SOng"), a highly acclaimed improvisational a cappella group which evolved from Bobby McFerrin's vocal ensemble, Voicestra.[8][9][10][11] She remains very active with SoVoSó and continues to perform on occasion with Passenger. She also functions as an instructor for Young Performers International, a nonprofit children's performing arts company in San Francisco, leads ongoing workshops teaching the art-form of CircleSinging, and provides private vocal coaching.[12][13]

In late 2009, Furthur decided to add backing vocals to their newly formed band. Zoe Ellis, a well-known Bay Area vocalist who has been a member of SoVoSó since 2005, was initially approached by the band, as she had previously been a backing vocalist for Phil Lesh and Friends, having performed on the 1999 album, Love Will See You Through.[14] Zoe, who is the sister of Dave Ellis, former saxophonist for Bob Weir's RatDog, accepted the offer to join Furthur.[15] However, her friend and former singing partner, Caitlin Cornwell, who was also approached by Furthur (and who also provided backing vocals for Phil and Friends and who is a former member of SoVoSó), was not able to commit. As an alternative choice, Zoe recommended Sunshine, her friend and singing partner from SoVoSó (and a longtime fan of the Grateful Dead), who readily accepted. Sunshine's and Zoe's audition for Furthur occurred at the Philharmonia benefit concert in San Francisco on December 20, 2009, where they performed with Lesh, Weir, and Jackie Greene.[3] The backup vocalists' debut Furthur show was on December 30, 2009 (although they also performed at the live rehearsal sessions at the Mill Valley Masonic Center on December 27 and 28). Zoe toured with Furthur until March 12, 2010; Jeff Pehrson subsequently joined Furthur as a backing vocalist on May 24, 2010.[16]

On November 21, 2008,[17] December 26, 2009,[18] and January 28, 2011,[19] Sunshine sang the national anthem before the Oakland Golden State Warriors basketball games, and on April 6, 2010, before the Oakland Athletics baseball game.[20] On December 12, 2010, she performed, along with Phil Lesh, Bob Weir, Jackie Greene, and Jeff Pehrson, at the annual Philharmonia benefit concert in San Francisco.[21] She also appeared on December 3, 2011, at Run for the Roses: A One-of-a-Kind Musical Evening, a Rex Foundation benefit show, where she, along with John Kadlecik, Melvin Seals, Greg Anton and Robin Sylvester, performed a Jerry Garcia Band tribute set.[22][23][24]

Personal life

Sunshine attended her first Grateful Dead show on May 25, 1992, at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, CA. She first met her future husband, bass player-turned-executive salesman Bill Becker (who played in Passenger), that same year, and then reconnected with him in 1999. They married on September 29, 2001, and had a son, Geddy Becker (named after Rush bass player, Geddy Lee), on June 8, 2009.[4] When not singing, touring, and teaching, Sunshine spends her time writing her own songs, exploring the outdoors, experiencing live music, and enjoying her family at home in the Bay Area.[25]

Discography

SoVoSó

  • "World Jazz A Cappella" (1997)
  • "Truth & Other Stories" (1998)
  • "Bridges" (2000)
  • "Seasonings" (2002)
  • "Crack The Nut!" (2004)
  • "Then & Now" (2005)
  • "Snowflakes" (2009)

Awards

SoVoSó

  • 1997: National Champions, Harmony Sweepstakes A Cappella Festival[26]
  • 1997: Winner, Studio Album of the Year - "World Jazz A Cappella", Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards[27]
  • 1999: Winner, Izzy, Outstanding Achievement In Music - "Mother May I" (for score, with Robert Moses' Kin Dance troupe), Isadora Duncan Dance Awards[28]
  • 1999: Nominee, Best Jazz Album - "Truth & Other Stories", Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards[29]

References

  1. ^ "Furthur: About The Band". Furthur.net. Archived from the original on October 7, 2011. Retrieved June 20, 2010.
  2. ^ Jackson, Blair (January 7, 2011). "Going Furthur on New Year's Eve". Dead.net. Retrieved July 22, 2011.
  3. ^ a b "Phil Lesh, Bob Weir and Jackie Greene are the Philharmonia". jambands.com. December 21, 2009. Retrieved June 20, 2010.
  4. ^ a b "Sunshine Becker (Garcia)". MemoryLane.com. Retrieved July 22, 2011.
  5. ^ Grossman, Laurie (August 17, 1989). "Band Camp or Boot Camp?: Training Is Rigorous for Logan Teens". San Jose Mercury News. p. 1B.
  6. ^ Rockstroh, Dennis (January 29, 1989). "Logan Band Behavior Hits Sour Note". San Jose Mercury News. p. 1B.
  7. ^ "I'm On The Right Track". LouisianaMusicFactory.com. Retrieved July 8, 2011.
  8. ^ SoVoSó at AllMusic. Retrieved July 6, 2011.
  9. ^ Elwood, Philip (March 6, 1997). "SoVoSo Unleashes A Cappella Jazz On World". San Francisco Examiner. Retrieved July 6, 2011.
  10. ^ Bullock, Ken (September 17, 2009). "SoVoSo: The East Bay's Winning A Cappella Group At First Unitarian". The Berkeley Daily Planet. Retrieved July 6, 2011.
  11. ^ "SoVoSó - The Contemporary A Cappella Society". CASA.org. Retrieved July 6, 2011.
  12. ^ "A cappella group teaches basics". The Oakland Tribune. October 20, 2007.
  13. ^ "Young Performers International Teachers". Retrieved July 6, 2011.
  14. ^ "Grateful Dead Family Discography: Love Will See You Through". DeadDisc.com. October 1999. Retrieved July 6, 2011.
  15. ^ Gilbert, Andrew (October 5, 2006). "NIGHTLIFE - Zadell". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved July 6, 2011.
  16. ^ "Furthur Tests New Lineup in San Rafael". jambands.com. May 25, 2010. Retrieved June 22, 2010.
  17. ^ "Golden State Warriors National Anthem November 21, 2008". YouTube. November 21, 2008. Retrieved July 6, 2011.
  18. ^ "Golden State Warriors National Anthem December 26, 2009". YouTube. December 26, 2009. Retrieved July 6, 2011.
  19. ^ "Golden State Warriors National Anthem January 28, 2011". YouTube. January 28, 2011. Retrieved July 6, 2011.
  20. ^ "Singing the National Anthem for the first time SOLO FOR the A's ..." Facebook.com. April 5, 2010. Retrieved August 6, 2011.
  21. ^ "The Philharmonia Band: Phil Lesh, Jackie Greene and Bob Weir". jambands.com. December 13, 2010. Retrieved December 17, 2011.
  22. ^ "Run for the Roses: A One-of-a-Kind Musical Evening Benefiting Rex". RexFoundation.org. October 27, 2011. Retrieved November 5, 2011.
  23. ^ Jackson, Blair (December 6, 2011). "Blair's Golden Road Blog - Jerry Jams for the Rex Foundation". Dead.net. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
  24. ^ "Run for the Roses Concert-San Francisco-Photos". JamBase. December 9, 2011. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
  25. ^ "Sunshine F Garcia Becker info page". Facebook.com. Retrieved July 22, 2011.
  26. ^ "Harmony Sweepstakes A Cappella Festival Champions". Harmony-Sweepstakes.com. Retrieved June 20, 2011.
  27. ^ "1997 Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award Winners". CASA.org. Retrieved July 14, 2011.
  28. ^ "Isadora Duncan Dance Awards: Music/Sound/Text". Izzies.org. Archived from the original on April 7, 2009. Retrieved July 15, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  29. ^ "1999 Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award Nominees". CASA.org. Retrieved July 14, 2011.
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