By Megan McDaniel (meganm@turlockjournal.com)

Monday through Friday, Corinne Cook can be found working behind a computer as the network administrator for Prudential California Realty.  But being behind a microphone is her true passion.

Cook, who works in several Central Valley cities including Turlock during the week, can be found most weekends at festivals or restaurants entertaining the crowds with her blend of classic and modern country music.

A short CD of her music was released in 2001 and has since attracted attention from local and national country radio stations alike. She is hoping to make a full album when she travels to Nashville, Tenn. soon to record a few more songs.

She also has her own website to promote her music and get sponsors for her upcoming trip to Nashville. For more information, go to www.corinnecook.com.

Q. How long have you lived in the area and what brought you to Escalon?

A. I’ve lived in this area for most of my life. I grew up in Tracy but moved to Escalon when I was a freshman in high school.  I joined the Air Force directly after graduating, served in Desert Storm/Shield, and I moved back to this area after I completed my four-year tour.

Q. Specifically about Turlock, what do you like about the city and what are some of your favorite places to go when you’re in town?

A. I think Turlock is a quaint town with wonderful shops in the downtown area - it just wouldn’t be right if I didn’t stop by Mainly Bagels for a coffee and bagel in the morning and when lunchtime rolls around, I have been known to frequent the Red Steer for an unbelievable French dip sandwich! Honestly, all the shops deserve a mention since they all play a part in the small town feel of downtown Turlock. At the same time, along Highway 99 offers some of the larger department stores and fast-food chains. You can have the best of both worlds all right here in Turlock.

Q. Is music sort of a side project for you?

A. Music is not just a side project - it is my passion. I love to sing and entertain and I’ve been doing it now for several years. Actually, my “break” came when I won a singing contest at Ellis’s Lounge in Riverbank. From that experience, I was very lucky to have the opportunity to travel to Nashville, Tenn. in 2000 to record my first album. Ever since then, I’ve been singing everywhere I can, building a fan base, selling CDs and saving up for my next project.

Q. How long have you been singing and do you play any instruments also?

A. I’ve been singing ever since I can remember. As a kid I remember sitting around the kitchen table while my mom played the guitar and my brother played the drums (well… chairs) and I would sing. As far as instruments, I took piano lessons as a kid and I’m learning how to play guitar.

Q. How would you describe your music?

A. I’m always being asked, “Who do you sound like?” Well, I hope that I have a unique voice, a style all my own, so my answer to the question is “me.” But if I had to describe my style, it would be a combination of Martina McBride, The Judds, Sherrie Austin and Patsy Cline.

Q. Tell me about your upcoming trip to Nashville and do you need sponsors and why?

A. I’m going back to Nashville to record four new songs to add to my existing album and fine-tune the songs I’ve previously recorded. My first CD has eight songs, but for promotional purposes, I need a full album of 10 to 12 songs. Basically, this trip is to complete what I’ve already started and this time I’ll be working with Nashville promoter Bill Wence. Having sponsors would allow me to create a higher quality project. I have worked hard to make it this far and the more support I have, the better this CD will turn out and higher chances for success.

Q. What was your first CD like and when did it come out?

A. My first CD came out in 2001 and right now it is only available through me. It was created for promotional use, and it has been a step in the right direction.

Q. Do you think you’ve learned anything from your first CD?

A. Oh yes. I’ve definitely learned what NOT to do!! The best way to learn is from your mistakes and I’ve made some! For example, I had one of my songs included on a CDX, which is a compilation CD of all the newly released songs. One of my songs was included on a disk with artists such as Martina McBride, Carolyn Dawn Johnson and Randy Travis. It was a good move because my song was distributed to 2,500 radio stations in the U.S., but since I didn’t have a promoter to track the song, I still don’t know what stations played it, how many times it was played, etc. Lesson number one - have a promoter!

Q. What is your ultimate goal as far as your singing goes?

A. My ultimate goal is to be able to do what I love. Sing. Whether it be in front of 100 people or 100,000 people, I want to sing. I’m happy in my life now - I have a good job, family, friends and I have singing engagements to look forward to. But what I really want is to be able to say I’ve done everything I can and I’ve gone as far in the music business as possible. At the end of the day, I want to say I’ve tried my best.

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Megan McDaniel is the Journal's community reporter. She can be reached at (209) 634-9141 or by email at meganm@turlockjournal.com.