Margaret Wakeley's Bio
Margaret Wakeley studied piano for twelve years and then earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Tufts University before pursuing a career in entertainment. Basing herself first in Atlanta, then Los Angeles, she enjoyed many solo singing engagements in premier hotels, resorts and clubs throughout the United States and Europe.
While working in Los Angeles, Margaret broadened her artistic skills. In addition to studying with the renowned vocal coaches Lee and Sally Sweetland, she studied at the Tracy Roberts Actors Studio, and won the coveted Jay Bernstein Scholarship acting award there. She also began doing voice-overs for radio and television.
A decision to marry and start a family brought Margaret to Seattle. After suspending her career for a few years while she raised two sons, she began doing special performances and benefits. Collaborating with jazz musicians freed Margaret up to sing a repertoire she had always favored: The Great American Songbook, jazz standards, and a diverse range of Broadway songs.
Settling in Upstate New York in the 1990s, Margaret began creating and performing benefit cabarets for the First Unitarian Society of Ithaca, New York. She has developed a devoted following as a cabaret and a jazz singer at supper clubs, festivals, and special events in Central New York State, appearing regularly at Rochester's Downstairs Cabaret Theatre.
Margaret made her New York City debut at The Duplex Cabaret Theatre with the show "An Evening of Perfect Relationships...and Other Romantic Fantasies." Her songs and stories about the agony and ecstasy of seeking and sustaining love's mixed blessings drew a highly enthusiastic response, prompting the club to extend her debut. In 2000, Margaret shared the stage in New York with Roger Bart, Rob Evan, Heather McRae and other performers in the TRULove Cabaret Benefit for Theatre Resources Unlimited. Accompanied by David Lewis at the Helmsley Hotel, Margaret sang at the publication party for Nathan Silver and his updated, re-issued book, Lost New York.
Her newly released CD "Perfect Strangers,” arranged and produced by Warren Hartman, pairs songs that seem to offer incompatible sentiments but meet to embrace the multi-faceted joys and conundrums in love and life. Margaret's previous CD, "Quality Times" was released by Original Cast Records and earned wide critical praise. She had earlier recorded two vinyl albums of original songs. Her song-writing honors include being a four-time American Song Festival quarter finalist, winner of the 1981 Helen King Festival of New Music, and Grand Prize Winner of Nashville's 1981 Music City Song Festival.
Margaret has recently appeared on stage in venues near her Central New York home, including the prestigious Hangar Theatre, and continues to do voice-overs and narration for radio, television and film.