Sheryl Renee – Besides being a Powerful Dynamic Woman Singer, Ms. Sheryl Renee is a Re-Design Specialist- a Reasonable Renovator of Real Estate !!! On Maui, Sheryl Renee has staked her claim with her beautiful powerful Voice across many Maui musical venues. She reveals another side— Maui is sure to welcome a re-novator! Sheryl Renee re-designs and does interior design specializing in using the re-used things and has been doing this for more than 20 years !
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Summary & Transcript Below…
Summary
In this engaging and heartfelt interview, Jason Schwartz hosts Sheryl Renee, a seasoned professional singer and interior redesign expert, on The Neutral Zone show broadcast from Maui. Amid unusual heavy rain and community disruptions from natural disasters, Sheryl shares her multifaceted career spanning 45 years in music and 25 years in interior redesign, emphasizing her passion for sustainability and affordability. Sheryl’s unique approach to interior design focuses on repurposing quality pre-owned goods to create stylish, budget-friendly living spaces, helping local residents and real estate clients refresh their homes without excessive costs or waste.
The conversation reveals Sheryl’s deep roots in the music industry, stemming from her mother’s legacy with Muscle Shoals and Stax Records, and highlights her successful tribute shows honoring musical legends from Ella Fitzgerald to Marvin Gaye. Sheryl also discusses the challenges of making a living as a professional musician on Maui, balancing gigs with other creative ventures including website and graphic design. The dialogue touches on Maui’s evolving cultural and entertainment scene, the importance of community support for artists post-disasters, and the island’s potential for growth in film and music industries.
Jason and Sheryl reflect on Maui’s unique blend of aloha spirit, talent, and resilience, underscoring the importance of sustainability and creative innovation in both music and home design.
Sheryl’s mission intertwines artistic expression with practical service, aiming to uplift individuals through music and environment-friendly redesign. The episode closes with Sheryl’s live singing, showcasing her extraordinary vocal talent, and encouraging viewers to explore her work and the broader Maui arts community.
Highlights
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[01:22] ? Sheryl Renee shares her 45-year professional singing career on Maui’s vibrant music scene.
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[05:05] ♻️ Sheryl reveals her unique interior redesign business focusing on repurposing pre-owned goods to create affordable, stylish homes.
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[12:44] ? Discussion on Maui Arts and Music Association’s vision to educate and inspire environmental solutions through arts and culture.
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[16:30] ? Sheryl’s musical lineage traced back to Muscle Shoals and Stax Records, highlighting her deep industry roots.
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[22:18] ? Sheryl emphasizes the growing niche of repurposing and recycling furniture, changing perceptions about pre-owned goods.
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[27:37] ? The challenges of sustaining a professional music career on Maui and Sheryl’s balancing act with redesign work.
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[44:17] ? Sheryl’s tribute series honors music legends and creatively combines live musicianship with backing tracks for performances.
Key Insights
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[01:22] ? Professional Longevity and Versatility in Music: Sheryl Renee’s 45-year career exemplifies how sustained passion and adaptability allow artists to remain relevant and respected in a competitive industry. Her ability to perform across genres—from jazz and blues to pop and Motown—demonstrates a rare versatility that enriches Maui’s music culture and appeals to diverse audiences.
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[05:05] ♻️ Sustainable Interior Redesign as a Social Impact: Sheryl’s interior redesign business, Renee Renovating, challenges conventional design by prioritizing sustainability through repurposing pre-owned goods. This approach not only reduces environmental waste but also democratizes interior design, making it accessible and affordable for everyday residents, including working- and middle-class families on Maui. Her method exemplifies a practical model for eco-conscious living.
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[12:44] ? Arts as a Catalyst for Environmental and Social Awareness: The Maui Arts and Music Association’s mission to integrate arts education with environmental solutions underscores the power of culture as a platform for community engagement and global modeling. Sheryl’s involvement aligns with this vision, showing how artists can lead by example in fostering sustainability and cultural pride simultaneously. -
[22:18] ? Changing Perceptions Around Pre-Owned Goods: Sheryl addresses the stigma often associated with secondhand furniture and goods by demonstrating that quality, style, and affordability are achievable through expert thrifting and redesign. This insight highlights an emerging consumer shift towards valuing sustainability and resourcefulness, especially relevant in island economies where waste management and import costs are critical issues.
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[27:37] ? Economic Realities of Island-Based Musicians: The discussion about the financial challenges musicians face on Maui reveals systemic issues in the local arts economy, including limited pay scales and reliance on supplementary income streams. Sheryl’s pivot to interior redesign reflects a broader trend among artists diversifying income to maintain sustainability without sacrificing their creative passions.
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[31:24] ? Maui’s Potential as a Growing Entertainment Hub: The conversation touches on Maui’s strategic advantages for film and music production, including natural beauty, emerging venues, and local talent development. Despite challenges such as lower tax incentives compared to mainland states, the island’s unique culture and aloha spirit offer compelling reasons for industry growth, encouraging collaborations between local artists and global stars.
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[44:17] ? Innovative Performance Models Blending Live and Recorded Elements: Sheryl’s tribute shows cleverly combine live musicianship with high-quality backing tracks to balance artistic integrity and financial feasibility. This model reflects contemporary performance economics, allowing smaller venues and independent artists to deliver professional-sounding concerts while managing costs, an approach that could be adopted widely in niche markets.
Extended Analysis
This interview with Sheryl Renee offers a rich exploration of the intersection between arts, culture, and sustainability on Maui. Her dual career path bridges two essential aspects of community life: cultural enrichment through music and practical improvement of living environments through interior redesign. Sheryl’s emphasis on repurposing pre-owned goods aligns with global sustainability goals, addressing waste reduction in a tangible way that benefits both clients and the environment.
Moreover, the dialogue sheds light on the economic challenges faced by professional artists in smaller markets, particularly on islands where tourism-driven economies fluctuate and opportunities are limited. Sheryl’s adaptive strategies, including her engagement with local nonprofits, tribute shows, and design services, illustrate how artists can remain economically viable and creatively fulfilled.
The discussion about Maui’s evolving entertainment infrastructure and potential for film production underscores an optimistic future—one where the island leverages its natural assets and cultural capital to attract and retain talent. This vision supports a broader narrative about the importance of nurturing local artists and craftspeople to build resilient, self-sustaining creative economies.
Sheryl’s personal history rooted in the legendary Muscle Shoals sound connects Maui’s artistic community to a broader musical heritage, enriching the island’s cultural tapestry. Her story exemplifies how individual artists contribute to a larger legacy while adapting to contemporary realities.
Finally, Sheryl’s live singing performance at the end of the show serves as a powerful reminder of the human connection at the heart of all creative endeavors. Her ability to captivate audiences, paired with her commitment to helping others create beautiful, functional living spaces, positions her as a vital cultural ambassador for Maui.
Conclusion
This episode of The Neutral Zone provides a comprehensive portrait of Sheryl Renee’s multifaceted talents and community-oriented mission. It highlights the synergy between artistry and sustainability, the challenges and rewards of island living for creative professionals, and the evolving cultural landscape of Maui. Sheryl’s story is one of resilience, creativity, and dedication—an inspiring example for artists and entrepreneurs alike aiming to thrive while giving back to their communities.
00:00
Good morning, everyone. Aloha. It’s Jason Schwartz here at The Neutral Zone. Welcome to the show. Well, today is an unusual day. We swam in here. It has been raining here for a couple of weeks, on and off, mostly on.
00:29
And we have now Lake Kihei and Lake Lahaina and upper and lower lakes, different places and rivers. We are like Alabama, Arkansas, and North Carolina. And they’re having their own kind of weather. But we’ve been having it. And I have someone who braved this weather today.
00:55
I’m so thankful that you’re here. Sheryl Renee, thank you for joining me here today. Thanks for having me, Jason. Talk a little bit more, so I want to make sure your volume’s good. All right. I made it here. I swam, backstroke. Back and front. Well, you know, if you were on Maui today, you might say, is that the same Sheryl Renee that sings at the Pro Arts Theater?
01:22
Well, she sings there sometimes, yeah. Is that the Sheryl Renee you see in Lahaina sometimes? Well, Maui’s a small island, so after a while we get to see people. Sheryl Renee has been singing for 40, you can’t even be 45, 45 years. 45 years professionally, yes. And is an amazing singer. But I want to start by that because we had a surprise today.
01:50
My phone fell, and I had to get a new phone. And the iPhone 17 has one of these universal things, USB-C, which is the new thing that says, plug in me. So does my iPad. And I had things copied onto my phone and to the iPad to play all kinds of musical tracks from Sheryl Renee. But now you’re going to have to go on the internet and find them, and up to our site and find them, which is good.
02:18
We are here today at KAKU 88.5 FM, the voice of Maui. We are simulcast on Akaku Maui Community Media at 333 Derry Road in beautiful Kahului, or should I say Lake Kahului.
02:35
Honestly, it’s more rain than we’ve seen. I think the whole world has seen weather changes. I’ve been here 37 years. I’ve never seen rain like that. I’ve never seen a whole island stop because it’s raining, but we…
02:52 
This is something else. They’ve canceled, I was going to say, Broadway shows. At the Pro Arts Theater, they had Rent, an amazing performance by an incredible group of people. But they had to cancel. In fact, the first night, they canceled in the middle of the show. And some of the people slept in the theater. We’re talking rain, baby, rain.
03:16
And we needed it. But, you know, God stopped. First we had a fire. Then we had a flood. What comes next? Pestilence? I don’t know the order. But we are not looking to be the biblical example. We are looking to be an example of…
03:32
brilliance, self-sustainability, be a model for the world of what it means to have Aloha coming and going. To be a host, culture like Hawaiian, man, we’ve been blessed. And I’ve been here a long time. You’ve been here now a decade or more, yeah? Well, no, I’ve been coming to Maui since 1998. There we go. But I moved here almost four years ago.
03:57
Okay. Four years ago. So you’re relatively new, but I’ll tell you, on the music scene here, you just jumped in and jumped in at a professional level. And jumping at a professional level on Maui is like…
04:14
wow, where are we going to play here? The hotels have their ballrooms and their guests. We have all the local clubs. They’re paying people enough to have tips. Maybe they’ll replace a tip jar. So to be a professional here and be recognized as that, so I bet that you have a career that you’ve had all along, that you’ve been, in fact,
04:41
Do people know about your incredible interior design work and you stage real estate? We’re going to let you know about that. What’s the name of the website that you have for that? For my interior redesign and professional organization, it’s reneerenovating.com. There we go, reneerenovating.com. Yes. And you just said, so you help people organize? Yes.
05:05
Yes, I’m a certified professional organizer, and I’m also an interior designer. And I call it redesigner because I specialized in pre-owned goods, decorating with pre-owned quality goods, recycling. So I’m a redesigner.
05:21
I see. So you use goods that have been used before. What do they say? Slightly used. Like, have you met David? I imagine you have. David is the guy that when you come in on the airport or you leave on the airport, you see this giant, happy, sad theater mask.
05:40
Happy, sad, and it’s giant. And you say, what is that? And he has a business called… This stuff used to be owned by rich people, but now they’re dead. It’s something like that. I do know what you’re talking about, and I’ve been in that store a while. And he had a store in mid-Kihei, in fact, just down the… Right, and then he moved to this new place. And so that’s great. So you basically…
06:08
And I imagine that means you work with realtors who want to stage real estate. Staging with property owners, property management companies. And could really be. I mean, that’s what’s so exciting about it. And anybody that says, you know…
06:24
Doris, we’ve got to change things here. We’ve been in this condo for two weeks, eight years, two wills. Let’s make believe that we’re in a new place. Ready? And go. Doris, I see the taste you have. I’ve lived in your taste. Let’s find a… How do you find people? Just look at them and say…
06:52
I’m still trying to figure it out. You out there who say, you know, I’d like to figure out how to change my place. You know, it’s like that couch has been there so long. It’s still a nice couch. I bet that could be a redesign for someone else. Maybe I can make a deal here and come and go at the same time. So you go in and you look at a space and you look at the people and you see what their love is.
07:21
Well, first of all, I am an expert thrifter, okay? I mean, I’m a bargain-hunting queen. I have my own radio show called Making a Way with Bargain Queen Sheryl Renee, and what I do is my goal and my purpose is to help people understand that they can have a quality living space. A lot of people think they watch the shows on television, they think my place can never look like that, but it can. And the way that we do that is that
07:50
We bring in a designer with an eye, first of all, because everybody has their own gifts and talents. But you bring somebody in that can look at your place and say, okay, my motto is I work with what you have and bring in what you need. So first and foremost, we’re going to come in and we’re just going to shift things, organize things, declutter your home.
08:15
Which may not be the case for everybody, but that’s part of it. Decluttering, deep cleaning, reorganizing the layout in the space, and refreshing.
08:28
refreshing the whole room, and I do full room makeover. So if I come into your room, you need lighting, you need curtains, you need a clock, you need a mirror, whatever you need, we’re going to bring those things in. And when I leave, your room is fully renovated. Well, let’s not start with this room, because first thing she said when she sat down was, we need a light in here. Laughter
08:50
And I thought, she is at work. Oh, I can’t help it. I just can’t help it as a producer. Well, you know, I’ve been a producer for over 30 years. And so when I come in, as a producer, you have to look at everything. And all of that, my history in theater, I’ve done over 50 productions.
09:07
In theater, some of the great roles in musical theater. I’ve been an event manager, an event designer. So between those three things, when I come in, I am. I’m looking. And I say it’s lovely in this studio out there. Everything just feels so cozy and nice and well put together. I mean the whole place. You gave me the tour, and I appreciate it.
09:29
We’re here at Akaku Maui Community Media. By the way, I forgot to do my normal thing, which is to tell you that when you want to see this show again, because Cheryl and I said something, I want to hear that again. Go to mauineutralzone.com, and there you will see all of our shows, including this one, with a full transcript, a full transcript, a summary of the show,
09:56
And a search engine at the top of the thing where you can search anything that anyone said for all of these shows. So when you want to find Sheryl Renee and you put in Sheryl Renee, you’ll see this show. And you’ll say…
10:09
What are all these other shows? If someone said Sheryl Renee at any time, that’s going to come up as another… We have a search engine there. Or if you said affordable housing. So we are a community, and we’re a growing community. Every show we do. And I wanted to include…
10:30
This is only my opinion, and I haven’t seen much of… There are a lot of great singers here. Amy, have you seen Amy Hanayili? She’s fabulous. Right? She’s fabulous. There is so much talent on this island. Isn’t that right? It blows me away. But this gal is great. So here in Maui, oh, I’ve been here four years. I’m singing at the Pro Arts. Whatever you’re doing…
10:58
It is worth going to see this young lady when she’s still here and available. Because I have plans for you. Hey. I recognize that there’s a lot of talent on Maui. A lot of talent on Maui. And you’re one of them. But the thing that really attracted me to you initially was, I have a friend named Davo. We were sitting and talking. And he’s an artist. In fact, he was here last week. Yes, he was. And he said to me, Sheryl Renee…
11:27
And I never knew that Cheryl, my friend Sheryl Renee, a really nice lady, he’s hanging out with her on the West Side. And then tribute to, I was going to say Elvis. No, no, no. Tribute to… I have done Elvis before, just so you know. Marvin Gaye or Motown. Yes, yes. But you also do all kinds of different…
11:52
things because you’re a pure singer so I really like that and I am also one of those maybe self-proclaimed in this second here but I can sing and I don’t like being I want to say cast in only one thing because when I sing rock and roll or the blues you would think that’s all I sing then you hear me sing Sinatra and you go my god you can sing Frank Sinatra and Elton John and Elvis and all these guys
12:21
So, as I’m looking here on Maui and seeing talent, you who are on Maui already know, Maui Arts and Music Association, art and music with a purpose, to educate people about environmental solutions that we implement here and create a model for the world.
12:44
A model for the world. A dream Maui. You’ve heard me say that for 30 years. Because I’ve had this non-profit and this whole thing. I’ve been talking about it.
12:54
Well, I wanted to attract stars and people that already have talent, that already have success, but they don’t have a legacy. How about helping save the world? By what? By we’re going to honor you. So when I heard tribute, too, I thought, well, this woman is like doing what I want to do.
13:18
But she is already part of it. Why not help brand it inside and part of, not lose the identity of her? And her, she could be a non-profit. So in other words, in this big umbrella we have,
13:39
One of the things that is in there is these amazing people that now bring in talents. Because if Marvin Gaye, may he rest in peace, still alive, he’d be super impressed seeing you sing. Or Gladys Knight or Aretha. Also, you sing…
13:59
La, la, la, la, la, la. I saw you do that song. I don’t even know who wrote that. The Prayer. We were going to play that for you today. In fact, I’ll play some things up on the website and put links in there. So when you go to MauiNeutralZone.com, you can have the full, not only what we’re saying here, but links to all these things and really a doorway.
14:22
into our world. So I saw this woman and I said, hey, this woman is already professional, already doing it.
14:30
You know, if we want to attract stars from the mainland to see what we’re doing and want to see what we mean by tribute, here’s someone who’s already paying tribute in a beautiful way. And here on Maui, when we get our partners of XYZ Hotel, that little pro-arts theater gig, you’re going to say, I can actually see her sing. I was so close. Because bigger venues are coming here soon.
14:58
Oh, I would love that for Maui. Right? In fact, without telling too many stories, there was a former film commissioner here who told me that there are plans, no one named, to build a larger arena here because without a larger arena, we can’t get some of the big acts that would love to play there in Maui.
15:23
So that’ll come. But the hotels, as we bring them into what we’re doing, hotels, you’re on the docket here soon. Because larger rooms and larger audiences tying in with the mainland and tourism and stars who want to be able to showcase who and what they are with all. You know what do they say? It isn’t what you have, it’s what you do with what you have.
15:48
I love that. Right? Right. Thank you for being here and for offering yourself here locally so I can see why you want to be doing interior design and redesign. I’d like to really explore that. Go ahead.
16:04
No, I was going to say my gift to my life has been that I have always done what I loved. I’ve always been able to do. I’m a second-generation entertainer. My mother’s Katie Love from Katie Love and the Four Shades of Black. She recorded on Muscle Shoals. She recorded on Stax Records. I was raised in the industry. Were you from the South there? I am from Denver, Colorado. Oh. But when I did my ancestry, yes, I am from the South. Stax Records. Stax Records.
16:30
I lived in Atlanta for 11 years. Muscle Shoals. That brings back memories. Oh, Alabama, yes. Muscle Shoals, Alabama is where my mother recorded her record, It Hurt So Good, in 1971. Wow. But I’ve been in the entertainment business my whole life. Yeah. And that has branched out to other things. And one thing that I really loved, always loved to do was to put a room together. And so I’ve been doing it for 25 years. Wow.
16:57
I moved here to Atlanta. My business was called Affordable Room Makeovers, but when I was moving here, I saw that there was already an interior designer here on Maui that had the name Affordable in her name. So I switched my name, and now it’s Renee Renovating, and just trying to get a foothold. What I offer is different. What I’m offering is budget-friendly makeovers. This affordable one you talk about, are they in the same business? Yes.
17:25
Same business. Oh, so you don’t want to use… Yeah, being an island, right. I didn’t want to step on any toes. And you don’t want to say budget-friendly because we got some very wealthy people. You’re friendly to them, too. I’m friendly to anyone who costs. We could be friendly even if you’re very wealthy. In fact, we’ll be very friendly. But I want to say, though…
17:43
What I’m embracing this year is that my purpose is to reach everyday people. The wealthy people, the people with great means, they have the means to bring in the greatest designers ever. But the average person, the working class, the middle class, lower class people. And the idea of redesign is really right. They deserve to have the same thing. The repurpose of everything is what we need to do with the whole world, right?
18:08
And especially here on Maui, we’ve got to keep furnishings and home goods and things out of the landfill. So what do we do? Let’s recycle them. Let’s repurpose them. You know, everything is vetted. I repurpose. I reshine. I fix. I make sure everything is good. I know a couple of good repulsors, too. Yes. You know, that should be the first option here on Maui.
18:30
and also there’s such a plethora of of great stores and people like i see on next door all the time people are saying you can’t find anything on maui that’s not true first of all they’re great furniture stores new stores um several five four or five right here in central maui but then you’ve got the mom and pop thrift stores and the uh antique stores and the resale stores all over the island
18:55
And that’s my hobby as well as my passion. So every Saturday I would hit the road and go to another part of Maui. So I know that there’s quite a bit of inventory here. So I like to pull from the inventory that’s on island, work with what we have here, and keep the landfill free of good furniture that can be utilized. What came to my mind was I have a friend named Richard Dan. Do you know Richard Dan? I don’t.
19:21
Richard Dana’s Cash for… He was one of our sponsors. We’ll be again, Richard. Hey. Cash for Gold Combine Alone. Pawnbroker.
19:30
And boy, I’ll tell you, I’ve seen airline seats from a plane that broke off in the sky somewhere in the past. All kinds of really nice furniture, sort of like a David. You know, you see a lot of things pass by. Also, I mean, like you say, there are so many sources that you have and that you…
19:55
I’m going to introduce you guys. I think you’d find it to be really interesting and maybe also a source of business because people that are getting rid of their stuff need to redesign.
20:06
They do, and lucky, as you mentioned, we do have quite a few wealthier people. And when they get ready to redo their homes, they’re just giving away the things or donating the things that they don’t use anymore, and that’s where the thrift stores, the Goodwills, the warehouse, the Restore, Habitat for Humanity Restore, Salvation Army, those are the big ones here on the island. But that’s where they come into play because people don’t want to pay to ship those things back.
20:35
And I bet they are thrilled to know there’s someone like you. So I hope you’ll set up. Can you imagine? We’ve got a few couches here. I imagine that kind of stuff happens where you’re… I say couches. Why did I say couches? It could be anything, right? It could be couches. Couch beds. Accessories. The hotels. You just come in to redesign. That makes me think about movie sets. It makes me think…
21:05
We really have everything here, don’t we, on Mallory? We do. We do. We really do. There is so much here, you know, which is thrilling for somebody like me, who’s a treasure hunter. Oh, yeah. Well, I just know that I’ve seen stuff here that I wonder, I don’t know how much it must have cost you to bring it here, but it will cost you a fortune to take it away.
21:29
And most are not. They’re not loading up. And so you will see. So you have tremendous things to pull from. I bet the people that have you as clients are very, I don’t know how to say that any other way, except the people that have you as clients are thrilled because their life has been transformed.
21:50
around their life well you know what especially after uh the pandemic people realized how important their homes were when we were stuck in our homes and what it did is now we have these influencers you know you go on instagram everybody i’m learning things that i didn’t know things that we had in our our lives you know growing up and it’s like no this is how you use this and this is what you could do with this and it just it created a whole new industry
22:18
of people who are now into repurposing, recycling for a living.
22:30
I guess what I’m doing is I’m carving a new niche because people don’t really think of pre-owned goods in a light, in a good light. There’s kind of the mentality of, well, you get what you pay for. But, you know, I’m trying to change that and say, look at this $1,000 couch that I just got for $50. You know, I’m telling you, I only paid $50 for it, and I’m going to pass that savings on to you, you know.
22:59
So it’s budget-friendly. My clients set their own budget. You tell me how much you have to spend, and I’m going to meet that budget. If the budget is $500 or if the budget is $5,000, depending on what you say, and it’s going to determine how I shop. You know, where am I looking for things? Am I going on Facebook Marketplace? Or perhaps you only want new items. Then I’m going to work with the stores that are on the island. But as an expert thrifter, my goal is always to save money for my clients.
23:29
And that was important you said that because just because you redesign and use things that are used doesn’t mean everything you use, everything you have is used. It depends what someone wants. It’s a mentality thing because people are saying, ooh, how can you sleep on a used mattress? But didn’t you just travel for four weeks and you stayed in a different hotel every week?
23:50
And not only were you sleeping in a bed that someone had just gotten out of, but everything in that room. You know what I’m saying? Of course. So my thing is you trusted that it was checked, that it was cleaned, that it was checked for no bed bugs. And also, anything that I use is going to be quality.
24:12
Vetted, pre-owned goods. So, you know, it’s not like we’re pulling stuff out of the dumpster and putting it in people’s homes. We’re just finding quality things and saving them money. And most of the investors that I’m finding here on Maui, they don’t want to spend any money on their units. They purchased them fully furnished.
24:31
Even though it’s the same furniture from 1980, the same couches, the same rattan, the same, you know, they’re reluctant. And particularly with the economy going up and down, they’re reluctant to invest. So that’s why what I do at Rene Renovating is so important, because I’m going to be able to give you a refreshed experience.
24:53
Beautiful redesign that’s not going to break the budget. Perfect time, and especially now with all that’s… By the way, you can imagine, everyone out there that… I was going to say, the first six inches, if not foot, is reserved for mud at the moment. But there’s a great swath of this island that’s going to need some real help.
25:20
And do need help. You are so right, particularly with the devastation of the 2023 fires and now just what we’re seeing today with all the mud that people are dealing with and sweeping out of their homes, you know. I hope you don’t mind that when I have this show on, I’m going to put your website for the renovating.
25:39
for the music because you know, I think there’s it’s really It’s all you right? It’s all me and I did something over the past couple of weeks I changed my website and I included the other things that I do because I’m also a I’m a website designer I do graphic design I do video production. I had mentioned to you I’ve had several shows on public access in Georgia in Colorado. I had a radio show but
26:05
I do all of these things just to keep the lights on. And here on Maui, they say, yeah, but we only can charge $20 for a ticket because that’s all our audience can afford. Or if not, if you fill the house, you’re still going to hire musicians. Well, if you pay them scale, you’ll be working here a week before you get enough money.
26:30
to pay them. That’s the hard part about being a professional in the music business. It is the hard part. It really is. So thank you. You do something that is incredibly perfect for our island and actually right now is the time to know about Renovating Renee. Ah, Renee Renovating. Yeah.
26:49
I’ve sung my entire life. Music has always been a part of my life. But I’m 63 years old. You’re young. I’m an old guy. You’re young. You know, I’m 63. I know. And I’d like, you know, just like anybody who’s done something for 45 years, you start thinking about retiring. You start thinking about doing something else. And as you mentioned, the pay scale on Maui is really geared towards…
27:16
Background, entertainers, duos, singing guitarists and ukulele persons. It’s challenging to make a living singing here. And that’s why so many conventions, they get these huge budgets. Yes, I would have to do more of it in order to…
27:37
that to be my only thing. And again, at 63, I’m not wanting to do more. And you don’t want to be your own roadie and you don’t want to have to keep looking for… Oh, I’ve had so much of that. Yeah, I know. I raised three beautiful girls in the music industry. You know what I mean? I raised a family. So I’m explaining. I’m not complaining. Yeah.
27:57
You know, I’m explaining that I’m really wanting my redesign business to take off here so that I can still continue to sing. And I’m doing my show once a quarter at Pro Arts, and I’m still working with Jazz Maui, Arts Education for Children group, Bryant Neal, who has been bringing me here for 27 years to do concerts and shows, which is how I came here. That’s so interesting. I know Bryant. Yes. 27 plus.
28:22
Okay, yes, 27 years. Brian’s been bringing me here. He’s a great guy. I call him my brother, my brother from another mother. Any of you on Maui know Brian Neal. You might have seen him do his Martin Luther King thing. Yes. But he has jazz Maui, and it was the line of print sellers years ago. Yes, and he’s still doing his print selling thing. He’s still doing it. Yeah. Someone calling in the middle of the show.
28:46
But that’s because they don’t really realize the time zone has changed. Well, and that bail was for Bryant. The timing was like, hey, give this guy a nice dong. No, he’s so good for what he’s doing, working with his work with the school kids, the high schools, the arts. And you see, we’re the Maui Arts and Music Association, so you’d think…
29:04
Well, sort of they’re like you. No? You know how Bryant is like us? That when I start recruiting members, a member organization is his nonprofit. Why? Because when you see what we’re doing, those who know, know. Those who don’t, will.
29:22
that’s why who are our leaders in our world our musicians our artists I’d say our politicians but something has happened that has turned my stomach and I don’t talk about politics in the same vein anymore so but
29:41
That’s a hard subject right now. Right. So artists and musicians, you could be anywhere in the world. And when you say George Clooney, you might say, I don’t like his politics. I like that. See what I mean? We don’t talk politics. But I loved him in that movie. Or if he’s coming to Maui, if Mick Fleetwood is here, George Benson is here. There are lots of people that are here.
30:04
Yeah, yeah. But, you know, I mean, I like Davo’s story when he was talking to George at the bar. And he didn’t even know it was George because he was so, he was, when I met Davo, I think he was somewhere between the moon and Venus. He was out there on the Bob Dylan line years ago. Yeah, he’s a character. I love him dearly. Yeah. He really is. Yeah.
30:32
And he just has nothing but great things to say about you. And you did his website. I did. I designed his website. I know that that was really a good thing. Yeah. And, you know, we are so blessed to live on Maui. I mean, down the street, I’d say there’s Clint Eastwood. I remember when I saw Clint Eastwood at Costco railing his cart in. Just looked like an old man. Yay.
30:58
One day it was Clint Eastwood. He was lucky enough that they took a tape of him. So here on Maui, a lot of people that are celebrities, when you come here, and you may be celebrated by us, but we’re not going to haunt you and stand there and trail after you. It’s got to be really a beautiful community. That’s why I feel, in the future…
31:24
With Los Angeles getting decimated and the film industry looking to have a home base, they still are there. But with so many stars coming here, we have Maui and Oahu and Lanai.
31:41
Motion pictures can be shot here. If you have a tax credit that’s only 25% and in Georgia, it’s 65%. But in 25%, you can live here too.
31:56
You can see what I’m saying. I’m leaning toward finding a way of turning this into not only a tourist destination, you know, if Larry Ellison’s son is suddenly paramount. So this Maui community is going to be the local group.
32:18
For a lot of people that are already here, we didn’t bring them here, but they’re here. Well, and the film industry here could use the work. I mean, you know, I am friends with Georgia Skinner. Sure. I remember when Georgia was doing the film thing. Yes, yes. Well, she still is on Oahu. Oh, good. But, you know, just like everything, you know, more. We need more. Yeah.
32:44
So that’s why I say I look at this in the long term is we’re training people here. We have people here. Suddenly, we will be a formidable entry in the television and film. Suddenly, with the world as it is, we become…
33:04
that’s what we want, isn’t it? To be able to live in paradise and still do movies. I’m telling you, my whole goal is to stay here on Maui. I love it here. I mean, this is my heart place. This is my soul. Henry Caputo said something. Henry Capono, yeah. Capono said something that was so on target. He said, Hawaii is the heart of the planet. And
33:32
I completely agree. There’s no place like it in the world. And I’ve been blessed to travel. And there’s no place like it in the world. So right now, I want to give back. I want to give back in every way I can. Music is so healing.
33:49
And so universal. And so I’m very blessed to have the gift of song. And I want to make people comfortable. And I want people to be able to feel good about their homes and having a place. And so these are my gifts and talents. And this is how I can give back to this beautiful island.
34:07
Well, and in lots of ways, but those are two. I mean, I’m regenerate Maui. So when I hear re-novate, renovate, using what is and finding value in what is, if in fact, just write up my, I didn’t really understand that about your business and your focus. I’m glad we spent this time.
34:32
Well, I thank you for giving me the platform to talk about it. Sure. It’s been a challenge. It’s been a challenge for me to get my foot in the door. Just because mainly the times, the economic times, as I mentioned, people are reluctant to put money into it. Well, it’s working the way it is, you know. It’s working the way it is. Why change it right now? I really don’t want to.
34:53
But I think most people are thinking that they’ve got to spend a ton of money. They’ve got to invest $10,000 into their unit. The fact that you can be comfortably affordable and help them get that freshness that they really need, whether by situation like going on now a lot or by just wanting a fresh start and a fresh thing and still be able to afford breakfasts.
35:18
By the way, if you want a good breakfast… There’s a shift. No, I was going to say, I came back from Lanai recently, and what I really saw there that was so amazing was, I never saw a whole community that seemed so…
35:40
openly happy i was like everywhere i went there were just smiles everywhere that’s that aloha spirit yeah that and you got a chance to see it well you know they have a very wealthy owner of the island but he doesn’t own all the island and whatever he’s doing he seems to be hitting striking a good chord with the people of that island and employment you know
36:07
Employment is good. They’ve got an outlet. They’ve probably… Well, I’ve seen… The reason I was thinking is maybe we can show the wisdom of doing something there. That’s Maui County. If I said we’re going to do a show in Lanai, you’d be open to that, right? I most certainly would. I think they already have a couple of hotels. But, you know, I mean, the developing of talent and if they’re thinking about a…
36:36
Did I say thinking about a studio or is that… How can I not know Larry Ellison’s son’s name? And I’m talking about Paramount Studios. Talk about being in your father’s shadow. You know?
36:52
I feel, you know, I mean, I imagine when you were growing up, did you say, oh, my mom was this. How did you strike out? You just went out, your last thing. I didn’t want, we struggled. We struggled. My mother eventually had to get a job and, you know, was not able to.
37:11
Fully rely on entertainment, and I feel like it affected her negatively. You know, she had three kids, and so I was on a mission that I was going to prove that I could make a living, you know, and raise my family, and I, you know, and so…
37:32
I succeeded. And not only that, but my youngest is in New York City and she’s doing what I’m doing. She’s singing for a living. So my mom was successful in that. Myself, my brother, whose name is Skip Lynch, he’s a singing drummer based in Denver, Colorado, again, which is my home. And my youngest daughter, we had followed in her footsteps.
37:56
But it’s a hard business. It’s always been a hard business. It’s always been challenging. And you have the people who do it because they love it and they’ve got their day gig or they’ve got, you know what I mean, they’ve got their security somewhere else. And then you have the ones who are working, you know, working, singing.
38:16
To pay the bills. And freelance musicians. And that’s what I’ve always been. As a freelancer. And so. It’s challenging. And it’s more challenging right now. You know. Yeah. And. I remember when I first saw the Federal Express guy at my door. And it was my keyboard playing friend. Working his day gig. Working his gig. Yeah. Yeah. That’s a lot of what goes on here. Musicians love their.
38:46
playing their music. And so, you know, that thing about don’t give up your day job. Well, you’re in a stage in your life where I hope with what we’re doing you can do what you love in renovation.
39:05
Well, I really want to, and mainly I want to help people. I want to help people, you know. As I said, our homes are so important. Just the relief that you get or hopefully you get when you walk into your doors, you know. But if you walk in and every time you look around, your stuff is overwhelming you, you know.
39:28
That, to me, is the greatest thing. Most people have too much stuff. Yes. Why do you need four of these? Well, if this one breaks, or wait a minute, it’s Tuesday. On Tuesdays, I go like this. Or you have so much stuff that you forget where the thing you’re looking for was, so you go out and you buy another one.
39:49
You know, that all happens. But I work fast. I like to work consecutively. So if, you know, if we do an assessment and I say I can do this in two days, then we need to do it two days. We do not split it because what I have found is that I can come in this Saturday, I come back next Saturday, and your habits have moved things right back to where they were, you know. So anyway, but I work fast and I work compassionately.
40:15
And, you know, I’m a people person. I’m an entertainer, so I like to put some music on. I like to say, what kind of music do you like? Whatever music they love, we put it on and we get going. I’m like a general. I mean, I just make it happen and I love it. Do you sing for them? Well, you know, I will sing for them, but… Will you sing for us? Oh, sure. What would you like me to sing? Well, and I… How do you say to… That’s always the thing. It’s like…
40:41
What would you like me to sing? If I asked you to sing something… Give me an artist. Okay, see what I mean? Just give me an artist that you love. That’s what happens with me. It’s like, I can sing. Tell me what you want me to sing because I don’t know. How about… I remember… I was going to say, do you remember…
40:59
Oh, my love, my darling, I’ve hungered for your touch a long, lonely time. Nice. And time goes by so slowly as time can do so much. Are you…
41:29
still mine I let you have that I was going to let her do that I was going to blow this microphone out Tony was going to come in here so when we say that this lady can’t sing we don’t have the hookups so I’m going to save I’m going to right now look at the clock and we still have time when you’re watching the show you’re going to get to this point and say is Jason really going to stop the show and play some music watch this
41:59
where is the love
42:21
When the jazzmen sing the mind and the band is right low. It’s the late night side of morning in the darkness of the soul. Feel like a fool.
42:41
oh i need some backup come on y’all and it’s too late baby now it’s too late no we really did try
42:54
Hey, we’re back. I hope you like those couple of songs. Oh, my goodness. Well, my website, CherylRenee.com, with Cheryl with an S. S-H-E-R-Y-L-R-E-N-E-E. But even that doesn’t do justice, because I was sitting there, and just literally, when you can feel someone’s voice, and you’re in the back row. I wasn’t in the back row. But when I was there, you just feel someone…
43:21
They don’t need the microphone. So they say. That’s for the engineers. Because, I mean, certain rooms, I like standing in the E.L. theater and doing it myself. Yeah. Well, I brought a show here in 2007. I brought a show here called Sisters and Storytellers, and we had a night at the E.L. Of course, with Arts Education for Children Group and Bryant Neal. But I brought a whole cast over here. It was a show that I had written, and…
43:50
But at the Pro Arts, I won the award last year for Best Cabaret. Wow, good. Broadway World Hawaii, Best Cabaret. I did 17 shows in two years. Wow. Over there, 17 tribute shows from Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Luther Vandross. I said Ella already. The Carpenters. I did The Carpenters, Stevie Wonder, all the greats. Earth, Wind, and Fire. Sure.
44:17
See what I mean? You see why when I said I want to do a tribute thing, and I used the word tribute, but I really didn’t think I would see someone who’s already doing it. And what’s really interesting, it seems like you choose, again, budgetary restrictions. You use tracks.
44:39
And a live musician. I feature a live person on each show, but I do use tracks. And if I didn’t use the tracks, well, one reason, I used to be a track snob, musical track snob. I mean, I really was, like a lot of musicians. But at the same time, I enjoy it because I get the real feel of the songs. I’ve got all the orchestration. I’ve got all the instruments. I’ve got the background vocals, you know.
45:06
So if I feature like I featured Dave Graber when I did Ella Fitzgerald. And so I went in and pulled all the bass out of the track. So he’s playing bass live to these tracks. But it also, you know, just financially.
45:22
Yeah, that’s what I’m saying. I did this show. My tribute series is called Sheryl Renee Salutes or Sheryl Renee Salute to the Legends, and I’ve been doing it for 25 years. I have a CD, which I offer a free download on my website, CherylRenee.com, for a free download of my CD in 2004. But basically, it was my personal love letter to these artists who just gave so much and fed into me as an artist and singer.
45:48
You can see that that idea that they gave to you is how I feel and how the world feels. Yes. To be able to talk about taking money from art and music and culture and real estate, that’s another story for another day. But you see…
46:05
See, that’s the whole thing. Redirecting money that comes in as a real estate commission or as how many artists make a third of the gate. They don’t do stuff like that. Artists are going to want to be involved with us because we do things differently.
46:26
Doing things the typical way of scrape off from the top. Like people doing conventions. There’s a budget of $25,000 and they have $10,000 to pay the musicians. But those musicians played only two gigs, eight, six, eight hours, and they got $1,000 each. And someone took…
46:53
The big money is getting scraped off. This is the nature of the music business. It’s always been that. Well, we’re changing that. That’s why I say it. Artists making a penny or three cents on every album. It’s always been that way. I remember when the album deal was, Barbra Streisand’s getting 10%. Five is a big deal. You’re getting usually between three and five percent. Mm-hmm.
47:15
Three and five percent? And everything you do comes out of your three and five percent. So every video, every costume, everything that they spend on you comes out of the three to five percent that you’ve been offered. That’s how the industry is, and it’s incredibly wrong. Well, but it now is, oh, except in what we’re doing. That’s why I say we’re doing something here.
47:37
to help the environment, help the artists and musicians. And we’re also paying tribute to those that have come before us because we stand on the shoulders of giants like you talk about. You’re not only your mom, but all the people that have been in this business, committed and wanting to make a living. We’re going to show another way that is going to revolutionize
48:05
We’re going to reorganize. Hey. Revolt? Revolution? Not on my plate. So do understand. I know I’m talking in big terms and big promises. Big promises come from the desire to do it differently. And you have to speak those things. You have to put it out there. You know what I mean? So that’s it. Yeah. That’s how it happens. That’s how it happens.
48:30
All of you, no matter where you are, if you feel it, don’t be afraid to be involved. You’ve heard that before. Don’t be afraid to be that voice because that is the voice, the voice of God, the voice of someone that’s going to make the change. You are appointed. We are appointed. And once you do it, you say to yourself,
48:54
I am actually able to express my… It’s so terrific to have you here. Thank you for having me. The fact that we’re not… We sang just a little to show you that Sheryl Renee can sing. You go up there to these sites, and you are going to be very impressed. But also, I don’t want to forget that business part, because what you said is true.
49:15
That getting known, once I opened my mouth on singing, people remember, oh, Jason’s that television guy. I was a mortgage guy and a real estate guy all the time. Oh, no, Jason’s doing TV. He’s not going to have time to serve you and help you.
49:34
The fact is we have two arms, two legs. We can do a lot of stuff. And everyone I know here on Maui is doing a little bit of everything. There used to be a joke about Jamaicans had 50 jobs. And you can get her to sing. When you hire her, I bet you’ll get her to sing. You know, it’s so funny because I really, really look forward to the day that we can stand here shoulder to shoulder with people right now that…
50:03
I remember, like you talked about, Henry Capono. It’s got to be 25 years ago. It’s now closed, but down at the Monokai, down here in South Maui, which was there for years. Simon had a restaurant there, and there was always great music. And New Year’s Eve was Henry Capono and my friend Lono. And Lono is great, by the way.
50:32
By the way, Lono, we’re going on tour again. Sheryl Renee, Sheryl Renee, Lono, you guys are going to meet soon. But…
50:43
And we always have felt that artists want to give back. And I remember Henry, you know, I mean, here we are on Little Maui. How many people get to see Henry Capono? Henry Capono, now what does he do? He does shows and he brings on other artists. And he’s got his own space now. He’s got his own space in Oahu. He has his own space all the time? Yeah, he’s got his own space.
51:05
His own venue. He’s featuring live music and yeah. I think it’s called Henry Capono Lounge or something. Look it up. But it just opened a couple of months ago or the end of last year. So yeah, he’s doing big things. After the fire.
51:23
His foundation helped people like me. I was singing at Fleetwoods. I was singing at the Lahaina Yacht Club. I was singing at the Chocolate Factory and all of the different things. But, of course, after the fires, everything stopped. And his organization, his foundation, was helping local musicians. So we’ve got to help him and give back to him. And not only give back to him, he’s the kind of guy, like I say, can call Mick Fleetwood and say, Hey, Mick.
51:51
They’re doing things to help make a difference. Who else do we know? Is Stevie around? And that’s why I say we’re going to be fishing. We’re fishing for you. If you’re a celebrity, whatever you do, if you’re someone who would like to see something where you can see something grow and be an example to the world, come on down. Hey.
52:15
That’s what Dream Maui, that’s what we’re all about and have been about. We’ve been spending all this time. It’s almost hard to believe we only have five minutes left. And you haven’t heard but a little bit of Sharon Roy singing. So you that are on radio today, if you listen to the remake of this at Akaku, you’re not going to hear more music. But if you go to Maui Neutral Zone…
52:40
You’re going to hear a couple of songs where I stopped and started, but you can also go in there, go to Sheryl Renee and find out all about her.
52:50
i think this is great because once you’re up there and people say oh i know that they can share about Sheryl Renee and go to that site maui neutral zone watch your show go to everything and then maui see wait a minute we’re going to bring stars in we’re talking about stars their names are going to come up on our web on our website in the search engine what is that that’s why i say what they see here is the beginning of something that’s growing
53:19
And that is really what it’s supposed to be, a neutral zone. We can talk about anything here. We could have talked politics. Hey. We’re going to have politics. The only thing I’m going to say about politics is my career highlight was singing the national anthem for President Obama.
53:35
When he signed the historic economic stimulus bill. That’s up there. I saw on the website. That’s my career highlight. And, you know, just continuing to be a part of this island and everything that it stands for, which is aloha and goodwill.
53:53
Well, I think one of your future highlights is going to be that you are leading a campaign, not only recruiting stars and people and businesses, you’re recruiting a world to stand up for who they are, all the immigrants, everyone. I mean, you know Marianne. We all matter. We all matter and we all can help each other and have abundance. Mm-hmm.
54:21
And everything can be reused. We are just in a blessed situation when we recognize it. You know, when I was in this, I don’t know if this is important or not, but you mentioned on your website, you’re telling you were you won a contest at the Apollo Theater.
54:41
At the Apollo? Didn’t you say something like that? No. That you were in a contest at the Apollo Theater and you won? No, no, no. I’ve been to the Apollo, but I’ve never been on the Apollo stage as an entertainer. Where did I hear that? I do have all of my accomplishments on my website. I saw that. Maybe I was listening, but I thought the Apollo Theater, when I heard it, I thought, well, I grew up in…
55:03
I wish. I grew up in Harlem. My father managed the WT Grant Company. Maybe if you’re back east, you know them. They were a chain of stores like, you know, Walmart. Oh, okay. Before they were Walmart, they were, you know, Walgreens. And Kresge’s was not, before they were Kmart, WT Grant Company. Anyway, we were in Harlem, and I didn’t know that blacks and whites weren’t supposed to get along.
55:32
I never knew that. I know what you were talking about. The Nuyorican Poets Cafe. I was given an award by Rome Neal. Oh, that’s where I maybe heard. Yeah, that’s in New York. I was going to pay that. I watched part of that interview on your website with him. What a very nice man. Yes, he’s a great person. Yeah.
55:52
Yeah. Thank you. I appreciate that, Jason. You’re going to go up there and you’re going to say, boy, through Jason’s doorway, I got to know about this Sheryl Renee. Jason, I don’t know about him. He’s a big mouth guy. But Sheryl Renee.
56:06
You’re right. Sheryl Renee is a superstar and a super person. Thank you so much. Can you imagine we only have a minute and a half left? Wow, we are winding it on down, all talking. Isn’t that amazing? Just a little singing and mostly talking. Mostly talking. Well, that’s okay because we have links up there and people are going to be able to see and hear that you sing.
56:27
Yeah. Well, we are almost out of time, but you’ve been a great guest. Thank you for letting me go. I want to say off-subject. It’s not off-subject. It’s a part of your life that I felt good. You have a dream. You have a dream, and it’s time to bring your dream to fruition because your dream involves helping other people such as myself and also bringing great music to the island of Maui. That’s right.
56:52
And I’m so glad you mentioned Brian Neal. You’re talking about all the good people. And Davo. Hey, Davo. I told him I’d give him a shout-out. I’m sorry. Well, we’re going to play the closing credits, but I can’t play it on here. Next week, I will have the appropriate dongle. Can you believe Apple came up with a fancy name called Dongle? But this one’s going to have the right end so we can play all the music and songs. Thank you for joining us. Sheryl Renee, thank you for joining us. Mahalo, Jason.
57:21
We are out of here. Thanks for joining us, everyone. We’ll see you next week. Hello, everyone.
