Mel talks with opera singer John Riesen, an award-winning Western New York tenor. His life started in baseball not music. He played travel baseball all around the country. He said his grandmother on his mom’s side sent some money to all of her grandchildren to get more well-rounded in the arts. He was told that he couldn’t sing so he should consider voice lessons. He said he said yes and took voice lessons on a whim and very quickly it turned out he could sing he just didn’t know what he was doing. He said his athleticism tied with his voice suddenly started to come out and this teacher told him he had this operatic-sized instrument in his voice, and he could really have this 10 out of 10 operatic career. He said it was a crazy transition at first but now that it is his life, really anyone who is supported in that way can do anything.
He met is wife, also an opera singer, in Louisiana but she is from Clarence and went to Clarence High School. They have a beautiful son and they live in Western New York.
His latest song is “What You’d Call a Dream” written by Craig Carnelia is streaming now.
