The Players

MICHELLE BERTING BRETT - LEAD VOCALS

Born in Humboldt, Saskatchewan, Michelle trained in opera and theatre on scholarship at Dickinson State University in the U.S. and is an award-winning graduate of the Music Theatre Conservatory program at Sheridan College in Ontario, Canada. 

Michelle began her career based in Toronto, performing coast to coast and as far north as Dawson City, Yukon, in musical theater.  Favorite roles include "The Baroness" in The Sound of Music and "Woman 2 (Miss Byrd)" in Closer Than Ever.  Michelle also performed in Murder Mysteries, Corporate Industrial Shows, with the improv troupe “Electric Porcupine”, as a background vocalist in studio and on tour, and as a voice-over artist. 

Michelle has traveled the world performing the American Songbook and jazz repertoire in her own cabaret shows, most notably Jazz, Torch and Ancient Pop and Michelle Berting Sings Peggy Lee.  In roles as diverse as Band Leader, Production Singer, and Guest Entertainer, Michelle has made music in the exclusive hotels and resorts of Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, and the luxury cruise lines of the Caribbean, Mediterranean, and South Pacific. A highlight of her career was the opportunity to perform for the Troops in Bosnia and Croatia. 

Michelle was invited to participate in the Eighth International Cabaret Conference at Yale, and performance highlights include singing background vocals for Ronnie Spector (lead singer of "The Ronettes"), recording with music legend Ronnie Hawkins, and guesting with Matt "Guitar" Murphy ("Blues Brothers") opening for Little Richard at B.B. King Blues Club in NYC. Michelle was thrilled to open for comic legend Bob Newhart with a 10-piece Big Band at Casino Rama in Toronto. 

Michelle is based in the U.S. and for this longtime Carpenters’ fan, performing We’ve Only Just Begun: Carpenters Remembered and Merry Christmas Darling: Carpenters' Christmas can only be described as a dream come true! MichelleBertingBrett.com

HARRY SHARPE - MUSIC DIRECTOR, KEYS, BACKGROUND VOCALS
 

Harry graduated from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA, with a Music Theory and Composition degree. 

He arrived in Nashville to tour with Eddy Raven playing piano and singing background vocals.  He did the same for 3 years with Tanya Tucker before moving on to Donna Summer for 4 years.  Harry joined Wynonna Judd as her Music Director for 6 of the 11 years he worked with her.  He played piano, keys, organ, guitar, and auxiliary keys for Wynonna and was interviewed by Apple Computer for being the first person to use a soft synth (Unity DS-1) on a laptop as a live rig. 

Harry performed and shared the stage with Patti LaBelle, The Judd's Reunion Tour 1999, Michael McDonald, Heart, Michael Bolton, Jo D. Messina, Faith Hill, Minnie Driver, Dave Matthews, Steve Holy, Olivia Newton-John, and Carman, to name a few. He returned to work as Donna Summer's Music Director later in her career. 

He has performed on Crossroads, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Late Show with David Letterman, The Rosie O'Donnell Show, Good Morning America, The Today Show, and at The Ryman Theater, The Grand Ole Opry, CMA, Fan Fair (CMA Fest), the Houston Symphony, the Honolulu Symphony, the Virginia Symphony, and the Hollywood Bowl. 

When not on the road, Harry produces music for a wide range of artists and corporate clients.  He was chief engineer at Walter Haynes Studio (Walter was former vice president of MCA Records) and, while there, had the honor to record with artists like Little Jimmy Dickins, Pig Robbins, Larry Paxton, and Eddie Bayers.  Most recently, Harry has worked as Music Director for the CMA award-winning Gloriana.

MARK BRETT - PRODUCER 

Mark was born into the entertainment industry with Grandparents and Parents in the nightclub business in the ’60s and ’70s.  There he was exposed to acts like The Cadillacs and Joey Dee & the Starliters.  His first official gig was as “Road Man” for blues harmonica player James Cotton in the 70s, and he followed that, working behind the scenes and on the road for the rock band Avalanche. 

As a concert and event photographer Mark has had the pleasure of photographing the Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, Frank Sinatra, Tina Turner, B.B. King, Pete Townsend, Cold Play, Santana, ZZ Top, Tony Bennett, Michael Jordan, the Gotti-Ward fight, Yogi Berra, and hundreds more.  He was the official photographer for the first sanctioned event at the original Woodstock site since 1969, which included aerial photography. 

Mark is a Day 1 employee in the entertainment department at one of the largest casinos in the world, The Mohegan Sun, which opened in 1996.  As Stage Manager there for 20 years, he worked closely with a vast array of artists that include:  Brenda Lee, Davy Jones, Peter Noone, Charo, David Cassidy, Jay Black, Loretta Lynn, INXS, Duran Duran, Heart, Alice Cooper, Blake Shelton, Toby Keith, Vanessa Williams, Al Jarreau, MC Hammer, 38 Special, Leon Russell, Eddie Money, Robert Cray, Herbie Hancock, Lady Antebellum, the Nelsons, and many, many more. 

Mark toured with Ronnie Spector (lead singer of “The Ronettes”) and worked with many regional acts in the Northeast, such as The Hitmen, Echo Janes, Physical Graffiti, Jeff Pitchell, Bold is Love, and Riders on the Storm, to name a few. 

THE BAND 

The band is a collection of incredibly versatile, world-traveled, mostly Nashville-based musicians. These diverse musicians have worked with a Who's Who of the music business: Donna Summer, Michael McDonald, Reba McEntire, Bobby Caldwell, Sara Evans, Collin Raye, Billy Ray Cyrus, Hall & Oates, Carly Simon, and Jimmy Webb to name a few!