About The Rockin' Robin
Dave Mindell is The Rockin' Robin! A Live Performance Vocalist and Entertainer from Chicopee, Massachusetts with a passion for Music!
Biography
The first song I ever loved was Puff The Magic Dragon
. I was 4 years old. In the third grade at recess I sang Beatles songs while walking with another boy with our arms around each other, to get the attention of the girls at our school. In the fifth grade we had a talent show. I noticed that the musical acts were lip synching to records. I felt that they were cheating, so I decided to sing the Beatles song Do You Want to know a Secret?
accapella. The school audience was surprised at my bravery and gave me wild applause. I enjoyed the attention.
I sang in the chorus in Junior High and High School. In my senior year, I sang a solo rendition of White Christmas
with live piano accompaniment. I even sang at a wedding with my older cousin professionally. But, by far my biggest thrill as a child performer was when I was sixteen years old and played the part of the Pharaoh in the musical Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat . I was part of a teenage cast singing an Elvis style rock song. The teenage girls in the audience screamed during my performance. I remember that just after I went back stage, I felt the most exciting feeling that I ever had felt and I knew right then that I wanted more, much more excitement like that!
After High School I didn't have enough confidence to perform live, so I went to work, moved out of the house, fell in love and got married. After buying a house in Chicopee, Massachusetts we had twins, a boy and a girl. A couple of years after they were born, I was at a local bar having a drink when I discovered Karaoke. I picked up a song listing book, picked out the Beatles All My Loving
and I became hooked on it. For the next three years I went out 3 or 4 times a week all over the Chicopee Area to sing karaoke. I was and energetic performer who tried to reach my audience. But, I would sing one song then have to wait up to an hour or more for my next song. I really wanted to be the only singer each night. I also dreamed of getting paid to perform. I quickly got sick of the bar scene and the bad singing drunks.
Over the next few years, I would occasionally join a few local bands to sing a few songs as a special guest. It was fun singing with a live band. I would sing Twist and Shout
, Sweet Caroline
, Get Together
and other classic hits. This gave me the confidence to go out on my own as The Rockin' Robin
. In 2005, I decided I didn't just want to be an owner of a cleaning business; I wanted to pursue my dream of becoming a professional singer. So, for about a year I took singing lessons from and excellent vocal coach, and I developed into a much better singer.