Gwen grew up with music. Her mother played the dulcimer, and sang in several bands. Her dad played guitar. She has very early memories of dancing in the living room to her parents’ records - notably Peter Gabriel, Level 42, and the Beatles. She began singing at around three years old when she would make up songs and have her mother tape-record them. Her first time performing on stage was at age six in the Twinsburg Youth Theatre, which she continued to participate in annually through grade school. In her last year with the community theatre at age sixteen she starred as Wendy in Peter Pan. Her parents encouraged her love for music and signed her up for piano lessons starting when she was eight, up through high school. Between fourth and seventh grade she played violin in the school orchestra, and clarinet in the band. Now able to read sheet music, she joined the choir in middle school and realized her love of singing. She participated in as many talent shows and competitions as possible, and even sang in an amateur band for a while, playing out a few times and writing her own material. She also joined the middle school show choir known as the R.B.C. Singers.

The R.B.C. singers, a youth singing/dancing ensemble, prepared her for the difficult audition for the Twinsburg High School Championship Show Choir, the “Great Expectations” directed at the time by Nancy Slife and Mitch Benko. She and three other students out of many to audition made the cut as freshman members. The Great Expectations, a group of about fifty students, travel all over the midwest to perform at prestigious competitions, making a statement wherever they go with tight harmonies, eye-catching choreography, and beautiful well-designed and high-energy shows. She performed with the group for all four of her high school years, was a featured soloist for three, and won several championships with the choir. Gwen’s participation in the show choir was her single most valuable school experience, during which she learned indispensable lessons not only about music and performing, but more importantly about teamwork, communication, and confidence.

Gwen grew more sure about pursuing music after graduation, and was one day presented with the opportunity to sing in for a talented show band with a full performance schedule and an established following. Now a member of The Girls Band, she is having a blast and doing what she loves, while going to school full time at Kent State, working toward a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design. Gwen hopes that this wonderful band will continue to help her grow as a performer, and open doors to her future of performing. She will never stop sharing her music with the world.

Samantha is a 20 year old, sophomore at Kent State University, working towards a Bachelor in Fine Arts in Musical Theatre. Samantha graduated from Mayfield High School in 2008, where she participated in show choir, a cappella choir, the dance team, and school musicals. Credits of hers include: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Oliver, Children of Eden, Damn Yankees, Beauty and the Beast (Belle), Footloose (Ariel), and most recently Rent and Assassins at KSU.

Her love of the stage doesn’t stop with performing. Since the age of 13, Samantha has competed in pageants both state wide, and nationally as well. Currently, she is your reigning Miss Ohio U.S. 2010, and will be competing for the national title in early July.

Samantha has always said, “Being on stage brings upon a feeling that cannot be replicated anywhere else. It’s the place I feel most comfortable and most at home. There is nothing more rewarding then seeing smiles on the faces in front of you, and knowing you have truly moved someone with your performance.” Samantha says her one goal in life is to inspire others to follow their dreams the way many performers have inspired her. No matter how difficult it may seem, anything is possible with hard work, dedication, and the will to never accept defeat.

Samantha feels so grateful to have the opportunity to be surrounded and to perform with such incredibly talented people, and is thrilled to spend her summer entertaining audiences at so many exciting venues!

Kelly Marie Pease is a 19 year old singer/songwriter that has grown up with music, having studied voice with Louise Savage, Phyllis Spears and Stacey Richardson Crawford at the Willoughby Fine Arts Association. She has participated in numerous vocal events around Cleveland and the NE Ohio region. Kelly's versatile vocal range covers many genres of music which are highlighted through the multiple-decades of music she performs with The Girls Band.

Kelly performs every opportunity she gets and has had the honor to appear on the air, on Cleveland's Unheard Scene; She has performed 2 years in a row at the Fine Arts Festival in Dayton Ohio, having made it to nationals both times. Kelly was also a semi-finalist in the Rising Star Cleveland competition, a regionally wide talent search. She has performed at venues all over the Cleveland area including The Cleveland Playhouse Square, Canton Playhouse, Tower City Amphitheatre as well as multiple National Anthems for many communities and events. She has performed in Nashville Tennessee at Tootsies Orchid Lounge, John A's Restaurant, The World Famous Nashville Palace and also on Nashville Spotlight TV as a performer and as a host. As a member of The Girls Band, Kelly has been given the incredible opportunity to sing at many regional festivals and clubs like The Ingenuity Festival 2009, The Blossom Time Festival, The Geauga and Cuyahoga County Fairs, Legacy Village, Lorain PortFest, Rockin' on the River, the Warren Amphitheater, and even on Fox 8 TV live in the morning!

Kelly is very honored to be a part of The Girls Band and is grateful for having the opportunity to work with the many talented vocalists and instrumentalists. Performing with the band has enhanced and seasoned Kelly's performance abilities in both harmony and lead vocal presentation. There is much more to come from this talented young lady!