Musical Mom

by Leslie Chatman

Singer-guitarist Lorynn Robb began competing in open-mic nights and karaoke contests at the age of 13. 

“I am classically trained and started out singing classical and opera music,” the Little Elm resident said. “I did not enjoy this as much because, at that time, I was very young.”

For the past five years, Robb has performed with Frisco-based Melody of Hope (melodyofhope.org), a nonprofit organization that uses music to support and advocate for other nonprofits throughout Dallas-Fort Worth. 

Robb takes the stages as part of Melody of Hope’s ongoing Music on Main series, which features local artists who perform throughout downtown Frisco on the third Saturday monthly. The next event is scheduled Nov. 19 (visit musiconmainfrisco.org for details). 

Music was always playing in Robb’s childhood home. “I grew up listening to The Beatles and Janice Joplin and developed a true love for all that hippie music,” she said.  

In middle school, Robb became interested in guitar. A boy she liked offered to teach her how to play a chord per week, and by the fourth week she could play every Aerosmith song with four basic chords.

 “My mother was very supportive of my desire to continue playing the guitar,” she said. “She would buy me songbooks. … I practiced with those, even if they were not songs I did not particularly care for. My mom started taking me to open-mic nights and karaoke contests,” she said. “That is when I started winning and getting paid for performing.”

By the age of 18, Robb was playing gigs more often and traveling the state of Florida entering and winning singing contests. “I was playing a show or open- mic every night,” she said, “and I would use my contest winnings to pay my rent.”

Robb met and married her husband in Florida, and his job eventually relocated them to Texas. 

 “When we first moved here, I didn’t know anybody, but I decided to get involved in the downtown Dallas music scene,” she said. “I connected with a group … called Art Love Magic and we performed at a lot of festivals, like the Dallas Arts Festival.”

With powerhouse vocals and an impressive repertoire that spans from Jewel to Johnny Cash, Robb is asked to perform Me and Bobby McGee most often at her shows. 

“Oh, that song is a big one. It takes a lot out of me, so I usually sing it at the end of my set for the night,” she said. “I get a lot of requests to sing Taylor Swift and just about anything country. That said, I don’t always sing songs that complement my voice 100 percent at this point because there are just some covers people really want to hear.”

Robb, whose music can be heard at instagram.com/lorynnred, says she has found a space to share her talents and connect to her community. Since getting involved with Melody of Hope, the number of events at which she performs has increased substantially. 

“During the pandemic, Melody Hope came up with some very creative ways to keep us employed,” she said. “They would select a nonprofit and have a musician or two perform live on Zoom. People could log in and you can actually watch it live or watch the event later from the recording. It was amazing that they worked to find ways to help us in that time.”

Robb has celebrated some professional accomplishments, including winning the Melody of Hope North Texas Giving Day Jingle Contest. She was also and the first artist to sing at the first artist to sing at the new PGA facility in Frisco during a private event.

 When she is not performing, Robb finds time to be creative in other ways, such as baking and arts and crafts. “I’m always trying to do something creative. Even as a kid, I would draw people in crazy outfits and used to think I would be a fashion designer.”

Spending time with family provides Robb with immense joy. After struggling for more than five years with infertility, she is now the of her 4-year-old daughter, Audrey. 

“I’ve been singing to her since she was in my belly and now she loves to try sing with me,” she said. “Audrey loves … singing Let it Go over and over again. She still has the most adorable baby voice, so I have no idea yet if she’s going to sing on key. I started voice lessons around the age of 7 or 8, so hopefully in a few years, we will see.”

Since Audrey’s birth, Robb says she has become more selective about the types of music gigs she accepts. 

“Life has changed so much for me,” she said. “We’ve been in Texas for almost 20 years, I have a beautiful daughter, but I still love to sing and perform. I honestly feel like my gift is a gift from God, but … I just wish God would give me some more energy.”