MIAMI SPRINGS, Fla., June 10, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- Since junior high school, Leila Duchesne has admired movie and television stars. She expressed her admiration for her favorite celebrities through poetry, a pastime that unexpectedly blossomed into a full-fledged singing career. In her new book, Celebrity Poems & Memoirs (now available through AuthorHouse), she includes many of her poems about famous people and offers personal stories about being a singer and meeting entertainment legends.
Duchesne includes heartfelt tributes to a variety of famous individuals who have touched her life through the years. The celebrities range from American music icons Louis Armstrong and Frank Sinatra to talk show host Oprah Winfrey, soap opera star Susan Lucci and former president Bill Clinton.
She also offers special accolades to Peggy Lee and Quincy Jones, two people instrumental in launching her singing career. Duchesne heard a voice one day that instructed her to buy a tape recorder and put her poems to music. She taped five songs and later, miraculously, was allowed access to Peggy Lee at a nightclub. Lee directed her to Quincy Jones. Duchesne landed a three-week singing engagement at a Kingston, Jamaica hotel nightclub. Her popularity soared, and she performed in many other Jamaican hotels and quickly became a hit in this Caribbean vacation destination.
The combination of personal stories and inspired poetry makes Celebrity Poems & Memoirs an example of the impact stars can have on people's lives. Duchesne's deep affection for her favorite celebrities brings joy to her life, and she relates her happiness to star-struck readers.
Duchesne, a vocalist, sings ballads, blues and jazz. She composes her own music and coordinates her own shows. Celebrity Poems & Memoirs is her first book.
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