Teresa Valencia

Valencia was born into a blue-collar family in Lingle, Wyoming. Her mother Lucinda was a divorced mother of three, working odd jobs, and bringing up her children Teresa (Valencia), Barbara, and Lawrence. Her father John Valencia was a miner at the Hartville Sunrise Mine in Hartville, Wyoming and an amateur musician. Influenced by her father, Valencia started playing a recorder in second grade and rapidly enhanced her musical abilities by learning to play the clarinet, tenor saxaphone, keyboard and acoustical guitar. Growing up as the only Latina in an overtly racisit environment, coupled with her personal experiences in many failed relationships, Valencia has created music that is original and reflects her life experiences and her hopes for the future.Valencia's music is influenced by a broad melange of musical traditions-particularly,classical music and Gregorian Chants-heavily inspired by superstars such as Tina Turner, Roberta Flack, Al Greene, Smokey Robinson, Sarah McLachlan, Annie Lennox, and Tori Amos. Valencia began refining her musical talents as a solo clarinetist and saxophonist with the Lingle-Ft. Laramie High School Dixie Land Band. At the age of 22, she began playing with a Christian Band, "Sacred Heart of Jesus Music Ministry." Additionally, she has performed live at gay pride demonstrationsand Open-Mic Nights at night clubs and Coffee Houses. Valencia began collaborating with Cleveland Wright III of the group "Temper" in February 2003 and with arranger/producer, Christian Folmar in June 2003. With their guidance and support, she has seriously begun laying the foundation for a professional musical career.While she waits for her "big break," Valencia remains employed by the National Park Service where she is a Museum Curator of antiquities. She has worked with the service for 14.5 years.