The day after Thanksgiving this year, Mark and I went to see Chou Chou and the Imperial Palms Orchestra at The Carlyle Club for their holiday kick-off show. We had a great time as always, and after the show, Chou Chou spoke briefly to us about being reborn as a performer, an artist coming into her own. Her words resonated with me and my own struggle to stake my claim as an author in my own right, so I thought I’d share a little about Chou Chou just in case there are artists out there who need to feel less alone.
A Little Bit About Chou Chou
In 2014, Mark took me (and some friends) out for my birthday to see a show called Doc Scantlin and the Imperial Palms Orchestra. My dad was in the U.S. Navy Band, so I grew up on a lot of jazz music—particularly swing and big band. I was thrilled, and the band didn’t disappoint. The band leader, Doc Scantlin, was extremely entertaining and came complete with cheesy jokes. However, it was his wife Chou Chou who stole the show. At first, you think this woman is unreal. It’s as if she stepped out of an old Hollywood set or pinup calendar. She dominates the stage with her charm, and with her voice and dancing, she can work a room.
Over the years, we keep returning to the show and learned more and more about Doc and Chou Chou. They live a life of the 1930s—from their home and appliances to classic cars, it’s the real deal. Chou Chou, being the show’s producer, has branched out to the online world. She’s self taught and manages not just the band, but the social media, the bookings, the costumes…just all of it. In fact, on Facebook, you can read about her adventures in plumbing, being a DJ, and replacing an old pilot unit.
Then, you learn that she’s autistic and a serious supporter of autism awareness. She shares her story, and her challenges, but not in a way to make you feel sorry for her or praise her for how far she’s come. Instead, her message is that we’re all different, and we all process differently. She readily admits how fortunate she is to have created a life doing what she loves, playing to her strengths and talents.
Doc’s Retirement
Doc Scantlin retired earlier this year in order to pursue his love of making instruments, specifically handmade guitars. As he stated in this last show, life is too short to not be doing what you love. He loved music, and enjoyed performing, but he was ready for the next chapter.
Now we have Chou Chou and the Imperial Palms Orchestra.
I thought it was a natural thing to happen, as easy as breathing. We love Doc, and we’re always happy to see him on stage as a special guest like he did at the last show we went to, or just hanging out in the audience. It always felt like Chou Chou playfully upstaged him, so for her to step in as band leader didn’t seem like a big deal. In September of this year, we went to her show, and she didn’t skip a beat. Mark even had the opportunity to be one of her “bubble boys.” It was great!
It never occurred to me that Chou Chou was mourning the end of what was essentially a love affair—27 years of performing with Doc. Now, with a full band at her command, she was alone.
Finding Her Voice
I was surprised to hear Chou Chou talk about how difficult it was to step into this new position. After all, she’s a professional. It’s not as if she doesn’t know what she’s doing. She’s been doing this for years. If someone as powerful as Chou Chou was having doubts, what hope did the rest of us have in our own artistic careers?
Chou Chou said that coming out onstage since Doc retired meant having to overcome a fear of failure every single time. She wasn’t sure if she was doing the right thing, even though she loves what she does. She felt like she had several bad shows because she was stuck on that fear, wondering what her purpose was and questioning whether she could even do this alone.
Then, she did a show for veterans, and everything just fell into place. She connected with her audience again and realized why she does what she does. To me, her message has always been “make someone happy,” so I can only imagine how her generous and poetic heart was overflowing with love.
And so this singer found her voice again. At the show we went to, she led the band and even had a dance with Doc. You could see her trying to hold back her tears of joy. It was beautiful and inspirational to see her coming into her own. She realized she wasn’t alone.
As artists who put ourselves and our work out there for public consumption, we should give ourselves a virtual hug from Chou Chou (because I know she’d hug us all if she could). Like her, we constantly struggle with the fear, the loneliness, and the self-doubt, when we step out into the spotlight. It’s imperative we focus on the fact that we’re not alone, and our voices are worth sharing, too.