Born a daddy’s girl at Broadway Hospital in south Los Angeles, California, Miss Brenda Lee Gertman started singing in church at age of five. She sung for the congregations at Home Mission, which was later renamed Christian Light Church of God in Christ, located on Bandera Street and Wilmington Avenue. Proudly, Daddy Leroy named* his daughter, Miss Brenda Lee Gertman, after the Rockabilly Hall of Fame inductee, Mrs. Brenda Mae Tarpley of Nashville, Tennessee. While growing up in the unincorporated area of Compton, aka East Rancho Dominguez, Brenda recalls those fond memories of seeing the singer, Crystal Gayle on television and watching the actress, Judy Garland perform in the classic movie, “The Wizard of Oz.”
Brenda Lee Gertman volunteered at her church home, Cottonwood Christian Center Real Kidz Children’s Department. She sung for Rowe Entertainment and Soul & Sounds of Watts. Surprisingly, Brenda Lee Gertman received words of encouragement from distinguish media affiliate, Cynthia Mayweather, of former KZLA 93.9FM radio station. Brenda Lee accomplished the first round of the auditioning process for America’s Got Talent and successfully did an on-camera interview with TV show Nashville Star. One of her most awkward moments, and yet a milestone of her life, was hearing her voice singing on the Pat Hennessy’s American Idol Talent Search, on KKLA 99.5FM radio station hosted by the late radio host, Mr. Frank Pastore (R.I.P.).
Brenda Lee Gertman won “Best Vocal Quality” at Long Beach City College Spring Sing and was selected as one of the twelve finalists, for the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts Showtime at the Apollo on Tour. Her poem A Parent’s Love, was selected to be included in the Compton College journal, Voices of Compton.
Awards
Long Beach City College Certificate of Genealogy Workshop Attendee; Long Beach City College Leaders Across Campus and International Friends Mentee Program; Operation Hope Trickle-up Grant; Long Beach City College Spring Sing 2004; Long Beach City College Continuing Education Center for Women; First Runner-up Goddess of Beauty XL Mystique Pageant; Charles R. Drew Head Start Certificate
Performances
National Reparations Day (Tragniew Park) Compton, California; Marian Sims Baughn Center open-mic Long Beach, California; Xpressions open-mic Long Beach, California; Signal Hill Charity Chili Cook-off Signal Hill, California; It’s a Grind Coffee House Bixby Knolls, California; It’s a Grind Coffee House Long Beach (Downtown on 3rd & Pine), California; Downey Street Faire Downey, California; 27th and 28th Cypress Community Festival Cypress, California; Mrs. & Mr. Sue and Coy Black 50th Wedding Anniversary at Sutton Place Hotel Newport Beach, California; Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts Showtime at the Apollo on Tour Cerritos, California; Long Beach City College 53rd Annual Spring Sing “Memories of…” Long Beach, California; 3rd Annual Unity in the Community Talent Showcase Long Beach, California; Nadeau Street Church of God in Christ Los Angeles, California; Soul and Sounds of Watts Talent Showcase Los Angeles, California; Rowe Entertainment Talent Showcase Los Angeles, California
Bibliography
Nashville Star on-camera interview; America’s Got Talent interview; Event News Local Newspaper-Cypress, California; On Stage at Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts Magazine; 99.5FM KKLA The Frank Pastore Show with Pat Hennessy; Long Beach City College Viking Newspaper; The City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation & Parks; Soul and Sounds of Watts Talent Showcase