Joanne Cucinello:  

I never kept up with anyone after graduation. My friends from school lived far from me and I was raising my siblings all through H.S., so there wasn't much time to be your "average" teenager. But in spite of it,during my junior year, my sister and I signed a contract with Capitol Records and began a short but exciting singing career. After graduation, I enrolled in Hunter College, but after an illness and lack of funds I decided to go to beauty school instead knowing that I had a talent and could make money with it all my life. Good decision! That's where I met my sweetheart and we married in 1962. I've never regretted that decision. We eventually had our own Salons and did very well considering. One of my five children carried on the love of "making women beautiful" and is a celebrated hair colorist in Manhattan. I couldn't get pregnant the first five years we were married and then went on to have five children during the next eight years. While raising my family, I volunteered to lead a Children's Choir at our church and began writing liturgical music for the children's Masses and Celebrations. Circumstances arose where I had to work again ( for Money!)and I began a small Catering business from my home. I always loved cooking since I was very young and had a real talent for making people drool . . . so it was the logical thing to do, being a "Stay at Home" Mom. This led to a Specialty Baking career as years went on and I baked for a number of local restaurants and private weddings. After seven years of baking, I was "bu...Expand for more