Eye of Newt, Toad's Heel And a Nice Chicken's Claw

OK - so, singing for four hours straight isn't the most natural thing in the world - especially when you're running around like Bobo the Circus Chimp, jumping up and down, running around the club/hall and generally snapping your body side to side because it looks cool. I'm telling you, the throat takes a pounding - and the occasional adult libation (aka Crown on the rocks) certainly doesn't help matters.

But, in a cover band, that's what a singer does for two or three nights in a row. For me, it becomes even nuttier because the range of stuff we do - from Sinatra to Marvin to Def Leppard - means my vocal box gets battered around like martini mix in a shaker. Sing LOW. Sing REALLY HIGH. Sing "Sweet Caroline." Sing "Any Way You Want It." AGH!

So for singers, it's often difficult to be 100% night in and out. If a guitar player gets the flu or a sinus infection, it normally doesn't affect his playing. But ask ANY singer about sinus, throat, flu or lung issues - and man, we'll cry you a river right then and there. Unfortunately for us, our instrument is completely organic, and we can't pull it out, tweak it, put a new battery in it and place it back where it came from.

I've taken to trying various home remedies to get the ol' moneymaker back in fighting form before the next gig. It's funny - I've spoken to doctors, voice teachers, other singers and consulted the internet, and it seems NONE of them agree on what works best. The one thing they DO agree on is drinking room-temp water is a must - before, during and after the gig. This I do, religiously.

I also do something else that works pretty well for me during a gig I chew a piece of gum and suck on a throat lozenge. Yep - I do both WHILE singing! It's kinda hilarious, and there've been times I've accidently swallowed the gum or lozenge - or both! - but it really helps. The lozenge soothes the throat while the gum causes me to swallow, keeping the throat "wet." Plus, I have nice breath during breaks - now THAT'S a value add!

The next day, I've got a routine that REALLY works great for getting rid of "Joe Cocker" throat:

• I keep loud speaking to an ABSOLUTE minimum. I never push the voice too much after a gig and before another.
• I'm sipping water all day - ALWAYS at room temp, never cold.
• Around noon, I make a hot cup of this great throat tea I picked up at Henry's Market. I put a gob of honey and lemon in it, then drink it down.
• I follow that with water.
• About two hours before showtime, I drink another cup of the aforementioned tea, honey and lemon concoction.
• Finally, I go off by myself and warm up before the show - by talking, then singing vowel sounds at low and then high keys.

Believe me when I say getting your throat ready to go after a demanding show isn't easy - you can't shake a blessed rainstick, recite some ancient hoodoo and hope the notes are there. However, what I listed above is what works for me, and keeps me in strong voice no matter how many nights I'm yelling at the top of my lungs while swinging from the rafters.