by Lucianne Evans

A warm welcome to all readers to the new travel column featuring interviews from Polk County residents.

I am “Lucianne,” jazz singer and travel professional.

Tryon residents may know me from the happy days of McDougall’s, a popular jazz club from a decade ago. Others may remember the first Nina Simone tribute concerts, in 2003 and 2006, or my record, Flamingo, which was voted “Top Vocal CD’s of 2002” in the Jazz Education Journal.

Some have asked me, “Where’ve you been?” I’m here to ask the very same thing.

I went back to college for travel and tourism and started my own business in 2009, fittingly called Jazz Music Travel, designing trips to music festivals.

I used to travel to unique destinations to sing, but now I go as a tourist, often with my family, and with that I have explored 18 islands in the Caribbean, mostly by yacht or cruise ship.

It is considered urbane by some to be a jazz singer, and antiquated by others to be a travel agent, but I am proud to be called either urbane or antiquated.

When it comes to vacations, “life is a book, and those who DO NOT travel read only one page” (St Augustine, 415AD).

Such a bold or true point has never stood the test of time as well as that relished quote. Since most everyone in the Polk County area has traveled somewhere before, I want to share those neighborly stories. I want to ask “where’ve you been?”

Have you seen the pyramids of Egypt, or the Rock of Gibraltar?

Did you backpack through Europe as a young person? Perhaps you take a family camping trip every year?

Is your school going to Paris? Did you take a cruise to celebrate graduation? Your story is unique, and your impressions are valuable. There is truly a vacation for every style, and every budget.

It doesn’t matter if you took a vacation years ago, or if there is a destination you want to see but have never been. In my experience no one is more entertained than when someone shares a memory about a trip they took in their past, or a dream of where they’d like to go.

So, I will be the one to make you happy, featuring the trip that lives in your memory… where’ve you been?

Please send in your travel recollections to the Tryon Daily Bulletin, care of Lucianne Evans, or by e-mail to jazzmusictravel@gmail.com.