Singing is a way of life for Darlington’s Standish
Darlington native Kendall Standish returned home in 2003 and opened the Kendall Standish Voice Studio, training students in many vocal styles and giving back to the arts community in numerous ways.
Photo by Will Isgett
By Will Isgett, Contributing Writer
Darlington native Kendall Standish knew from an early age that she was destined to be a vocalist. As a youngster, she began belting out tunes. She came from a family that was deeply involved in the arts in some way or another, from singing, to playing a musical instrument, to painting. Her grandmother was the organist at the Darlington Presbyterian Church for 25 years, and also was a concert pianist and her brother George Standish was even in rock bands throughout the years.
Kendall strengthened her vocal abilities during her high school years at St. John’s in the early 1960’s, and during that time she studied under teacher Giles Salvo. Salvo also served as the choir director at the Darlington Presbyterian Church, the same church Standish attended.
“I got lucky and had one of the most wonderful chorus teachers around, he took such an interest in me and was so encouraging” Standish said. “He taught me the whole time I was in high school and under his leadership he gave me the lead role in my junior year in the operetta ‘The Forest Prince,’ he was a brilliant musician.” Standish also starred in the lead role in her senior year in the operetta ‘De Fledermaus’ at the place she said she got her start at, the beloved J.C. Daniel Auditorium. Standish said that Salvo was so remarkable that he designed the sets for the huge stage at J.C. Daniel and also even sewed the costumes for the students.
Standish shared that the J.C. Daniel Auditorium holds a really special place in her heart and that she really hope to see something positive done with it.
“I really hope some money can be found to renovate the auditorium, I just hate to see it go away and this city needs somewhere for people to perform,” she said. “Our kids need the same opportunity now that we had back then.”
Singing was not Standish’s only talents; she also learned to play the guitar and ukulele while growing up. She played the ukulele as she competed in the Miss Darlington Pageant, and earned the talent award playing the song while singing “Cherry Pie” and 1st runner-up honors.
After her high school graduation, she moved to College Park, Maryland and attended the University of Maryland. She sang in several coffee houses near the campus to earn extra money.
Standish recalls that her sophomore year of college was the turning point of her career and which launched her into show business career.
“I met a friend at the University of Maryland and he got me in touch with two other benefactors and they got me started with everything,” Standish said. “I began to focus on my show business career, and even did some modeling and had an agent out of Washington D.C.”
Standish said that a very important person Alice Stringer came into her life during this period of time, and she helped her better her vocal abilities.
“She is the one who broaden my range,” Standish said. “I was very lucky to have her.”
Then her career really began to grow as she got her first gig in Washington D.C. at a club where she was held over for 19 weeks.
“It was so helpful that I was able to get all this experience by working in a club,” Standish said. “This lead to me being able to travel all over performing in the mid-west and even the east coast and I got a chance to go to old San Juan Puerto Rico.”
Standish also performed the Playboy circuit clubs in Atlanta, Baltimore, Kansas City and Canada.
“I was young, single, and loved every minute of it,” Standish said.
Although, Standish said that her entire show business career wasn’t without its hiccups.
At one club in Jekyll Island, Georgia she walked in and there was no band.
She got the audience to clap to the beat of the music and made the best of it.
“I came from the old school of performers where the show must go on,” Standish said. “If you commit, you have to follow through.”
Standish then took a break away from show business for 11 years due to unforeseen circumstances and then began teaching voice lessons in Maryland. She then met Blaz`, a native of Crotia; they married and moved to New York City where she opened a performing arts studio, where she had a drama teacher, musical theater teacher, comedy improvisation teacher, piano teacher, guitar teacher and she taught voice.
In addition to running the studio, she was taught private voice lessons and also founded a music program and taught 400 children for the Head Start program. She was also the youth choir director for the Riverdale Presbyterian Church in the Bronx in which she directed a Broadway show each year for them.
“The single most rewarding thing I’ve ever done is to help those children at the Head Start Centers in New York,” Standish said.
The trek back to Darlington began in 2003, and that’s when the Kendall Standish Voice Studio was born and is still going strong.
Standish and her husband moved back to her family home, where she grew up, and Blaz`, who has his own business, Blaz` Nuts and Bolts, renovated the home and built his shop and the voice studio on the property.
During her time in Darlington, she has had many individuals walk through her doors; one of her former students was Darlington native and current Miss Missouri Erin O’Flaherty, who will compete for the Miss America title this weekend. She has trained several other Miss South Carolina and Miss South Carolina Teen contestants, and currently works with Hartsville native Stone Martin, who appeared on Fox TV’s the X-Factor.
Her students perform each year at the S.C. Sweet Potato Festival.
Standish is currently accepting new students for the 2016-2017 year and you can call her at 843-395-1517 to reserve your spot.
“If I can make a difference in ones kid’s life it’s worth it,” Standish said. “I think keeping kids involved in the arts is very important, and I’m here to help.”