One of America’s accordion champions, Janet has traveled over 250,000 miles performing in 22 countries and 25 states doing conventions and major events.
After being in “stage-show retirement,” Janet decided a year ago to hit the come-back trail and attended her first Cotati Festival-“I had an absolute blast!” Since then she has been featured at the Texas Accordion Association’s National Convention, Las Vegas International Accordion Convention, and has out a new CD.
Janet met the accordion at age eight from a door-to-door salesman. She soon became a top Los Angeles child- and teen-competition performer, winning numerous awards/championships at the Western States Accordion Festivals in the great accordion heydays of the 1950s. As a frequent performer on radio and TV and the Miss Universe Pageant, Janet’s found her career.
She entered Brigham Young University’s nationally-known entertainment program and soon found herself a major entertainer in the Rockies for the next five years. For the university she toured the USA, Far East and Europe (U.S. Defense Dept.), and five-months around the world (U.S. State Dept.).
Following marriage and settling in Salt Lake City, Janet continued to perform in the western U.S. and do audience warm-up for stars (Glen Campbell, Johnny Mathis, Bobby Vinton, Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, among many). Performing hours diminished, however, as she reared her five children. Finally, Janet again “picked up my axe to see what might happen.” To further cement her return to the accordion, she is the recent co-founder of the Salt Lake Area Accordion Club. For more info: (801) 272-3263; jaja64@msn.com;
