Cathy Gorman returns to musical roots with singing telegrams
Like many performance artists, local songstress Cathy Gorman has seen a dramatic drop in work since COVID-19 took hold. Not one to sit around and wait for things to change, Gorman is taking those restrictions in stride and has recently added in-person and online singing telegrams to her list of services.
“I had to reinvent myself,” said Gorman recently. “I’ve got to get this up and running before summer.”
Gorman was born and raised in Georgetown. She’s been singing in public since she was a little girl and is well known for her nearly two decades of performing in local restaurants.
Gorman performed telegrams all over the area in her 20s, but that was 40 years ago, prior to being married and having two kids. It was a tasteful show then, just like it is now, but instead of a tuxedo blazer and a bathing suit, she said, she’s now wearing a tuxedo blazer and suit pants.
“I just remember how much fun I had when I was doing it, so I decided to get back to it,” she said.
Gorman personalizes her performance by gathering as much information as possible about the person receiving the telegram. It’s about the element of surprise or embarrassment, said Gorman, with a smile.
“Funny stories. Pet peeves. Stories only that specific person would know,” said Gorman about the type of information she’s looking for. “The more you tell, the better.”
Once the information is gathered, Gorman picks the musical arrangement from a set of popular songs she has and gets down to creating.
“Old peppy songs. They just have to be peppy,” she said.
Gorman said she’s willing to travel anywhere in Sussex County, and beyond. It’s her job, she said.
Gorman recommends making a reservation at least five days in advance of the desired performance date.
“I’ve got to be able to perfect it, rewrite it and get it in my head,” she said.
The cost for a telegram is $75. For more information or to schedule a telegram, contact Gorman by calling 302-745-9582, by email to kathygorman54@icloud.com or by messaging her on Facebook.
Chris Flood has been working for the Cape Gazette since early 2014. He currently covers Rehoboth Beach and Henlopen Acres, but has also covered Dewey Beach and the state government. He covers environmental stories, business stories and random stories on subjects he finds interesting, and he also writes a column called Choppin’ Wood that runs every other week. Additionally, Flood moonlights as the company’s circulation manager, which primarily means fixing boxes that are jammed with coins during daylight hours, but sometimes means delivering papers in the middle of the night. He’s a graduate of the University of Maine and the Landing School of Boat Building & Design.
