ROUND LAKE BEACH – Unless you’re neurologically tone deaf, anyone can become a better singer, if not a good or even great singer, according to internationally-acclaimed voice teacher Tamara Anderson.

“I have worked with thousands of singers. Anyone can learn to sing," Anderson said. "You just need a desire. If you have the desire, patience and wherewithal to know it’s not a few lessons and you’re done, then you can do it.”

Anderson maintains a home studio, Progressive Voice Studio, in Round Lake Beach, and also teaches at studios in Highland Park, Chicago, Elmhurst and Milwaukee, and via Skype. She is welcoming new students of all ages and experience levels, from beginners to touring professionals, in the rock, pop, country, blues and jazz genres.

For those who are shy but still want to try, Anderson’s goal is to make her students comfortable and give them a solid foundation to build upon.

“The fact that you’re here, I’m already impressed,” Anderson said of her students, and “if you don’t hear improvement after the first lesson, fire me.”

To her credit, Anderson is a much sought-after voice teacher who has trained finalists of American Idol and The Voice; recording and touring artists including The Academy Is, Janus and Bella Cain; and television and stage performers such as Jessy Schram of TNT’s Falling Skies, Chloe Bennet of ABC’s Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Kelly Lamont, who stars in the international tour of the Broadway musical Million Dollar Quartet.

In her own right, Anderson is a singer-songwriter, recording artist and producer who has done voice-overs and jingles for Chevrolet, McDonald’s and FedEx. She also performs in the local band Teacher’s Pet.

Rock Roots

Born in Detroit to performer parents, Anderson was raised on the sounds of Motown and always loved to sing. She also learned to play piano, violin and guitar at a young age.

“In high school, I joined a rock band since I could sing all the high parts of Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin, Steve Perry of Journey, Geddy Lee of Rush, Ann Wilson of Heart and Janis Joplin.”

To stretch her vocal abilities even further, Anderson took voice lessons from opera singer Gloria Bently for about a year and learned vital breathing, relaxation and warm-up techniques.

However, Anderson admitted, “As soon as she wanted me to sing in Italian, I was out. I was in a rock band.”

Anderson’s own foray into teaching came when she was performing in another band. “The bass player’s wife came up to me and asked, ‘Will you teach me to sing like you?’”

Many singers don’t want to admit they need some professional training, Anderson said, but it is necessary to develop proper technique, rhythm, pitch and stamina.

“Everyone who sings needs a professional teacher in their corner," Anderson said. "Tune-ups are necessary, and we do get into bad habits sometimes.”

Elisa (Carlson) Ziegler, who performs at least four nights a week at the dueling piano bar Howl at the Moon in Chicago, was introduced to Anderson in 2010 when her voice began showing signs of stress.

“I was having a tough time keeping my range up and keeping the rasp out of my voice,” Ziegler said.

Prior to training with Anderson, Ziegler, who is also a pianist, dancer and choreographer, said she could barely talk and was “squeaking out the last song at the end of the night.”

Ziegler checks in with Anderson for vocal tune-ups every few weeks. She said the difference in her voice is “like night and day.”

“It was an incredible gift having access to Tamara," Ziegler said. "She prolonged my career. I swear by her.”

Visit www.tamaraanderson.com for more information.