Melinda, undoubtedly, was born to sing. She sang her first song in church, Jesus Loves Me, when she was five years old, while sitting on her Dad’s knee. At age thirteen she began singing trios with her mother and father. Her great ear for harmony and excellent pitch made her a perfect fit. When asked about Melinda’s ability as a harmony singer, her mother Linda says, “She is just amazing, she not only hears her part, she hears my part her father’s part and parts for people we don’t even have.” One of the first things you notice when you hear Melinda sing is awesome expression. Whether she is taking a lead or dong the harmony, the energy and feeling she puts into both the lyric and the music really brings a song to life. When asked about her role with The Tom Walker Family, Melinda says, “Dad always introduces me as the family trouble maker, so I guess my main duty is to agitate the rest of the group. They all think I am pretty good at it.”
What really makes this young lady such a solid performer are her life experiences. Both her husband and her daughter, Emily, have health issues. On several occasions they have been life threatening. Melinda herself underwent emergency spinal surgery for an injury that could have left her paralyzed. Melinda says, “Those difficult times kept the whole family on their knees, but through these experiences I have learned that God really is who He says He is. I have learned to put things into His hands, and I truly believe what I sing.” So concert after concert, song after song, this talented young lady, with an awesome voice and great sense of humor tells her audiences in a dynamic way about the wonderful Lord she serves.
Melinda resides in New Castle, Pennsylvania; wither husband, Tom and her daughter, Emily. When she is not singing Melinda enjoys knitting, quilting and spending time with her mother shopping for fabric and craft related items. She also enjoys being a cut-up and making people laugh. Below is a sample of the way she would have written her own bio:
Better known as a hippopodapoodle, this family trouble maker is a fine harmony singer, when she is not eating something. Probably the only thing that keeps her on the road with The Tom Walker Family are the meals after concerts. Melinda says, “If I could eat while we are singing I would.” She really enjoys carrying McDonald’s fish sandwiches in the glove box on long or short drives to concerts. Melinda also enjoys besides singing, knitting with a bag of M&M peanuts, quilting with Hershey Kisses, texting while munching on potato chips, or just snacking. It has been said that with Melinda eating and singing go together like a hippo and a river. Her main function with the group is to agitate the old folks. Her Dad says, “It is great to have her in the group because the place looks full even when the crowd is small.” Melinda loves being on the road, meeting new people and asking them for cookies and candy in exchange for her autograph. More than anything she proves to her fans night after night that Christianity and calories truly go together. God love her!