LearnMoreAboutDolly

Dolly began singing harmonies with her brother and sister in
the car on the way to piano lessons at the age of 6. There was
always music in the air. Dolly found music to be a source of
emotion and spiritual guidance.

Although her love is for pop and jazz music, she was trained
primarily as a classical pianist.

Dolly's study of classical music brought her many awards in
high school and she was inducted into the Illinois Junior Hall of
Fame of Music, at the age of 17. Dolly also began playing alto
saxophone in the school band at the age of 10. This instrument
brought her much more musical freedom. With the
encouragement of her mentor, director of the school band,
she began to sing and play the saxophone at his gigs in the
nearby towns.

Departing for the University of Illinois, Dolly majored in
classical and jazz piano performance, a curriculum she
designed herself. She also began singing, playing sax and
piano in different rock and pop bands in the area. This is
where she met her best friend, co-writer, and future husband,
Mitch Rappaport.

While hanging out and doing what college kids do, they began
to write songs together. His knowledge of the guitar, bass and
piano added to her strengths, and together, they forged a
songwriting partnership that has evolved, as if by magic, to
create a large catalogue of songs.

After college, these two friends traveled to California and
formed a band. After a few years, the two friends became
more than friends and were married. Becoming parents
shortly thereafter, daughter Ilana and son Mikey, joined the
family.

Ilana is 15 and is an excellent drummer/ guitarist/ songwriter,
joining the band onstage for some local gigs. A more likely
scenario exists that Ilana forms her own band and serves us
notice. Mikey is 10 and is rockin' on his mini-Strat with
immense intensity. As the family grows more mature, so has
the music. The lyrics to the music can only come from the
wisdom that real life experiences afford.

The Dolly Rappaport Band will likely be visiting your town soon.