2005
Brief biographical information on:
Pollyanna Dorough
Thom Price
Pollyanna
Dorough: Master of Ceremonies -
The name "Pollyanna" conjures images of a little girl determined to
see the best in life. Although Pollyanna Dorough is a grown woman, her faith
and unconquerable spirit have given her the ability to still see the best in
life --- as she beautifully demonstrates in her new "Wings of Hope"
CD debut. This album brings together inspirational sentiments of comfort and
faith, with universal melodies and rhythms.
Pollyanna grew up as the middle of five children in Orlando, Florida, always embracing her love of music. She graduated as a voice major from Westchester’s Conservatory of Music at Mercy College in New York. During this time, she continuously encouraged the musical abilities her younger brother, Howie Dorough (Howie D.) of the Backstreet Boys.
Pollyanna discovered she loved writing music. Her first song "Fly to Heaven" was written after her sister Caroline’s tragic death from lupus in 1998. It is now the theme song for the Dorough Lupus Foundation, a non-profit organization established by her family to promote lupus awareness and education. With the incredible response she received from "Fly to Heaven," Pollyanna began writing additional music andputting together her debut album "Wings of Hope."
With time-off from the Backstreet Boys, Howie D. jumped in to encourage his
sister in the studio, writing and 
recording
as the executive producer of "Wings of Hope."
"I’ve been blessed to feel Pollyanna’s uplifting spirit my entire life," Howie says. "I want others to hear and to fall in love with her and her music the way I have." A portion of the proceeds from the album are benefiting the Dorough Lupus Foundation and its mission to help others.
Before releasing "Wings of Hope" this year, Pollyanna has been busy performing her music in the United States and internationally in Germany, Holland, Italy, Poland, South America and Japan. While in the United States, she has performed in countless celebrations including; the Kids Wish Network’s "Holiday of Hope," "Shaqtacular," the "Miss US Teens" competition and the SeaWorld attraction "Viva La Musica" special event.
Pollyanna gained thousands of Latin American fans while touring as an opening act for the Backstreet Boy’s "Black & Blue Tour" that filled stadiums throughout South America, Mexico, Puerto Rico andPanama. Howie and Pollyanna have also toured together domestically and internationally in support of the Dorough Lupus Foundation.
Although
Pollyanna has always had a soft spot for her music, she has also participated
as a featured personality for many different events, such as judging MTV’s "Wannabe"
series, hosting the "Mercadofest 2004," teaching for Holland’s "Christian
Artists Seminar" and co-hosting the "United Catholic Music Video Association
Unity Awards" for the past five years. In 2001, she was tapped by "TEEN
BEAT" Magazine as a celebrity columnist for a monthly feature entitled
ASK POLLYANNA!
Pollyanna is a unique artist whose inspiring message is clear in her music and spirit.
"Life is a journey filled with love, loss, laughter, hope, fear and faith," she says. "My hope is to portray such feelings and thoughts in my songs."
For more information on Pollyanna, to listen to her song clips or to buy her new album, please visit her website at www.Pollyanna.net.
Thom
Price : Master of Ceremonies -
Thom Price is the director of programming for the EWTN
Global Catholic Radio Network. He is a 30 year broadcast and recording
studio veteran, with stops in St. Louis, Los Angeles, Cincinnati, Minneapolis
and Houston. He became a Catholic in 1992. While in Minneapolis,
both Thom and his wife experienced powerful conversions, which led them to EWTN.
Thom is the host of the contemporary music show Catholic
Jukebox. His wife Adrianne is the host of EWTN’s "The Message
in Music." Their son Spencer is featured on the popular children’s program,
"EWTN Kids". Thom and Adrianne serve on the board of directors of
Her Choice Birmingham, a pregnancy resource center.