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READY – SET – ROCK SOUL RADIO

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By Brenda Lorenz, Photos by Jayne Drooger

Twinkle Yochim was summoned by music. The allure to write and record her own music and perform it for others was irresistible; lucky for us!

A Sarasota native, Twinkle has been doing what comes naturally to her most all her life. As early as the age of four, she’d jump up on the stage (when allowed, of course) with whomever may be up there and join in the fun. Rocking out, letting her soul shine and allowing the music in her to be set free! Since 2015, Twinkle with her half-brother Tony LeClerc (bass, vocals), Benny Puckett (drums), and Lenny Brooks (guitar), have been writing music and performing together as Rock Soul Radio. They performed at the Labor Day Music Fest on Sunday (9/5/21) in Palm Harbor and were also in Englewood on Saturday night (9/4/21). This band is definitely one to be experienced live! The energy and electricity they create together is spectacular! You can find them performing frequently in the Bradenton, and Sarasota areas.

In my interview with her, I asked her how and when she started writing music. “I had to – I was driven to!” She talked about how it’s one thing to sing others’ already famous songs, which is cool and has it’s benefits, but when you write your own songs, YOU are the artist. You are creating something beautiful that people can relate to and appreciate! She has been on stage and would just start making something up, humming, creating a rhythm, the band picks up on that and just starts playing – then she is just as surprised, excited, and moved as everyone else is because this is the first time she’s hearing what she’s creating as she’s on stage! Her motto is “you can always edit later – just go for it and trust yourself!” There’s nothing more organic than that.

Speaking of organic, Twinkle and Rock Soul Radio will be releasing a new album soon with producer, Bobby Croft – maybe by Christmas. Approximately two years of work has gone into this album. The title harkens back to the 60s and 70s with something we all need – “Peace & ‘Muhfuggin’ Love”. See what I mean? Organic!

The way her band came together is one that could be a movie script. After signing a recording contract with Warner Brothers in the early 90s with her album, “Haunted by Real Life”, the merger with Time Warner altered that course which lead to Twinkle back to the Sarasota area to continue her successful music ventures. During this time, in 1993, her brother Tony was determinedly searching for his birth mom and found her in Bradenton. This lead to him finding Twinkle – which is a full story on its own! Twinkle told me “he did some ‘007’ tactics to find them because he wasn’t able to get much information from the adoption agency as some of it had been redacted. Once he found her, the connection was immediate and undeniable. Both musically gifted, both with long blonde hair, and both possessing a music-filled soul that illuminates their surroundings and excites all who see Rock Soul Radio.

https://www.twinklerocksoulradio.com