The Follie singers consist of 11 singers who contribute their talents to enhance the Santa Barbara Silver Follies’ Productions.

Our Singers:

Sherry Baker

Born 1950

Sherry’s involvement in music and dance began at the age of 2 ½, with her first solo ballet performance on the stage at the Los Angeles County Fair at age 3. Ballet, ballet on pointe, tap and ballroom dance filled her childhood until high school. Her musical interest then turned to singing, and she was a member of both her high school and college choirs. After a brief marriage and several changes of residence, Sherry settled in the Santa Barbara area in 1974. Music again called, this time in the form of Jazzercise, and belly dancing and swing dancing classes. Sherry joined SB Treble Clef Women’s Chorus in 2006 at the invitation of her Jazzercise friends. These same friends also brought her to the Silver Follies in 2007. Sherry is a retired computer programmer and financial software analyst, and single. A confirmed animal lover, Sherry shares her home with 4 cats, and owns 2 horses that she rides on the trails and in local parades.

Ken Benson

Born 1956

Ken Benson was born and raised in New Mexico and has been singing since he was 18, mainly in church choirs. Ken is a newcomer to Santa Barbara, having been here for one year and he is also a newlywed. He and his wife Gail married in October of 2007. Ken works as an automotive service manager and enjoys motorcycles. He has two children. This is Ken’s third Follies show.

Pat Brooks

Born 1938

Long Beach California native Pat Brooks has lived in Santa Barbara for 65 years. Currently retired and happily single, Pat is mother to four children and grandmother of 10. Though she studied with the local dance teacher Marjorie Hall for seven years during childhood, Pat considers her theatrical career a “work in progress” as she is currently studying dance and voice. Pat also paints watercolors and tends her garden. Feeling honored to be a Follies member, Pat says: “I like the idea of meeting new people who share my interests and I love in all ways the fun and excitement of the theater.”

Mary Hall

Santa Barbara native Mary Hall says she can’t remember a time that she didn’t sing and dance. She sang in choirs since elementary school and appeared in Santa Barbara’s Civic Light Opera’s production of “Carousel”. Mary has been a member of the Treble Clef Women’s Chorus since 1974 and sings with the quartet “Girls Night Out” and she is an office administrator. This is her first year with the Follies and she is enjoying the friendships and the fun of performing. She and her husband Bill have been married for 40 years and have two sons and are looking forward to being grandparents “soon”.

David King

Born 1944

Native Californian David King has been singing and dancing for 30 years. His previous roles include the Professor in “South Pacific”, Arthur in “Robots”, George in “What’s the matter with George?” and Lord Brockhurst in “The Boyfriend”. He served as a corpsman in the United States Navy in Vietnam and was in the Peace Corps in Brazil. He and his wife and dancing partner, Nancy, love to travel, raised two children together and have two grandchildren. David is an avid tennis player and at age 60 played two seasons on Santa Barbara City College’s team. He also plays the viola.

Linda Martin

Born 1943

Linda has been a resident of Santa Barbara for 25 years. She attended the University of Hawaii where she studied Art and Psychology. She has been singing for most of her life. She started singing in high school where she sang back up in a jazz duo. She spent 6 years with Sweet Adeline’s and has been singing with the Santa Barbara Treble Clef Chorus for the last 4 ½ years. Linda currently works as the Coordinator of Volunteers for Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care of SB. Linda enjoys singing, dancing and the friendship of all the wonderful ladies and gentlemen in the Silver Follies.

Bonnie Sidwell

Born 1942

Bonnie is a Los Angeles native who has lived in Santa Barbara for 16 years. She has been involved in theater for 27 years and along with her career in banking and sales, she has also done TV commercials and print modeling. While living in Paso Robles, she was a member of “The Troopers” a dance performance group. She and her husband Steve have a combined family of five and they have three granddaughters. Bonnie enjoys gardening and travel. She thanks her parents for instilling the love of the theater and is enjoying her first season with the follies family.

Carol Stickney

Born 1947

Born in Chicago, Carol started her dance studies in Canada at age nine studying tap, ballet and Russian dance until her late twenties. She is an alumnus of Santa Barbara High School and sang in the school choir in 1964. She rejoined Santa Barbara’s Treble Clef Women’s Chorus three years ago upon returning to SB with her husband Craig. Carol likes to make jewelry and ceramics and has three children and six grandchildren. She says: ”It’s great fun being with the follies members and learning new songs and dances”. She thanks her mother, Lois Sechrist, for her constant encouragement and her husband Craig and their family for their love and support.

Craig Stickney

Born 1947

Born in Glendale, Ca. Craig came to Santa Barbara in 1958 and sang in the choirs of Santa Barbara Jr. and Sr. High schools and Santa Barbara City College. He had his own rock and roll band, sang barbershop and played drums in Bonnie Langley’s Drum and Bugle Corp.

Craig currently owns an automotive accessories company and is a minister and missionary in the Christadelphian Church. Craig enjoys camping and boating and finds working with the follies gives him a release from the stress of the business world. He and his high school sweetheart, Carol, have been married for 40 years and he thanks “his best friend” for her support.

Sharon Yates

Born 1938

Sharon Yates was born in Boise, Idaho and she grew up there and in the Chevy Chase, Maryland and Washington D.C. area. She has been singing all her life and was in musicals in college and in Junior League productions through the years, and sang in church choirs. Sharon and her husband Wally have been married for 29 years and have five children and eight grandchildren. They have been in Santa Barbara for four years. Sharon’s working life was in the Human Resources and Retirement Benefits field and she enjoys cooking and gardening. This is Sharon’s first Follies production and she has enjoyed meeting new people and learning new music. She credits her Mother for the gift of love for music and thanks her husband for his support and encouragement.

Melinda Yohe

Born 1952

Thirty year Santa Barbara resident Melinda Yohe grew up in the mid-west and graduated from the Goodman School of Drama in Chicago and acted with theater companies in Minnesota and Ohio. Melinda was also involved with Santa Barbara’s Cabaret Theater in the 1970s. Although her dance training is limited, she has always enjoyed performing in musicals. Hiking and “mushing” in Canada and Alaska are some of her other interests. She and husband Rick Mellor have two children and two grandchildren and she thanks him for his support for her in all the activities that she pursues.