Wednesday, September 10, 1980
daily nebraskan
pas 7
Messenger service wants to say it with a song
By Susan Co wick
There's a knock at your door.
You go to the door and a messenger
begins crooning bizarre, catchy and maybe
even embarrassing lyrics to a familiar
melody.
Is there somehing fishy in Lincoln?
No, it just may be one of three Lincoln
residents at work in a new singing messen
ger service originated by Lincolnite
Cecilia Law son.
"I was sitting at work one day wonder
ing what I could do to get out of where I
was working, Lawson said. "Suddenly,
I thought of a singing telegram service."
Soon she was on the telephone calling
her friends. Two of her friends, Mark and
Mary Ellen Brown, thought it was a good
idea and now work with Lawson at Tune-A-Gram,
singing messages for customers.
MI called Mark, who was working at the
Journal-Star, for advice on advertising and
some help,' she said.
Brown said he was going to be out of
a job soon so he was glad to help.
Mrs. Brown was baby-sitting for Lawson
when the singing idea was born. Soon she
too was drafted into working for the sing
ing service.
Writes fast
"Mary began to compose songs for us
and joined us because she writes good ones
fast," Lawson said.
Before long forms were printed, an
answering machine was purchased and
an advertisement was printed. The three
were in business.
The idea was conceived on Friday and
the business started within 10 days, Law
son said.
"Our most popular occasions are birth
days, anniversaries, Mother's Day, Father's
Day and Valentine's Day, Brown said.
"We do have requests for others, such as
a bon voyage, thank you, good luck, get
well and baby congratulations," Mrs.
Brown added.
Lawson said only original songs are sung
by the singers.
"We make up each song according to
the person we sing to. We do offer songs
that we have sung before though."
Each has favorite melodies that he or
she likes to set new lyrics too.
"I have written six songs to "Frankie
and Johnny." It is my favorite," Mrs.
Brown said.
Brown likes "Fv Been Working on the
Railroad" tunes, and Lawson likes
"Give My Regards to Broadway."
The new singing telegram service did not
get off to a amooth start.
Quick costumes
"Our first call for a Tune-A-Gram came
at 1:00 and was to be delivered at 3:15.
We did not have any costumes, so within
two hours Mary Ellen went to three stores
to buy T-shirts and a logo to make our
outfits. It was for the vice president of
Gateway Bank for his birthday. I was very
nervous but it was successful " Lawson
said.
Brown said his first Tune-A-Gram was
delivered at a birthday party. He was
photographed and recorded.
"My first was a going away party," Mrs.
Brown said. "I thought it would be small
and simple but approximately 400 people
were there."
Many strange things have" happened to
the three singing messengers.
Lawson said that one time she sang to a
guy in a grocery store checkout line.
Refused business
"One time we got a request from a
man's mistress. She wanted a Tune-A-Gram
sent to her lover. We refused because she
wanted it delivered in front of his office
and we don't do vindictive songs," Brown
said.
Lawson said one of the odder requests
received was from a man who wanted to
send a song asking for a date from his es
tranged wife.
A Tune-A-Gram costs $18.50 for one
person to deliver and sing. It costs extra
for out-of-town deliveries and extra people.
Phonegrams also are done.
All three enjoy relating unusual circum
stances they have encountered irf the line
of duty as messengers with the singing tele
gram service. One such experience was
embarassing for Lawson.
"I went to a party and sang two songs.
As I was leaving, a guy sitting on a couch
asked if we needed any help.
"I asked if he could sing and he sang
for me. I was embarrassed when I found
out he was Gordon McRae," she said.
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