Music and singing have been central to Judy Hertel’s life since she was a small child.  Her love of belting it out provoked her late mother to nickname her, “Ethel Merman”  after the booming-voiced, 20th Century musical star while Judy was in high school.  Singing and soloing in church and school choirs began early and became a thread that still runs through her life. 

“It was a lot more comfortable to sing in front of people than talk”, she says. As a shy kid and teenager, music gave her an outlet to connect with people and express herself,  and often to impress adults and peers with an ability they hadn’t suspected lurked beneath her quiet exterior. The summer before her junior year in high school she was part of an elite choir that toured Europe and sang concerts all over the continent. 

Like most musicians, Judy is unwilling to tout her own abilities but her husband, Joe  (whom she met doing musical theater), is more than willing to do it for her. 

“She had a voice like an angel”, he says. “I was just blown away, whether she was singing a show tune or an aria from a classical piece…here was this cute girl who could produce this beautiful sound! I was smitten!” 

A Music Education/Voice major at Illinois Wesleyan College in Bloomington, IL. Judy became convinced that cracking the proverbial whip on students during school music classes was not the ideal path for her. She instead pursued a career in bank management while directing her church choir for an extended period while the church searched for a full-time director. 

Judy and Joe raised 3 kids in a house full of music in Northern California and arrived at Colleton River in February of 2021. An opportunity to dive back into music in an exciting way soon presented itself: Judy saw an ad for the Shore Notes A Cappella  Chorus, a women’s 4-part barbershop group affiliated with Sweet Adelin International. She sang with the Shore Notes for several weeks and really enjoyed the challenge of mastering the complex vocal arrangements in a style of music very different from anything she’d done before.  After a successful audition, she became an official Shore Note.

Not only is performing with the Shore Notes a great outlet for a passion for singing,  Judy says, “It’s physical exercise, boosts brain health, and it’s just so satisfying to make the music come alive and get all of those parts to mesh. I love the sound.” And the friendships within the group are an added bonus. “The gals are great…we laugh a lot. It’s a really welcoming group of ladies.” 

The Shore Notes sing concerts throughout the year at churches, senior homes, and fundraisers and travel to the Regional Sweet Adelines Competition every spring. After a “Most-Improved” award last year, the group is hoping for an even higher finish in 2025 while enjoying all the great music. “There are a lot of amazing choruses all over the world. And it’s so much fun to hear them at the competitions”, Judy says.

And Judy says the Shore Notes are always looking for willing voices. “If you’re a woman who loves to sing, reach out to me and we’ll have you sing as a guest to see if it’s something you enjoy. I love it.”