Ann Leonardo Thaxter began her career singing and playing piano at Fresno High School and performing on KJEO TV with the local hillbilly group, The Dave Stogner Band. She then got her own show on KMJ Radio/TV where she performed and interviewed local teen talent. A chance audition on a trip to New York led to appearances on the Arthur Godfrey, Ed Sullivan, Art Linkletter and Captain Kangeroo shows. Which in turn led to performances with such stars as Jerry Lewis, Roger Williams and Les Brown’s Band of Renown. Which was then followed by a tour of major nightclubs on the east coast and a recording contract with Capitol Records. During the Vietnam era she followed her husband Tom, an orthopedic surgeon, to Okinawa and Japan where she appeared as a performer an interviewer on Armed Forces Radio. Upon her return to Fresno, she completed her degree at Fresno State and began inspiring children through her work with the Dailey and Bullard Talent elementary school’s choral groups. Ann currently resides at The Terraces at San Joaquin Gardens and can occasionally be found sitting at the piano entertaining fellow residents.