Local Man Sets Global Records
By Ken Marotte/Scioto Voice
Thursday, June 2, 2005 - Vol.33 No.22
[under picture] Jaime Vendera is the first documented singer in world history to shatter a wine glass using the power of his voice without the aid of an amplifier.
Portsmouth native Jaime Vendera is 35. In his youth, he sang in choirs and played saxophone, flute, and piano. He studied voice with Shirley Crothers at Shawnee State University, and later, at the Musician's Institute in Los Angeles, California. A long time member of rock bands, Vendera has performed bar gigs for almost 20 years. He is currently a member of a local rock band -- Burn the Sun -- which he characterizes as a cross between Alice in Chains and Led Zepplin.
While these musical credentials are impressive, they pale in comparison to Vendera's most recent achievement; he is the first documented singer in world history to shatter a wine glass using the power of his voice without the aid of an amplifier. On May 18, 2005, Vendera appeared on the Discovery Channel show "MythBusters" to exhibit his talent.
As one may expect, Vendera's voice reaches gigantic proportions; when once exploding a glass, he reached 120 decibels. Vendera compared this figure to a very loud carhorn. He specified: "It is beyond the threshold of pain for the human listener."
Vendera credits Paul Dehart, a "crazy friend" of his with helping Vendera to discover and cultivate his talent.
Since his appearance in "MythBusters", Vendera's Popularity has greatly increased. Plans to include Vendera in the Guinness Book of World records are currently in the works. Another Future possibility for Vendera entails an appearance on THE TONIGHT SHOW with Jay Leno.
Vendera has earned praise not only for his achievements, but also for his innovative voice techniques: "I have developed a way to sing and scream without straining the voice," he said. To articulate his methods, Vendera has written books like Raise your voice and The Ultimate Breathing Workout. "I often recieve e-mails from [readers] who have almost immediately increased their [vocal] range," Vendera said.
Several big names in the rock business have turned to Vendera for vocal advice or training. Some of those individuals include Josey Scott from Saliva, Brent Smith from Shinedown, and Phil Taylor from Future Leaders of the World. Vendera's tutelage is not limited by genre, as he has also worked with operatically trained individuals.
Although Vendera has no concrete plans for the future, he hopes to become one of the top vocal coaches in the rock band industry.
Despite impressive accomplishments and high aspirations, Vendera maintains a humble and Christian view regarding his life: "I've got to be thankful. [My Faith] is the reason all this is happening."
Those interested in learning more about Vendera's talent and technique can visit www.thevoiceconnection.com.