Because of her strong sight-reading skills, Amanda was always in demand as an accompanist for other instrumentalists and singers...but secretly she longed to be THE singer! One day, her best friend, who sadly was dying of cancer, asked her this life- changing question: What would AMANDA do if SHE had only 6 months to live? Amanda answered that she would go sing jazz and blues in a dark, smoky bar somewhere! Her friend asked her why she wasn't doing it.... Well, a year after her friend had passed, Amanda decided to do a benefit concert for the Cancer Society in her memory- most of the evening was piano performances, but at the very end, Amanda had prepared 3 jazz tunes to debut! She was very fortunate to have the backing and encouragement of an awesome jazz trio- all who volunteered to help her fulfill her dream as their lives too had been touched in some way by cancer! With the amazing Paul Grecco on piano, the talented Doug Matthews on stand up bass and the phenomenal internationally known Norman Marshall-Villeneuve on drums (himself a cancer survivor!) and with her legs trembling and heart racing, Amanda sung her heart out! The response was positive and she has never looked back! She has had the honour of singing jazz at the Oshawa Jazz and Blues Festival and the Peterborough Jazz Restaurant Tour Festival , Canada Day in Oshawa, as well as other private parties and events. She now sings a mix of styles-along with playing  her keyboard-  classic rock, blues, jazz, folk, country, and  oldies- as a duo with her talented husband Steven Ladwig. Together they have had the honour of being nominated as Best Live Entertainment and Musicians for the past 6 years in the Oshawa-Whitby Readers' Choice Awards.