Five Firsts: Jessica Layton

NAME: Jessica Layton
BAND AFFILIATION: Performs with Benita Zahn and Jerry Gretzinger in “The Singing Anchors”
INSTRUMENTS: Vocals

1. THE FIRST ALBUM I EVER BOUGHT WAS … The first album I ever bought was actually a casette tape of Paula Abdul. I can’t remember the name of it now, but it’s the one that had “Straight Up,” “Opposites Attract” and “Cold Hearted Snake” on it! I bought Debbie Gibson’s cassette shortly after that.

2. THE FIRST CONCERT THAT I EVER SAW WAS … First concert… All my friends will tell you their first concert was New Kids On The Block. Call me crazy, but for some reason I wasn’t all that in love with NKOTB. So, I sat that show out. But I did not miss Boyz II Men at the (then) Knickerbocker Arena! It was so exciting. I will never forget that concert.

3. THE FIRST MUSICAL INSTRUMENT I EVER OWNED OR PLAYED WAS … The first musical instrument I ever owned was the clarinet.

4. THE FIRST SONG THAT I EVER PERFORMED IN PUBLIC WAS … The first song I ever performed in public was Whitney Houston’s “One Moment In Time” at the Charlton Bicentennial Celebration. I was in 4th grade. My outfit was complete with an enormous gold scrunchie in my hair. We have the VCR home videos to prove it.

5. THE FIRST BAND I WAS EVER IN WAS … The first band I was ever in was not a rock band or a pop band but the Charlton Heights Elementary School Concert Band, playing – you guessed it – the clarinet!

Jessica Layton takes a break from her WNYT-TV duties to join Benita Zahn (WNYT) and Jerry Gretzinger (WRGB) performing as “The Singing Anchors” in concert at The Linda in Albany at 8pm on Saturday.