In a press release from her younger years, Merrill told the inelegant truth:  "Music is like going to the bathroom.  It's just something I have to do."  

As a youth Merrill played classical piano and toured as the pianist of a performance group in Europe.  But her true passion is singing.  In her 20s she sang jazz and standards in clubs, and envisioned performing more visually stimulating and complex shows ... cabarets.  In search of killer vocal chops - and for the joy of it - she sang opera and then returned to cabaret in her late 30s, putting humor and heart at the core her performances.

Merrill's voice training includes a Masters in Vocal Performance and years of study with top national teachers.  Merrill's performance experience includes a wide diversity of genres including cabaret, barbershop, jazz, folk, opera, pop and art song.  She has has written - and continues to write - numerous songs, some of which appear in her three CDs.  Merrill teaches technique and musianship of singing. And she has recently started cello.