Born in a small Wisconsin town as the youngest of nine in a musical family, singer/songwriter Gina Gonzalez became transfixed by music at an early age. At the age of four, she was often placed on top of the piano at family gatherings to sing while her mother or aunts would accompany, and her vocal talent over time became widely recognized. Eventually, she caught the ear of award-winning actor/musician Gary Sinise (who played Lieutenant Dan Taylor in the film Forrest Gump), and from that moment on her life changed. In the years since she’s built quite a musical resume, performing all over the world for enthusiastic audiences from military personnel to famous actors and respected fellow artists, earning honors from the U.S. Congress and the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation.
Gina continues to spread her musical wings, performing locally at many popular venues. She recently released her third self-titled EP incorporating rock, blues and folk influences, with new original music planned for release this fall.
SW Lake (SWL): You’ve played with Gary Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band for many years now; how did you first meet and connect musically?
Gina Gonzalez (GG): In 1997 I was involved at the Vietnam Veterans Art Museum in Chicago where my aunt, Sondra Varco, was executive director. One of the Vietnam vets, Kimo Williams, had worked with Gary on “A Streetcar Named Desire” at Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre. Gary was in town, and Kimo invited him to his condo to hang out and play some music; afterwards Gary asked if Kimo could get a group of musicians together next time he was in town. I was invited to join them for a jam session at the museum that year, and things grew from there.
By February 2004, Gary was doing “celebrity handshake” tours for the USO and he suggested they send him out with a band; our first official tour was to Singapore, Diego Garcia, and Korea. From there we started traveling all over. Wherever we have military around the world, that’s where I’ve been.
SWL: You’re a solo performer with over 1000 cover songs in your repertoire, but you’re also a recognized songwriter. You composed a song titled “A Letter Home” for the men and women who serve that was included in a full-length documentary film that continues to gain recognition for its honest, emotional portrayal of those in service. Can you share the song’s origin story?
GG: When the band started, we gave a show around Thanksgiving at Great Lakes Naval Base for young sailors who were a few weeks into boot camp as they started their military careers. They were so appreciative, even though in those early days we weren’t all that great of a band yet; we were good musicians separately but still learning as a band, just jamming together, but to that crowd, we might as well have been the Beatles. Their response was amazing; their appreciation for us blew my mind. It sparked me to write “A Letter Home,” trying to express the feelings of what it must be like for them. I struggled with the song because I’ve never been in the military, I’ve never served, and I was trying to capture that feeling from the amazing young men and women who go anywhere to protect us, doing what they want to do for their country. I wrote that song to honor them.
SWL: Your weekly performances online helped many of us in that first year of the pandemic. Tell us about those days.
GG: During the pandemic, I did Thursday, Friday, and Saturday shows every week from my home, on Facebook Live. It was… unusual. For me as a musician, I wanted to keep making music and just had to figure out how to do that. There was a group of us who brainstormed how to keep things going while we were all stuck inside, leading to our online performances.
SWL: You’ve been performing at the Life Time Fitness Lounge in Lake Zurich twice each month for a long time; how did that come about?
GG: I joined Life Time Fitness when they were still in construction. In September 2022 I walked in, and the first thing I saw was the lounge, which looked comfortable, like someone’s living room, and I thought, “Wow, that looks like a really great place to play music”. So, I asked if they were thinking about that; I was referred to the right person, and I’ve been a part of the Life Time family since. It’s very inviting for the style of music I do; people can enjoy some food and a drink, relax and reward themselves with a mental break.
SWL: Recently you shared your new venture of becoming a Certified Health Coach. Can you tell us about that journey?
GG: It ties back to Life Time. The great community there inspired me to try to achieve my own optimal health. I did that: I felt better, got in shape, lost weight, and as that progressed so did my interest in fitness and well-being, so I decided to do the work to become a Certified Health Coach. Music is definitely a part of self-care and “mental health breaks,” and so I’m just bringing it all together; it’s all about the four pillars of life and keeping everything stable, and staying involved. I really enjoy talking about being at your best, as it’s what we all are really striving for. I ask people, “We all just want to be our best: what does that look like for you?” And that’s where the health coaching comes in.
SWL: What excites you about your music today?
GG: I’m always writing new songs; I’m putting together a batch that I plan to release as singles by this fall. I’m looking forward to our current tour with the Lt. Dan Band and also performing here at home bringing music to all who want to enjoy it. I just want to bring a little joy to anyone who’s listening. Come and visit me at Life Time; it’s a great opportunity to do something local in a great atmosphere, enjoy some music, and maybe get in a workout, too.
Hear Gina Gonzalez perform at Life Time Fitness, 400 N. Rand Road in Lake Zurich, on the first and third Wednesdays each month (7 to 9 p.m.; note, you do not need to be a member to hear Gina — just check in at the front desk). Check out her other local performance info (and browse GG’s Closet for her branded merch) at GinaGonzalez.com. Visit RandTWellness.com for more information about Gina’s wellness coaching sessions.
