Valerie Giglio is a Boston based vocalist, author, music industry professional and stroke awareness advocate. As a vocalist, she possesses a distinctive lush, retro style and sound with a modern rock edge that makes her unique in today's music world. Her professional music career spans over 2 decades.
Her first CD was released in 2009 and is entitled "Songbook". It is a collection of her favorite standards from the Great American Songbook reinterpreted in her own unique style.
But it was Valerie’s many travels to Italy and her love of its vibrant music scene served as the muse for her second CD "The Italian Project", an Italian-themed album released in 2011 which includes tunes from the era of La Dolce Vita as well as Italian contemporary songs and Italian versions of classic American hits - showcasing even more of her ability, range, and depth as an vocalist while staying true to her retro inspired roots. She followed up this release in 2012 with an original song, a cheeky tribute to the Hollywood era called "Hollywood Version of Love" and it was to be included on a forthcoming album of all original music.
Her background as an attorney also led Valerie to found Palma Records and Valmark Publishing. She is a member of American Society of Composers, Artists, and Performers (ASCAP) and a Voting Member of The Recording Academy (Grammys®).
But in 2014, Valerie suffered a catastrophic stroke out of nowhere, caused by an innocuous turn of her neck. The stroke paralyzed her entire left side and confined her to a wheelchair. The stroke also resulted in the total loss of her singing voice and musical ability.
She spent a year in rehab and relearned to walk and use her left side, and she relearned to sing with the help of endless hours of rehabilitation, literally note by note, also with the help of vocal coach Vykki Vox from The Real School of Music, and the world renowned Massachusetts General Hospital Voice Center. She refused to give up or accept that her musical career and abilities were gone forever at the age of 42. Her story gained national media attention and has been featured in various outlets including The Boston Globe, NBC Boston, as well as magazines, podcasts, and in social media.
Several months after her stroke, she was asked to perform with many other artists on "900 Voices", a song and video by Grammy® Award winning artist Laura Sullivan. She returned to the stage, performing as a vocalist as soon as she was able to walk and sing again.
In 2016, her memoir, “Singing In My Own Key: A Vocalist’s Triumph Over Stroke”, was published. It tells the story of her miraculous journey to overcoming paralysis, regaining her singing voice, and returning to the stage just one year later. The book has garnered excellent reviews by notable outlets including Publisher's Weekly, Portland Book Review, and Reader's Favorite. It is available at Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, iBooks, I AM Books Boston, and many other locations.
The success of the book led Valerie to record the audiobook version. She opted to narrate the audiobook herself because it held special meaning and significance. Although she did not lose her speaking voice in the stroke, her voice became weak and it was physically challenging to speak. Three years later, she recorded almost 7 hours worth of audio narration. The audiobook was released in August 2017 and is available on Audible.com, CDBaby.com and through www.valeriegiglio.com. The audio version features music by Grammy® Award winning artist and composer Laura Sullivan. It is produced, directed, and engineered by Turkish native, Boston-based producer/songwriter/guitarist, and Berklee College of Music alumni Alper Tuzcu. It was further edited and mastered by Dreamworld Productions in Lynn, MA.
Also in 2016, after relearning to walk, use her left side, and sing again, Valerie was accepted to the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA as a voice principal, proving the importance of persevering and never giving up. As a solo artist, Valerie remains very active in the music industry and continues to perform locally throughout the New England area. She is working on several musical projects and collaborates and/or performs with other artists on a regular basis.
She is a stroke advocate/volunteer with the American Heart Association and has legislatively advocated on behalf of stroke systems of care. Valerie's story was also featured as a survivor story by the National Stroke Association and she had the honor of singing the National Anthem at Boston's Esplanade in 2017 for the American Heart Association's annual American Heart Walk. She has also been featured as a donor campaign patient success story for Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital.
Valerie holds a B.S. from Salem State University and a J.D. from New England School of Law and currently attends Berklee College of Music. She is a member of The Recording Academy, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), The Audiobook Publisher's Association (APA), and maintains an independent record label and music publishing company (Palma Records and Valmark Publishing).
Join our mailing list and stay tuned for the latest updates and information! For booking inquiries, speaking engagements or book signings, please contact info@valeriegiglio.com.
Michele and I were also interviewed for Stroke of Luck TV while in NYC...and thank you to Rene Marie Testa Adams for graciously having us appear on your show! 
