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From THE CULVER CITY NEWS & BLUE PACIFIC NEWS--MARCH 25, 2005 Wild Cali Rose Interviewed by Stephen M. Fry           For my continuing series of interviews with local musicians, I recently talked to Cali Rose, a very busy singer and entertainer who accompanies herself on piano.  She is a long-time Culver City resident whose husband teaches at Venice High School.  As a performer, she is personable, witty and sometimes just a bit naughty, and she is a splendid pianist.  She writes a lot of her own humorous songs reflecting the quirks and peculiarities of our society.  I chatted with her over lunch in Culver City.      Stephen M Fry (SMF):  Did you grow up in California?      Cali Rose (CR):  I was born in Washington D.C.  My father was an engineer for NASA and our family moved to Los Angeles in the 1960's when the aerospace industry was booming.           SMF:  Did you study piano as a kid?      CR:  My great Aunt Helen, the musical prodigy in the family, kick-started my piano training with classical music.  But I rebelled early because I could play by ear and much preferred that to reading music.  Later, I took lessons from all kinds of teachers, so I could learn different styles of singing and playing.  But I've played thousands of gigs, and just "doing it" is the best teacher of all.      SMF:  Did you study music in college?      CR:  No.  I've been playing the piano since I was a little girl, but when I went to Humbodlt State University, I got a degree in psychology.  My mother was a nurse and I almost followed in her footsteps, attending nursing school at Santa Monica College.  At the same time, I worked the graveyard shift in the emergency room at Santa Monica Hospital.  Working in an ER is great preparation to sing in piano bars.      SMF:  Were you performing at this time?      CR:  Yes.  I'd sing and play my guitar for the veterans at the VA Hospital in Brentwood, where I was doing my clinical rotation for nursing school.  But one day, I had an epiphany and realized that all I ever wanted to be was a professional musician and singer.  So, I dropped out of nursing school, left my job at the ER, and went to work singing in piano bars.  I played 13 years on the Queen Mary in Long Beach, then developed my one-woman shows where I tell humorous stories, sing some great vintage songs and encourage audience participation.      SMF:  What music do you most like performing?      CR:  The great standards of Gershwin, Cole Porter, Irving BErlin, and Rogers and Hart are part of my D.N.A., but I love doing rock, boogie, Latin and country tunes.  I sing my own comedy songs too.  Dr. Demento has played cuts from my CD, "Cali Rose Gets Goofy," like "It's a P.M.S. Kind of Day," on his radio shows.  These days I entertain at parties, corporate events, holiday happenings and for lots of senior centers around Southern California.  I enjoy creating a special program for each show.