MARG THE MUSIC LOVER
Music is a very important part of Marg Helgenberger’s life. When she was in school, Marg participated in the glee club and the marching band. She also landed roles in several musicals, both in high school and in college. A big music fan, Marg and her school friends also regularly piled in the car to attend concerts: “I saw everybody from Fleetwood Mac to Bad Company to Frank Sinatra, to Lynyrd Skynyrd, Peter Frampton.”
Now that she is all grown up and a mom, Marg has actively tried to share her love of music with her son, Hughie, by encouraging him to take piano lessons and by letting him play the drums. In fact, when her son was studying drums, Marg took piano lessons so they could jam together.
Marg has lent her singing talents to a good cause in recent years too. In 2006, 2007, and 2008 (and for many more years, we hope), she has participated in ‘What A Pair: A Celebration of Duets to Benefit Breast Cancer Research.’ In 2006, she and former CSI costar Jorja Fox performed Ben E. King’s ‘Stand By Me’ together, and in 2007 she sang ‘My Man Rocks Me’ with singer Diana Harris, and 2008, she was paired with Diana again and the duo sang ‘Que Sera, Sera.’
Marg’s musical talents don’t end with singing and piano playing, however. During the 2007-2008 writers’ strike, Marg took up the guitar. “I like being creative, so picking up my guitar and playing music that I like or am trying to learn puts me in a different mind-set,” she says. “If I had an extra hour in my day, I’d get out my guitar, play it and sing songs that I’ve learned or want to learn.”
Marg’s husband, Alan Rosenberg, mentions his wife’s love of music when he talks about some of the qualities she possesses that made it easy to fall in love with her. “Marg loves to dance, to kick up her heels and have fun.”
Marg admits that the music on ‘CSI’ is pure enjoyment to her. “We are enhanced by some kick-ass music, and thank God for that. Sometimes when I’m doing a scene, I’ll be wondering what cool song they’ll put on it. Usually, it’s some really groovy English band, and the next day I call up the music supervisor, who is English, and say, ‘Who the hell was that?’ I’ve been introduced to so much great music.”
“I like good rock’n’roll,” she goes on to say. “I float between the two rock stations on Sirius Radio – Stevie Van Zandt’s, Underground Garage and Left of Center, which is a variety of contemporary rock.”
In recent years, especially after the she left CSI and had more free time, Marg has devoted more time to her guitar hobby. On twitter she has mentioned being able to play songs such as The Lumineers “Ho Hey” and The Black Keys “Little Black Submarines” to name just a couple. Even her twitter profile photo shows her playing her guitar:
Sources:
CSI: Number One with a Bullet, New York Post, November 10, 2003
Australia’s Who magazine, 23rd edition, date unknown
Healthy Living Magazine, 2008
Viva Magazine, 2008
Television: Just add laughter, Times Online, Jan 2005
Midwest Today, 2006
Afternoon TV, 1983
Parade Magazine, 2007
InStyle Magazine, 2004
InStyle Magazine, 2001