For Trixie Fender, playing Ribfest is like coming home

Once booted from her Naperville North High School choir class, Trixie Fender is coming back to her hometown to sing from the main stage at Ribfest.

"I would sit in the back of class and talk the entire time and make my friends laugh because I have crazy voices I do," she said. "I kind of caused a lot of trouble when I was in high school."

With a burgeoning pop music career, Fender returns to Naperville to perform from 3:15 to 4 p.m. Sunday ahead of headliners Huey Lewis and the News at 8:30 p.m.

The festival, sponsored by the Naperville Exchange Club, is at Knoch Park, 724 S. West St. The grounds are open from noon through 10 p.m.

"One of our biggest sponsors is Clear Channel Radio and they've been playing Trixie a lot on KISS (103.5-FM)," said Matt Kaley, Ribfest's entertainment chairman. "They asked if we had a spot and it sounded like something that would play well, plus the hometown connection makes a lot of sense to bring her back home."

Former classmates may not recognize the name, but that's because it's Kimberly Weeks' stage name. Trixie was the name of her first pet and Fender was the name of street she used to live on.

"Let's call it your 'Rock Star' name," she said. "I liked Trixie because it has a very '80s feel to it. And Fender, that's just rock and roll because of Fender guitars. So I always kept it in my back pocket just in case."

Fender said it seemed like a perfect fit when she began her music career.

She'll perform a six-song set at Ribfest. Five of the songs will be original tunes and the sixth will be a cover. The cover is a surprise, she said.

"It's going to be fun," Fender said. "It's going to be a full band with backup dancers for a couple songs. I sing live. I can carry a tune. I would never lip sync even if you paid me."

As a child of the '80s and a pop singer, Fender said she was devastated by Michael Jackson's death.

"I was on the treadmill at the gym and I started crying," she said. "People probably thought I'm one of those crazy people who cries randomly, but he made pop music what it is. All those little things he did in his songs are what makes pop music and he was putting his flavor on it."

Her sadness is tempered by the elation she is feeling to be opening for another '80s music icon, Huey Lewis.

"When I found out that he was going to be there that day I almost fell over," Fender said. "I always wanted to cover 'I Want a New Drug' or 'Power of Love.' If I see him, maybe I'll ask him."

Getting her music played on the radio was a big step for Fender, but she's hoping for the next step of a major label record deal.

"The first time I heard my song on the radio I kind of felt like crying," she said. "But that was a real quick moment and then I was ready for the next thing. Like let's move on."

<div class="infoBox"> <h1>More Coverage</h1> <div class="infoBoxContent"> <div class="infoArea"> <h2>Related links</h2> <ul class="moreWeb"> <li><a href="http://www.myspace.com/trixiefender">Trixie Fender's MySpace page</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>