The 3 CDs stands for ‘The Three Choir Directors,’ and, occasionally, ‘The Three Crazy Dames.’ The musical group, left to right, consists of vocalists Linda Hill, Audrey Kiihn and Julie Quamme.

They call themselves “The 3 CDs” and they say it stands for “The Three Choir Directors.”

Their husbands had a different definition of “The 3 CDs.”

“They called us the Three Crazy Dames,” says one of the three women, Linda Hill, of Kiester. “And you know, I think they are kind of right. We are a little bit crazy.”

What they are is a singing group, who have been performing for the past 15 or so years.

Besides Linda, there is Julie Quamme of Rake, Iowa, and Audrey Kiihn, of Bricelyn.

Linda was a music teacher at United South Central Schools for 33 years and, among other things, directed a lot of school choirs. Julie and Audrey have been, or still are, church choir directors.

Hence the CD name.

But how did this trio get together?

“Well, it all kind of started in a bar, I mean a bar/restaurant, in Rake,” Julie recalls. “Linda was there and we started talking about how we love to sing.”

Julie and Linda are cousins, in fact, their mothers are twin sisters – Ida and Inga.

“We grew up together,” Julie says. Linda agrees, saying “We were very close growing up. Julie was in Rake and I was in Ledyard.”

They needed a third singing voice and Linda knew Audrey – they both worked part time at St. Luke’s in Blue Earth – and knew she loved to sing. They did duets together for the residents’ entertainment.

“Our first ‘gig’ together as a trio was singing at a church,” Julie says. “We sang two songs and we just never quit after that.”

That remark of never quit means the three have been doing a lot of singing – at least three times a month.

They have sung at care centers and at the assisted living residence in Algona, Iowa, many times.

They still sing at church services, and have led entire church services once in a while.

They sing at lots of birthday parties, and just sang at Jacqui Dikken’s birthday party in Blue Earth.

They have sung at lots of Christmas programs, and sang at Memorial Day programs in Rake and Kiester.

And they have sung at a whole lot of other places, almost too many to list.

“We once did three performances in three different places in one day,” Julie recalls. “That was too much for us, and we said we weren’t ever doing that again.”

They also did multiple gigs over a two week period, and now they try and space out the performances a little better.

But, that doesn’t mean they aren’t doing a lot of singing.

“We practice every Monday and Wednesday afternoon,” Julie says. “At one of our homes.”

The three say they start off every practice session with some conversation and a shot of brandy.

“It is just for medicinal purposes,” Julie says with a laugh. “It is well known that it gets the vocal cords loosened up.”

They also plan what they are going to wear at their next performance. They each wear the same outfit when they sing, and they now have a variety to choose from.

Linda says there is a reason they always dress alike to sing.

“It is a known fact that women will judge us on what each of us is wearing, but if it is all the same, then they will listen to the music,” she says with a smile. “Besides, we sound better when we look good.”

Julie and Audrey laugh at that remark, claiming they never heard that theory before.

“It is true that we are sort of vain and keep track of our outfits and how we look,” Linda says. “But women in their 70s have a right to be that way.”

They do charge for their singing engagements, but they add that if it is one of their towns and is for a good cause, they sometimes forego the charge.

Music has gotten expensive to buy, and they add that gas is not cheap either. So they have to charge a fee.

But, they add, they don’t do it for the money. They do it because they have a lot of fun doing it.

“It was Audrey who first said we needed a name,” Julie says. “And came up with The Three CDs because we are all choir directors. And Linda picks most of the music.”

Audrey adds that it is also Linda who is their choreographer.

“If there is a pause in the singing during a song, she makes us learn a dance to do during it,” Audrey says. “And she keeps coming up with new dance moves.”

With their banter back and forth, it is easy to see the three of them have a very tight friendship.

When Julie’s husband, Bennett, died three years ago, it was Audrey and Linda who sat with her every day on her front porch and helped her get through the ordeal of his death.

“We talked, we laughed and we cried,” they all agree. Julie and Bennett both grew up in Rake, and were high school sweethearts.

Linda was Julie’s maid of honor at her wedding and Julie was hers.

Julie has three daughters, seven grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

Audrey is married to Otto. She has two sons and a daughter and 10 grandchildren, including twin girls, and two great grandsons.

Linda’s husband is Dennis, and she has two daughters and five grandchildren (four boys and one girl) and two grand dogs. Julie and Audrey quickly chime in that they have grand dogs as well.

The 3 CDs all agree that they will continue singing as long as God lets them sing.

“It is an absolute blessing,” Julie says. “To see the people smile when we sing.”

Audrey agrees and adds that sometimes the people start to sing along with them.

The three sing a lot of old familiar favorites, and a few newer songs, since they have a wide variety of ages in their audiences.

“We sing at a lot of care centers,” Julie notes. “So when we sing the Beatles’ ‘Will you still need me when I’m 64’ we change it to 94.”

They are aware that they are not a lot younger than some of the folks in the nursing homes they sing at.

“At my age, I think where did the time go?” Linda says. “But, I am not bored and life is good.”

She adds that 75 percent of the reason life is so good is because of singing with her dear friends. And the other two agree.

“What would we do without each other?” Audrey says. And Linda adds, “God put us together, and now see what we can do together.”

“We have been singing together for 15 years,” Audrey says. “And you know what? We still really like each other.”