Trina Johnson-Finn, from incarceration to freedom, but always - a gift of song!

   Trina Johnson-Finn                                                (Photo/courtesy)

The following information is the news that everyone has wanted to hear... the release and safe return of our beloved Trina Johnson-Finn. 

Most examiner.com articles, (not only by this writer, but by Dawnn Behrens, Orlando Entertainment Writer, as well), helped to keep the world abreast of the Finn family's ordeal from March to June, 2009.

Trina, for those unaware, was incarcerated/held in "custody" this year for approximately three months in Suriname, South America.  Unable to include every detail in this article about those many weeks that she was held captive, more than a dozen (of many more) hyperlinks are available that will "take you back."

In brief, the "situation" was with the Suriname authorities accusing Trina of impersonating the singer/celebrity, Toni Braxton, and she did.  But that is what professional lookalikes, tribute artists and impersonators do.

Raymond & Trina

To top it off, Trina was hired, through an agent and traveled with her husband, Raymond Finn, to Suriname for the performance.

Perform, she did, until the audience, unknown by her, realized that she was not Toni Braxton, and they reacted negatively (close to violently), and she was ushered off stage, if not for her own protection at first. 

The Suriname people were obviously unaware of such a profession (that of the tribute artist), and, too, that the money they paid for the show was absconded by "another party," as a result, Trina and her husband were arrested! 

Raymond was released after two weeks and returned to the states working every waking moment to procure help in the release of his wife. Support back home ensued, everyone joined in, including agents and producers speaking out, and the news even went national by The Insider!

There were multiple court hearings, some better than others, but finally the one all, including Trina, were waiting to hear -  when she was to return home!  And that she did, on June 10th, with actual arrival in states and reason to celebrate, Trina returned to all of us in Las Vegas, Nevada, on June 11th.  And as writer, Dawnn Behrens put it, a triumphant return it was!

Trina supporters came in all sizes

The background of this "ordeal," alone, Trina's traumatic nightmare, her waiting vigile, is quite detailed and lengthy, and hard to take in all at once, this article's purpose is to help in "setting one up" (so to speak) for the GOOD, no, GREAT news that is to be shared by Trina herself, in a following article.

Welcoming home of Trina!

Since Trina's June 10th release, and her more than earned time of "recovery," she has been willing to share how she entered into the biz, what she does in the industry and what it has personally meant to her to continue her passion - that of sharing her gift of song!

Trina's gift of song

On a personal note, this writer never met Trina or Raymond Finn before the incident in Suriname, many of her readers or talent peers, for that matter, had either.  But some finally did, either at the airport a few weeks ago to greet her back home from Suriname, or more recently when many of her peers attended the Sunburst Celebrity Tribute Artist Convention in Orlando, Florida.  Another such convention in Trina and Raymond's current hometown of Las Vegas, Nevada, is that of the Celebrity Impersonators Convention.

An "Elvis" at celebrity tribute artist convention

What a touching moment, at the convention and the wonderful five days together, not only spent in chatting, laughing and comparing notes as fellow entertainers do - but all Trina's peers, who met her for the first time, were able, finally, in person, to listen to her perform!  

Trina & Raymond meet a "Kenny Rogers" at convention

A soon-to-follow article will not dwell on her captive ordeal, but rather on her talent background, how she got to where she is today.  Any details of the actual Suriname "experience" may or may not be shared within examiner.com articles, as she has already had to live and relive such an experience, and it is up to her if she wants to do that again.

We are happy beyond belief that Trina is back in the states.  And for so many of us who already knew her, learned to know of her because of "the Suriname experience" or have just met her now, through this article, we all have one thing in common - to be touched and blessed by enjoying Trina's gift of song!

Thank you Trina.

 Trina D. Johnson-Finn