WHERE IT ALL BEGAN!

Maybe this isn't so important really, but I was born and bred in Dallas, Texas. I've stuck around my whole life because most of my tiny little family is here, so that makes it HOME. I am certainly looking forward to a change someday. But for now, it's what I know as home.

I recently ran across some cassette tapes I made back when I was about 5 years old. "They" say that whatever you loved to do as a child, you should continue to do as an adult. So it's clear, I was meant to either sing, or conduct the most fascinating interviews that would include insightful questions like, "what's your favorite color?" and "what's your favorite car?". So, I think the choice of singing worked out a little better. I LOVED to sing into the tape recorder. I sang a great "Boogie on Reggae Woman" and a gut wrenching version of "The Way We Were" (especially considering I had a common speech impediment and couldn't pronounce my "r's"). I can also remember making up songs to sing to my dog, Lulu. As you can see, the singer/songwriter thing for me actually began a long time ago.

As for the instrument I chose, I can barely remember learning to play the guitar. I took some lessons at the now sadly defunct Olla Podrida Mall in Dallas by guitar great, John Defoore. He was such a great teacher for me. I never doubted that I could learn to do what I wanted to do with the guitar. I never felt any frustration and I just loved the sound of it and the portability of it. It seemed like a perfect accompaniment for my voice. Unfortunately, because when I was a young kid, I just wanted to be like everyone else I knew. Well, I didn't know of any other girls that played the guitar so thinking it just wasn't very "cool" I just entertained myself with it. I never had the nerve to "perform" for anyone other than Lulu! So I guess I was a bit of a "late bloomer" as a "performer". (I put those words in quotes because it just seems so trite to refer to anything I do as "perform".) And when I say "late bloomer", I mean actually, just a few years ago. I finally decided my wanting to do it outweighed my fear of doing it.

WHERE IT IS!

I am so glad I write music. It's the thing I get lost in. I know for me, writing my songs is the best therapy and the best way for me to examine my world and the way I interpret it. If other people like to hear them and can relate to what I'm saying, then that is such sweet icing on the cake!

I have always been drawn to sad songs. As a songwriter, that is what comes most naturally to me. However, that is such a dichotomy to my personality. Fortunately for me, I inherited the happy gene from both my mom and my dad. And maybe I keep from being sad by writing those sad songs. But I try to throw in happy songs too-

I also love to sing other people's songs by people that inspire me: Shawn Colvin, Sheryl Crow, Joni Mitchell, Elton John, Sting,...and I love discovering new songwriters and in the past 5 years or so, some of my best finds have been Jonatha Brooke, Bob Schneider, Jason Mraz, and Christine Kane. Obviously, there are tons more, and those are just the ones that happen to top the list as I write this. I am so grateful to all of those talented people that work so hard to make their music available to us all.

I am a voracious reader and movie watcher, so the perspectives I get from other people's stories inspire a lot of the music I write, as do the experiences in my own life and the lives of people I am close to.

WHERE IT'S GOING! (I think)

Lately, I've been reading a lot about simplifying life. I am drawn to that message, and I think it's all we all need to hear and be reminded of frequently. Lyrically, that seems to be the big theme for me lately- Simple lyrics that remind me that life is good and there is a lot to be grateful for. I DO lead a simple life, and I live it pretty slowly and I KNOW that I benefit greatly for that.

I'm interested in adding some other instruments to flesh out the sound of my voice and guitar, so I'm exploring that as well. In my perfect world of performing music, I've got a cellist and a hand drummer to accompany me musically and just to lighten up the performance. I love playing by myself (OH COME ON!!!), and I see the benefits that provides for me, but I'd love to have the opportunity to connect with some other musicians and see what that's like.

So, we'll see...

The coolest thing about my life in music is that I am constantly learning, stretching, and being challenged. So much to learn that I can barely even scratch the surface and that is so exciting!