Member Since: 15/11/2007
Band Website: nah
Band Members: Just me at the moment!
Influences: Hometown musicians in the towns where I've spent the most time as an adult: Baltimore, Medford, Ann Arbor and Vail, who've taught by example how to play, to sing and to listen. My influences are all over the place but I was born in the early 70's and I started early, listening intently to my older brother's 70's rock & roll and to my parents' Classical, Jazz, Broadway and American Popular Music. My brother gave me a Doobie Brothers record when I was 5 or 6 or 7 and I was totally transfixed by the harmonies. I've always been drawn to honest, basic music with vocal harmonies so I never got into 80's pop music too much when it was the big thing (yes, I was something of a social outcast in middle and high-school), probably for fear of big brother retribution or maybe cause I bristled at the production style. But in recent years I have discovered some good stuff from the 80s that is good in spite its overproduction. Songs can be like houses – when you strip away the wall to wall sometimes you find hardwood beneath!More than ever before, and after years and years of falling in love with other people's songs, the process of songwriting is becoming really interesting and challenging to me. While I still love to cover songs written by others, now I aspire to write music composed of good structure, melody, harmony with well-crafted, meaningful lyrics that is fun to play. I guess it's pretty simple when you boil it all down but I am astounded by writers and musicians who manage to do all that, while they infuse music with a special, universal emotion or humor and do it without sappieness or triteness. It is magic and it's what I'd like to do when I grow up.
Sounds Like: A long time ago, when I first started playing guitar, I found myself sitting around a kitchen table in Vail, CO with a bunch of older guys (funny, back then 30-something was "older") playing guitar. I always loved to sing, but I am shy so it took me a while (appx. 20 years) to finally get the nerve to open up my mouth outside of the car or the shower. Well, that night and many to follow, there was a great vibe, induced no doubt by the good people and Jim Beam, and so I finally got the nerve and I started to hum along a little harmony (I think they were playing "Rocky Top" but I didn't know the words yet). Well, one of them burst out in his best South Cackalacki accent: "Man . . . she sings like a BIRD." It has always been hard for me to take compliments but I was very touched by one so unsolicited and honest. Sometimes drunk guys, like children, are the most honest. It made me want to keep singing and so I did. Thanks Steve, if you ever read this!
Record Label: Um, no.