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Writing ... writing ... writing ...

8/8/2016

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I have been writing this summer. Piles of lyrics, most with melodies attached, that now need to be composed on an instrument. Ah, the slowest part of the process for me. Which chords will express the ideas? Which progression? I, IV, V? Ah! No! Trying to get out of that pattern. It sometimes helps me to get away from the guitar. In the photo posted here I am singing "Makin' Honey," a melody that I composed on a kazoo. My friend Robert Gallagher showed me how to walk that tune up the neck of the guitar. It took me a long time to learn how to play it, but worth it. It expresses the sentiment and playfulness of the words. I am always working toward that. 
   Right now I am working on a draft of a song about elephants. The original story was drafted two years ago in long complicated lyrics that I am boiling down into a more simple set of words. But music? I have been taking drum lessons for almost a year. I'd love a good drum beat. I am learning Afro-Cuban rhythms. Will they work their way into the song? TBD.
     Whatever I decide, I am having fun. As always. Crafting stories into songs and learning to perform them. My favorite activity. 
     
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On the Tracks

12/3/2015

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Father forgive me, it's been a year since my last post. And it's a month since I performed solo at Annie and Rod Capps' On the Tracks songwriter series held at the historic Chelsea Train Depot in Chelsea, Michigan. The audience was warm and wonderful, making my first little solo gig a sweet experience. Many thanks to my friends who attended, and the new audience members who made me feel welcome.
The set was 40 minutes long and I only put about 80 hours of rehearsal time and planning into it. Ha. It was worth the work and the experience inspired me to keep working to become a better musician. If an audience is paying (or not, even taking time to listen if a gift to me) I owe them the very best of myself. I am pushing forward to deliver my music the the best way possible. 
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The historic Chelsea Train Depot
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Me and the best audience ever
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My friend Irma came all the way from Grosse Isle.
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My good friend and supporter, Karin
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My "First Fans" and awesome moral supporters, Erin and Ron. (At the afterglow.)
What would I do without these friends? Without the kind of people who come out and support, with smiling faces and big hugs? What would any of us do without the likes of Rod and Annie, who help bring the music forward with places like On the Tracks? The singer/songwriter community is a world, an entity, a universe that I am privileged to be a part of. 
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Laying Down the Tracks

11/25/2014

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Fun at Rocket Boy Records on November 21. Drew Howard was laying it down. John Natiw was picking it up. 
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Johnny's Speakeasy and Bottle Rocket Cabaret

11/23/2014

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Oh, what a lucky woman I am. My friend,
Johnny Williams of Johnny's Speakeasy wrote to say that he had asked John Latini and Jamie-Sue Seal (performing together as Bottle Rocket Cabaret) if I could be the opener for their show. They agreed, and there I was last night, in front of the warmest audience of sixty-some. I felt right at home onstage and I had the most enjoyable performance thus far. I found myself looking into the faces of those listening and really gathering energy and experiencing joy. I realized not long ago that performing was not about me. When I am on stage it is about the audience. I am there to give them something. My best. Ever since that thought entered my consciousness, I have become far less nervous. These people have paid to be there, it's their time. I want them to leave with more than what they came in with. That is my goal. That is my mission. The share my songs with those who want to hear. I am grateful for the audience. And for friends like Johnny, John and Jamie-Sue who give me a chance to do this new thing I love to do.
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The Hymns of Autumn

10/27/2014

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I have been taking walks in this beautiful autumn weather. The sky has been the bluest of blues and the colors of the leaves on the trees and on the ground are spectacular. I pick up leaves by the handful and breathe them in. The memory of the fragrance of fallen leaves goes way, way back into every corner of my self. I don't remember in years late really taking the time to appreciate the season quite like this.  Everywhere I look right in my neighborhood, I see the brilliance of fall. I gather leaves to make bouquets, experiencing a child-like joy. I can't stop looking and feeling amazed and absolutely grateful. The artistry of nature lifts me like no other. I find myself singing my songs as I walk in this world I have the privilege to be in.  As I connect song to soul to surroundings I vibrate with absolute joy.



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Blues Challenge 2014: Daring Greatly.

9/22/2014

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"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."
   Theodore Roosevelt, Paris France, April 23, 1910


Ok, maybe Ted is talking about greater things than entering a music contest, but for me, this is an act of personal courage. Of pushing beyond my limits and daring to fail…perhaps greatly. However, if I can get myself out of the way of me … and sing my songs out loud and clear … that would be a great personal accomplishment. I don't have to do this. I don't have to work this hard and get sick nervous and put myself through this. But I do it because I love my songs. And because everything good that I have today came because I pushed myself into seemingly impossible situations where I always say, "dare to be stupid.," my version of "dare greatly." Winning to me is trying new things, putting myself in uncomfortable circumstances and pushing to deliver my absolute best. Win or lose. 


Results: I played and sang my songs clearly. No freezing or bumps. Sweet Willie Tea won. A young woman, Alicia Marie came in second (ok, we were not supposed to hear the standings but someone blabbed and she posted it). There was another guy who was fairly traditional blues and me, who was more "bluesy" than pure blues. Perhaps I came in fourth.
See again, "The Man in the Arena," and carry on. 
 

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Bromide at the Precipice

9/21/2014

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BELOW LEFT: MY FAVORITE BROMIDE. BELOW RIGHT: FRANKIE AVALON'S FAVORITE BROMIDE.

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A Radical Sabbatical

8/29/2014

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33 years. That's how long I have been blessed with a corporate job. It's a creative job, copywriting, that has taken me places and shown me things I might never have happened upon. Celebrities. Travel. Hotels. Food. Drink. Funny, talented, quirky, ambitious people. I needed the work, I needed to learn to stretch and grow and do things I never thought possible. That road led me to try songwriting, and no doubt, laid the groundwork for me to muster up the courage to stand on a stage for the first time at fifty-something and sing. Production experience helped me become comfortable in a studio very quickly. On and on. But there was the time thing/age thing. The mellowing. Slowing down. Understanding the value of time over almost anything else. As an artist, yearning for the time to explore and create during the hours when I am most awake, I gave myself the gift of three months without pay … to explore and discover and reflect and work. (That was, of course, with the blessings and permission of my boss and company.) After three decades of work I was lucky enough to accumulate the means to take three months off. I also built myself a backyard studio for writing. All it needed to complete the dream was me, in it, day after day, working. I put myself into that dream. Today is the last day before returning to the workforce. What I learned I will post periodically here. Two very important things came out of it 1.) I want to do another rewrite of my previous novel and take on other writing projects 2.) a greater sense of the importance of songwriting to my soul. Both feed me and are necessary to me. They also feed each other. Writing of any kind demands that a person go deep within themselves to find what is there. I have a song, "Pearl," that I wrote about my grandmother. Some of the lyrics came from a poem I wrote a couple of decades ago, others from passages of my novel reflecting the character based on my grandmother. I don't know what this work means to anyone outside of myself. But it's enriching and exciting work for me. And I am grateful that I afforded myself the luxury of time to find focus and begin to stitch the pieces of my work together. 

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Ma, where have you been?

8/8/2014

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Ok, I guess I don't get out much. I just discovered Ma Rainey. I stumbled upon her, really. I am working on a novel right now and while doing research the "27 Club" popped up on my computer screen. Unable to resist, I started reading about one of my favorites, Janis Joplin. Now, I've read a lot about Janis, but this article wrote about her influences, the singers I absolutely love, Etta James (who tops my list), Bessie Smith (right up there, too), Odetta (Yes!) Big Mama Thornton (Yes! Yes!)  Billie Holiday (Of course) and Ma Rainey. Ma who? A question mark rose over my head so without pause I looked her up, read about her and listened to her music. Wow! According to biography.com, "Ma Rainey was the first poplar stage entertainer to incorporate authentic blues into here song repertoire and became known as the 'Mother of the Blues.'" Exactly when did I touch down on this planet? Where the hell have I been? The first song I punched in on itunes was "Prove it on Me." Since I have a few songs with a lesbian theme, I was delighted to find out I'm about 76 years behind. So much for progress. Hello, Ma, I love you! Better late than never. I really have to get out more.



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Lyrics: Prove it on Me by Ma Rainey
Went out last night, had a great big fight
Everything seemed to go on wrong
I looked up, to my surprise
The gal I was with was gone.

Where she went, I don't know
I mean to follow everywhere she goes;
Folks say I'm crooked. I didn't know where she took it
I want the whole world to know.

They say I do it, ain't nobody caught me
Sure got to prove it on me;
Went out last night with a crowd of my friends,
They must've been women, 'cause I don't like no men.

It's true I wear a collar and a tie,
Makes the wind blow all the while
Don't you say I do it, ain't nobody caught me
You sure got to prove it on me.

Say I do it, ain't nobody caught me
Sure got to prove it on me.

I went out last night with a crowd of my friends,
It must've been women, 'cause I don't like no men.
Wear my clothes just like a fan
Talk to the gals just like any old man

Cause they say I do it, ain't nobody caught me
Sure got to prove it on me


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Wild Summer Nights

7/31/2014

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Went to see Jill Jack last night at the Detroit Zoo's Wild Summer Nights concert series. It was the first time I had seen Jill's full show. Around the time she struck first note on her guitar it started raining, a nice steady bit. About three or four songs in the rain slowed and the sun came out, along with a rainbow.Kids danced rain and shine. What I noted, besides the wonderful music and the wholly professional show, was the sticking power of music. People had umbrellas or ponchos, picnics, family and friends and a truly great night of music. Jill puts everything she has and is into her performances and is warmly appreciated by her audiences. She has a loyal following and has won 37 Detroit Music Awards for her work. I know her a bit personally and found her to be a very giving human being. She encourages other songwriters, and was a huge influence on me early on (um, that would be last year) telling me to keep going and to record, something that never would have occurred to me. Although I followed her advice. I'd say, of all of the people who influenced me, she helped me change and go forward the most. Hey, thanks Jill. She plays all through Michigan and is touring the Southern states this fall. You can find her schedule here. Jill Jack's shows.
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Wednesday, July 30, 2014, Jill Jack performs with her band at the Detroit Zoo's Wild Summer nights
amidst rain, sunshine and a rainbow. The "dance floor" was always full and the crowd appreciative.
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