I have 40+ years experience accompanying, singing and arranging music, with some studio work thrown in from time to time. My first and primary instrument is the piano. I also work with a Korg workstation and have used various other keyboards over the course of my career. A large portion of my work has been in church music. I have spent the last 10 years playing tin whistles, doing vocal harmonies and writing/arranging for an Appalachian Celtic band called A Shamrock in Kudzu. We are largely hobbyists: "weekend warriors" with day jobs. I have a collection of unpublished compositions and songs of various styles. Some have been performed; others are still in the works. I have finally reached a point in life where I can make recordings and give these long-cherished pieces some attention. Feedback is much-coveted from the good people here on Drooble. Thank you for reading my story, and thank you for your comments!
Music is my essence. Writing and working with music is my purpose for living. I’m a writer-artist, painting with words and sounds. I have had friends describe me as someone who “bleeds music.”
That my music brings enjoyment and inspiration to those who perform it and those who hear it.
The importance of the fulfillment of basic survival needs for every human being, and the relationship between survival security and world peace. I believe a secure world populace, educated about moral values such as tolerance, respect, equality, compassion, the sanctity of life, the importance of having choices and the freedom to exercise them - I believe these things combined will give humanity a window to world peace.
How can I answer that? There were so many! Claude Debussy’s Deux Arabesques for their flowing waterfall-like piano arpeggios. Olivia Newton-John’s “Have You Never Been Mellow”. Stevie Wonder’s “Sir Duke.” Rosemary Clooney’s “Picnic Time for Teddy Bears.” Evie Tornquist’s “Mirror” and “Lord, Send That Morning.” “The Electric Slide” And “The Locomotion” for pure fun. Roberta Flack’s “Killing Me Softly” and “People On a String” for beauty. How much space do I have? ❤️
Sounds, feelings and rhythms. Perhaps a birdsong, a set of windchimes, or the tone of a particular instrument. It could be the rhythm of a fly fishing rod, or of a stream as it flows. At times, life events inspire me. Life events are encased in poetry, and the rhythms of my poems usually inspire melodies to go with them. I try to follow speech inflections where possible, while still using unique language.
Life is beautiful and precious. Tragic, comic, breathtaking or heartbreaking, fantasy or reality, life on this earth, in all its facets, is “a little diamond, colored blue” (Patti Griffin, “The Kite Song”).
Performing is like flying a kite. When the music gets off the ground, is effortless and the audience is caught up in it with you, it’s like dreaming you can fly and there are no limits to the heights you can reach. When you have an off night or the audience doesn’t react, it’s the feeling of defeat you have when you just can’t get the kite off the ground. It makes you want to try over and over again until it’s right.
In a world of 7 billion people, the task to be noticed and somehow get people to pay attention to you can make you feel virtually invisible at times. At the same time, a writer has to be able to shut off the world and find a quiet space alone in which to create. It’s a conundrum, but I think right now networking electronically is the best way to navigate it. As long as we can control how and when people communicate with us using our devices, we can manage the demands placed on us.
I'm excited to get to know the musicians here. I hope Drooble is my ticket to getting out from under the rock I live and connecting with the rest of the musical world.
My work is real work. It isn't fun, or free, or easy to do. My job is to make it sound easy, and in this I think I am largely successful. But that quality also seems to cause people to believe it isn't difficult or truly work. It often means it's difficult to be paid what you are worth, and family members can be discouraging if they think you aren't getting a good return for your time and investment.
I'm a frequent member of audiences in local venues. Some of them have been extremely supportive to me and my band, and I try to be considerate and supportive myself.
Availability. Willingness to try unconventional markets, such as streaming, games and background music. Selling products based on today's technology and demand. We can't be stuck in creating CD's and touring, and that's a brand-new mindset for many musicians.
Abby Parks. Microwave Dave and the Nukes. Wilder Adkins. Jil Chambless and the Vulcan Eejits. Hooley. Shawn Donahoo. Niamh Parsons. Emma Christian. Oh, and check out your nearest Sweet Adelines chorus ensemble. You'll enjoy them!