My Music is as Diverse as the Texas Landscape

I remember my first love like it was yesterday. I was ten years old when I first heard "With Pen in Hand"- the early 70's tear-jerker about signing divorce papers. I bawled my eyes out -- and in retrospect I suppose that's just a little unusual for a 10 year old girl. Its singer? The extraordinary Mexican-American Vikki Carr. And from that overwhelming moment forward, I soaked up most all of her albums, one song at a time.

I began voice lessons not long after and began my love-hate affair with classical music. By the age of 12 I was singing light garden songs -- and bored out of my mind. I was constantly pushing my voice teacher to let me explore heavier material -- containing betrayal, seduction and even death -- but she wouldn't hear of it. "Totally inappropriate for such a beautiful young lady."

Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris soon became my obsession -- those girls sang about what I wanted to sing about! "(I'll Love You and. . .)Lose Again," "Making Believe (that you still love me") I literally collected every single album they produced in the 70's and knew every song by memory. I still studied serious music as well, then came my 8th grade talent show. My voice teacher thought it would be a perfect opportunity for me to experience public performance. I agreed. But I wasn't going to sing 'no stinking garden song.' Instead I picked a Ronstadt ballad, "Long, Long Time."

" . . .and I've done everything I know to try and make you mine and I think I'm going to love you for a long, long time." Just enough tragedy. Perfect.

I brought the house down. My girlfriends screamed. My daddy teared up. My voice teacher had 'a spell.' And boy, was I hooked. From that point forward I knew what I wanted to do for the next few years, anyway.

I stayed fully engaged in high school UIL competitions and was the only student from Gladewater High School to be selected to the Texas All-State Choir 3 consecutive years. But on Friday and Saturday nights I was singing my heart out with my first band, Texas East. I explored Negro Spirituals on Sunday mornings. And was introduced to Lowell George and Little Feat by my high school art teacher where I began my relationship with blues that I still nurture to this day.

College years I played in mostly blues bands (Annie and the Bone Daddies, Angeline and the Twisted Sistas) but also sang standard classics from the 30's and 40's with small orchestras. Western Swing (CowJazz) became a favorite as well and I wrote my first college level research paper "Don't Fence Me In: A Historical Journey of Country Music." Much to my surprise, I earned a 99 on it. For me, having a good historical understanding of the music you sing gives you a more satisfying experience -- and more credibility as an artist.

Much to my delight, I was also finally able to delve into the tragic-dark arias of my dreams and performed Purcell's, "When I am Laid in Earth" -- dealing with a Shakespeareanesque lover's suicide -- for the collegiate NATS competition held in 1982 at Baylor University. I made it to the finals. And that was it. At that point I dropped the serious study for good. I didn't see myself singing grand opera.

I never wanted fame and fortune as an artist. I never was one to push myself to be heard. I never recorded demo tapes with the intention of getting a record deal. I sang because it was in my soul. And after almost 12 years making music for my living, I grew tired of being on the road with a bunch of musicians. God love 'em. The nightlife wasn't my life anymore -- And at the tender age of 26 I quit and moved west. And felt a lot older than others my age.

I still sit in with bands every now and then to get my fix. I've sung cowboy music at our local and national rodeos on occasion. I do miss the creativity behind the work. I miss the sound and feel for vocal harmony more than anything else. But I'm constantly finding new artists that move me. (Joss Stone is unbelievable.) I'm really into the origins of old, old blues right now and am collecting lyrics of that genre. I have sung sacred material, but I'm not as moved as I am when I sing something that hurts. And the more hurt the better. :)