Myra Pearce
1.2K
plays
Myra Pearce brims over with life and so does her music. Not incidental to the fact is that she lives in the wild, open spaces of Montana. Here Myra has put down roots that go to the very core of her soul.
On a ranch that sprawls across the primordial landscape, she raises her family, rides her horses, embraces nature and the vagaries of each day and writes and sings her music.
Her music reflects all that is Myra. Rich, vibrant and full her talent, her voice and her passion resonate in her personality, as well as her music.
Born and raised in Eastern Washington, Myra came to Montana via Nashville. As it does to so many young musicians, Nashville tugged at Myra as a youngster who never envisioned herself as being anything other than a singer. At the age of eight she was performing before the mirror using her hair brush as a microphone, pretending to be Patsy Cline in concert.
Coming from a very musically-talented family, Myra grew up surrounded by music. Her father always claimed to have "wrecked" his voice by trying to "outsing the tractor."
Myra also grew up "country." She is an accomplished horsewoman, who used to barrel race competitively. Her love of rodeo melded well with her love of Music, after participating in barrel racing events at local rodeos, she would then sing at intermission. She also sang at cattlemen conventions and other western events. She was named Miss Rodeo Washington and went on to compete for the title of Miss Rodeo America. She was also Miss Moses Lake, a title she cinched with a dynamic singing performance.
Although her love has always been country-western music old or new Myra is first and foremost "a multi-talented singer who can handle anything," according to one of her most successful peers, Bonnie Guitar. She has a cutting edge to her voice, reminiscent of the great Jim Reeves.
If Myra's singing seems to reach out and touch her audience in a way that few singers can, it may have something to do with the lessons she learned from the legendary Happy Shahan at Alamo Village in Texas, where she spent two summers entertaining audiences at the premier event. She also appeared in a music video and in several television shows.
Happy Shahan was a legend for his dynamic vision, his dedication and passion to the industry, as well as his business acumen. Happy became involved in entertainment a half century ago as a young man who saw the possibilities for his hometown of Brackettville, Texas to become a backdrop for the movie business. He doggedly pursued John Wayne to make his movie, "The Alamo," in Texas, even though the famous actor/producer had his mind set on doing it in Mexico.
John Wayne called Happy the "hardest headed man I've ever met," but he relented and made his movie in Texas on Happy's 30-square-mile ranch. He built an exact replica of The Alamo and the Alamo Village, which was the largest, the most complete and the most expensive ($1.5 million) set ever built, up until that time. Far sighted as he was, Happy promoted Alamo Village as the location for many, many other movies, commercials, television shows, etc. It also became a highly popular tourist attraction, providing an ideal training and educational opportunity for aspiring artists like Myra. Happy discovered and managed such big names as Johnny Rodriquez, Dottsy, and Valentino. He also founded Alamo Music Publishing Company.
From Happy Shahan, Myra learned there is nothing more important than entertaining your audience. It was like a sacred duty to Happy that a performer should perform their heart out, said Myra, who looks back upon her experience under his tutelage as one of the most important in her life.
Undoubtedly, the experience was profound for Myra because she was always a dedicated entertainer from the precocious child entertaining friends and neighbors to the young student, who received the "Best Actress" award for her performance in the Broadway play Bye Bye Birdie, (opposite film star, Dick Gautier) to the accomplished singer who "wows" fans with her CDs, including "Somebody Loves You" and "Drag Your Own Wagon."
One of Myra's early goals was, in fact, to one day be named "Entertainer of The Year" a goal she later modified as she grew to realize that equally as important to her was having a family and a lifestyle that was not always in keeping with the demands of Nashville "stardom."
Myra has since married and today has two daughters to whom she is passing along the musical traditions of her family. But, she has not relinquished her profession and artistry. She has a studio in her home and writes and sings at least two hours every day.
To her surprise, her decision to leave Nashville was quite liberating. "To believe that one can only be successful in the music business if they are picked up by the big company labels, only stands in the way of seeing the many other opportunities that are right in front of you," said Myra.
But Myra greatly values her Nashville sojourn. She met and worked with many brilliant and talented artists, as well as other professionals, from whom she learned a great deal. She worked with Sawyer Brown, Charlie Pride, Buck Owens, Willie Nelson, Bonnie Guitar, Bill Anderson and such famous producers as Norro Wilson who produces for such entertainers as Shania Twain, Reba McEntire, Sammy Kershaw, and Janie Fricke.
But Myra's greatest successes have involved song writing in fact, she believes that to write a song is one of the best things a singer can do in defining themselves and developing their own distinctive style. "Writing forces you to look inside yourself," she says. "It's striking a vein of gold. It is freedom."
Myra has discovered that Montana is not as removed from the "action" of the music world as one might think. Advances in technology and communications has made it possible to produce music almost anywhere, and there are many talented artists, who like Myra, have chosen to make Montana their home, creating their own networking synergy.
Many of Myra's Nashville friends love visiting Montana, and Myra's ranch has become a favorite place to perch. Here they can meditate amid the smell of sage, the twitter of meadowlarks and a constantly changing landscape deriving inspiration from its peace and quite, and rejuvenation from the good fellowship of Myra's family.
"These writers are like family to me," enthralls Myra, "we have become very close."
Myra writes songs with folks like Bobby Boyd who's "Two of a Kind, Working on a Full House," for Garth Brooks sold over 11 million copies.
She also writes with Montana-native, and song writing giant, Kostas, who Myra describes as being "radically" talented. Kostas has written songs for Patty Loveless, Dwight Yoakam, Travis Trit, Dixie Chicks and Wynonna. He was named by BMI as "Song Writer of the Year."
She also works with Stephanie Davis, another Montana native, who has "tons of hits" for singers like Garth Brooks, notes Myra, adding "Stephanie is so great in the studio. Her voice is like an angel and her fiddle playing is the best."
"I am just thrilled to record songs by, and to write with, these people. It is such an awesome experience. Playing music, either here at the ranch and or in the studio, with the world class songwriters and musicians is the epitome of all I ever dreamed."
But Myra is still pursuing dreams and her music career. She has many more songs to write and sing and CDs to cut.Have you performed in front of an audience?Yes. I play clubs throughout the United States and have toured in Europe.
Your musical influences
All the great of Country music,Robin Deeter, Alice Larsen, Wayne Thomas, Arkie Garrett, Loretta, Patsy, Tammy and Connie, Merle and George!Contact
Sorry, this artist currently doesn't accept email messages.
Comments (10)
Great work...Keep it up, if you get a chance, check out my page, Let me know if you like the songs Come With Me and Journey
great vocals Myra realy enjoyed the listen you did a great job.....Kenny
Good Lord, Woman. You are so talented!!
Just listened to your songs. Now this is real Country music. Keep it up, we need more of this.
Great, simply great country! Tammy and Loretta would be proud of your sound! Stay true!
