My log cabin in Virginia is a great place for music. My family and friends, my faith, the beauty of the mountains, and the sounds of the different instruments inspire me.
They say middle-aged women can get quite forgetful, irritable, confused, spacey, or even start hearing things. I can really relate to all of the above, but what I find myself hearing is music: lyrics and melodies and harmonies and instrumentals. I'd like to think I am merely a receiver hearing music that God has conceived to release to the world.
A smorgasboard of stuff - classical music, light rock and folk music from the Woodstock era up through bands like Dire Straits and The Police, but not too much harder or punkier than that. Favorite Christian artists include Michael Card, Jars of Clay, Burlap to Cashmere, Chris Rice and Andrew Peterson to name just a few.
Simple acoustic instruments - hammered dulcimer, guitar, recorder, bodhran (drum), banjo, harp and anything else I can get away with. I use a little Fostex digital recorder to lay separate tracks, and I'm starting to experiment with some computer mixing effects.
I also enjoy playing with "Riddle on the Harp" a group of three women from Bedford County, Virginia. We play an eclectic mix of celtic music, original pieces, traditional American tunes, international folk songs, hymns, children's nursery jingles, plus anything else that strikes our fancy. You can check out the website at www.riddleontheharp.com as well as our
soundclick page www.soundclick.com/riddleontheharp