I grew up in southern california during the 70's and 80's. My mom is a piano teacher. My Dad doesn't do much music these days but did have an uncanny resemblance to John Denver and so back when I was a kid he'd grab an old nylon-string guitar, put a leg up on the couch and sing "Country Roads." I look like my dad so I guess I have an uncanny resemblance to John Denver as well. So, my two sisters and I grew up listening to pianists of varying talent and John Denver songs. An odd mix, but at least we were surrounded by music.

While in Washington state when I was about 19 years old, I sang an original song for an open mike held in an old one-room schoolhouse and was told that my song had "pathos." After looking up "pathos" in the dictionary, I found this encouraging and continued to write.

I lived in St. Paul, MN, for a while, and played many a coffeehouse... My theory was that since it was so cold, folks who came out to coffee houses to hear you A) really wanted to hear you and so didn't talk through your whole set, and B) didn't really want to head back out into the cold and so stayed for your whole set! This was new and strange for me and gave me much-needed motivation.

Now I'm settled down in Orcas Island, WA, living it up with my husband, baby and dog. My songwriting has evolved from the twenty-something identity thing to singing about love, anniversaries, and blackberry pie. All the stuff of life...

I am inspired by the singing of Sam Cooke, Mavis Staples. Emmylou Harris.... Lyrically I am in awe of Bob Dylan, Greg Brown, Iris Dement, John Prine, Lucinda Williams... How do they take those everyday words and arrange them so perfectly?

My little ep has been a long time coming. It is truly an honor for me that you choose to listen.