Bonus Post: Interview Part II
Influences, Goals and What's Next
First of all, happy Friday the 13th! Thirteen is my lucky number and Friday the 13th is my lucky day. And now, back to business….
Here’s Part II of my two-part bonus “peek behind the curtain”. If you missed Part I, find it here.
Today I’m talking about my musical influences, my goals—what I hope to accomplish, and a peek at some of my projects currently in process.
The interview continues with question 5.
Q5. Which artists or experiences have influenced your music the most?
Artists: Well, Karen Carpenter, of course. Olivia Newton-John, Helen Reddy, Everly Brothers, Peter, Paul & Mary, Andy Grammer, Juice Newton, Barbara Streisand, Beach Boys, Gene Pitney, Billy Joe Royal, Dusty Springfield, Cilla Black, Lou Christie, Kingston Trio, John Denver, Neil Sedaka, Mary Hopkin, Red Grammer, Roberta Flack, Seals and Crofts, Petula Clark, Skeeter Davis, The Youngbloods...I’m sure there are many more.
Experiences: Upward Bound in Bemidji, Minnesota, in 1966 was probably the major key. I had just started learning to strum guitar to accompany my singing. I took the guitar with me to the seven-week summer project (Upward Bound). During those seven weeks I managed to play the F major chord for the first time with no dead strings (using only four strings, though). Early on in the project, some of us kids—all 16-year-olds—were in one of the lounges. One of the boys played bass, so he took the guitar and started playing the bass line for “Summer Time”. I sang while he played. He started saying, “Wow! Listen to that!” over and over. I was used to being the nerd, being teased in school, not being accepted. So this was a very new experience for me and did wonders for my ego. I got into the habit of playing and singing regularly that summer.
Q6. You once set lyrics by Alison Croggon to music and created “The Ballad of the Maid of Innail”, again with excellent vocals. Please tell us about this project.
You are so good for my ego! I like to read fantasy and science fiction. Alison Croggon wrote a series (The Books of Pellinor) that appealed to me. I read them more than once. If I remember correctly, each chapter was preceded by a short piece of poetry. I was taken by one called “The Ballad of the Maid of Innail” and did some research to see if anyone had set it to music. I found several of the other poems from the book set to music, but not that one. So I tracked her down and asked if it was okay if I tried it. She said to go ahead. When I was done, I sent her a link to the recording. She said she loved it and she shared the link with others. Incidentally, this is the first song Boydie produced for me, and you should have seen my grin when I heard it!
Q7. What do you hope listeners take away from your music?
My goal is to use music to make the world better. One of the current projects of the Bahá’ís worldwide is often referred to as “the betterment of the world”. I hope my music will contribute positively to that effort.
Q8. What’s next for you musically? Any upcoming projects or performances?
My mantra is “It’s never too late!” Never too late to do something you’ve always wanted to do, to change course, to try something new, to realize a dream you’ve always had. I’ve always wanted to be a musician, and now, fairly late in life, I am finally doing that. Current projects include writing a musical called My Grandfather’s Clock in collaboration with one of my granddaughters, a work with a lot of songs in it, some original, some not, based on the old song in the public domain: “Grandfather’s Clock”. I am also currently working on an album (or maybe an EP) with a moon theme. All the songs will have something to do with the moon, or will at least mention the moon. So far, I have five original songs that fit the criteria, so I can make an EP as soon as I conquer the production challenges.
I’ve gone out and performed twice in the recent past for “songwriters in the round” types of events. I’ve been asked to do a one-person show of my original music sometime in the next year. I need to get that ready.
Another project in process involves a different kind of writing. I have at least two books in progress. I’m not sure if they will ever be finished. One has almost a full first draft, so there’s hope for that one. It is a fantasy. The other one (which could end up being a short series, if I get that far) is science fiction, so it takes some research. And I have written a short children’s book that needs to be illustrated. I like art, but I’m not proficient in that kind of art, so I need to find an illustrator (hint, hint). I do enjoy making pour paintings, though. And splatter paintings.
Unrelated Notes
This Substack series (Songwriter Safari) is now one year old. I need more artists to feature. It takes a lot of time to track down likely prospects. If you are one—or know of one—please let me know at lateblooming@substack.com. If the artist isn’t you, get permission from her/him first.
As I write this, my subscriber list has climbed to 189. It’s been growing fairly quickly, and I am grateful. These artists deserve a much wider audience than they currently have. My long-term goal is to reach at least 1000 subscribers. Spread the word, if you can.
This series is free, and I plan to keep it that way. That being said, a couple of subscribers have pledged an amount in anticipation of a day when I might add a premium level. If I consider doing that—and if you have ideas for what might make reasonable premium content—I’d love to hear from you. I can’t think what I could offer that would warrant paying for. Maybe some kind of behind-the-scenes idea? Like introducing songs in process? “Contests” to help me refine lyrics? One chapter at a time of a book I’m writing? Other ideas? I’ll post something in the chat area about this.
Links
Facebook
YouTube
SoundCloud
Spotify
BandCamp
Looking back, it’s been quite a journey from that first “accidental” song to where I am now. I’m still learning, still writing, and still believing it’s never too late to follow your dreams. Thanks for coming along for the ride.
🎶 This is a bonus post in my Songwriter Safari series
If you know a singer-songwriter who’d be a great fit for a future spotlight, email me at lateblooming@substack.com.
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Thanks for reading—and for helping shine a light on under-the-radar brilliance.