The (lucky) 13 song CD of originals is in production at Merel Bregante's Cribworks Digital Audio, here in Austin. The recordings on this page are pre-scatch tracts (me solo - not engineered or mixed, etc).
All of the photos on this page, and on my website, are ones I took along the Natchez Trace and in the French Qtr, two of my favorite places...besides TX, of course. Here's one from Austin...
My first guitar lesson was in the late summer of '05. I don't know why I made the effort at that time, more than some other, to get the lesson really. I had never studied music before other than waitin' tables in, and frequenting, live music venues in Houston and Austin. But life had shifted again. My son was getting older but at the same time I wasn't necessarily getting free-er. Both of my parents had passed. I pulled out my late husband's guitar and got after the work of finally feeding my soul. And so, I guess the songs that had been waitin' to, started pouring out.
I was raised in Houston, the youngest of four with lots of years between me and my siblings (the oldest being my brother with cerebral palsy at 13 yrs my senior), by a motherless mother and a fatherless father in an alcoholic home. Although I yearned to express myself creatively in a musical way during my childhood, it just didn't happen.
I moved to Austin under the guise of transferring to The University of Texas where I majored in Anthropology. I ended up graduating nine months pregnant. Back then we made our home in the Lost Pines of Bastrop, TX, where I'd hang cloth diapers out on the line to dry and my husband would leave every morning before the sun came up to go to the rig. He worked seven days a week as a derrick man and had a day off only if the rig was down. We had three sweet traditional years together. He passed away when our son was two years old, leaving us with not much more than a '71 Olds Cutlass Supreme (hard top) and a '72 Olds Delta 88 Royal. Thinking I needed more reliable transportation, I regrettably sold them and put a down payment on a lil' Chevy S-10 pick-up.
After a few hard years in Smithville, TX (which included another short and semi-tragic marriage), my son and I moved to Wimberley where I almost killed us in that pick-up while driving on Purgatory Road off Devil's Backbone.... and the rest of the stories are working their way into my songs. I've done a lot of livin' since then, been down some more rough roads, and I figure I have a few more yet to go. But I'm also blessed beyond my wildest dreams all at the same time. And that's something I don't take for granted.
Wow, thanks for that compliment! You have an excellent sound; i'm really impressed with your songwriting. Please let me know if and when you ever want a violinist to play with =)
We went to the Spotted Cat and it was perfect! Great Nawlins Jazz on a Monday night. We had the best time, home looks mighty good too. Ryman tonight. Tired but beyond happy. Hope to get to spend some real time with you guys when this crazy life allows. Love, dee
LOVED the demo cd that CB gave me of yours. You are an inspiration! Can't wait for you to cut a full album. Thanks for hanging out with us. I love you guys!
I am so bummed I missed the Hideout show! It would have been great to share the stage with Wendy, Kelli and you. I am still not well...but getting there. My son got real sick too. See you soon, I hope!
Mizz Amanda! Spirit and sparkle shine from your eyes. I'm so glad to have spent the evening sharing songs with you and Wendy and Jana...thank you for opening your world to me. Thank you so much for the cd, I really appreciate where you're coming from...
Just passing through to say hello and want to wish you a great day ! Mama has been soooo busy ! My head is spinning ! Hope your show last night went well.
