erin zindle (songwriter) singing, and on these recorded songs playing violin, mandolin, percussion and piano. I also play accordion, banjo, tin whistle, erhu, and djembe with The Ragbirds.
note:
Low Flying - Todd Perkins joined me on bass, Rich Blatt on guitar and Mark Porter on drums.
Good - (original recording performed by Woodspeak: Jason Beck on berimbau and vocals, our dearly departed friend, Nelson Whitehorse on congas and vocals, Randall Moore on dununs and vocals, Niki Piotrowski on percussion and vocals, and Mark Porter on bass)
The Ragbirds are Randall Moore (my husband), Matthew Melody, Tim Dziekan, Dan Hildebrandt, and me. All of these songs (in one version or another) can be found on The Ragbirds recordings:
(2005) Yes Nearby
(2007) Wanderlove
Influences
Like any musician, I have many influences, but I strive to be my own. Paul Simon (he's my favorite!), Rusted Root, and Grateful Dead (especially Mickey Hart's Planet Drum) were like gateways for me into the wider world of music, foreign and familiar, ancient and yet somehow fresh.
Mad Sheer Khan, U2, Ani DiFranco, Bob Dylan, Indigo Girls, REM, Ali Farka Toure, Nickel Creek - Ireland, Africa, South America, Gypsy songs from all four directions. . . . . Rumi, Hafiz, Rilke, songs are poems after all. . .
Check The Ragbirds MySpace for all of our upcoming shows.....
I am a poet and a songtress. . . I write songs for my bandThe Ragbirds. They make everything more beautiful and together we strike up the dance floor. Here I chose selections that represent me in a more "solo" way, songs that are on our album, but we don't play live, as well as the original version of the song "good" just for fun.
If you like these songs, check out more on our profile here or visit our site www.theragbirds.com.
Coming to see us play live is a whole different experience, and very high energy, so be sure to catch a show sometime.
I've had so many musical experiences that have shaped me, but finding my own voice, the sound that has truly been mine all along has been my greatest ongoing musical endeavor. I first wrote and played songs with Madison Greene (aggressive acoustic with celtic and tribal undertones). I branched out into Afro-Cuban drumming and vocalizing with Woodspeak. (4 skilled hand-drummers and me) I learned to improvise and experiment with genres in Rootstand (bluegrass, reggae, rock, blues) and have found my nest in The Ragbirds, (we call it infectious global groove). All of my bandmates, past and present have influenced my life and music like iron sharpens iron and I love them all.
The stage is a whore. At times I crave its lights and tangled cords. Here I sing a poem into the common air and hope it does not tangle itself up in the heights of American hype. Let's keep the lowliness of true songs alive. Songs have a way of catching fire and before you know you are a charred mess of ego. I'm in for the slow burn, and I hold the hope of not losing myself in the smoke and mirrors.
I have so many poems that never find music. I'll print a few here and there in blogs, while I work on printing a full collection, which will be available soon, here and at Ragbirds shows. I'd love to hear both critique and praise, it's all food for the journey.
We all work so hard just to try to mean something. We reach out in the dark of cyberspace to try to connect. We open the doors to the little spaces we call our own and invite our friends. What we show is not always who we are, but I hope you may find me here, in myspace, in my music, and find something that you can feel.
peace to you
love,
e
(note: all songs and poems posted are written and copyrighted by Erin Zindle)
Hello, it's me, Ruby Jane.To those who don't know me, I am a 14 year old fiddler, songwriter. I have some songs posted that are fresh out of the studio. Let me know if you like the new songs..be one of the first to hear, even before they are released!Thanks! new videos too! Ruby Jane
Hi Erin, Thanks so much for the add. I love The Ragbirds! It must have been fate, because I hadn't even heard of your band until a couple days before you played at The Loft in Flint. A banner ad on iLike flashed by advertising two Ragbird songs. I was intrigued by the little bit I heard and couldn't pass up the opportunity to hear the band play live. Thank you for a great show!
You're such a talented lady yourself- your good opinion means the world to me! I hope we get to hang next time I'm in A2 (or you're in Lansing!) BTW- you've got some serious biceps in that profile pic! You been pumping iron? ;c)
I'm having a poetry reading next month, on the 19th. Wanna come? It's at seven, at the M.O.C.A.D. (Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, 4454 Woodward Ave.) I'm reading with someone named Nandhi Colmer and another woman named Noreen Cashen. It would be really cool if you came! I haven't seen you in a while. Though with you busy touring schedule I'll totally understand if you can't.
It'd be lovely to see you guys come to the west coast some day; hope you beauties make a west coast tour eventually... look me up if you ever need a place to sleep in oregon. xoxo
(songwriter) singing, and on these recorded songs playing violin, mandolin, percussion and piano. I also play accordion, banjo, tin whistle, erhu, and djembe with The Ragbirds.
