Thursday, December 31, 2009

Message

I got this message today (Maybe I should start singing again after all): On this day of your life, Libby, we believe God wants you to know ... that the woods would be very silent if no birds sang except those that sang the best. Do not wait; the time will never be 'just right'. Start where you are, work with whatever is at your command, and better tools will be found as you go along.

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Messiah

I had the most incredible experience Saturday night. Ben took me to see The Messiah by Handel, my favorite work of all time. I have studied it intensely, preformed it four times in college and the history I have with it makes it all the more meaningful to me. The story is the story of old, about what Jesus did for all humanity and, in turn, what He did for me personally. The Nashville Symphony Hall was superb, the night was filled with an electrical magic, and I couldn't be more grateful. Thank you.

Here is a link to my Alma Mater, Augustana College. Here my old choir director and pastor give you a little glimpse of how I feel about the Messiah. (my favorite part is that on the second performance ever the crowds were asked to not bring swords or wear hoop skirts because the place was so packed it needed more space!)


MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!

Sunday, December 6, 2009

New Music Weekend – Ruth Collins


Ruth Collins was born in Western NY and was raised on a 13 acre grape farm that has been in her family for over 200 years. She is the youngest of four girls who were all raised as musicians but she was the only one of her four siblings who really loved and fell in love with her music. She sings, plays piano and learned the violin beginning at the tender age of three! She was a true child prodigy who later added the guitar to her repertoire.

She left home at the age of 18 and moved to Boston where she attended Berklee College of Music for 3 1/2 years before moving to Nashville in 2006 to become a songwriter.

You may recognize Ruth from televisions “Can You Duet” where she and a friend, Victoria Gibson, sang as a duo named “Wild Honey” where they made it to 6th place on the show. After leaving “Wild Honey” Ruth has been focusing on her solo career of writing and singing. She has had the good fortune to work with some amazing talent including songwriters who have written for Taylor Swift, George Strait, Rascal Flatts and Big and Rich. A plethora of talent to draw from for a talented young lady new to Nashville!

She has an amazing voice with a wonderful range and clarity to it that is easy to listen to and begs to be heard. Her song “Disappear” is a ballad of truth about many relationships and speaks of a hopefully easier way to breakup when “someone stays too long” and says they didn’t “build this bridge to burn it down”. The lyrics are so close to anyone’s heart about two people who just need to not be together anymore and is sung w/the accompaniment of her guitar. I really loved the song – tender and the lilting notes of her voice are so touching.

“Lesson Learned” is a soft swaying melody about falling in love the first time and the lessons we learn during life in romance – “We live and we learn and we crash and we burn.” She has a wonderful handle on new ways to express what we have all lived through and felt about life and her voice has just a slight raspy edge that gives the listener a picture of a combination of an innocent but slightly seasoned young lady singing about life. It’s an interesting combination and very pleasant listening.

“Chasing the Rain” is another ballad with piano accompaniment that showcases her amazing voice as she sings about being a fool that goes “chasing the rain calling out your name” and “praying for the wind to knock them down again”. It’s a song that parallels a love gone wrong with rainstorms and the fool she is that still wants to chase it anyway. Something many of us have done, huh? But she has the words to put it to music and actually make it sound interesting!

She is an amazing talent that should you certainly should be hearing a lot more from soon! To listen to her music please visit her at www.myspace.com/ruthcollins and you can follow her on Twitter and Facebook as well. A delightful young lady who also gives of her valuable time to charity – she is definitely worth your time!

Calamity Annie CMTT Music Contributor

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Movin' On

I've dealt with my ghosts and I've faced all my demons
Finally content with a past I regret
I've found you find strength in your moments of weakness
For once I'm at peace with myself
I've been burdened with blame, trapped in the past for too long
I'm movin' on

I've lived in this place and I know all the faces
Each one is different but they're always the same
They mean me no harm but it's time that I face it
They'll never allow me to change
But I never dreamed home would end up where I don't belong
I'm movin' on

I'm movin' on
At last I can see life has been patiently waiting for me
And I know there's no guarantees, but I'm not alone
There comes a time in everyone's life
When all you can see are the years passing by
And I have made up my mind that those days are gone

I sold what I could and packed what I couldn't
Stopped to fill up on my way out of town
I've loved like I should but lived like I shouldn't
I had to lose everything to find out
Maybe forgiveness will find me somewhere down this road
I'm movin' on

I'm movin' on
I'm movin' on