Music Archives - A Country Girl's Heart -Beats that Matter

February 1, 2020February 1, 2020

Beats that Matter ~ Melodies

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Music touches the heart in a way all its own. It takes you down memory lane, strikes a forgotten emotion, creates a connection and has been known to drive me out of my chair to dance. How about you?

What does music have to do with homesteading?

Everything to my way of thinking. A local gathering with folks to sing and enjoy an evening was often the only entertainment early homesteaders had to enjoy. There was no TV’s, movies, or even electricity. No cell phones, or i pads and laptops distracting from what happened right there in real life.

I grew up hearing my Mom sing me to sleep with old family favorites and gospel songs.

My Dad had recorded her and her sister singing on his reel to reel. Again, old family favorites, gospel songs and songs my mother had written. My Mom, given a gift to sing with an ear to hear pretty melodies, sings only what lifts up the Lord these days.

The Hoosierettes (a trio of sisters)
My Mom is one of 3 sisters pictured here.
They were locally known in their teenage years.

In her grief with the passing of her sister, she stepped away from singing in public. But recently she decided to sing again. I know what all I have on my plate, and yet, what a great way to spend time with my mom. So, I said yes to singing at a local jam once again.

That meant an afternoon spent practicing and an evening gone. Oh, I tried not to think of the work I could get done in those hours. I like to get work done. But truly, is completing tasks beats that matter?

We started singing together close to 10 years ago, Sheila Mullet, my mother and I.

A year or two later, as we spent time practicing for a local Holy Walk, we decided Christmas songs were the best fit and easiest (for me) to sing.

Click on this picture if you are interested in purchasing this Christmas CD.

From that a Christmas album Once in A Manger, emerged in 2013. This song Once in A Manger alone held special memories and a warm spot in my heart for all the Christmas’s past hearing my aunts and uncles sing it. Three of those voices passed on and other aging, what is left remains in my memory these days. May I say, “beats that matter”?

Back to this past week. I did not feel the best this week, but the Lord has shown me how He will show up despite how I feel and use our singing to touch others.

I decided not worry about how I felt, but rather trusted He would give me the strength. That alone helped my mind to focus on enjoying my evening.

A variety of talent graced the local jam last night and several delicious dishes tastily satisfied my palette. As we finished up our 5^th song, I looked over at my Mom and smiled. #beatsthatmatter

I will keep my words short and share with you the beats that mattered to me this week. My husband kindly took the video I share with you below.

I wish for each reader special beats that matter in their life. It may or may not pertain to music. But moments that touch hearts, encourage, uplift, and show love to those surrounding you.

Don’t forget to use the hash tag #beatsthatmatter on pictures and posts. I will be watching for them to share on IG stories and other social media platforms.

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November 22, 2017November 26, 2017

Roots and Wings: Importance of Peripheral View

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I am an advocate of intentional planning to be sure, but certain excellent experiences lurked in my periphery. I heard this idea put into words recently.

Don’t get too far ahead of yourself, you won’t see the shiny thing out of the corner of your eye. ~ Tim Minchen

A few such times come to mind in my life. One was modeling with my mare, Roses Casino, for Lakota Trailers billboard and (2008,2009) product catalog, going turtle feeling(don’t ask), and making a Christmas CD as the lead singer. These were never life long goals of mine. I wonder if that is why the Lord often shows us the next step and not the whole journey? To be certain, I had already developed basic skills allowing me to be ready for these events. With a bit of coaching, I enjoyed them to them to the fullest!!

Justified and the making of a Christmas CD

Deciding on the songs

All three of us, Sheila, my Mom and myself, spend many hours deciding on songs for the CD. One of us would suggest and if it did not pass for the other two or if it was going to take too much time to learn we scratched it! If my memory serves me correct, the list was never finalized until the recording began. I think we had 12 songs picked out and ended up with 10.

Practice, Practice, Practice!

We would get together for a few hours and practice 1 or 2 times a week. My Mother often made a 3 hour round trip for our practice. To save on gas and time she would spend the night at Sheila’s house or mine. I look back on that time with warm feelings of the fun we all had.

In the Studio…

Laying the basic track with basic vocal. I sang lead vocal while the basic instruments were recorded, guitar, drums, bass, and some keyboard. My vocals were later scraped, or dubbed over for my actual vocals on the CD.

Adding the vocals to the basic track. I did most of the lead. On some songs, we featured my Mom’s wonderful soprano, and Sheila’s beautiful voice. I learned harmony lines in parts of Silent Night, Down From His Glory, and O Holy Night. I think Sheila and my Mom probably reached deep for the patience to teach me those lines. Remember I had spent the last 30 years focused on horses, not music. I did learn. Between their coaching and taking fiddle lessons, I am beginning to develop my ear.

Instrument fills when recording songs allow for ones artistic side to fully express itself. My Mom and Sheila were not newbies in the studio like me. They had a definite ideas about what they wanted where. By the time we were done with the CD I had even voiced a few thoughts as to what I was hearing as well. How fun to find a new way to express my artistic side.

Sheila worked in the studio we recorded in. She led us as the project manager and edited the CD with input from my Mother. The mixing and producing credits appear on the CD.

Ordering CD’s

We opted to order the CDs from a company in Texas. An early winter storm brought shipping to a stand still. A consequent delay of 3 to 4 weeks left less than 2 weeks until Christmas when we finally received our CD’s to sell. We did eventually have them. I recall my excitement!

Summery

This particular project signifies my musical roots. I did not dream of being a lead singer on a CD as a child. While I have always loved music I did not believe it to even be up for consideration until the year it happened. My mother, on the other hand, had been offered a place in the Nashville scene with her sisters as a late teen. (They declined.) I grew up in the shadow of regret for her dream that got away. The time spent while working on this project with my mother allowed me to connect with her and see her musical gift brought into fruition once again. For me, I woke up to a part of me that never had enough of my attention.

Would you like to hear a song from the CD?

Do you have a copy of Justified – Once in A Manger? Would you like one? To order send an email by filling out this form.

Shiny Spots in my Peripheral View

I have to ask, what is lurking in my periphery now? What is lurking in yours?

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November 2, 2017November 6, 2017

Roots and Wings: Music

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Beginnings

I believe my love of music began before birth in part passed on genetically. I traveled in utero when my mom sang in prisons with the Gospel Echos. As a baby I continued to spent time on the bus rides. I grew up in a church that sang four part acepella. As I grew I sang in our junior choir. Although I did not see it as such at the time, I was given the opportunity to take piano lessons. I remember sitting at the piano and looking out the window to see my pony. I could hardly concentrate on what was in front of me. On that pony, I felt free and could get away from everyone. Aside from occasionally picking up a guitar, which was my instrument of choice at that time, my focus stayed with the horses.

With eight siblings, behaving like they were the main characters of Saturday Night Live, my mother’s family sang songs of old in beautiful sibling harmonies. At times accompanied by a guitar, they would all join in or pair off for special songs. There were the duets by Mel and Christ, the brothers. Christ and Leah brought the Swiss songs complete with yodeling. ( I have heard a great rendition by their grandson and his wife in recent years). Last but not least, was The Hoosieretts, the 3 youngest sisters, one of which was my mom.

My father sang in a gospel quartet for a couple of years. Attending practice, performances, and studio recording sessions with him as a part of The Good Shepherds Quartet gave me a look at what happens behind the scenes.

Experience

In high school as part of the FFA, I paired up with a friend and we sang in a few competitions. The biggest scariest audience was in a small auditorium(not the main one) at the state level. Being front and center felt nerve-racking to me.

Most of my singing after high school happened in church services and on the back of a horse as I conditioned or trained for whatever event I was aiming toward. I often entertained myself singing as I cleaned stalls or any other outdoor activity. I remember making up part of a song as I exercised a specific Thoroughbred race horse, Running from Rosie.

When the occasion presented itself, I would gather with friends and we would have our own jam sessions. We all moved on in life after a season. At summer gatherings a cousin who lived several hours away decided to put a second harmony to my Moms with me singing lead. A fun way to spend a few hours together once or twice a year.

Learning of local gospel jam sessions open to the public, my mom and I began attending. Here, we met Sheila and the three of us began singing together. She knew more local events to attend. Through her we practiced and made plans to sing as a part of the Bremen Holy Walk. For what ever reason, our Christmas songs came together best. Naturally, when we decided to make a CD Christmas music became the focal point. As we prepared for recording, I developed the desire to learn to play a fiddle.

Narrowing down 10 songs we were the best at and all agreed on, we entered the studio and the process began. The time spent creating all aspects of the CD was an education in itself, for me. I loved every part of it!

Beats that Matter… of music and heart!

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