Hello dear friends!
"I AM" is my debut music project which began January 1, 2020 and launched February 18, 2023.
​
It's a culmination of my interesting and varied life's earthy wisdom,
and my collaboration with my excellent friend, producer, and guitarist Jaime Triana.
​
"I AM" celebrates the strength, beauty, simplicity in complexity, and vulnerability of life,
through song,
with the recognition of all that "I Am" .
​
Each Song acts an an Anchor, a Pillar,
a Still Point, a Pivotal Truth,
which I can bathe in
when I want to relax,
to sing, to dance, to enjoy peace,
and be inspired,
simply by honoring and embracing
the "I AM" of me.
The use of the first person "I", rather than "you", brings relief (of not being bossed around)
and honor to the throne of personal agency
innate to each of us.
I share the simple, poignant, and nourishing words I have pulled from the aether,
gifts which I demanded for life really,
and experienced,
and I offer them to you
as a healing and nourishing salve
for your flourishing,
for your consciousness,
as they have been to mine.
I need to sing!
When I sing my heart explodes
with joy and gratitude.
I am so word sensitive that
I must be vigilant about the words I sing!
Words create.
I created "I Am" to be songs
for singing without reserve,
with gusto, and a fully open
and compassionate heart.
From babies to great grands,
"I Am" offers a voice
of insight, strength, and love for us all.
In gratitude, in joy, and with deep appreciation,
I am glad you are here in this world with me.
May I hear you sing "I Am" far and wide!
​
My Story
My father Frank (Francis, means "Free Man") served in the last battle of the Second World War, then the Korean Conflict, after which he was stationed at the Army base in Butzbach, Germany, when I was born, first daughter, third child of six.
We were moved to New Jersey that same year until I turned six and we were moved to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, when my dad, thankfully,
opted out of Vietnam.
I remember the trees in my first yard.
They bloomed a luscious white fragrant flower
that tasted as sweet as they smelled!
Around age 4,
I would swing as high as I could
and sing my heart out to the sky.
I’m still doing this!!!
Yay!
​
My mom, Delores (mother of sorrows)
taught me my first song,
​
“Don’t Fence Me In”
From here I see that’s been my life’s mantra.
​
My dad, a very tough soldier from age 17,
loved Mario Lanza,
a famous operatic tenor in those years.
Watching my dad’s expression of bliss
while listening to Mario
is where I first became aware that
contradistinction is intriguing;
tough soldier meets operatic tenor.
​
I observed being “out of the box”as an enjoyable mystery.
My father wanted all of us kids to play music,
although he did not,
and couldn't "carry a tune in a bucket".
His constant whistling was contagious to me.
Yes, I'm a fantastic whistler.
In my childhood,
Julie Andrews with her crystal clear,
bell-like voice and most elegant, earthy, and exuberant expression of her art
gave music to all my senses.
Then, it was the Byrds.
Oh yes, softening the slicing words of Dylan
with their 12 string guitars
and fluid harmonies.
Crosby, Stills, and Nash with their valiant voices and heartfelt insights, decrying the government killing of peaceful war protestors and glorying in the power of a Woodstock (Joni’s song).
I wasn’t even old enough to see the movie.
Buffy Sainte Marie with her Native American war torn heart “Universal Soldier” , singing about the grunge FBI killing Indians and energy companies stealing uranium from their lands……and real love, “Lift Us Up Where We Belong” and “Until it’s time for you to go”
more contradistinctions.
Waves of LSD flooded our streets and seemed to end the war protests.
Pink Floyd……LSD…..Dead Heads, LSD...Moody Blues,
and Jefferson Starship.
Hitchhiking to New York City at 15 whenever my favorite bands played;
losing friends to heroine overdoses
because their number came up
for the draft.
Then Joni. Mitchell.
Deep stuff.Soul moving.
I barely knew what I was hearing, and I loved it.
We have a similar vocal range and it was easy for me to sing her songs.
Nothing syrupy,
straight up observation articulation,
opalescent and complete.
I love Joni. My sister heart.
Then disco but nothing stuck to me there.
​
I lost my brother Danny to suicide.
My younger brother Ernie to a maximum security prison (he was about 14)
and my sanity itself hung in the balance often.
​
I had a son. A beloved son.
Then I became an on fire Christian.
Then I married a Persian......
Oh the story!
........to be continued
​
Contact
I'm always welcoming new and exciting opportunities. Let's connect.
(817) 714 - 9183