About Me
Welcome to my site. I am a musician, writer, artist, and teacher. I like learning new things, and sharing them with other curious people. I am always exploring and experimenting with different media and ideas, looking for ways to make sense of this crazy, beautiful, wonderful world that we live in.
Music has been a driving force in my life since the beginning. No nursery rhymes for me. I was completely in love with contemporary music from day one. Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Gordon Lightfoot, Cat Stevens. My mom played these albums over and over and the songs became engrained in my heart. The music of my childhood shaped the kind of musician I would become. I loved the simplicity of the singer/songwriter. The power of one voice, one guitar and the effect they could have on an audience. I was hooked.
My parents knew that I was not a typical kid when I drew a moustache on my walking doll and started calling it Sonny. I think they were probably concerned that my biggest role model was Cher. Nonetheless, my very first concert was Sonny and Cher at the Exhibition in Toronto! I'm pretty sure I was the only 6 year old in the audience! But probably up there among my best birthday gifts ever!
It was a fast progression from I Got You Babe to more refined tastes. My dad is an incredible musician in his own right. And he introduced me to jazz. Old jazz. And when he played, I could see and feel and touch the music. March Wind was my favourite, followed in close second by Erroll Garner's epic album, Concert by the Sea. Spicing it all up in between concerts was him playing his acoustic guitar on the front porch with my mom sitting quietly beside him.
When I was 15 I realized I could probably figure out how to play guitar. One night I asked my dad to show me how. He sat with me for a bit and showed me 3 chords. I stayed up all night working on those chords. Man, did my fingers hurt! But by the next day, I could kinda sorta play them. If it was a really slow song. And, that's when I started singing and playing guitar.
At 16 I got my own guitar, and things took off from there. I played constantly. Everywhere. Every spare moment was learning new songs. And I discovered a new outlet for my teenage angst and raw emotion. It saved me. I know music saved a lot of you too.
Fast forward to university where I played in my dorm, for my floormates. I played at the pub. I played open mic nights, and in the common room, and anywhere else. And then I played my first gig. Solo. Me and my guitar, on a small stage, in a local restaurant (thank you Sandy, at Mylar's for that gift). And I played there regularly for a few years, honing my skills, and building my confidence.
And as they say, that was the beginning of the rest of my life. Since then I have been doing very much the same thing - playing, learning, teaching, honing my skills, and building my repertoire. I've had some success on the way, but the biggest reason I keep doing it is because it is in my blood. It makes me feel connected to myself and others in a way that I can't get anywhere else. It makes me feel alive. It helps me sort out my feelings. And, it helps me communicate with those around me. It bonds me to my bandmates and my friends, and my audience, many who have become friends over the years.
And still, every time I walk out onto a stage, I feel grateful (and totally scared!) I feel lucky to have been given these skills, this voice, this passion, this gift. And lucky to be able to give this gift away.
To those who listen, thank you. To those who respect and appreciate live music and value the commitment, perseverance and courage it takes to live an artist's life, thank you. And to those who are on this journey with me, thank you most of all.
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