IN HER OWN WORDS...
HOMEGROWN:
I was born and raised in rural British Columbia. And by rural I mean dirt road rural. My parents were working class and my closest neighbor was my grandmother, a first generation Canadian and child to Russian immigrants. There were lots of Russian immigrants there in Dirt Road, B.C. and lucky for me, every once in awhile, I got to hear them sing.
I ate a lot of borscht as a little girl, and ran a muck. I took piano lessons at age 5, flute lessons at age 12 and in the meanwhile found life on the Dirt Road fascinating; bugs, bears, and my parent’s vinyl collection. At 13 I burned a hole through their Edith Piaf, Ricki Lee Jones and CSNY records. At age 15, I began teaching myself the guitar.
At 16, I moved from the Dirt Road to Southern California. Suddenly my Russian folksong symphony was gone, replaced only by the heat. I’d lost my flute instructor due to the move, so I decided to pass along some of what I’d learned by giving lessons to beginners. At 18 I moved from L.A. to Calgary, Alberta. There I studied literature, math and the art of isolation. At 19 I moved back to California but this time to the pretty part.
I lived in Arcata for five years. There, I wrote some songs, had my first public performance as a singer/songwriter and studied music at the university. In those five years I had seven roommates and traveled when I could. I spent two weeks in the Holy Land, three weeks in France, and months and months in Heartbreak Hotel. I worked five jobs, often two at a time, ate at least fifty pounds of rice and rode my bike many miles each day. By the time I was 24 I had one husband, one degree and one license to teach music to children. I had one large student loan payment and zero job prospects.
Thankfully, In 2006 I began serving as the district music teacher for a tiny Dirt Road community south of Eugene, Oregon. I have been there for the past four years and currently teach three bands, one choir and general music to 150 elementary school students.
FOLK-SASS:
In 2007 I had my first local solo bill at Cozmic Pizza in Eugene. Since I was local they didn't feed me but at least they let me keep 100% of the door. I think that I made about $2 in change.
Winter of 2007, over the course of three snowy days, most of Underwater and Other Places was recorded. Live in one room, with no overdubs, no effects, and no redos, the record was done up fast and furious the way people used to make ‘em. Most of the songs on that album had been written by the time I was 21. Lotsa folks have said some nice stuff about the record. Some folks have said some mean stuff about the record. With regard to that record, I say that I have learned a lot.
Summer of 2008 The Huz and I began playing as a duo and took off on our first tour of the American west. Our favorite gigs were in San Diego and Oakland because people seem to like music there.
After playing a few folk festivals and Women's festivals throughout the year, Johnny and I were excited to embark on our Summer Sass Tour 2009. Our favorite gig (aside from Vashon Island where they treat you nice-like and you get to ride the ferry) was driving back home after 3 weeks on the road, nursing our dented pocketbooks and bruised egos.
DOO-WOP TWANG:
December of 2009 I fell in love with one 1950 and eight Guild Freshman. The next day I started listening to music in a whole new way. Ella, Hank, Aretha, it was like I'd never heard it before: listen to that sweet guitar work! Six months later I managed to save enough to buy the Guild. The next day I started writing a million songs.
June of 2010 finds me in the heated throes of an album yet undone: Last Bird Home. And a sound yet unheard: Doo-Wop Twang.
July of 2010 finds me writing this herstory and wishing for a fairy godmother.