14th October 1999
Ah yes, reaching into my e-mail bag is so much fun. Here are some messages that made me smile.
Linda Ray from Tennessee…
I just feel compelled to thank you for your incredible gift of music. I am in the midst of a huge writing project and I keep “Naked Keys” running on my CD player as I write. You play like I think. Does that sound totally wierd? Nevertheless, it is what comes to mind.
(You know, Linda… When I saw Frank Lloyd Wright’s studio in Oak Park, Illinois I was stunned by the realization that his houses, furniture, and stained glass designs look like my music sounds. Whoa! So I know exactly what you mean.)
While I was waiting for a soundcheck at the Montclair Women’s Cultural Arts Club in Oakland, California, someone caught me standing still next to my car, a 1970 Citroen.
Dacotah from California…
I was moved to write you this note when I talked with some friends about the recent Oakland concert and we all agreed that we had missed “women’s music”, that while there are more women musicians than ever, many are much less radical and are mainstreamed. So, please never doubt that your audience IS there, and we are reconnecting to our roots and are willing and able to support our musicians when the opportunity arises.
(As we get closer to the end of the century, it does feel to me as if many of us are reaching back into Women’s Culture for comfort and strength. Certainly, we will be wise to prepare ourselves for challenging times in the next millenium. We are the ones we have been waiting for.)
Marilyn in South Carolina…
It’s great to see news of Women’s Music again and all the links to other women and music from the “early days.” My early days, anyway–when a friend in TN shared with me the Olivia record albums that she actually kept in her closet.
(I remember tearing the cover off of “The Well of Loneliness” and replacing it with plain brown cardboard.)
Gail from California…
Today I found Margie Adam, alive and well, on the web. I have been a fan long enough that although I have her first four albums, they are all on vinyl, and I haven’t played them in eons. AND I thought she had quit performing, which obviously she had. What I didn’t know was the she was back. I am a musician, too, and count The Unicorn Song in my repertoire. I’m so happy I found this site! I was pulling some information from the NCLR site and checked their links and there it was. Hurrah!
(See! The more connexions we make with each other, the more connexions we can make.)
Kim from New York…
I still have (haven’t lost or given away) Here Is A Love Song, Naked Keys and your song book but I saw Suede recently, and she played one your instrumental pieces that made me cry. I was so pleased and told her so. It moved me to try to find you.
( I have heard from someone that Suede is also singing one of my songs, “Tender Lady”. Are you out there, Suede? If you can hear me…Thank you, Girlene-I love that you are doing my songs. The ultimate compliment for a songwriter is when another songwriter performs her music. If you have a website, Suede, I’d love to post your URL on my “Connexions” Page.)