People always ask me how I got into this music thing. I grew up singing in church and in school choirs but I didn't actually get into a studio until I was twenty-two. I knew a woman named Sioban, who bartended at an Irish bar. They had a band that would come in and play there live on a regular basis. She happened to tell one of the members of the band that she knew me and that I sang. He invited her to bring me to his studio. I had never really thought about recording. At the time, I was writing music and basically just playing and singing to myself in my own living room. I was excited to go into a studio and see what that was all about.
I met Jeff Graves in the next few weeks. His studio was in the basement of this home. I remember feeling nervous and not really knowing what to say. We sat down in his living room and he asked me about myself and what I was looking to do. I told him I like writing music but that I didn't want to sing or be famous. I have to laugh now because back then I was so naïve. I actually thought that if you sang and recorded an album, it meant you were all of a sudden just gonna get famous. He told me the music business was tough and most people don't get famous. He said, "you should write and sing and record because you love it and have a passion for it."
We went down into his studio, which was absolutely gorgeous. He had built it himself and I was impressed. I sat at the piano and played and sang a song I had just written. I remember he was impressed with my writing capabilities. I don't write this in a 'tooting my own horn' type of way. I had never been around the music scene and I don't think I had the confidence or even really knew my own writing capabilities. It was really terrifying to share something I had written with somebody.
Honestly, when I thought of the studio, I pictured the movies. You know, the scene where there is a girl singing on the other side of the glass while the producer looks on, sitting at his soundboard, nodding his head and reaffirming how great she sounds. This definitely wasn't how it went at all. First of all, I had to make the music myself. I learned that day about tracking. I learned that you track most instruments separate (meaning the band doesn't all sit down and play together at the same time). I also learned that if you don't play on the same beat throughout the song, the rest of the musicians can't follow you. I couldn't play to a click track and stay on time. Jeff sent me home with a metronome and I spent every day for three weeks learning how to play to stay on beat. I remember feeling frustrated and thinking I was never going to get it, but I was determined to get better. After three weeks, I came back into the studio and sat down and played a whole song through to a click track.
I continued to write and Jeff continued to work with me over the next three years teaching me all about the studio and recording. He helped me grow and gain the confidence I needed to begin this journey. There is something really special about the music community. I have met some of the most talented people. I will forever be grateful that Jeff extended an invitation to his studio and believed enough in my talent to work with me. Making music has enriched my life. I'm so glad I have this opportunity and platform to share what I have to say with the world!