RS: You're like the George Steinbrenner of Northwest music! You're CD (Beautiful Morning) features the finest around the Portland Music camp. Great players from such diverse musical backgrounds. Were these all players from your want list?
LFA: George Steinbrenner, wow, isn't he the guy who owns the NY Yankees? I'll take that as a compliment, thank you.
I will admit I'm very fortunate to have high caliber professional musicians playing my music. I guess it is a little like selecting a team that will win you five World Series. Several of the musicians, specifically, Carlton Jackson (drums), John Mannenbach (acoustic guitar) and Leah Hinchcliff (bass) played on my 1st CD as well. I've always been somewhat of a perfectionist. I had great players on my first CD and I wanted to make the second one even better. Everyone who played on Beautiful Morning was someone I had worked with in some capacity before, either recording or playing live. Some of what makes something so magical is diversity. I’m different. I’m different because of who I am, what I believe and what I do. At the same time, I’m the same. I want the same things everyone wants – love, acceptance, happiness and a warm place to rest.
My imagination is pretty active; it's part of being an artist and songwriter. (I guess an active imagination is another thing I have in common with my new friend, George Steinbrenner.) When I began pre-production for Beautiful Morning (my second CD), I knew I wanted the best musicians I could find. The story goes like this...
I had worked with John, Carlton and Leah, on the first CD, so it was a matter of scheduling the right time with them. My steady band for several months prior to recording was comprised of band members - Mary J. Curtis (rhythm guitar, harmonica), Clark Salisbury (electric guitar), Holly Leer (back-up vocals, flute, cello) and Mark Bosnian (piano). I had worked with Scarlet Rivera (violin) and Nicole Campbell (back-up vocals) in other settings. Every person who played on Beautiful Morning was my first choice - "my want list". I love these people and I think my genuine connection with them coupled with their undeniable talent made it easy. From there it was simply a matter of logistics.
I truly believe in divine guidance, so I got out of the way. At the same time, I worked with my partner planning every step of the recording process. Every band member was impeccable throughout the entire recording process. There are moments of magic captured forever. It was as if there was something much bigger than us watching over the project. Everyday in the studio something amazing would happen that repeatedly let me know it was going to be an exceptional piece of work.
RS: There's a song on your CD "When The Walls Come Down (A Prayer for Dorothy)" which is unbelievably moving! It's my favorite song on the CD. Tell me about how this song became to be and how difficult was it once you actually sat down to write the lyrics?
LFA: This really is a good segue from talking about my spiritual life. I have to tell you, I was in LA for the 2nd time last week. I sang "When the Walls Come Down" to a room of about 200+ people. On the choruses I had the people sing with me. I would guess that at least half the audience was crying. You’re not alone in this. I cried when I wrote it. There were at least four people who came up to me after I sang When the Walls Come Down, who thanked me for writing the song and singing it. Each of those people had recently lost a parent.
Every song has a story, and sometimes the story changes, here’s the story of When the Walls Come Down…
I received a call from a friend late one night. My friend said, "Hi Lynn". I could tell by the time of night and the sound in her voice that something wasn’t okay. I asked her what was up and all she said was, "I just called to ask you if you would say a prayer for my Grandma?" I said I would, then asked, "why, what’s going on?" Over the years she’d tell me funny stories about her Grandma. I had a close relationship with my Grandma, so I knew the significance of the request. My friend simply said, "She died today."
We talked a bit and I told her to pay attention to what was happening. The time closely following a person’s passing is amazing and magical. We hung up and I began to honor my friend’s request. As I began to pray, the song was born. I didn’t get the first part of the prayer out and a song was coming in. I picked up my guitar and finished the prayer in song. I played chords on my guitar I didn’t know existed. By the end of the prayer, the song was written. The next day I called Clark Salisbury, who is not only an exceptional electric guitarist, but also, an amazingly talented arranger. I went to Clark’s where we finished and recorded the song. I took the recording to my friend that night. The song followed the family from Oregon to Nebraska where they took my friend’s Grandma to lay her to rest. The song became both a sources of healing and celebration for the family. In a more general sense I think the song speaks to forgiveness and an opening for change. Perhaps it’s a bit of a call to an open heart.
Not all my music is so serious. I love the blues, I love to have a great time and my band cracks me up! Mary Curtis, (my rhythm guitarist and harmonica player) and I have a way of bantering that keeps the audience wondering what’s coming next. We wonder too. We’re very much looking forward to our show in Astoria and hope people can make it out. This is the first time we’ll be visiting the area after traveling to Baltimore, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and, of course, our home town, Portland. A few days after we do our show in Astoria we are scheduled to play at the New York Museum of Modern Art in New York City. You never know where we could be. There is talk of going to Holland and Australia as well.
