collaborating with thanks

Collaborating is one of the great joys of being a musician. Collaboration is a great teacher and often results in great friends. To share the love of music is a beautiful bond and creating, recording or performing has contributed to my life’s most happy moments.

I laughed till I cried working with Terry Taylor and my husband Robert on songs for the cartoon Cat Scratch. I can still remember a time when I put on my tap shoes that I bought at a thrift store and recorded some crazy tap steps upstairs trying not to audibly laugh at the antics I was put through.  It was so fun to be called on to do utterly random sounds and styles for whatever Rob and Terry were conjuring up in the studio.

Some of the greatest musical moments of my life were with singer, songwriter, and guitarist Roby Duke. Many songs that never got released are still some of my favorites (James Taylor says, “You’ve got to save some for yourself”). My daughters, Heather and Kirsten, recorded a project and many singles that Roby co-wrote and produced. He taught us much about crafting songs and enjoying the process. Singing background vocals on his Bridge Divine CD and other projects he produced was a great honor. His stunning work on my Here for You worship CD is a treasure. Roby died of a heart attack December 26, 2007, and is dearly missed.

Another indelible musical moment was singing with Randy Meisner (formerly of the Eagles) on his solo project, with Art Ford producing.  I love his voice, his talent is immense, and the joy of those sessions … unforgettable.

David Raven is amazing to work with.  He is an extraordinary drummer and singer, and made me feel so comfortable and free to experiment on the project Garden.  I had the honor of co-writing several songs on that project.  His encouragement and free spirit inspire me to take chances in the creative process.

Lately, I’ve been working with producer and master guitarist Randy Mitchell on a music project with the working title of Great Love. Initially I thought (due to budget restrictions and respect for Randy’s time) that we would knock out 10 or 12 songs inside of three months. Randy’s generous spirit and relentless commitment to the process of finding just the right instrument and sound for the moment slowed the pace and let it unfold without the constraints of time and the pressure that can bring. Randy’s tithe of his time and enormous talent have exceeded all my best expectations for this collection of songs. I’m thankful to keyboardist Richard Souther for the beautiful tracks he laid for us, as well as to my friend Michito Sanchez for his percussion. Actor and bagpiper Eric Lutes laid a great part on the song “Light the Heavens.”

Kirsten Wenlock generously contributed several songs she wrote and her bgvs still make my heart glad when I hear them. I’m so thankful to Heather Pasley for her worshipful songwriting and anointed vocals that blessed this heart. I’m humbled to call these two amazing women my daughters and friends.  I think my most joyous musical moments have been to sing with Heather and Kirsten behind the mic, in the car, or to large audiences or sports arenas.  Worshipping with them or just enjoying music together in any capacity has constituted some of the best of times of my life.

There is no more delightful sound to me than the laughter and singing of my grandchildren, Chaylee, Kenna, Story James and Rowan. They make my heart glad. Other sounds I love are earnest congregations of people singing to The Maker. Songs of the mockingbird outside my window in the evening and doves in the morning, a paddle dipping into a lake, singing frogs in Jamaica layered with reggae music, layered with an open air revival, children laughing, the crack of a bat and subsequent cheers, family gatherings jam sessions, wind blowing through trees, waves crashing, streams in motion, drum circles, the sound of onions and garlic sizzling, campfires, a golf ball going into the cup, coffee pouring……. I could go on and on. I’m so thankful for ears!

My precious friend and gifted singer-songwriter Glaica Robinson laid beautiful vocals on the title cut of Great Love.  We met in 1993 and have had some treasured moments of collaboration and worship together on the mission field, in churches, and in studios.

I’ve learned so much about worship and missions from Tommy Walker. It is a great honor to sing his song “Sweet Jesus Come” on this upcoming CD.  He has been a worship mentor and, with his wife Robin, a faithful friend and encourager of the Great Love Foundation. To sing live with Tommy at my home church in Eagle Rock and on the mission field has been a humbling and rewarding experience.   He has taught me much by his example and I count it a joy each time I have the opportunity to worship with him.

I’m deeply blessed to work with a great team of worshippers at my home church, Christian Assembly, in Eagle Rock. Besides weekend worship services, we have a women’s bible study with upwards of 300 women who faithfully attend and earnestly desire to grow and live into who God says they are. We have a kickin’ all-girl band of worshippers. I have the great joy of working with the likes of recording artists, Kala Balch, Rebecca Schubert, Mary Falcone, Robbyn Kimmase, Ingrid Chen and mentor Linda McCrary, along with so many other talented women on our team. My friend and deeply gifted musician and worshipper Jacob Park, bravely encourages all of us in that deep sea of estrogen. Good on you Jacob!