Thankfulness Reflections Day 13

"Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent. "~Victor Hugo

 

Music hasn't always been a huge part of my life. Then I met my husband and he introduced me to music. He had this incredible passion for all kinds of music, and this amazing voice to project it with.  God has also given him this beautiful talent that brings people to the heart of worship using music.  I am thankful that my husband  introduced it to me, and that he has passed that love on to my children as well. Now my whole life everyday is filled with melodies and lyrics, and I wouldn't have it any other way.  I am thank that a songs has the ability to change  my mood or uplift my spirit. I am thankful for the songs that get stuck in my head, and the ones that make me sing aloud. I am thankful music has the gift to bring people closer together. I am most thankful that a song has the ability to bring me closer to my Savior with worship. I am truly thankful for art of music and the impact it has on my life, and my families!  

 

Tuesday Treasury

This weeks Etsy Treasury simply was put together with Sheb Wooley's 1958 "Purple People Eater" in mind. A novelty song about a one eyed, one horned monster that wants to be in a rock and roll band. So this weeks set contains lots of purple, many monsters, and lots of fun! Hope you enjoy!

Purple People Eater......Click HERE for a direct link to the full treasury list.

I will leave you will a little Youtube video featuring Sheb Wooley and his only #1 song.

Tuesday Treasury

This Tuesday in my Etsy treasury, I was inspired by my families love for music. I named the treasury Lyrics and Love which is also the name of the blog that documents this families journey through a life full of music and love. To find out which items I found musically inspiring by the talented folks on Etsy this week, click HERE for a direct link to the full list.

Inspired By Music and Love. What music inspires you?

Crossroads Music

Photograph By Moments To Memories

Cookeville Tennesse seems to be coming to life these days with music. A subject that is of course always close to my heart, I get excited when I hear about new studios and music stores that are settling down in smaller towns around Tennessee. I recently heard about Crossroads Music, a music store that opened back in September in Cookeville. I attended high school with one of the co-owners and his wife, and I couldn’t be happier for them as they make music more accessible to Cookeville and the communities surrounding them. Crossroads Music is owned and opertated by Travis Copeland and Greg Taylor. The store offers local musicians the option of not having to drive a hundred miles for quality music gear or the not having to take part in the risky business of shopping online and having to buy an instrument or gear before you play it. Along with quality gear, Crossroads Music also offers an array of music lessons with affordable rates. I recently had a chance to interview co-owner and musician Travis Copeland and talk a little more about the store, music lessons, and the importance of music in the lives of our children.




Crossroad Music Youngest Fan Aiden Copeland (Photograph By: Moments To Memories)



Interview with Crossroads Music Co-Owner Travis Copeland

Question: When did the idea of a music store pop up?
Answer: I was a manager at another local music store for 4 years. I was also teaching 40 guitar students a week there as well. When the partners split I was offered a chance to be a partner in the new venture. I would be doing the same thing just a Owner/Operator.

Question: When did you realize that opening a music store could be a reality?
Answer: It was in August of 2010. That's when Greg Taylor (my business partner) proposed that we open a store back in Cookeville.

Question: Why did you choose the location of Cookeville?
Answer: Cookeville is just about in the middle of Nashville and Knoxville. If you want to get quality gear you are going to have to drive an hour and a half either way.
I did not like to do that. I try not to order instruments online either. I have had terrible experience in the past doing so. It was always better to try before you buy, for me anyway. Cookeville is a very fast growing city. With an ever growing music scene. Music store's have worked here in the past but the higher price of local stores with a sinking economy keep customers looking for a better price. That's is where we come in. Internet Pricing at a local store.

Question: How does it feel to be running a family operated business of your very own?
Answer: Its is a wonderful feeling. I feel grateful everyday for a chance to help out my fellow musicians get the things they need at a fair price.

Question: Where did the name Crossroads Music come from?
Answer: My partner Greg is a big Eric Clapton fan. He came up with it. I thought it was kinda fitting so we kept it.

Question: How important would you say music is to your family?
Answer: Music has always been a huge part of my life. My father was the song leader out our church for many years. Growing up my Mom and Dad bought me a guitar at 14 and feel in love with it. I started playing in church shortly after that. I have always loved different styles of music.

Question: Can you tell us a little about the music lessons offered at your shop?
Answer: Our lessons start at 15 dollars for a 30 min session with some of the best local and national talent. We offer guitar, piano, dobro, banjo , mandolin, violin (or fiddle), woodwinds, harmonica, and soon drums! In every major style and genre. We pride ourselves on being very professional instructors, but we also have a lot of fun.

Question: What can customers expect when they visit Crossroads Music?
Answer: Hopefully, our customers will feel right at home. Our very knowledgeable staff are always ready to help in any way. Anything from answering questions about string changing to how to set up complex P.A. System. They are no dumb questions. We also have private sound proof studios so you can check out a nice acoustic instrument or vintage amp without interruption. We have a very unassuming way of doing things at Crossroads Music. I don't like to be bothered myself when i am shopping, but if i have question or need something i like to know some one is around to assist me. We want people to feel comfortable when they are here. Not like "How can I help you? This costs 499.99." We know most of or customers on a first name basis.

Question: As music lovers what is your opinion about music education in the public school systems?
Answer: It is just as important as math, reading, or science. It has been proven in studies that children who play an instrument will naturally do better in other core subjects in school. No sport that i am aware of does that in all three categories. For those who read music get so much information from one note. Not even our alphabet does that. One single music note tells how to play that note, when to play that note, for how long, where that note is, and what it's name is. It is an international language as well. We may not be able to speak to one another, but those who read music can play the same thing. It teaches discipline, sacrifice, and social skills. Look at a school band. Individual instruments be it a guitar, clarinet, flute, drums, whatever, alone sound wonderful. When you include all of those together you get a group of individuals dependent on one another to preform as a whole.

Crossroads Music is located

549 East Spring St. Cookeville, TN 38501. 1.2 miles from Highway 111.

Also follow them on facebook by clicking Crossroads Music Facebook for a direct link.

*This article is also found in the online publication Cookevilletimes.com

Sunday Drive Recordings

When Cody Smith thinks of Sunday Drive, he thinks about a family tradition spanning over several generations. A tradition that he admits as a child he took for granted. Now Cody is showing his appreciation to that easy-going feeling of being in a car with loved ones with no real agenda at hand by naming his recording studio Sunday Drive Recordings.


Sunday Drive Recordings, located about halfway between Knoxville and Nashville in the Middle Tennessee city of Cookeville. The Studio opened it’s doors for business in February of 2011. The Studio itself is about 2700 square foot with multiple isolation rooms to fit the artist/bands needs. For example A room is 570 square foot with 10 foot ceilings large enough to accommodate full bands looking to recording with the effects of sounding live.

The location of this Studio not only is a jewel for musicians and songwriters residing in the Tennessee and Kentucky area, Sunday Drive Recordings offers a rural feel with urban experienced staff. The staff includes Jessie Wooten from Nashville, TN, focusing largely on the harder materials of metal and hard rock. Caleb Barnes from Smithville, TN has experience in the indie world of music as both a studio engineer and a musician with his own band Temperance Hall. Dave Smith from Chicago, Illinois has not only studio experience, but Dave has also worked in the live sound world. Then there is Cody Smith, owner and operator of Sunday Drive, whom you will also find behind and in front of the sound board. All four of these guys have a love for the music as not only engineers, but also as musicians. They understand artist's needs and will use their knowledge, skill, and experience to make your music breathe life and emotion.

Sunday Drive Recording is about old school standards of making great music without the overpriced studio time. You will find a mix of vintage instruments, modern technologies, and an ever growing collection of gear to produce a never understated sound. As Cody says, “Sunday Drive is supposed to be about the free wheeling explorative experience!”

I got the opportunity to go a little further in learning about Sunday Drive Recordings with an interview with owner Cody Smith. We talked about his love for music, the people that support him, and why he chose Cookeville.

Interview with Cody Smith owner of music recording studio Sunday Drive Recordings:

Question: How long have you been interested in making music?
Answer: Though I got a guitar at twelve, I really didn't get the real itch until my junior year of high school. I played a whole lot, and even though I was in bands, I didn't really see the potential for doing it on a professional level. So, I suppose about eight years would be about right.

Question: When did you know music would play a big part in your career?
Answer: The first time I got paid! I'm kidding, but only partially. When I transferred colleges, the band I was playing with was briefly signed to a label. I really banked on that, and when we were dropped, I found
myself scrambling to find another job to make up for the loss. I started doing session work and working as a hired tour musician, and I realized just how much it all meant to me to be making music. So I decided then and there to not do anything else.

Question: Where did you attend school and why did you choose that school?
Answer: I went to Lee University for my undergraduate, because the school had a great focus on biblical study, as well as a phenomenal jazz program. However, I went to SAE Institute a year and half ago, too. I decided to go to SAE because of the really great connections the school had, as well as the great collection of gear they had. Plus, anyone can tell how long they've done studio work on the pro level. Only a few have an accredited school to back them up.

Question: Can you imagine your life without music?
Answer: Not really at all. Showing people what Jesus has done in my life is priority number one, and though I'm not a gifted speaker or anything like that, I can make music speak for me. If I didn't have that, I don't know how well I could get my feelings and thoughts across otherwise.

Question: What songs can you currently not get enough of?
Answer: I found out--a little late--about 16 Horsepower last year while I was living in Nashville, and the album Secret South probably doesn't have a single bad song on it. Plus, it's one of the few unabashedly Christian albums that I really think avoids being contrived in anyway.

Question: Who are some artist/bands that inspire you the most?
Answer: Easily the Beatles, specifically Magical Mystery Tour, mean more to me musically than anything else. Bands and songwriters I fell in love with in high school and college like John Vanderslice, Wilco, Richard Swift, and Elliott Smith still mean the world to me as well. But as
far as writing to say exactly what you mean and still putting it out there in a really appealing way, I will always love Fugazi, mewithoutYou, and Neutral Milk Hotel.

Question: What made you invest in a recording studio in Cookeville TN?
Answer: Truth? It was easier to get a loan than starting it in Chattanooga!But, really, if I think about it more, I know I needed to start here.There's nothing professional outside of Nashville for a couple hundredmiles in this area. I worked myself to death to make good recordings in my garage when I was younger because I knew I couldn't afford Nashville at the time. I think there's a wealth of songwriters and bands who really are worth working with even if they're not in Nashville. So, setting up in a hub like Cookeville lets me help people out from Kentucky and Tennessee without dealing with the problems of being in a bigger city

Question: What are your current goals when it comes to your studio and clients?
Answer: There's a studio in San Francisco called Tiny Telephone that charges aflat rate of $350 a day for what may very well be a million dollarroom. It's one of the very, very few studios that's offering super-high quality service for very low rates. That's all I wanted to acheive here. You get free tape, access to world class instruments hat have been picked just for this, and engineers that have worked--or even still work-- in Nashville, for $300 flat. I just want to provide excellence without a ridiculously inflated over-charge.

Question: What should artists know about working with you?
Answer: That I'm an artist, too. Anything that leaves the studio has to be top-notch, or I can't stomach it. I want people to sound their best. However, that isn't to say I'm a slave-driver. I'm just trying to get the best out of people, but I understand that making records is way harder than it should be sometimes. So in the end, I think I'm someone a songwriter or player can trust.

Question: What makes your studio standout from others?
Answer: In Cookeville, I'm definitely the only person who's going to understand the music, and have experience to make the sounds in the artist's head come through the speakers on playback. But in comparison to say, Nashville for instance, I'm definitely one of the few who still wants to do this for the greater good. I don't say that at all as a dig, though. Making money is good, and Nashville's great at it. But $800 for eight hours in a room with no tape and no engineer is far from helpful to a music business where people are already struggling just to recoup what they invest into playing shows.

Question:Who has been your greatest encouragement while chasing after this dream?
Answer: My mom and dad. My fiancé, Chelsea, was always there and I knew it,but my mom and dad were the ones who were there with me when I signed the loan papers and assured me that this was a good decision that would be blessed.

Question: Tell us a little about the other engineers you have brought into the studio.
Answer: Aside from me, there are three other regular house engineers. Jessie Wooten is from Nashville, and has worked on a whole lot of harder material. That's great because I'm not exactly well versed in the ways
of heavy rock and metal, and I'm willing to admit it! He comes from a super musical family, as his father Joseph plays keys for the Wooten Brothers and Steve Miller Band, and his uncles Reggie, Victor, and Roy "Futureman" Wooten are all over Nashville. Caleb Baines is from Smithville, Tennessee, and is just an all-around nice guy. We met at SAE, and he actually worked on a lot of sessions with Jessie. He also works on a lot of indie recordings, as well as with his own band Temperance Hall. Dave Smith is from Chicago, Illinois, and actually works more in live sound than any of us. However, he's a great, hard-working engineer who legitimately loves every kind of music you could imagine. All three of these guys, while having their strong suits, are just really knowledgeable engineers. They're musicians, so they understand what players need, too.

Question: I noticed that several of the instruments are from a different era(50's, 60's, 70's). Can you tell me about this vintage collection and how important of a role does this collection play in the sound that comes from Sunday Drive's Recordings?
Answer: I figured out pretty quickly that I like to play as many instrumentsas I can pick up, so I'm buying them all the time. I'm also a big gearnerd, so I buy and trade a lot to get classic instruments that wereused on some of my favorite records. I've got 50s and 60s Zildjian cymbals because I love Ringo just as much as I love Led Zepplin, just like I have a 70s Fender Vibro-Champ because I loved when Clapton played with George Harrison at Concert for Bangladesh. I've got Rickenbackers because of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and a '55 Telecaster for Don Rich, who was the guitar player for Buck Owens and the Buckaroos. All these instruments, even though they're things that someone famous liked, are really well made, classic instruments. A normal band probably spends enough money trying to play shows andrecord that they can't afford to buy those kinds of instruments, so when they come here they can play some of the finest instruments they may ever touch. So, by playing here on my instruments, they really remove a weak link in the signal chain to making great sounding records. I guess it adds a vintage sound, too, which doesn't hurt!



New Blog Launch

No I am not abandoning Inside My Head. It is very much and will remain my personal little corner of the blogging world, which I am very much in love with. However, I fell so in love with the wonderful world of blogging that I thought I could somehow manage the up keep of two blogs...So I hope you all will venture over to Lyrics & Love and tell me what you think. I have also given Inside My Head here a minor face lift by adding a few page links to the top. Nothing major just something to help you get around a little easier without cluttering the main page. Thanks for all your support over the past couple years...I look forward to much more blogging in 2011!!!

What's Your Favorite Christmas Songs???

My new favorite Christmas music comes to me via Michael Buble Christmas (EP). I fell in love with his verison of “Let it Snow”, which I recently heard come across the radio waves, so I went home and bought the whole collection from iTunes. Bonus for me, the EP also included my other favorite Christmas song “I’ll be home for Christmas”. I personally enjoy Michael Buble's old school, jazzy style in which he somehow adds a modern little twist to making it his own . This Christmas music collection makes me want a white Christmas, which is a little ironic considering I am not a fan of snow or the cold weather for that matter. Whats your favorite Christmas music collections or even just your favorite song?

Thankfulness in November{Music}

Today I am thankful for the music that surrounds my life. Be it my husbands voice that fills the room or that of my three children. Music is a part of the Garrett household & I am thankful for that!

Here is a little home video clip of my oldest son Carter singing one of his Dad's songs. I believe he was about 6 1/2 years old when the video was shot.



My idea is that there is music in the air, music all around us; the world is full of it, and you simply take as much as you require. ~Edward Elgar

Music is the literature of the heart; it commences where speech ends. ~Alphonse de Lamartine

The Love of Music

Watching my oldest son’s passion for music leaves me simply amazed. He is certainly following in the footsteps of his father and his young talent is awe-inspiring. His love for the art of music and his ability to absorb melodies comes to him as naturally as breathing. At a very young age, he realized that the ABC song and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star were the same melody. While most children are marveling with superheroes or fascinated with the newest toy fads, my eight year old son collecting Beatles songs to add to his musical library.During a shopping trip with the family he navigates himself to the CD section, while most children are screaming for the toy aisles. His Christmas list consists of guitars, concert tickets and itunes cards. His love for music is something very special indeed.It’s a unique gift that I believe is passed down through the generations, tightly sewn into this family tree like a woven tapestry of music fibers flowing though their very core. To my oldest son music is a way of life. It’s just not an option to go through the day without it. It feels like such an honor to be a witness to the growing talent within my young son. From his very first talent show as a first grader, to whatever adventure this love for music leads him on, I find this talent of his such a beautiful blessing upon this family. I don’t think my heart will ever get tired of hearing him lift his voice in song to share with others. He is truly a very special little boy in my eyes !

Carter singing "I Saw Her Standing There" by The Beatles in his 2nd grade talent show

A Few Of My Favorite Things

I recently found one of my old journals and as I was flipping though it, I came across a page where I had scribbled down a few of my favorite things. It's fun to see which of those things on the list would make a new Version of the list. Surprisingly, almost everything would still make the list. I would encourage you all to make a list of your own favorite things, those simple little somethings that can magically brighten up your day. Everyone has heard the song from the Sound of Music, you know the one where thinking about a few of your favorite things chases the blues. Everyone has favorite things and they really do have this wondrous way of making our hearts smile with happiness =)


These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things

1. Audrey Hepburn Movies
2. Unprompted hugs and I love yous from my boys
3. Garden full of blooming Iris
4. Old fashion hand written letters
5. The color Pink
6. Hot summer days
7. Book Stores
8. T-shirts and Bluejeans
9. Trying New Recipes
10. Dr. Pepper
11. Music that makes me feel something
12. Thunder showers
13. Victorian Style Homes
14. Listening to my husband sing
15. Yellow Roses
16. Zebra Boots
17. Japanese Steak Houses

What are a few of your favorite things?

Jazz New Orleans Style

New Orleans is one of my favorite cities in the Untied States. I love the atmosphere, the art, the food, the people, and the music. New Orleans is a city where music dwells in the streets, lingering on the ears of the people wandering by. This June my husband and I flew out to New Orleans to celebrate our anniversary. During our stay we took a stroll down historical French Quarter area and stumbled upon Royal Street. There we founded a talented group of street performer musicians singing for the crowd that was now lining the sidewalks, a crowd that was increasingly growing by the minute. The music filled the streets with it's own special personality, attracting people both young and old to stop and listen, and maybe even dance or at least tap their foot. The heart of this particular group of musicians was lead vocalist Sarah Peterson. Her voice was soulful, rich and timeless. This young woman didn't just sing the lyrics of these songs, but she felt them and allowed her voice to move with the rhythm and melodies like the songs where an outburst of her soul. Sarah and the very talented musicians that joined her in this time honoring tradition known as busking call themselves The Smoking Time Jazz Club. The band's chemistry is smooth and natural, bringing together upright bass, slide trombone, trumpet, saxophone, six string bass, washboard, and Sarah's vocal talent for a mix of perfection and down right Hot Jazz!

Stephengarrettmusic.com

Introducing the release of my husband Stephen Garrett's new website. We hope that you will stop by frequently. Whether it's to taken in a few tunes or to stay informed on the next live shows. There is also a photos and twitter section to check out the latest happenings in the Stephen Garrett music world! Don't forget to sign up for the news letter! Click on the link below to directly take you to the new website. Let us know what you think.

www.stephengarrettmusic.com

Music and Love

Love is expressed in all sorts of manners, but music is probably one of the strongest. A great love song just has a way of melting our hearts. Music and love seem to go hand in hand. Today on Inside My Head I thought I would just share with you one of my favorite love songs. So below you will find the lyrics, and a youtube video of Maybe I'm Amazed one of my all time favorite love songs. I actually enjoy both Paul McCartney, and Jem's version of this song, but choose to share Paul's version since he did write the song. I would love to hear from some of my readers about the songs that speak love to them.

MAYBE I'M AMAZED
by Paul McCartney

Maybe I'm amazed at the way you love me all the time
Maybe I'm afraid of the way I love you
Maybe I'm amazed at the way you pulled me out of time
And hung me on a line

Maybe I'm amazed at the way I really need you
Baby I'm a man maybe I'm a lonely man
Who's in the middle of something
That he doesn't really understand

Baby I'm a man and maybe you're the only woman
Who could ever help me
Baby won't you help me understand,Oooohh

Baby I'm a man, maybe I'm a lonely man
Who's in the middle of something
That he doesn't really understand

Baby I'm a man and maybe you're the only woman
Who could ever help me
Baby won't you help me understand, oohhh

Maybe I'm amazed at the way you're with me all the time
Maybe I'm afraid of the way I leave you
Maybe I'm amazed at the way you help me sing my song
Right me when I'm wrong
Maybe I’m amazed at the way I really need you

Oh,Oh,ohhh, yeah, oh,oh ohhh yeahh Oo-oo



Enjoy this Youtube Video Posted By: PaulMcCartneyVids

"Lonely in this Crowd"

Adam Ryan...singer, songwriter, dreamer complicated, inspired, focused, small town boy. Guided with passion and a love affair for good music, Adam Ryan is out to prove to the world that not all the good songs have already been written. Adam was raised in a small town in the middle of nowhere Tennessee where Hog-eye runs blood deep, folks drive tractors on the highway, neighbors actually know each other, and family values are still taught by parents. Adam's songs are proof of raw existence told with beauty. Even in the darkest of his songs you hear an under toning hope that breathes life into an untold story. The songs are polished, sustaining and undoubtedly smart. 'Lonely in this Crowd' is undeniably a romance of words told with a heated passion and true complexity of the process of life. Adam Ryan is a blazing young songwriter on the Nashville scene and his delivery of 'Lonely in this Crowd' is worthy of lending your ear to.

Here is what the man behind the lyrics and melodies of 'Lonely in this Crowd' had to say about life, inspiration, the music industry, and the up coming release of his debut album. Read the interview, hear the music and then witness it for yourself on October 1st, Douglas Corner Cafe, Nashville, TN at 6pm.

Q: When did you first start writing songs, and what prompted you to do so?

A: I was kind of a late bloomer. It wasn't until I finished playing baseball in college that I actually sat still long enough and learned to play the guitar. From there, I would write down ideas and then learned that I am my own worst critic. I spent several years fighting the urge to self edit and over analyze. When I moved to Nashville, I was fortunate enough to work at Carnival Music. There I was able to learn what a great song is and was witness to some great stuff in the making. I was one of the first people to ever hear "Anything But Mine" written by Scooter Carusoe. He and I actually recorded the first version of that tune... still have it, it's great. Also, "Angry All the Time" by Bruce Robison... another phenomenal songwriter.

Q: Generally speaking what makes a song a hit?

A: Ask Scooter and Bruce. Ah, you know... people have to identify with it. It's so simple but yet so hard. I just try to write what I know and hope that others can relate.

Q: Do you think it is a good or bad idea to try and "go against the grain" of the typical song writing mold?

A: I try not to think about the mold... that feeds the self critic in me. The best writers are there own thing. There's a Rodney Crowell quote that I love, "Ignorance is the enemy of society. Self-conscieness is the enemy of art." That blew me away when I read it, it's so true.

Q: Who inspires you the most?

A: It started at a young age. Steve Earle when I was twelve. Chris Knight, Springsteen... he's something else I discovered late. Owned the Boss box set when I was a kid... not sure why really, just wanted it. But never really dug in to it until a few years ago. I think the best inspiration, for me, happens when I'm tuned in spiritually. I pray God gives me clarity and the peacefulness to hear the stories he wants to tell. I fight to find that space and quietness.... but when it happens, it's a lot of fun.

Q: Which song of yours do you consider to be your best, and why?

A: That's tough. There are different connections to different songs but I guess "Lonely In This Crowd." It's the title track and one that I wrote by myself. It really captured the place I was in at the time. I was sick of the music business, or at least the scene I was in. Was falling for this girl but hated the situation that surrounded it.

Q: Do you co-write often, and do you consider it important to do so?

A: Yes, you should know! Your husband and I tend to get good results. I don't really do the Nashville co-write thing... I tend to comb over things more than that situation allows. I think its good though. There are great writers in this town. Mostly though, I think the best songs come from a real place and not something contrived. Hey, but who knows.

Q: Do you find the struggles of the music business to be worth fighting for the dream?

A: Dreams are always worth fighting for.

Q: Do you believe that music has changed your life?

A: Does a one legged duck swim in a circle?

Q: How do you think your fans view you as a writer, and person?

A: Not sure. Probably like... "Dude, you're hair is so much longer and you look nothing like you did in high-school!"

Q: Why don't you tell us a little about this New EP of yours Lonely in This Crowd?

A: A while in the making but extremely proud of it. Learned so much and can't wait to get back in the studio... I already have the songs. I just need people to buy this one so I can afford to do it! Beyond that, I'd love to hear what other people think about it. I'm too close to it and some of those songs have been around a while. They have changed meanings a few times and are what they are now. Maybe ask your readers to give some feedback. Would love to hear it!

A Wife's Review

Nine years ago this past June I married my high school sweetheart, my best friend, my rock, and my soul mate. A creative type, a fabulous father, a God fearing man, loving husband, and one of the most talent people I have ever known. A passionate songwriter which is one of the many reasons I fell deeply in love with him. I will save you from the millions of other mushie reasons that I love him. Lets get back to the song writing, and music making part of this incredible man. This year with the help of many friends, wonderful musicians, talented voices, a few incredible co-writers, and my very talented brother-in-law the first independent album Four Letter Word was released this year. Which in my humble opinion these songs are Stephen Garrett at his best. Four Letter Word is an album about real, raw, unpredictable love. He blends lyrics and melodies together into a sweet and sour romantic tango of love. His ability to magically weave many personal experiences and being a witness to lives into the lines of so many of his songs. Wearing his heart on his sleeve, and taking a chance on the public feeling, experiencing, and looking for love in much of the same way this album is screaming. All this to say that in my home, and in the deepest unbroken, unjaded pieces of my heart is where I hold my love for this man, this creator of art. Even in the struggles of living this musically lead dream, and the sacrifices that are made by my family as a whole, are so very worth it when I listen to this finished project,this Four Letter Word album all about love. No matter what our future holds I am proud to be the wife of this song writing fool, and I am proud to have a love that is just not breakable!!! So here is to being his Angel!!! And here is to everyone out there taking a look at someone you love, and being proud of the accomplishments,the struggles overcome, and the dreams being lived!!!!