Oh, I get it!

OH, SO THAT'S how you get a video on Blogspot! Share it via You tube! Okay, I've been doing it the hard way (very typical of me to do things the hardest way possible!)

I'll be able to post lots of videos now. Yay! This one is just my demo, I put it on this Blog for practice.

Rose Winters

Beatrice Ring, photographer extraordinaire!

How could I not mention my incredible photographer Beatrice? We had such a fun day together, doing shoots for the album cover. We started in a wildflower field in Carlsbad. I brought a few props as well; a photo album (since the CD is titled "Family Album,") a picnic basket (in the lyrics of "Victoria,") a map (in honor of my swashbuckling vagabond side) and a wine glass. That session of photos turned out very sweet, and exactly captured the mood I was hoping for.

Then we took a few pictures with my motorcycle (a beautiful metallic red Kawasaki Vulcan 500 LTD, for you riders out there.) The last thing I wanted was a bunch of "biker chick" pictures, and Beatrice captured the "Me" very well-- the girl that simply likes to get a little wind in my hair now and then, in a quiet way.

Then we went to the beach in Encinitas, and Beatrice used the low afternoon sunlight against the stairs and the golden sand cliffs for some really great lighting. My new Facebook picture is from the beach shoot. THANK YOU BEATRICE RING!! If anyone needs a great photographer, her website is:
www.rossiniproductions.com

Happy Birthday, Dad!

This CD was first meant to be for my Dad's birthday, but I decided to call it "Family Album" at my husband Anthony's suggestion. It freed me to choose songs that were important to many people I love. Bobby McGee was always Mrs. Dawson's favorite. Mrs. D is my "second mom"-- her daughter Liz and I were joined at the hip by the tender age of 5! Mrs. D, with her Aussie accent, always told me to record Bobby McGee, and I never did-- until now. Guy Latham came to my studio and played "harpoon" (harmonica,) and it turned out great! I told him he forgot to bring his "Dirty red bandana" though.

Then Charlie came back from his Euro tour. He was only home for a few days and off he went for a USA tour. But he kindly came over in that small window of time, and sang beautiful vocals on "You Don't Bring me Flowers." THANKS CHARLIE!!!!!

I also recorded an Edith Piaf song that my husband always requests-- "Non, Je ne Regrette Rien." (I regret nothing). Amen. What a great message. It was fun to record, I got to do a powerhouse french song. I think I might add a tuba! I've NEVER recorded a tuba on any CD before, but it just needs a little bit of oom-pa-pa to push it right over the edge.

Then there's Walter (hi Walter!) from Albies where I work. He said, "Rose, you have to learn "Winter Light." I'd never heard it before. I instantly fell in love with the song and recorded it too. Walter's cool. He gives me dragon movies and wears a red knit hat.

I had never done a CD before where I was recording songs that I didn't write. So I simply HAD to do at least ONE original! So now I have to tell you a story:
My Dad is from Holland, and my mom is from England. They are both swashbuckling adventurers, and they both moved to Canada in their twenties. My mother was hired as a nurse at a hospital in Victoria, BC. My father was an intern, and the day he was hired at the same hospital, and laid eyes on my mother, he asked to drive her home. Six months later they were married, and they moved to Oregon.
This January, Anthony and I took my parents back to Victoria for a visit. To my surprise, my mom's old house had been restored to a "Heritage House" Bed and Breakfast. We couldn't resist taking a tour, and my dad smiled and said, "I remember knocking on this door to pick up a certain young lady for a day at the beach!"
That image stuck with me, so I wrote a song called "Victoria," a love song about my mom and dad's life together. My husband says its the best song on the CD, but he's biased I think!

Try as I might to get the CD done by my Dad's birthday, I was only able to record seven songs. So I simply burnt a CD, printed a CD cover and dedication, and sent it out to him. He was very happy! And now I have house guests, so I've been putting off the churney burneys and the CD to concentrate on helping my Brazilian step-daughter-in-law and her six year old Enzo, adapt to their new country! Welcome to America, Sarah and Enzo! Welcome back Andre!!

On a personal note: I leave for Oregon this Sunday, to help my parents move out of their home of 47 years, to a smaller home in a retirement community. All four of my siblings will be there with me this Mother's day, and we will say goodbye to our childhood home. I sang about this home in my song "Victoria." I am happy that my parents will not have to work so hard trying to keep up with such a big place, but my heart now has a hollow spot that will have to be filled with treasured memories.

Woohoo!

Wonderful wonderful, wonderful!
I'm back in the studio and its actually sticking this time!

I've decided to make my Dad a birthday present and record a CD of his old favorites. I'm on my third song and his birthday is in a month (April 25th.) Its a surprise, but I don't think Dad knows what a blog is so my secret is safe! (Watch, he's a closet programmer and I never knew.)

I've recorded "Diamonds and Rust" by Joan Baez, "Halleluia" by Leonard Cohen, a I'm working on "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" (tho my wish list duet partner is in London-- sniffle! Charlie, I'm blogging about you! You're awesome!)

I'm doing a photo shoot soon thanks to my extraordinarily talented friend Beatrice! Yes, I KNOW my current picture on facebook is way outdated! SOON TO BE REMEDIED! Oh yeah, oh yeah oh yeah...

At last! (Not the song)

FINALLY I got back in the studio! It had been so long, and I've been learning so many new things, that everything went wrong and I was buried knee-deep in manuals and my trusty red "bible." The studio theme today was Christmas, and since I promised myself this would be an honest blog, I must confess the irony of cursing at my studio like a pirate while trying to record Christmas cheer. I am just frustrated, because this is all new enough to me that a couple weeks out and I have to learn some things all over again. If I could just record every day, I could hone my chops (and cut down on the blue language.) I love the blues, just not that kind. I'll try to be good, it's Christmas for @#$%% sakes!!

Damned aliens...