Album Notes

Debbi Miller Gutierrez writes and performs songs about "trains, dogs, and other people's lives." Her over 100 original pieces include haunting murder ballads, romantic or raging love songs, catchy children's ditties, and snappy jingles. Often compared to Joan Baez and Joni Mitchell (two of her strongest influences), Gutierrez most often accompanies herself on acoustic guitar. “Anywhere But Where I Am” is her first recorded album, filled with 12 original songs about trains and the people whose lives are affected by them.

A member of both the New Mexico State Poetry Society and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Gutierrez is both a poet and a storyteller, and it shows in her music. Much of her work (e.g., “Southern Pacific”, “Heart of New Mexico”, and “Long Black Train” on this album) are riveting stories set to music. Her tale of a train engineer’s heartbreak, “Lamy Lament”, was a top finalist in the 2006 Great American Song Contest and was later recorded by the Trainsinger, Greg Schindel, on his “Dreamline Express” CD.

Legally blind since the age of 20, Gutierrez is a skilled web designer, writer/editor, and poet, as well as a talented singer/songwriter. She lives in the country 30 miles south of Albuquerque with her three dogs. Several of her songs have been inspired by her canine friends, such as “Rocky and Gretchen”, “Get A Long Little Doggie”, and “True Blue Christmas”, which are slated for future releases.

If you’re crazy about trains or just enjoy traditional folk with a touch of country flair, “Anywhere But Where I Am” fits the bill. Some of the songs will have you stomping your feet, while others will have you reaching for a handkerchief to wipe your eyes.

Cover art by Gary D. Sutherland