Album Notes

As a kid, I always knew that I would grow up to be a musician.
Starting as a vocalist, I would jump on anything that even remotely
resembled a stage (including table tops and porches) and belt out
each and every song I knew. I loved singing. Since before I could
really string two sentences together, and long before I ever lost my lisp,
I was singing. The first song I remember performing was Dolly Parton’s
“Why‘d You Come in Here Lookin’ Like That?” when I was two.

Songwriting was somewhat different for me. I knew the words
were inside of me, but for a long time I couldn’t figure out how to reach them.
I guess that is what this album, Authentic is really all about, finding my voice.

Authentic is completely different from anything I‘ve ever done before;
I grew up in a family of country musicians, and thus my previously
released album was a traditional country blues album. It was a blast making
it, a terrific experience, but it didn’t feel like me.

Since moving to Vancouver, BC, in 2007, and deciding to try my luck as a musician,
I’ve been searching for a style of music that symbolizes who I am.
After a lot of time I finally narrowed down the hundreds of songs sitting in archive
on my computer to 12 tunes that I felt best reflected who I am as a musician,
and who I am as a person. In short, I chose the songs that I felt were the authentic me.

Authentic has many underlying themes, but the prominent one that I tried
to portray is one of hope. My favorite cut off the album is “Cold in Lonely.”
I wrote the lyrics waiting for the bus, after seeing a young homeless girl holding
out her cup, asking for change. My heart went out to her, and I began to see hopelessness
and loneliness as places where our minds can hold us prisoner. Though the lyrics were sad,
I wanted to give a sense of hope within the song, so I tried to give it a melody that was
uplifting and soothing. The message I wanted to give was that though times can get dark,
there is always a ‘peaceful valley calling’ us home. We just have to want to get there.

I know there are ups and downs to everything in life, but for me, making Authentic
was one of the best experiences of my life. I feel so incredibly lucky. I worked with
some amazing musicians, and an amazing production team. Everyone was so keen, right
from the start, to make Authentic happen. I cant honestly pinpoint any single aspect
of making this album that was a negative experience.

I have a lot of hopes, and a lot of dreams for Authentic. More
than anything though, I want people to hear the songs, and feel moved.
I think now more than ever, the world needs a bit of hope, and a lot of happiness,
and I hope that listeners can walk away from my album having experienced that.