Album Notes

I have been writing songs since I was about eleven years old. My sister Marcie taught me three chords and a Bob Dylan song, and I was hooked.
I am writing from the heart and it seems to work for me and for the guys I play with in the band. I have a strong belief in the healing powers of our tears and emotional reaction of the connection to sound and lyric.
I work full time for a Life Enrichment program for people with developmental disabilities. I use my music in a therapeutic capacity to engage the senses and quiet anxiousness and pain .
The Title track , Blow a Kiss to You, was written to my Mother as she was leaving this earth. It is about the innate reaction of looking up to the sky , and blowing a kiss to our loved ones, who are no longer tactile or physically present. This simple act of blowing a kiss for me, is an innocent and natural reaction . I find it brings me immediately to my childhood self and I often wonder if it is a universal gesture. My hope for those who are grieving , is that they find solace in some parts of this song.This CD is all about traveling through changes of the heart and navigating the edge of heartache.

A Review of the CD-from Chip Stewart of The Amazing Grace Cafe in Duluth:

Mary Stoyke's new CD, Blow a Kiss to You, is a refreshing change from the standard folk fare. Mary's voice is both clear and beautiful and it seems that she can do whatever she wants with it. Her voice is a surprise in that Mary is not content with standard simple melody's and rhythms; her songs are sprinkled with delightful rhythmic shifts, interesting phrasing, and well crafted lyrics. I've listened to a pile of music in the past many years and it's rare for me to make it through a whole CD. I listened to this one several times and couldn't get some of the songs out of my head. The arrangements, musicianship, and production are all quite good, but it's Mary's voice that really shines through.

Chip Stewart
Amazing Grace Bakery & Cafe