Album Notes

Chasing the muse is probably the most difficult and rewarding task an artist can undertake. We follow the ups and downs, twists and turns of our craft, hoping to one day find that it is guiding us, rather than having us responsible for guiding it anymore.

DC Metro area singer and songwriter Thea Zumwalt knows this trial and triumph scenario all too well. Beginning at age seven, with a violin and a passion for music, Thea had not yet formed a complete understanding of where this stringed instrument would take her. Two years later, Thea believed she had destroyed her chances at stardom when she spun her violin to the side and strummed it like a guitar, breaking it.

Fate followed her, whether she wanted it to or not. A few years passed, and Thea found herself in the midst of formal guitar training. While truly unable to experiment with her music during high school, Thea still found time to play frequently with a friend. After forming a duo, they played street corners, open mics and a few "Variety Shows" produced by their high school. Upon graduation, Thea traveled to James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. It was there that Thea found her voice.

The rose-colored glasses were lifted, so to speak, and Thea's exposure to this change of environment opened up the floodgates to powerful songwriting about issues once foreign to her: women's issues, love and heartbreak, and even herself. Thea was invited to play a weekly gig at a local Harrisonburg coffeehouse, The Artful Dodger, where she developed her stage presence and was able to experiment even more with songs and styles. Her first CD, Fall to Fate, was released in 1999.

After graduation, Thea moved back to the DC Metro area and put her music aside for an attempt at a "regular" job. Two years passed, and Thea decided that she needed music to play a larger role in her life. Shortly after reuniting with her guitar, Thea played at an open mic night where management spotted her talent. She was then given an opportunity to open for Michelle Malone at Jammin' Java coffeehouse in Vienna, Virginia. The next week, Thea opened for Sonia from Disappear Fear. She has regained her inspiration and is in the process of writing new songs for a much-anticipated sophomore album.

Her style is an enchanting fusion of folk, rock and blues, and her inspiration comes from musicians such as The Indigo Girls, Bonnie Raitt, Melissa Ferrick, Sonia from Disappear Fear and, most recently, Jack Johnson.

Thea hopes to continue sharing her music locally and possibly in other national markets. She believes that with the development of her website as well as the opportunity to sell her albums online, she well be able to share her music with a fan base that can identify with and appreciate her personal and reflective style.