On The Rise!! My new album!!! Ten songs, I wrote in Nassau Bahamas, Calgary and out in the wilds of Manitoba. Wrote them with my good Friend the Holy Spirit! Hah! Again and again I would be told record, publish, get them out there. So...I send some of my songs to Terry Kinakin, Producer in the great state of Tennessee. As they whisked away, the world stopped moving.....a huge stillness came over me! Chills of excitement, almost a Oh Oh, now what!!!!! Mr. Kinakin came into my life and told me "Great songs lyrically gifted...Yep I'd like to record your music. Write two more!!" Yikes! Two days later the music for On The Rise appeared, and no lyrics. Could not come up with the lyrics, sadly. I didn't obsess or anything, just lay it down for a couple of days. Then, some still time, cascading Presence, like oil, glittery gold, and out they came. "Something new on the rise....!!" A week later Highway 83, a two lane road that slides right by the farm I grew up in, takes you to the gulf of Mexico, dissects the heart of America, a journey, my life. Why Nashville? I wanted the best musicians, actually the Swampers form Muscle Shoals....... Yes who wouldn't? But how about this!! 1. Charlie Morgan my drummer for the Album On The Rise, is an honorary Swamper..??!! Whaat? Charlie has toured with Elton John, Trish Yearwood, The Guess Who and now drums with the Swampers when needed. My sound engineer Marcus Statler form Bumping Heads Studio, let me know he'd never run into a drummer which such deadly time. Nothing to line up, just rock steady. The Papa of the band, the rock, tall, lanky, fun, awesomeness...he took us all there! 2. Brian Zonn. Solid, sweet in the pocket bassist.....concentrating, focused, team player 3. Geoff Taylor!!! A Time Jumper!! He knew the music he'd never heard before. Heard the band, created the motifs, breathed out skill, technique, experience!! This man loves music! 4. John "Elmo" Szeteia on lead guitars!! How do I begin. Listen to the album! When he begins to play, my hand is searching of the volume control. He will take you away, lift you up, inspire, make you shake your head, laugh. I love his playing!! Yes, there is a lot of love expressed on this album, the lyrics, melodies, skill, heart, life, experience that understands pain, loss, rejection overcoming hope and well....just fun! (Well except for those Nashville charts....Hahah...those were work!) 5. Oh yes, and me. The fifth in the band. Apparently, before the age of 1 could hum along to my mothers singing on tune!! family mythology... starting studying piano at 5, picked up guitar at 11, gigging at 16, bands in Winnipeg, Calgary, Tokyo, Brunei, Holland, Muscat Oman, ,,,,,, the world has swung me around, and really fun, I picked up the bass on the way. It's all levelled me out. And so, I am so thrilled, amazed, to share with you, this awesome product, this creative endeavour, On The Rise!!