Music has the power to touch our souls and make us happy. Great musicians like John Lennon, The Beatles, Elvis Presley, Jim Morrison, Jon Bon Jovi, Whitney Houston, and thousands of other musicians have been mesmerizing our hearts from many decades now. Their music has the divine powers of inspiring thousands of budding singers and musicians, who choose music as their preferable career choice.

Various Options for Musicians

If you are a singer or an artist and want to earn some extra money in your free time, then you could find jobs for musicians. Now a day’s many full time or part-time jobs are available in this field. Various companies ask you to work for a couple of hours every day.

Becoming a musician is not an easy job by any means, as it requires years of dedication and practice. There is no end to learning and creativity in this field. Primarily, you will need to take up music classes from reliable sources to understand the basics of performing. Be it learning instruments or vocals, you can develop your skills with the help of proper training.

Beyond a certain learning stage, you will touch the levels of creativity and innovation, and that can be attained only by perseverance and dedication. You cannot learn this part from your tutors, because it is what separates good musicians from average ones. Once you’ve polished your talent, you could start looking for a job as a musician.

There are many jobs for musicians that one can do. All you’ll need to do is look for them either over the internet or consult an agent who could help you find the right kind of job. There are several placement agencies that you could seek help from.

Besides, you could also attend music auditions. Companies that are in need of talented musicians conduct such events. Some of the auditions are closed ones, where only a few people are invited to attend it, whereas others are open to all. Most of the casting directors and judges, advertise for such event over the internet, newspapers, hoardings, pamphlets, and others.

How To Search For Jobs For Musicians?

It might sound a difficult task to find a job as a musician in a good company. However, with the more number of companies looking for talents, it has become a cake walk for people to attend interviews and get employed. However, before you start applying for jobs for musicians, it is suggested that you prepare well for the interview.

You could record your music and work on an impressive portfolio. In order to do so, you could take help of professionals and get your work done in a very systematic manner. There are many agencies who offer their services to train people for the music auditions and ensure that they successfully clear it.

Going prepared for a job as a musician could make sure that you crack the interview in your very first attempt. There are a few chances that you may fail to meet company’s requirements and in this case, you could ask for their feedback and work on overcoming your weaknesses. Any positive or negative feedback should be taken in a constructive manner to be a success in the near future.

Actress Asnakech Worku was an actress and a musician for many years. She was amongst the first female pioneers of her generation to step on the theater stages, but also get national recognition for her Kirar playing skills. Asnakech, born and raised in Addis Ababa, always delighted and entertained her fans with impeccable and extraordinary skills in Kirar and her voice in Tizita songs.

Asnakech Worku’s musical career began when she bought a Kirar for 25 cents in her early childhood years. Kirar is an instrument similar to guitar with five strings used, among others, in traditional Ethiopian Amharic and Tigrigna music. She is a self-taught Kirar player – it was clear from the very beginning that her voice complimented the beautiful kirar sound. It was a match made in heaven.

Asnakech began performing in cabarets and bars in Addis Ababa as an Azmari at a very young age. Talented and beautiful queen of Kirar, Tizata Asnakech Worku remained a sensation for a half century in the Ethiopian music industry. The last 10 years of Asnakech’s life she struggled with deteriorating health – and she spent part of her years in bed due to nerve damage. She appeared in media and she was well in the minds and memories of Ethiopian people by giving various interviews to the local media. She repeatedly demonstrated her passion for the music, even when she was sick and in bed. Her fans played a role in keeping her musical spirit.

Asnakech Worku was also an actress who made her debut in the 1952 at the City Hall Theatre in Ethiopia. She was extraordinary for the generation of 1950′s and she played a role in changing the drama stages with her unforgettable romantic roles in the theaters. However, her roles also raised a few eyebrows of the rather conservative society of the time. Apart from being an entertainer, she was also an icon of beauty and fashion – many still remember her for her impeccable hairstyle and dressing, because of which many of her fans used to compare her with Elizabeth Tyler, another Hollywood diva and superstar.

She spent 30 years on the theater stages of at National Theatre before retiring in 1980s. She was amongst the very few ladies who actually dared to step in the industry and managed to win the hearts of millions of Cinema goers in Ethiopia. Despite the fact of her being among the very first female actresses, she was still more popular in Ethiopia for her music and Kirar for the last fifty years. Mary Armede and Asnakech to this day are the only female singers to get national attention for their Kirar guided music.

Asnakech died at the age of 76 on September 14th 2011 ending her incredible journey of music and theater. Asnakech Worku took her last breath at the Bete Zata Hospital in Addis Ababa. Many government officials, her family, friends and various Ethiopian celebrities attended her funeral ceremony held on 16th September 2011 in Addis Ababa at the St. Trinity Cathedral. She will be missed.

Neko Case isn’t just a pretty face with a gorgeous voice. She writes lyrics that are imaginative and poignant, but at the same time playful and singable. Often she recalls scenes from her peripatetic past with references to Vancouver, Seattle, and Chicago. Truly unique is her ability to weave snippets of Ukrainian fairy tales from her ancestry. I’ve been listening to her since the first album, The Virginian came out and I’ve followed and enjoyed her music ever since. A friend and I recently debated our favorite Neko Case lyrics the other day and it got me thinking: What are the best lyrics Neko Case has ever recorded? So, here there are…

"When I was young, I knew a girl who wouldn’t love god as a test or gamble with her happiness and so led astray." First line from the first track of her first album. Neko knows how to tell a story. And like the best songsmiths, she draws you in with a killer first line. She’s got your ears perked. Just wait to hear how the rest of the song unfolds. This promises some amazing writing for her young career.

"My love I am the speed of sound. I left them motherless, fatherless, their souls dangling inside out from their mouths. But it was never enough. I want you." Another first line, off the first track, This Tornado Loves You from the Middle Cyclone album. Seriously, one of the best lead off lines I’ve ever heard. And I defy you to find a better love song written from a tornado’s perspective! Or even, another song written from a tornado’s perspective. There’s a real love story in there too though. And a convincing one at that. It tells of love’s earnest desperation and destruction. And you really buy into it. I particularly like how the lyric unfolds too. And, that’s where Neko’s maturity as a writer comes through on this one. You’re hanging on as the sentiment exposes itself a few syllables at a time.

"God blessed me, I’m a free man with no place free to go. Paralyzed and collar-tight, no pills for what I feel." She ruminates on loneliness, desperation, and isolation then offers it up in a powerful line from "I Wish I Was the Moon." She explores the crippling feeling of freedom when you’ve felt real love. She goes on to say there are no pills for what she feels. There is no cure. The only way to get beyond her broken heart is to be imposibly far away from where she is. The moon…of course!

"The most tender place in my heart is for strangers. I know its unkind but my own blood is much too dangerous." Neko has said that this is her most autobiographical song. On an album that explores and employs references to obscure Ukranian folk tales, this song stands out. It is a particularly poignant moment. And its starts with this powerful revelation and exposition.

Many people have aspirations of becoming a singer, but have no idea how to learn to sing. Whether it’s to sing in a band, or the church choir, to win the prize on Karaoke night, or just to sound better in the shower, taking the time to learn how to sing with good technique will improve your results and keep your voice healthy and strong. Unfortunately, some people give up the notion of ever learning, because the task seems to daunting.

Like most things however, if you take the time to break big or intimidating tasks down into manageable chunks, they can become less of an obstacle. So, if you’ve ever wanted to learn how to sing, but had no idea how to go about it, read on.

In this article I’m going to break down the concept and show you how to learn to sing in five basic and actionable steps taking you from wishing you could, to doing it. And it starts with a commitment.

1. Commit

Learning to sing is a commitment. It takes hard work and dedication to become proficient. Like anything else in life, the more time spent on the task, the better the results will be. Therefore, it is important to understand that it won’t happen overnight. Because learning how to sing usually involves a monetary investment, it’s best to decide early whether or not you’re willing to put in the necessary time and effort.

In the beginning, learning about the techniques and methods involved in singing will most likely seem fun and exciting, as if you’ve uncovered the mysteries to an unknown universe. That euphoria will fade. Trust me, it won’t be as much fun singing lip trills on a major scale the 200th time as it was the first few.

Of course, the great thing about singing is, there is no better feeling than having a break through moment. That one day when something you’ve been struggling with clicks, can motivate you for many months to come, just from seeing the possibilities. If you want to learn to sing, commit to it.

2. Decide On a Method

Once you’ve decided that you’re ready to get serious, you need to decide on a method. What’s the best way to learn how to sing? Here is where things can get overwhelming quickly. The answer will depend on a number of things.

What can you afford to invest in the learning process? How do you learn best? Are you the shy type? Do you need someone to keep you accountable? These are the types of questions you should ask yourself, to make the decision process easier.

If money is not an issue and you have no social phobias, maybe hiring a personal vocal coach is the answer. This will undoubtedly be the most expensive option, but also the most tailored to your needs and capabilities. You may find it easier to stay motivated as well, knowing that you may be held accountable for your actions by your coach.

If money is tight, or you are more of an introvert and uncomfortable with the idea of singing in front of someone who will be critiquing you, perhaps a home study course is more within your comfort zone. There are some very thorough and excellent programs available online, with more coming along all the time. Some careful reading of reviews, and money back guarantees should allow you the opportunity to find the right fit.

3. Practice

Once you have picked a method, the next step is an obvious one. You can’t learn how to sing without practicing, so prepare to spend time honing your skills. Most likely, a lot of time. This is where commitment comes into play.

Some people don’t realize that learning to sing is largely about concepts and techniques in the beginning. You will be focused less on singing songs, and more on things like breathing, posture, soft palette placement, registers and much more when you first start to learn.

In fact, while learning the fundamentals, you should be prepared for the probability that you may not sing at all. What you will be doing is vocalizing. This entails lots of sounds, (but not necessarily words), and scales as opposed to melodies. Although not as sexy or fun as belting out your favorite song, it is a necessary part of the process to learn in order to train your voice properly.

4. Be consistent

Along with practice comes consistency. To really speed up the process and develop a strong foundation, developing a consistent routine is highly encouraged. The goal of learning the fundamentals is so that they become second nature to you, and you no longer have to consciously think about them.

You do this by being consistent. Eventually, the things that required a lot of mental effort in the beginning will become natural. You will develop muscle memory and find that singing becomes much more effortless. This is the ideal way to sing.

One you reach the point where you no longer have to think about singing properly and your body adjusts and naturally performs its necessary functions automatically, you can begin to focus on the fun stuff.

5. Be Persistent

Lastly, it is important to be persistent, and don’t give up. It won’t always be fun, and at times it may feel like the last thing you want to do, but if you stick with the practice routines, and continue to put in the work, it will pay off. Remember what you are trying to achieve, and try to find the motivation to stay the course and stay focused.

Being able to sing well is one of the most rewarding and personally satisfying experiences a music lover can have, and virtually anyone can do it. Just remember, there are no shortcuts to mastering anything. It is a process. Now that you understand the process and know how to learn to sing, the next step is to actually get out there and do it.

You have to admit: when you do online music promotion, you are basically on an advertising campaign rage. It is part and parcel of getting your music out there, so you can get noticed, gain a fan base, and make a dent in the music world.

But musicians, as they scour to find innovative ways how to sell songs, could make fine mistakes that could annoy fans and eventually, lose their favor entirely. We don’t want that.

So here are ways not to annoy your fans and say goodbye to them forever. Get the most out of your online music promotion efforts, find ways and means how to sell songs, and keep your fans engaged.

1. Use social media sparingly.

Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Google+, Instagram – these are all additional tools to boost exposure for your music, engage in online music promotion But you cannot rely on it to do all the work for you. It is always better to have your very own website, a domain that is solely dedicated to anything about your brand. You have control, the master of this universe, so take advantage of it.

2. Say no to spam.

The mere typing of ‘Buy our album’ on your Facebook wall post is already a practice of spamming the people on your friends list. Doing this could prove to be a music promotion disaster. Whenever you entice people to give you their time and attention, give something back for goodwill. It can be a free MP3 track or merchandise.

3. Update your website.

Nothing says ‘My career is over’ than a music artist or band’s website without any signs of life. There’s a definite purpose for the creation a musician’s official website. When there’s activity, you’re still pursuing your careers. When there’s not, what, you gave up/broke up or something? It should be the go-to site for everything that your music fan needs. However, if all it has are Jurassic information from the year 2000, might as well shut it down. Always keep your website up to date, from gigs, appearances, photos, and/or musings of the day. It may seem like a lot of work, but that’s the point of online music promotion.

4. Have a mailing list.

Just because you have an official website, are signed up to the most popular social networking sites on the Internet, and have teamed up with a reputable digital music distribution agency, you still have to maintain a mailing list. Not everyone is signed up to a social networking site – but all have emails, even multiples of them! Sending emails to fans is still the most personal way to connect with them.

5. Be nice.

Your fans can either make or break your career. They love you, love them back and more.

Still in the dark on how to sell songs? For top-notch music distribution that could also help you get a headstart in music promotion, choose a digital music distribution partner that has a reach of over 750 retailers and mobile partners across 100 countries.

To be able to get noticed today, you have to stand out from the thousands of rappers trying to make it just like you. Being cocky as a rapper is somewhat important but the truth is that there is always someone better than you out there. If you listen to the radio you will probably find out that being the best rapper alive isn’t really what gets you famous. The main thing you need is hustle and something to make you look as professional as possible. Once you understand this, you will learn how important beats are to your musical future. You can be the best emcee in recent times but you won’t make it far if you don’t have beats that people want to actually listen to. While lyrics are obviously important, choosing the right beat for a track is just as, or even more, important.

Finding out where to buy the beats is the number one problem that rappers face. Most rappers live in cities where there are at least 5 producers that make nice beats. Even if your local producers are great, there are thousands online that you could buy from as well. Still, the question of buying online or in person becomes a dilemma. While both can be great choices, they both have problems as well. In the end, one way of buying beats is better than the other. Let’s peek at what we are getting into if we buy from either of the choices.

Buying In Person

The best thing about buying in person is the fact that you create a personal connection with the producer, in most cases. Knowing the right people in the music game is very important. Also, if you buy the beat in person, you may be able to get a nice deal on the price and maybe even get some things changed with the beat if you would like that. Creating a personal connection with a producer online is possible but the best producers are too busy selling beats daily to make connections with every rapper that contacts them.

The drawback of buying in person is that your community may be limited in production talent. While there are usually great producers in big cities, not every rapper comes from a big city. These rappers that stay local end up using less than perfect beats and suffer the consequences. Obviously, you aren’t going to make it very far with less than average instrumentals.

Purchasing Online

The best thing about buying beats online is the fact that you have millions to choose from. There are thousands of producers online striving to sell their beats to anybody who is interested. That amount of competition has caused a major drop in the instrumental prices online. If you compare buying a beat in person or buying a beat online, the online beat is usually much cheaper. Also, you are not limited to your city’s producers, which means you can go outside your box and become more versatile, which is always important for emcees.

The drawback is not making that personal connection. The ease of scamming on the internet scares many people away from purchasing beats online. However, if you stick to the reputable beat providers, this will never happen to you. That is the solo issue with buying beats online. If you pay attention to what company you are going to buy instrumentals from, buying online is much better.

Haydn’s employment by the rich and famous Esterhazy family at their hunting lodge palace deep in the forests of Hungary assured that he would have a ready-made audience, and although Prince Esterhazy would have had other musicians visit on occasion, Haydn would be in relative isolation and as he wrote in his own words:

"My sovereign was satisfied with all my endeavors. I was assured of applause and, as head of an orchestra, was able to experiment, to find out what enhances and detracts from effect, in other words, to improve, add, delete, and try out. As I was shut off from the world, no one in my surroundings would vex and confuse me, and so I was destined for originality."

The sheer amount of music Haydn composed in his thirty-odd year employment by the Prince is staggering. Symphonies, operas, chamber music, and concertos rolled off Haydn’s pen one right after the other. The Cello Concerto No.2 also shows that Haydn had some top-notch players in his small symphony orchestra. Anton Kraft was a cellist in the Prince’s employ and Haydn wrote the 2nd concerto to highlight his talents. After the split up of the Prince’s orchestra in 1790, Kraft went on to be regarded as the foremost master of the cello in Vienna, no mean feat in the city of music and musicians.

Haydn began composing the concerto in 1783, close to the time when Haydn himself had been startled to learn that while he may have felt isolated at the Esterhazy Palace, the world had caught up with his music and he was a famous man. It was also about this time that he received the commission for the ‘Paris’ symphonies.

The concerto is in three movements:

I. Allegro moderato - The first movement lacks the tension and contrast that Haydn’s first movements can have. There is a leisure feeling to it, and the orchestra never overshadows the soloist. Haydn’ puts the spotlight firmly on the cellist.

II.Adagio – The cello shows off its ability to sing when a master is playing it.

III.Rondo (Allegro) – The rondo is built out of the motif first heard in the cello, and like the first movement there is very little tension. The work ends simply, but charmingly.

The cello concerto is not one of Haydn’s most difficult pieces, but the solo part is very challenging in the first and last movements as Haydn demands playing in double stops and octaves. The concerto is meant to be played by a virtuoso such as Anton Kraft, someone who can throw off the covert virtuosity of the piece and make the cello sing.

From radio stations playing ‘golden oldies’ to the museum-like quality of the classical music concert hall, the modern day musical world is as much to do with the music of the recent and distant past as of the present. Audiences of Bach’s time would not have understood this trend, as music was a daily commodity. Every Sunday worship service saw the congregation expecting new music, opera goers expecting new operas, concert hall listeners expecting new compositions. The musical world of Bach’s time was teeming with new music, or at the least previously heard music in the new ‘clothes’ of transcription and arrangement for other ensembles.

Bach, Handel and many other lesser composers recycled their own music and the music of others via transcriptions and arrangement. When the workday and responsibilities of a Kappelmeister such as Bach are looked at with choirs to train and rehearse, instrumentalists to train and rehearse, and music to be prepared for every church service in many different churches (with each demanding their own music), it is no wonder that even Bach himself had the inspiration to write new music worked right out of him.

Add to all of that, beginning in 1729 Bach was appointed director of the weekly Collegium Musicum concerts in Liepzig, which also demanded new or refurbished music for each concert. It was for these concerts that Bach reused some of his music, pouring them into new forms and instruments. The Harpsichord concerto No. 5 is one of those hybrid pieces. Bach used the outer movements of a violin concerto and a movement from an oboe concerto for the second movement. He also used the second movement melody in a cantata.

The concerto is in three movements:

I. Allegro moderato - The first movement is in ritornello form and is full of rhythmic energy and seriousness.

II. Largo – A cantabile song that almost seems endless. Bach seems to have been quite fond of this melody considering how many times he used it.

III. Presto – The feelings and mood of the first movement return along with some echo effects between soloist and orchestra.

Bach may have reused his music, but his genius and creativity always added something to the original that makes the transcription worth hearing. In the keyboard transcriptions of his violin concertos and other works Bach gives a new independence to the left hand that used to be relegated with doubling the bass instrument and filling in the harmonies. For that and other innovations, Bach stands at the beginning of the formation of the standard keyboard concerto as practiced by Beethoven and Mozart. Bach was so skillful in his transcriptions that it can be very difficult to think that the music wasn’t originally written for the instrument. Bach was a genius by most stretches of the imagination, but he was also a master craftsman.

Do you know what a press release is? Well, it’s a notification sent to newspapers, magazines, radio, TV and web sites meant to get you or your band covered by the media for free. To this end, your release has to be full of information, interesting, and above all else, accurate.

When media people receive your press release, they may run the release as-is, they may re-work the release, or they may contact you for more information and write an article of their own.

First, let me tell you when NOT to send out a press release. Do not send out a release for your regular activities. In other words, if you’re doing a typical show… no release. If you’re doing a common personal appearance… no release. If you’re appearing on a radio show that you often visit… no release.

Basically, a press release is issued to highlight a special event. If you send them out regularly, the media will simply start ignoring them and you will lose all of your free promotion. So use releases wisely.

Now, you can always hire someone to write your releases for you – there are plenty of freelancers out there who can knock off a release in no time. But you don’t need to pay for something you can do for free yourself. If you’re not a writer, don’t worry. Press releases are short and easy to compose because they follow a basic format.

As you start preparing the release, be sure to use a simple, common font (typeface) – like Arial or Times Roman. Fancy, artsy fonts will scream "this release was made by an amateur!"

Next, you must prepare the paper (or email) for your release. You should print your name, stage name or band name in the upper left corner of the paper. Under this, you should print your mailing address and web address.

Skip two lines and centered on the page, in all capital letters and bold print write "PRESS RELEASE." You also can print "MEDIA RELEASE" instead, if you want to.

On the next space down from PRESS RELEASE, to the right, type the name of the person the media should contact for more information (probably you), and a phone number which can be used to reach you. It is important that you have a phone number on your release.

If time is crucial, you can write "For Immediate Release" on the next line down and on the left side of the page. If the information in your release is not to be used immediately, you should type a release date instead: "For Release June 2, 2010."

Now we’re getting to the good stuff.

Next, you need a headline. This should be printed in bold type and centered on the page two or three lines down from the release date. This may be the most important piece of your release because it must catch the attention of busy editors and radio program directors. The headline should be simple and direct. Try not to be clever, because this will annoy the reader. A newspaper editor, for example, may only glance at your release for a second, so your headline has to convey the most important part of the release and make the reader want to read the rest of the release:

"LOCAL POP BAND TO REPRESENT INDIANA IN NATIONAL COMPETITION"

Once you’ve finished your headline, you can start writing the body of your press release. This part must follow basic paragraph format.

The first paragraph is the most important, and it is nearly as important as the headline. This is your chance to tell the reader why you are sending the release. This paragraph has to convey what the event is, who is involved, when and where the event will be held, and why it is important. In other words, use the "Five W’s": What, Who, When, Where and Why. The first paragraph always begins with the city from which the release is being issued, in all caps, and the date of the release:

"INDIANAPOLIS, May 1, 2010 – Area pop band, Hey You, has been chosen to be the only band from Indiana in the Super Big Records Battle of the Bands on Saturday, June 10, 2010, at the State Park Amphitheater in Harper Falls, New York."

See how the first paragraph mentions all of the important information in a simple and short fashion? You don’t need any fancy writing or hype here. Let the event speak for itself. Too much flash will draw attention away from the main point.

In the second paragraph, you want to give more detail on the event:

"Hey You topped 46 Indiana bands in a contest last month to win the right to represent the state in the national contest. The winner of the Battle of the Bands will receive a $150,000 record deal with Super Big Records."

It’s good to use a direct quote somewhere in this paragraph. A quote gives the release a more personal feel and makes it read less robotic. Use any quote that makes the event seem interesting:

"’I'm so proud of these amazing musicians," said Roger Bloomquist, the band’s manager. "They really are the best at what they do, and now the whole country will know it.’"

In the next paragraph, you can brag about yourself. Show the media why this band is worth covering:

"The band, which was formed four years ago in Beech Grove, Indiana, consists of singer Bob Jones, guitarist Sam Smith, bassist Carrie Mackey and drummer Eric Conrad. Hey You has sold more than 10,000 copies of it’s CD, What Happened to Pop?, and regularly sells out performances at the Finale Lounge in downtown Indianapolis."

End the release with a call to action. Tell the reader how he/she can get in touch with you:

"For more information about the upcoming competition, or to set up an interview with the band, please contact Bob Jones at (317) 555-5555."

By the way, the release should be so direct and simple that it fits on one page. But if you need to go to a second page, be sure to type "1 of 2" at the bottom of the first page, and type "Page 2" in the upper right corner of the second page.

At the end of your press release, skip a line and type this in the center of the page: ###. This is an old newspaper proofing symbol that means, "end of story." It is often still used on releases, and you will look much more professional if you include it on yours.

So, which media people do you send it to? Well, these days, the media companies usually have web sites that list staff names and titles. But if you can’t find names online, call the company’s receptionist. The receptionists are a wealth of company information, and they can usually tell you who to send your release to.

Now, once you send your press release out to newspapers, magazines, and TV and radio stations, let go of it. Try not to follow up on the phone. Editors and programmers can be annoyed easily by impatient marketers. If they are interested in writing about your event, they will contact you. And if they do, call them back quickly and be as professional as you can.

Remember, the point of the press release is to market your band and to establish long-term relationships with people in the media.

After I wrote my review of the 1995 self-titled release from Rebecca Timmons, I got to thinking about the other formative album that played in my house when I was a teenager: If I Had My Way by Shirley Eikhard, also released in 1995. Shirley Eikhard is one of Canada’s finest singer-songwriters, and If I Had My Way is a sort of transitional album between the country and jazz phases of her creative life. Singing her songs as a teenager helped me to discover my own voice as a songwriter. I owe her a debt of gratitude for that.

Eikhard is, first and foremost, a songwriter. Much of her career was made writing top-notch songs to be recorded by other artists. In the whole vast expanse of the ’80s she recorded only one album of her original music, all the while working furiously as a writer, label executive, and session musician. I like to think that by the time she got around to recording If I Had My Way, it represented an expression of those aspects of her creative voice which had been brewing in silence since the late ’70s. It is followed by another six releases of original music between 2005 and 2009. The album is rich, intense, and immaculate. I encourage any of you who appreciate quality songwriting and dark, mature female vocals to pick up a copy.

On a personal level, Shirley was one of the artists who was "there for me" when I was growing up, facing all the challenges of adolescence, and learning that being a songwriter and recording artist was all that I wanted to do with my life. I once sang the title track from If I Had My Way as my audition piece for a musical in high school. I attached my own deeply melodramatic monologue to the beginning and sang it a cappella, sitting in lotus position on the black, permanently scuffed stage with my head rolling back and forth, like a person in a trance casting a spell.

If I had my way, I would cast a spell,
Make you reveal to me the truth you hide so well,
No more clever lies to keep my love at bay,
You’d surrender all, if I had my way

Is there no relief for this tortured heart?
Though I touch your face, we’re still worlds apart
If it would cleanse my soul I would walk through fire
To be free at last of this strange desire

She was a great role model for young me. I am grateful to my parents for exposing me to her work, alongside artists like Rebecca Timmons, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Susan Aglukark, and Paula Cole.