The recording was especially exciting for me. My family is very musical. My mom played the Upright Bass in symphonies much of her adult life, and taught me the piano as a child. My Dad has a rich voice that can cover everything from bass to tenor. He also plays piano fairly well. My sister is a violinist. She began playing orchestral music, much as I did, and gradually developed a deep appreciation for folk music, and now plays a lot of fiddle, in many different styles.
So, when I started working on "Martyrs", and came up with the idea of putting in the Dulcimer, it also struck me that some fiddle would sound good, too. From there, I thought instantly that I would get Ruth to cut the fiddle parts for me. A few phone calls, and she said she'd be willing to try. The idea is that the song commemorates the martyrs of the early church, on the Missouri/Illinois frontier. Even though it's a driving rock tune (in my mind reminiscent of The Who and Guns and Roses), I wanted some of the frontier flavor. Hence, the dulcimer and the fiddle.
I was, honestly, a bit nervous about it. I wasn't sure how to describe what I wanted. And she's also definitely NOT a rocker like I am. How would the sounds blend? Would it work out?
Well, this weekend, she and her husband came over, and she gave it a try. Actually she did more than that. She nailed it solid. It was just what I was hearing in my head, and it's fantastic!
And, the fact that my sister is the one cutting the tracks makes it that much more special to me. It brings it to my own family. The last time I had a chance to feel like this was when my dad cut some of the choir tracks for "How Beautiful". So much of my music is done all on my own. It's nice to make it a family affair.
Come back often to hear about new songs and shows. Mark also has other sites and blogs, including Mark's Black Pot and his MoBoy blog.
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