HAVE YOU EVER BEEN LONELY

We recorded  this record at Wiley Studio in Tacoma, WA  with Bill Wiley at the console.  The A side was  SNOWBIRD.  It was interesting recording with Harvey.  All of the music was done at one time by him on The Infernal Music Machine as he called his setup...He got so much music out of that. The first recordings I did with Bill were on  two track.  This was done on the four track  if I remember correctly... I did the whole process of sending out sample records to different  radio stations throughout the country..Then call to see if they received it and if they were playing or were going to play the record...Talked to lots of good people across the states.  A couple of times talked with people  that we had friends in common so  had nice visits with them.. Very interesting  times.  I wish we could have had the computer availability that we have today.  Things could have been done differently... All in all those years were interesting and a lot of fun and very busy since I was raising a family too..  But, I am glad I had the opportunity  to  have a try at recording and performing...They were good years..

The Fashionable Feminist Interview: Classic Country Singer/Songwriter Kari Scott

The following interview with me was first published on The Fashionable Feminist back in July of 2011.

The Fashionable Feminist Interview: Classic Country Singer/Songwriter Kari Scott

I am proud and privileged to feature acclaimed classic country singer/songwriter Kari Scott as my first Fashionable Feminist. Although Kari no longer plays live performances, her music is more popular now than ever and has the kind of staying power and universal resonance that transcends both time and place. Take a listen and let me know what your favorite song is. Mine is a tie between "I've Been Everywhere" and "Catch A Little Moonbeam."

When you got your start in the music industry, times were much different for women. How were your songs and performances received? Was it hard to break into the once male-dominated classic country scene?

I was still raising a family when I got really involved with music, mainly country music. Thus I was not free to go back to Nashville to push for a career. I felt my first responsibility was to home and my family.

Country music was mainly male-dominated at the time. Most of the women were in family bands so had pretty much equal billings as soloists and in duets. Other women were given spots with some bands but were limited. A few broke free and became stars in their own right and traveled with small backup bands.

Most singles or groups played clubs in their own area. If they got a record out so they were getting airplay, they would start going to other areas playing their clubs. Travel was usually by car, often station wagons. Ironically a few musicians bought old hearses because they were roomier than cars and had more room in back for their instruments than the trunk of a car.

County and state fairs started bringing in artists to make the fair fuller and more enjoyable. This gave all artists more venues in which to perform. Which, in turn, made them better known thereby gaining more airplay and so on.

It was hard to break into the music industry, period, even for men. But, if you got a good record out you had a decent chance for getting some airplay. Gradually the radio airplay turned pre-recorded, sent out by a big company. So, after that, you had little chance for airplay thus having to rely more on live performances and selling records there.

My performances, I think, were well received. People liked the idea of the live club performances as they could request songs and have them played right then and there. When "Snowbird" was so popular, one night we performed it seven or eight times! When we had done it three or four times and a woman requested it again, I said to her that we had already done it. She said, “I can’t ask Anne Murray to do it again, but I can ask you.” After that, no matter how many times a song was requested, we did it.

Many years ago we used to record a 45 rpm record, mail it to radio stations, ask them to play it, call the station to follow up, then wait for results. Most of the time the records were just used for giveaways of various kinds. And not much airplay… just once in awhile you would get a bit of airplay.

A few years ago I had my records and tapes uploaded onto a computer at a studio and digitally re-mastered to clean up noise. I then released two Cd's (In The Beginning Volume 1 and In The Beginning Volume 2).

The advent of computers, the Internet and digital downloads has enabled my music to be accessed from all over the world. It is extremely exciting to me to know that all of this modern technology has in a sense revived the music industry, especially in the classic country genre. Instead of my music being heard by the people in the small radius of a radio station, people all over the world are now hearing my music. The online social websites allow a person to share their music with a few clicks of a mouse, almost like magic. My goodness how times have changed.

How do your songs appeal to women? Are there any songs in particular that will resonate most with women?

"Tell Me Honey" (copyright Pillar Music BMI), is a song about a woman asking her run-around man to explain his behavior and longing to know if he will ever quit and come home to stay.

"Yes, I’m Just Looking," (copyright Pillar Music BMI), is about a woman in a bar or lounge looking for someone to share her life with and is definite about what kind of man he should be. “Yes, I’m just looking today, so please don’t think I’m forward, as I glance at you over my wine.”

"What Loneliness Is" and "You Know How It Feels To Cry" (both copyright Pillar Music BMI) are both songs about heartache probably after a break-up and the loneliness that settles in when you realize it is over.

"All Of Our Dreams" I think is more about someone left behind after a loved one passes. “Leaves turn, autumn settles in, bringing a sad refrain. Wishing that I could be, back in your arms again.” (copyright Pillar Music BMI).

Were you at all intimidated or apprehensive to cover songs traditionally sung by men? Your version of “I’ve Been Everywhere” is definitely my favorite and although Johnny Cash and Hank Snow did it well, you do it better.

Yes. I was uncomfortable doing a song that was written more for a man. I shied away from most of them, as they were so for a man. Once in awhile you could change a word or two such as his to her and because of how the song was written, it worked out all right.

How would you describe your personal creative process when it comes to songwriting?

When you are writing a song, you can get your ideas from anywhere including personal experience. For me, usually a phrase or sometimes a sentence or two will come, usually with a melody. I try to write it down immediately because the idea can slip away just as quickly as it came. I may or may not be able to go on from there right away. That is why most songwriters have at least one notebook with these ideas written in, waiting to be finished.

After I think a song is complete, I put it aside for a few days or weeks before going back to it and thinking about it to see if it is the way I want to leave it. When I am satisfied that it is complete, I copy it over then copyright it, then register it with BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.) and it is ready for recording and production.

How does it feel to have your original songs featured in film?

Having two of my self-penned songs and a cover included in Indy film noir style comedy Quiet Shoes was quite an honor. It is gratifying to know that strangers liked the songs well enough to include them. The movie premiere had an excitement in the air that was contagious and made for even more enjoyment, especially since most of my family was able to be there sharing in it.

What does it mean to be a fashionable feminist? How do you use your musical talents to empower women?

Well, I don’t know how fashionable I am. I am not a card-carrying feminist. However, I do strongly believe in the empowerment of women and women’s issues. Many times I have written my state legislators and congressmen about issues I felt should be addressed for women.

What are five fabulous things about being you? What are you most thankful for in life?

1) I have always tried to be honest and trustworthy. To me, that is one of the most important things in a person’s life.

2) I have always tried to be a good and loyal friend.

3) I think I have a reasonable sense of humor.

4) Although my passion is classic country, I have developed an appreciation for all types of music.

5) I realized fairly early in life that I could do a little bit of a whole lot of things and I knew a little bit about a whole lot of things but I really wasn’t an expert in anything. But I accepted that because had I spent the time to become an expert, if indeed I could have become an expert, I would have missed out on so many other things.

I am so thankful for having been given good health throughout my life; for being a fairly intelligent person; for having been given good parents who taught me the honest basics of life and cared for me giving me a good foundation for my life; for having been given common sense; for having good friends all through my life. To top it all off is having a wonderful family, i.e. my husband, my children and grandchildren. They are the best.

SOFT SUGAR COOKIES

 3 1/2  cups cake flour  or all purpose  flour
 2  teaspoons baking powder
 1     8 ounce cream  cheese  (I use whipped)
 1   cup soft butter
 3   3/4  cup confectioners sugar  (powdered)
 3/4  cup  granulated  white  sugar
 2  eggs
 1  teaspoon  lemon  flavoring
 1  teaspoon  vanilla

 Mix as for other cookies... Drop by spoonful onto cookie  sheet...
 Sprinkle colored or plain granulated sugar on top...Bake  18 minutes @ 300 degrees F.
Or:  Refrigerate dough until firm..Then roll between 2  sheets floured
 wax paper to 1/4 inch thick..cut out with cookie cutters.
 Bake  12  to  15  minutes  @  300 degrees F.
Or:  Roll  into rolls  and refrigerate until firm...Slice and bake...

This is such a good flavored cookie...actually very easy to make.  I
 usually drop by spoonfuls  as that is the easiest......You could use colors in the dough for more festive  looking cookies.....

Red Hydrangea

This bloomed so nicely this summer...I have the blue  and the pink Hydrangeas  so this  was  a good addition to my garden...I have it in a pot so far but one of these years I should find a spot  for it in the ground....  As a focal point or as a hedge, Hydrangeas  make  a showy addition to any yard...These also make nice house plants...

National Barndance and "Cackle Sisters"

     Yesterday PBS had a program on "The National Barndance and The Hayloft Gang".  I'm glad someone had the foresight to film  a lot of that...And that the people put together the PBS program so we could hear some of these talented people again...One of the talents was The DeZurik Sisters....They also worked as  "The Cackle Sisters"...They had quite a yodeling style and a long career...They were apparently the first women to be stars on both  The National Barndance and The Grand Ole Opry..
Wayne Daniel wrote a nice article about The DeZurik Sisters on  hillbilly-music.com      ..If you are an old timey music fan, you  will find this an interesting article...

Country Radio Past

Back in the 1940's and 1950's  we didn't have a lot of country music on the radio here in the Puget Sound Area... KVI was the station that had some....Sagebrush Serenade was on mid-day.....at 5:30 pm was Chuckwagon Jamboree...At 10:30 pm was Ranch House Roundup until about midnight...So we listened to  those programs ...Harry Long and Buck Ritchie  were the main DJs...When KAYO  got going on full time country, Buck and Harry went  there..I think that was in the late 1950's. ..Bobby Wooten and Gary Vance soon joined KAYO also....KAYO brought entertainers in to play at the Opera House after the Century 21 Fair ended in 1962..also to the Evergreen and Puyallup  Fairs and some of the club venues...By that time  more and more country music  was taking root and expanding  bringing more country radio stations into  the area...Also with TV gaining more stations, came country programs  there.. This was great for  all of us who were country music fans...Country Music  told stories of real life....

PURPLE VARIGATED IRIS

This is an iris that  a neighbor, a couple of years ago, told me to take a piece of so I would have it  in my iris bed. So I did..This year it had two blooms.  I was pleased to see that it made it through.   I hope next year it will bloom again..  I have so many  iris but this is the most different....Enjoy!!!