Resting and Waiting
10 Jan
Jason Wilbur, John Prine, Me, Iris Dement, Dave Jacques
(click on the photo to enlarge – it’s a really good one)
I am home in Nashville, watching it snow, and deeply grateful to be in my own house, in my own office, sitting at my on desk, drinking tea from my own mug. I am a good traveler, and I love the road, but I am learning the joys of being home these days. I used to get stir crazy at home, feel the pull of the highway after a couple weeks off. I used to worry about my career going away if there weren’t any new gigs on the books, if there wasn’t road work in front of me. Lately, I am just glad to be home, and the old fears of having to get a day job ( or open another restaurant ) are not creeping in. So far. Mostly, I am tired and I wanna get my strength back, wake up rested instead of still tired, and I wanna get back to writing songs. I need to be home for a while to find my center, to find that voice that tells me what I should write next. I have not heard that voice in a year or more, and my new worry is that it might be gone. A writer never knows when our last song has been written, do we? But I know the voice is still out there, still in there. I’ve just got to get centered, rested, and get busy listening again.
So, I’ve been going through my CD’s and books, sorting out what I want to give away and what I want to keep. Cleaning house. Getting rid of things I don’t love. Pruning, sorting. I am moving my office into my bedroom, and my bedroom into my office. I want a bigger office, and a smaller bedroom. I’m re-arranging things, shaking it up, making it feel new around here again. I suppose this is a pre-writing ritual. Making space in my office, making space in my habits, on my bookshelf’s..for something new.
I remember being on the road with John Prine a few years ago, opening a string of shows for him in California, and a couple in Chicago. One night I was sitting in the green room with him, and asked him, “John, where do you think your songs come from?” He said “Hell Mary, I have no idea. I went to Ireland for three months last summer to write, and didn’t get a single thing until the day I was coming back home to Nashville. The morning we were leaving, three songs suddenly came through, before we went to the airport to fly back home. I had no idea they were coming through, none.” He laughed. ” This whole process is a mystery to me still.”
I feel the same way. I don’t know where the songs come from, or when they are going to come. I keep the faith ( with some fear around the edges) that there are more songs left for me to write. I do what I can while waiting on them to arrive. I clean my office, I move my office. I make soup. I light a fire in the fireplace. I change the strings on my guitar. Read books. Watch movies. Listen to music. Hike the hills in the snow. Call friends on the phone. Strum my guitar. And I wait.
Thank-you. I am starting late in my life to make music on my guitar, but I’ve always sung. My mom used to say “Sing before breakfast you’ll cry before supper.” Maybe not true still I can’t forget it. Anyway, they come up from deep within and it does not matter at all if noone else understands or even shares them but when they do it is so wonderful! I just shared my first one with my guitar teacher–it was from a bit of courage and a lot of love from those of you who inspired me. Thank-you again.
First time I saw you was at the Columbus Music Hall opening for someone. I could see you in the back hallway getting ready and you were visibly nervous. Talked to you again in Columbus the night we went into Iraq. Sad,rainy night and you drank coffee while I slipped in to get a ticket. Nervous again and you wondered what to say in your show. Saw you at Fur Peace Ranch and in this video. Confident! You are do good! Keep at it and see you again when you are near Ohio.
Firstly, I want to say congrats on receiving the #3 album from the LA Times, as that is a huge accomplishment.
I want to comment on you coming home to relax to find your center. I think that we get so busy in your lives that we forget to listen to that little voice in our head. However, we forget that most good things happen in our life when we find that center. Your success has come because you are very connected with the voice inside of you and the more you listen to it, the more you will write beautiful words for your songs.
I wish you all the best on your journey of life.
Mary you are just an amazing person. Seeing you play was what initially brought me in, but now its just so much more. Keep bringing joy.
Mary, I, along with probably everyone else on this site will agree that you are the songbird of our generation. Just keep doing what your doing and putting smiles on thousands of faces across the world
Love this one Mary!
I clean my office, I move my office. I make soup. I light a fire in the fireplace. I change the strings on my guitar. Read books. Watch movies. Listen to music. Hike the hills in the snow. Call friends on the phone. Strum my guitar. And I wait. Sounds familiar?:)
Dear Mary,
I’m not sure when you actually wrote “The Foundling” but that piece being your most recent release, I wouldn’t worry for a moment about whether or not more songs will come, yet. What an enormous purge of emotion writing that must have been for you. It was for me, and I’m only the listener. You are the miner of these emotions and I imagine you would have to go digging in a cold dark place to unearth these nuggets of pain and bring them out in the light of day, look at them and face them head on so you can continue on to a brighter more peaceful you. Give yourself a break, enjoy the free time and space while you are in it. Sounds like you’re de-cluttering your soul with these songs. That’s a good thing! Creating space for something new to come in. You’re description of being home, that last paragraph, well, it sounds like heaven on earth. Walk in the woods, in the snow, the fire… all of these things will bring you to your next place wherever or whatever that may be remains to be seen. Trust that the wherever or the whatever is where you are meant to be. Those beautiful songs you’ve written (so many) weren’t an accident. That was you. You did that. You’ll most likely do it again. When? Who knows? But I’ll bet you will. I think I just gave myself a much needed pep talk without realizing it.
Thanks. : /
I like this picture it looks very classic.
Mary, I love reading what you write, I love listening to you speak, and your song-writing is among the best there is – spare and poetic, real and true. There will be more and I’m looking forward to hearing it all!
Mary, be assured, the songs will come because they are how you sort and file the pages of your life. Like a volcano, you just have to wait for the lava to build up pressure and explode again. Some day when you are just driving or even looking at the box of items you are throwing out of your life, the seed to another album is going to erupt. Thanks in advance for the next piece of work.
Dear Mary, a huge THANK YOU for such a great learning experience at the songwriters workshop here in Halifax, (Dead of Winter Festival). I am writing feverishly and have cast aside my fears thanks to you my friend.
St.George’s Church had a true vessel on the alter; indeed a fantastic concert. Can’t wait to see you again!
Much love , Wanda Rose Milne
I love your music Mary
“I want a bigger office, and a smaller bedroom.” – WoW!! This is a great idea! I will try this at home thanks!
Just read your comment old fears of having to get a day job ( or open another restaurant)”
Well, I did just do that. Been a musician since I was 11 years old and at the age of 18 had to open my first restaurant to support my family (Mom, Dad, and brother). I have absolutely no regrets about opening my restaurants and being one of the top San Diego Caterers, but I sometimes wonder what would have happened if I stuck to music and singing instead. Check out my San Diego catering restaurants http://www.surfbrothers.net when you have a chance.
PS. Great music
Miss Mary,
Every time I listen to your music, it’s like I’m hearing it for the first time all over again. Mercy Now is healing 3 generations of pain in my family. The video, It Gets Better, brought tears. I’m in awe! I can’t wait to see you for the first time all over again in Earlville.
Keep the faith (and the fear). That’s what makes you real.
Today I was on KC’s local NPR stations website to check out the playlist from ” The Fish Fry” and decided to check out Bill Shapiro’s (Cyprus Avenue) “Top Five Albums Of 2010″ and there was your latest album “The Foundling. This made me get out my copy of “Filth & Fire” which I’ve had since ’02. I listened to “Sugar Cane; “Camelot Motel; and “After Your Gone” for a couple of hours and was so moved I decided to go to your website, and there it was! You’re playing tomorrow in KC! I will be at the show, there is a higher power, thank you.
I just picked up Foundling Alone and I am blown away. It sounds like the show you gave in Cedar Rapids, Iowa last fall. The emotional range of your writing and singing is amazing. This cd is the closest thing to being with you in a dark auditorium…slowly being transported through life. I hope you make it back this way again soon.
Mary,
Something struck me with your comments regarding cleaning out your unwanted CD’s, Books and belongings. It is a beautiful quote from what I think is one of the most prolific philosophers and word smiths ever, Henry David Thoreau
“A man is rich in proportion to the number of things he can afford to let alone.”
While perhaps Woman is more appropriate, I am sure you see the similarity. There is something truly delightful about having a clean slate, no clutter, less racket, more simplicity! It seems to naturally lead to a fresh mind, perfect for new projects!
Keep strummin!
Fran.
Well I just discovered you, Mary, based on my music selections for Pandora. Just listened to “Mercy Now” – I’ll definitely be getting one of your CD’s soon. Wish you would get together with John Prine and Iris Dement and come to Minnesota for a concert. I would go. Do you ever play concerts in Minnesota? It’s pretty cold here now so wait until it’s nicer here – maybe June :-/
hmmm…lost my comment!
Heard you at St. George’s Round Church, Halifax – thank you so much – have been listening to you for years but this was our first chance to catch you live.
I love your mixture of puckish stage presence and hurtin’ music – it is lovely.
Thanks for Mercy Now – it was just what I needed right then…
Mary, I saw you last night at St. Mary’s Round Church, and I woke up with your songs
and your voice, and that incredible violin
in my head. I don’t think a concert has ever affected or touched me so deeply. You looked tired at the end, after the standing ovation and the last song. No wonder. You project the feeling of those songs so perfectly, so intensely, that they could penetrate steel. Thanks for the wonderful music.
enjoy that winter fireside. there’s no place like home. drink deep of the hearty soup. have no fear. it will find you, even as you don’t look for it – whatever it may be. and besides, what we create is just a part of who we are. in the end it is all like so much snow falling from sky to earth.
I have a severe depression. I last now now 4 years. Your music is a kind of therapy for me. I like your songs so much. The reason why you don’t write songs now is easy. You are now (and it ook a couple of years) happy.
what a pleasure
“I feel the same way. I don’t know where the songs come from, or when they are going to come. I keep the faith ( with some fear around the edges) that there are more songs left for me to write. I do what I can while waiting on them to arrive. I clean my office, I move my office. I make soup. I light a fire in the fireplace. I change the strings on my guitar. Read books. Watch movies. Listen to music. Hike the hills in the snow. Call friends on the phone. Strum my guitar. And I wait.”
Larry King once wisely said, “I remind myself every morning: Nothing I say this day will teach me anything. So if I’m going to learn, I must do it by listening.” That’s precisely how I feel. I am grateful to have learned something new today. – Tenis
Incredible pic, I wish I was there! Mary stay just the way you are, wherever these songs come from, I just love it so much, so hang in there and keep em comin’!
Amazing picture. Great lights!
Mary, your raw and beautiful honesty IS the hot tea on a snowy day — we all have been blessed with the gift of life and you, Mary, surely enrich ours. Listening to you story-tell in lyrics so deeply rubbed in always, always leaves me becalmed — something like a sailboat sitting motionless until the wind picks up again. All the best to you in life and in your career! Peace.
I love you Mary…the pic is great too!
Jason Wilbur, John Prine, Me, Iris Dement, Dave Jacques
You ‘re fantastic .
Mary, I just discovered your music a week ago when I heard “Mercy Now.” Simply awesome. I’m recently divorced and trying to quit drinking. Just reading how you were chilling at home, sipping tea, waiting patiently for the next song to come to you helped me. Take care.
We were so lucky to catch you 3x at 30A Songwriter’s Festival! Your music always touches a place in my soul, and I’m so thankful for you. Thank you!
Just checked your web site to see where you are….such a wonderful surprise to learn also how you are. Stay warm, drink tea eat chocolate, think.
Hey, Mary. Rest well; you deserve it. I’m going to start the process to see if we can get you back at the Rose Garden Coffeehouse in Mansfield, MA. Once every 15 years is not enough! Mac
Mary, love your thoughts. Just let it flow naturally, I see a song title in there already-I keep the faith(with fear around the edges). Looking forward to more songs from you and catching you in person. Have a wonderful and wonder-filled year.
Oh Mary, i look forward to see you in Italy next spring: and believe me there’s for sure more room for an indefinite number of songs to be written. We wait too and this is a pretty good feeling! My very best to you for your life and career
Wow that is indeed a really good picture!