Track One..." FOREVER ROBBING PETER " ( just to pay Paul )

This was a fun song to write, but the hardest one to mix down and sit right. Jack McKenzie had come up with a fantastic bluegrass version of this song. I'd like to include that version in my next album. I wrote this song, as it has been a favorite saying of mine for years !!!! One day I'll hit the jackpot !!! I thank Ted, for his wonderful driving Cajun drumming, Graham, for his real grunty lead guitar licks, plus Paul, Colleen and Gary for their amazing impute into this fun song.

Track Two.... " MUM'S MEMORY YODEL " ..... The song that kick started this album. Originally, I was only going to go into the studio and just lay down vocal and guitar. After hearing the beautiful fiddle work of our very own New Zealand's top Fiddle player "Colleen Trenwith" I knew this song would never come alive without her brilliant fiddle work. I thank Colleen so very much, for her tender loving arrangement of this special song. Colleen is world renown, for her amazing fiddle playing.

Track Three......." COCKY WREN "

Many of the senior folks in our area, remember ole Cocky Wren. The stories are still told today of his antics and sense humor. Many a tale has been told about his tap dancing on the Dudley Arms Tavern bar top, while playing his jaws-harp. I collected many true tales from older identities around the Woodville area. I was very careful to make sure, what I wrote in this song, was factual. Some things I had to leave out as ole Cocky was a real character. Jack McKenzie rearranged the arrangement for me, as I was not happy with my own. He imported from his own native home in the USA, a jaws harp, as we could not find one here in New Zealand.Years ago, many use to play this simple instrument. I did have one, in an old wooden box in the shed....My Husband's shed. Naturally I couldn't find it, ( a new song soon to be written "Step Toe's Back Yard ) Jack's acoustic bass work, plus rhythm and lead acoustic guitar work, really bought this song to life for me. I was so thrilled with the way he got the jaws harp to say Cocky Wren at the alto of this story song. Thank you so much Jack !!! Wow.

Track Four..... " GRANNY DALTON "

I have a strong interest in our country's history, of early pioneers and settlers. Many fascinating true stories have been written over the years, about the swagger men and women of last century. The Wanganui Historical Society sent me photocopied paper clippings of Granny Dalton. I really enjoyed reading about her life and composing this ballad about her. It was no easy task, fitting someone's life into a song, believe me !! Paul Turner & Squint (brilliant Celtic musicians ) really gave this track that Celtic feel, I really wanted to capture. It was no easy task for Squint trying to play the Uilleann pipes, while over dubbing, wearing cans. This gentle Celtic ballad, is quite lengthy, I wanted to keep it authentic, with a live gentel feel. I thank Paul Turner so very much, for the hours he spent working on this song, floating in with the beautiful high and low whistles. He captured the haunting Irish sound, that I was after, plus Graham Lovejoy, with the beautiful mandolin fills.

Track Five...... " AFTER THE PARTY'S OVER "

I sat down one winter's evening, after a hoe-down at our place and wrote this track, especially for my hubby Doug. This track is a real favorite of ours. Colleen's brilliant fiddle work was exactly what I wanted, to give this song that country laid back 4/4 time. I adore her twin fiddle intro and alto !!! This favorite duet of ours, is always requested at the many functions and gigs we perform at. I want to sincerely thank all the wonderful N.Z. DJ's who have continually aired this particular track. Also, I'd like to thank Paul Trenwith for the fantastic arrangement of this song.

Track Six....... " BIDDY OF THE BULLER "

Like ole Granny Dalton, I JUST had to write this song. It wasn't quite finished when we recorded it, so it was mainly straight off the cuff. My stepson Gary, just loved this track, you'd think he wrote the darn thing!! His amazing skills on the electric bass, gave it that edge. I am also so thrilled with Ted, Colleen, Graham and Gary's input on the day, as we all " Winged it ." Paul Turner later came in to over dub blues harp, which to me, was the icing on the cake !!!

Track Seven........" DON'T BECOME A STANGER" ( Alone, in your Home Town )

Old Charlie Hawks turned up one day, with his grumpy old nanny goat. He was going away for a few weeks and couldn't find anyone to care for her. We got talking, as you do..... He inspired me to write this song, after he made the comment, " that he felt like a stranger, in his own home town." I told him, that I was going to write a song about him. He was so thrilled. Dear Charlie quietly passed away aged 87yrs, several months ago. What had amazed me, was the turn out of so many young folk, along with the rest of the community that had attended his funeral. He was such a happy joyous old chap, who loved to talk about the earlier years in Woodville. The young people would sit and listen for hours. Joy Adams, our very own Queen of Country here in N.Z., adores this track. She has requested to include this song, on new recordings she may make, in the near future. ( as long as I can record her "Joy's Yodel", which I absolutely love. Heeeeeeee)

Track Eight........ " JOHN THE BAPTIST "

This was another fun song to write. This amazing little swagger man from down South, was so well known, loved and remembered by only a few older folks today. His grave stone to this day, still bares the inscriptions " He may of died penniless,... but he wasn't Friendless " His antics filled many a writer's books, here in New Zealand. I was so thrilled with the bluegrass feel of this track. The amazing Banjo skills of Paul Trenwith really skipped this song along, giving it that alive happy feel. I adore the arrangement of this track, thanks to Paul.

Track Nine.............. " TO FRIENDSHIP "

I wrote this song, when I first meet Doug back in 1986. It was originally a quite soft waltz. I felt it was going now where, until Graham Lovejoy heard it. He asked if he could do the arrangement for it, as he really loved this song. I was overjoyed with the finished result. I enjoyed the improvisation, giving it that smoky jazz feel. We only did the one take, as it was the end of a very very long day at the studio. I'll always remember Paul Trenwith, sitting back quietly, with his eyes closed, listening to the story behind the song. Colleen, Graham and I just carried on, wondering how it would turn out !!! There is a bit of vocal bleed, but I can live with that. If I had to try and sing it again, I'd never capture the feel again. So.... we went with this take....

( Looking in )

This is another favorite song I'd written, it's always requested at the many functions and gigs we perform at. I wrote this song, when Doug was away, I was missing him. So...... I wrote down how I felt. I'm so thrilled with Jack's arrangement of this track. His amazing finger work on guitar, worked a dream. Paul Trenwith, jumped on acoustic bass, Graham on rhythm guitar, Colleen on fiddle, all I had to do was sing. Ted came in at a later date to dub in drums, as did Lizanne, to help me with the vocal backups.

Track Eleven....... " THAT DUSTY OLD GUITAR "

Well........... the story behind the song. Have a listen, you'll soon understand why I wrote this hilarious track. It really did happen !!! We had so much fun laying this one down. I simply adore the bluegrass feel. This song, is always requested where ever we go. It has done so well on the World wide India and Major country charts. I'll always be grateful to Gary Bradshaw of Western Heart Promotions, Tennessee, USA, for adding this track to his comps discs, which he distributes world wide. It was thru the kindness of his heart, plus total commitment to world wide India country artists, that helped get me continual airplay here in N.Z. and world wide. I do thank so very much, the wonderful New Zealand DJs who started the ball rolling, by airing the many tracks off this album. "After the Party's Over, seemed to be their favorite pick along with "That Dusty Ole Guitar " and "Mum's Memory Yodel".

Track Twelve......... " BEFORE YOU WAKE "

This is a true story of young American soldier, fighting in the Korean War in the late 40's. I promised the kind old gentleman, that gave me this sad tale, that I'd write a song around it. I had misplaced the copied letter, only to find it years later. I thank my daughter Kim and Lizanne, for the beautiful haunting vocal backups on this particular track. The tender instrumentation from all the musicians, helped turn this heartfelt story, into a very special song in my heart.

Track Thirteen............." NO BALL & CHAIN "

Haaaaa, this is a Woman's song.......at times we can be our own worst enemy !! This was such a great track to write. I had such a job, trying to find the right intro and alto until.... along came Jones... yep you guessed, Graham Lovejoy with his amazing licks and hooks, to drive this up tempo tune along. We added his crazy mandolin fills, to give it that edge. Ted's brilliant drumming, plus Gary's grunty electric Bass work pumped extra life into this track, along with our four part harmonies from Lizanne, Kim and myself.

Track Fourteen.... " YESTERDAY / TODAY " ( Karen's Lament )

Karen Loved this song, she wanted me to finish it. I just couldn't finish the lyrics as Karen had sadly passed away, loosing her courageous fight against cancer before I even recorded this album. This song is dedicated to her precious memory, a brave wonderful friend. I thank Paul Turner for the skillful way he dubbed in the high and low whistles around the Scottish small pipes, and the Highland bagpipes, he'd laid down earlier. This has turned out to be a very haunting air. One I treasure. Paul Trenwith helped with extra acoustic guitar rhythm, which helped turn this instrumental into a really soft, gentle air. ............................................................................................................................

I would like to thank David Hyde, who mastered and engineered this C.D.

He was so wonderful to work with. He has the most wicked dry sense of humor at times. He listened to what I wanted, followed thru, to give this album " ORIGIN'S " that live warm natural sound.

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