Gratitude

My songwriting process for Found Love was very solitary, but creating the record was a delightfully communal experience. Friends, family, and fans were involved at so many levels that the music feels prismatic to me, a refraction of their love and support. Bob Dylan once said, “I don’t know where the songs come from. If I did, I’d go there more often.” On the song level, I totally agree with Bob, but as a record, I know exactly who co-created this record with me, and I will forever be grateful and reciprocal to them.

First and foremost, I thank the Muse—the mysterious artistry and co-creative presence of God. I also thank the forest in Tobaccoville, NC, which held me as I healed from heartbreak, and the friends who let me stay there for months longer than I had intended. “Each of Us” would never have been made without The Birdhouse. 

As I pieced this record together, I needed a safe harbor of listeners whom I could send VoiceNotes to and ask, “What do you think?”, knowing that they knew I was really saying, “I love this scrawny, unfinished, shitty first draft and need someone to love it with me.” To all those who listened to the early, unfinished versions and responded with such love: Reza Jahanjiri, Anne Snyder, Brian Ferguson, Martha Bassett, Emily Harkin, Nick Childress, Shuree Rivera, Jenn Bostic, Kyshona Armstrong, Derick Thompson, Lynn Rhodes, Nathan Ross Friedman, Julie Hatch, David Brooks, Spencer Aubrey, Valerie C. Bleza, Mina Nguyen, Jason Jaggard, Chad Brown, Alec Robinette, Monty!, Annie Augustine, Elizabeth Rice, Erin Shaw, David Chang, Emily Ling, Buddy Thomas, my parents, and all the dear friends who came to my unreleased song shows. 

When I was ready to move past friends and under the prying eye of a professional composer, there was only one person to call: Michael Anderson. Michael accepted a sacred call to rearrange, refine, and prepare my soul-songs for recording. He knows the chords better than I do, and I am a better musician and songwriter for having known him. 

Ethan Gingerich became my co-creator and co-producer for nine months. A steady engineer, an attentive mixer, and a killer guitar player–any production idea I had, Ethan brought to life. Matt Laird (bass/strings) and Chaisaray Schenck (drums) laid the musical foundation that Eric Montgomery (guitars) turned into pop, with some spicy horns from Lynn Grissett. Ryan Gilligan’s mix notes helped in the final stretch when in need of fresh ears, and Terry Watson proved, yet again, that a great mastering engineer can make a beautiful record feel complete.

The whole project emerged with confidence due to the financial investment of Ben Sutton, who encouraged me to have the vision to “make some money off your God given gifts”.

An additional word of gratitude is given to the following people: 

Bosh Nova for crawling through creeks and peeking around corners to capture the beauty within me. Your photography allows me to be seen.

David Change and Erin Shaw for teaching me what it means to be a high-performing artist, and giving me confidence in my watercolors. 

Jenn Bostic for always reminding me that I am the love I am searching for, and singing that truth with me on this record.

Kyshona Armstrong for teaching me how to listen, and for giving “Each of Us” the soul it deserved. 

Mary Coffee for giving me a residency at Manolo's Boutique Wines & Bistro, and Nancy Cunningham for inviting me to the Grandover Resort. Both allowed me to bring my “manuscript” with me as I tested songs with their customers.

Hayes and Elizabeth Henderson, whose carriage house has become my dream artist's loft and whose beautiful gardens enabled me to wake up every day believing I'm a bird.

Bianca Valencia Criscuolo, for journeying with me and supporting my need to bring the whole story to life in a single painting that felt like something existed that knew the entire story of the record.

Allyn Raney, for the creative support and get-it-done spirit that brought Found Love into the digital universe.