Last blog post on tumblr

Hi everyone! I wanted to thank you for following me on tumblr but wanted to tell you this will be my last blog post on this site. I’m moving my blog to my website but keep my tumblr open for now. It was great to connect with you on here and we can still connect through other social media and in person at shows and events ❤️

As 2022 closes out I wanted to take a moment to reflect and thank you for an incredible year. Thank you for coming to my concerts, buying my albums and streaming/downloading my music. I loved chatting with you this year either online and/or in person. I hope 2023 will bring you many happy memories and that we get to spend more time together through music ❤️

Prior to the pandemic I was running a series on this blog called “Harps Across America” where I documented different experiences I had while on tour. I loved getting share my adventures about what happens off of the stage and away from the venue. Now that venues have opened again I’m excited to re-launch the “Harps Across America.” Looking to writing a new post very soon 😃

W is a letter I didn’t think would be the focus of my next album but much to my surprise it kept popping up in my songwriting. When I got to thinking about it Ws surround us everyday. Words I use in my speech everyday started with W like “we,” “we’re,” and “walking.” Starting in elementary school I learned about five w’s: who, what, when, where and why. When I travel and look at the scenery words like wonderful and wondrous come to mind. So maybe with all the Ws that surround me I shouldn’t be too surprised that the letter is the inspiration for my next album. Each of the six song titles will start with the letter W. This album is at the beginning stages but I’m already excited for you to hear it. I plan make this a harp and guitar album with added instrumentation. Right now I know I would like to hear the violin, cello and drums. I may add a other instrumentation depending on the song and if I think it would add to the story.

After finishing my miniature bookstore (see last picture) I fell in love with the idea of building more miniatures. While I have many future projects put on my wish list to buy I remembered I still had two kits I got years ago and had never done anything with them. The first one I decided to build was a room kit where you could make the room into anything you wanted. Initially, I thought about building a General Store but my mom thought I should build a bakery instead. She pointed out over the years I had been collecting miniature desserts and they would look nice in a bakery setting. I couldn’t believe I hadn’t thought of that before. So far I’ve painted the outside and inside walls, as well as cut the wallpaper for the back wall and cut the floor as well. I’ve also set a staging area to see what still need for the bakery. Due to my surgery I had to take a little break from working on it but I think I will be able to get back to work on it soon. I wanted to share with you the work I had done up to the point where I had to take my break.

My SLAP tear recovery has life moving at a bit of a slower pace. Every move that causes my shoulder pin makes me a bit worried I’ve messed up my surgery. It’s probably because I’ve waited over 15 years to get my shoulder fixed and I would hate to do anything to mess the recovery process up. But while I recover I am in process of booking shows for the summer and learning how to play melody on the harp using my left hand for several shows coming up. With live music coming back and hopefully all my surgeries behind me I have feeling I will be able to give you more content on this site.

This post is one where I wanted to go back in time to the Atlas Intersections Festival 2022 which was held in February. I wanted to thank all of you so much for coming out and supporting me at this event and I wanted to share some behind the scenes pictures with you of a night you made so memorable 😊

Happy New Year!!! I’m hoping 2022 brings you lots of happiness, wonder and joy!

The holidays were a restful time for me and my family and I’m hoping for more active year in 2022 then in 2021. There are some festivals booked for this year and a couple other musical projects underway. Depending on what happens with the world and restrictions I’m hoping these and more will happen this year. Keep a look out on my website for announcements and show dates.

My live shows are changing up a bit. While I usually play as a soloist I decided to switch it up this year and also perform as a duo in some of my live shows. I can’t wait for you to hear my songs in duo form 😊

In non-music news I’m scheduled to have shoulder surgery in March which will hopefully clear up the chronic pain I’ve had in my arm, shoulder and neck for over a decade. This may also clear up the headaches I’ve been prone to as well. While I’m nervous to have any surgery done it will be great to finally have this fixed after so many years.

Is there anything you are looking forward to or hope to happen in the new year?

The past couple years foxes have been making a comeback in my neighborhood. There have been various sitings: walking down the sidewalk, cutting through someone’s yard and even trying to take a nap on our front lawn. I’ve never been clear if it’s the same fox that has been spotted multiple times or different ones. When 2021 rolled around I hadn’t spotted any foxes in the neighborhood and thought maybe they had moved on to live elsewhere.

Part of helping my foot to recover from having the Brostrom surgery is to go for walks. Usually, I go in the afternoon but one day, in August, I decided to go at dusk. I was really hopeful if there were foxes still around this would be my best chance at seeing one since they are most active at dusk and dawn.

After walking up and down a couple streets I was on the verge of giving up but there was one more street I wanted to check first before I decided to give up on a siting entirely.

There’s a long, tree lined, cul-de-sac I love to walk down. It’s where I’ve seen variety of wildlife over the years from deer to hawks to foxes. In fall the leaves turn beautiful shades of red, gold and orange. When I walk the fallen leaves crunch under my feet. In August not many leaves had fallen yet but someone did drop a brownie.

After walking to the end of the curl-de-sac and turning around to walk back down I figured I would see no foxes tonight

Just as I was mentioning this to my parents, who went walking with me, one of them pointed down the street and showed me a fox had just stepped out from behind a car. It was walking down the street ahead of us.

We kept our distance as we started back to make sure to give the fox its space. Initially, it didn’t notice us or didn’t care. It seemed to be on a mission. But, as it started walking towards the spot where the dropped brownie lay occasionally it turned around to look at us but never broke its stride. We made sure to keep a bit farther back just in case we were making it nervous.

Then it quickly grabbed the brownie and trotted off to the backyard of one of the houses. We got a glimpse of it burying the brownie along the edge of a fence and we assumed it would come back later for the treat it hid.

I haven’t seen my neighborhood fox since that night but I will always remember the story of “The fox & The brownie.”

There are many albums I have planned in my head and would like to create someday. “Realm of Enchantment” was not an album I ever planned and didn’t envision until I entered lockdown. In 2020, like with everyone in the world, my life was completely altered. Entering into what I thought was going to be an amazing year changed to getting messages about canceled shows and seeing plans I had made turn to dust. To escape it all I turned to books, movies, and music most of which was fantasy themed. Doing this made me think about an album I created years ago called “Where Fairies Dwell.” I created “Where Fairies Dwell” to bring to life the world of the fairies from Celtic folklore and it got me thinking what other magical beings might live in that world with them. With that thought in mind I started writing and composing different pieces to extend this magical world. Among the fairies I found sirens, magical animals, mystical elements as well as a few extra tales from the fairies themselves. All these made up the “Realm of Enchantment.” When you listen to this album I hope you are able to step out of this world enter into the Realm of Enchantment.

“Realm of Enchantment” is available on all major digital and streaming platforms. If you would like a physical copy please email me

“Where Fairies Dwell” was born out of my love of fantasy and the folklore I heard about fairies on my trip to Ireland. I wanted to capture the magical world where fairies lived, played and schemed. Each track was picked and written to bring magic to the ears and the realm of fairies to life. I’m very excited this album has been brought to the digital world. Where Fairies Dwell (Digital Version) is now available on all major streaming/downloading platforms. When you listen to this album I hope you are taken to a place where fairies dwell.

Click links below to listen to my new album:

Spotify

iTunes

Amazon

Why music?

Over the years I’ve been asked this question many times by many people. Sometimes it has been by friends or family. Other times it has been by colleagues, teachers, and interviewers.

One of the first times I ever truly thought hard about the answer was in college. A professor in one of my music classes one day asked us why we chose to be music majors. At the time I thought it was an odd question. I thought it was obvious, all of us had chosen to be music majors so we could pursue various jobs in music whether that was performing, teaching, composing, production, session playing or any of the other numerous jobs the industry has to offer. But what hit me later was what my professor was asking was why did we really want to go into the music field. Any of us in that room could have chosen another major but we didn’t. Everyone in that room said of all the majors I could have picked from music is the right one for me.

So I thought to myself why did I chose music?

The first thing I thought of was the easy answer.

The arts have been apart of my life since I was kid. I was in various theater shows and performed in dance recitals. While having an interest in music from the time I was small I didn’t pursue it until middle school. From that time on I’ve had a love for it.

That last sentence gave me pause. What does love for it actually mean to me. And I realized it came down to three words: people, stories, connection.

Through my years as a songwriter I have met so many different people both on and off the stage. From other performers to people in the industry to audience members who became friends to fellow travelers I’ve met at hotels and state parks. With each meeting I’ve gotten to have many conversations.

Whether the conversations have been short or long I’ve learned so much through the stories I’ve heard from each person. Some are heartbreaking, others heartwarming and others humorous.

I see songwriting as the same as having a conversation with someone. Instead of speaking it’s through lyrics and melody. Music is where I’ve been able to share my stories and feelings the most easily. I have seen people connect with me through my songs at shows and either come up after a show to share their own stories or send me a message later. It’s through music I have felt the closest to people and made lifelong friends.

It’s the connection to people from our stories that called me into music. I hope that the connection with people is something I get to experience for years to come.

8/23/2021 Edit: As of several months ago I am no longer an endorser for the Clayton USA company. This is an old post and while I’ve kept it up it is not accurate for today.

I’ve been a Clayton Guitar Pick fan for years and I was ecstatic when I got to sign an endorsement deal with them over a year ago. Before I continue I should state up front that while I have an endorsement deal with Clayton I don’t receive compensation in any form for making this post. I just really like this brand and wanted to share my love of it with you.

Like most guitarists I discovered the kind of equipment I liked best through buying and trying. From straps to strings to pedals and picks I was always up for trying something new. Sometimes I would purchase something based on a review and other times because it looked pretty or interesting. But without fail every time I would go into a music store I would typically buy something. Most of the time I would buy picks partly because there are many types on the market and partly because they are generally inexpensive.

On one visit to a local music store I was looking over the picks and saw one that had a wolf on it with the word Clayton under the picture. Being a fan of wolves I bought a pack and tried it out when I got home. I really liked the way the pick seemed to mold to my fingers as I strummed as well as the tone the pick made on the guitar strings. It quickly started to become the only pick I used at gigs.

When I signed up to endorse Clayton they offer a discount for their picks as part of the deal and because of that I have had the opportunity to try many of the various picks they sell as well as making my own custom picks through their company. I plan on releasing a video talking about some of their picks I like to use. Subscribe to my YouTube Channel to find out which ones I use the most 🎸

Find my channel at: www.youtube.com/kristinrebeccatv

Happy New Year!!!

I know this is a bit belated but my new year started off in a way I didn’t expect. At the beginning of 2021 I was excited about the different projects and content I had come up with for the new year. As I started to get to work on implementing my ideas my health took an unexpected dive. A little over a week ago I was rushed to the ER via ambulance because I ended up on the floor in such severe pain I couldn’t walk and could barely move.  After talking with a nurse from my insurance company she recommended I go to the emergency room. 

I was really nervous about calling an ambulance. I was worried that what I was going through would turn out to be nothing more then muscle spasms (which I have suffered from before) and it would be a very expensive trip for nothing, I was nervous about the fact no one would be able to come with me because of the COVID rules and I was also a bit scared about the possibility of catching COVID at the hospital. 

Between the pain and my parents encouragement I dialed 911. Ultimately, I’m very glad I did as it turns out I needed emergency surgery to remove my gallbladder. 

Full recovery takes 4 to 6 weeks but I’m slowly getting back into life. I’ve been able to work on new songs and get some of the new kinds of content up on my socials. Starting with the picture above.

As I mentioned in a pervious post I’m a fan of miniatures. I’ve been a collector of miniatures things since I was kid. Whether it was miniature decorative boxes, miniature sets (I still have my polly pockets), miniature statues, miniature pumpkins at Halloween and the list goes on and on. This little hobby of mine continues to this day. There’s just something about the small size of these items I find really cute. As a previous post mentioned I’m even working on building a miniature bookstore. 

So when I was scrolling through Facebook one day an ad popped up showing me this miniature zither. I was soo excited because it combined two of my loves: miniatures and music. 

Once it arrived I put it on my desk as inspiration for when I write songs or as I like to say a miniature zither for miniature music. 

Behind the Song

When I hang ornaments on the tree each piece would bring back a different memory from different Christmases over the years. Falling snow, laughter with friends and family, cookies baking in the oven and the peace of the season. These images would go through my mind like a scrapbook. This song came out of those memories and when you hear it I hope you will have the joy of re-living your own holiday memories as you make new ones. "Christmas Memories" will be release on 12/8

When the shutdown first happened like many people I found I had some extra time on my hands. Beside working on writing new songs and working on music technique I decided to finish up craft projects that had been sitting around for a while. 

I finished up a fabric embossing kit my parents bought me back in elementary school (yes, it’s been sitting around for that long), a latch hook pillow I started back in middle school as well as some other projects. As I wound down on some of the simpler crafts i started looking around and realized that I had miniature kits that needed finishing.

I’ve always been into miniatures since I was a kid. And there are several projects of miniature buildings that needed to be finished. Including a miniature bookstore my mom bought me for my birthday. 

This is the first miniature kit I’ve done where I’ve had to put the furniture together. It’s been fun putting together all the pieces. when I first started I vowed that I wasn’t going to do the kit exactly the way it showed on the box then the artist in me took over. As I went I decided there were minor changes I wanted to make first like not putting fabric on the stool to more major changes like picking out new fabric for the chair as well as adding trim. You can see a bit of the chair in the fourth picture.

There’s still lots of work to be done but like any project it’s fun to watch it come together. What new hobbies have you taken up during quarantine?

September flew by but I couldn’t let it end without giving an update to what I’ve been up to the past few months like I said I would in my last post. When COVID first started like many people I became depressed. My year was originally looking really good and I saw exciting changes coming that I have been working toward for sometime. Then COVID hit, and it’s like I’ve been in a time freeze since. So I went to one of the places I always go when I want to escape from the world. Fantasy. Fantasy books, movies, tv shows, songs and audio stories. After soaking up magic, mythological creatures and adventure I felt like creating again. My mind went wild with different original tales loosely inspired by ancient mythology creatures and folklore. I started writing and composing. From this writing came a new EP titled “Realm of Enchantment.” Comprised of six original tracks and one traditional track. Throughout the months of August and September I went in to the studio to record my flights of imagination. When you listen to this album I hope you are able to be transported away from this world and into different realms that will enchant, inspire and intrigue you.

Artist Alert!

Happy August! I hope you are staying safe and well. I know I’ve been away from my blog for a couple months and next month I’ll be talking about what I’ve been doing during that time. But this month I wanted to shine the spotlight on several harpists who are making a real different in the harp world by making the harp seen as a more mainstream instrument. Not only are all these artists talented players but make sure the harp stands out in their work as a main instrument. If you are a fan of the harp, harp music or harp players I highly recommend listening to the following musicians.

The first harpist I’m going to highlight is Lizzie No. I have had the pleasure of meeting Lizzie while playing on the same bill as her at the Electric Maid years ago. She gives her own unique spin on the Americana genre that you can hear in the music video above. “Loyalty” is a song off of her newest album “Narcissus”. It’s been amazing to watch her career grow from when we first met. Since our show together she made appearances on Ditty TV and Paste Magazine as well as been written up in Rolling Stone and toured nationally.  Check out the rest of her music and visit her website at:  http://www.lizzieno.com

I first ran across the Sons of Serendip when I saw a video online of their performance of “Somewhere Only We Know” from America’s Got Talent. I loved their arrangement and went to find more videos by the group. Mason Morton’s harp playing captivated me. Especially, in their cover of “Time After Time” where I feel the harp really gets showcased. He knows how to make the harp stand out in each Sons of Serendip arrangement without sounding like it’s trying to fight to be heard among the other instruments; which, sadly, can be a common problem when harpists play with groups. After placing fourth in America’s Got Talent the group went on to release several albums. Both their debut album “Sons of Serendip” and their Holiday album “Christmas: Beyond the Lights” charted on Billboard. Visit their website to learn more about them and hear their music at: www.sonsofserendip.com

Brandee Younger is a harpist whose work has been featured in Beyonce’s “Homecoming” and the HBO Series “Random Acts of Flyness”. She has also performed as part of Quincy Jones’s “Soundtrack of America”. I absolutely love her style of playing. Brandee combines elements of classical and jazz which brings a unique and signature sound to her music. I also love the fact she uses the entire range of her instrument. Visit Brandee’s website at: http://www.brandeeyounger.com/

The final harpist I’m going to showcase in this blog is Calvin Arsenia. Calvin has a soulful voice which matches his unique musical sound of live and electronic instruments. He has been featured on NPR and Billboard and has amassed a large social media following. You really will want to check out his work as Calvin  makes sure to never leave out a single detail from his beautiful shot music videos to the arrangements of his songs. Visit his website at: https://calvinarsenia.com/home