One Of My Inspirations...Jonatha Brooke

A little earlier tonight, I was in the tub with my iPad.  That's right, I take my iPad in the tub which is probably not totally recommended, but I am a rebel at heart.  Obviously.

Anyway, I intended to read some of the book I just started, The Circle, but I found myself so preoccupied with my monkey mind distractions that I just couldn't focus.  So, I hopped over to waste time on Facebook instead.  And there, I saw a link a friend had posted of Nancy Wilson, on a YouTube tutorial about how to play the beginning of "Crazy on You".  

That video, of course, led me to other Heart videos.

Somehow, I eventually landed on some Jonatha Brooke videos.  And the next thing I knew, I was pruning in my tub.  But I felt inspired instead of monkey-minded. Jonatha Brooke never fails to do that for me.

Around the time I became a gigging musician, I got to see Jonatha play at the now (sadly) defunct Caravan of Dreams in Ft. Worth.  I also got to see her play an intimate little free show at the (also now defunct) Borders bookstore.  I was so inspired by her.  I loved her songs- her lyrics, and cool altered guitar tunings, I loved her interaction with her audience... I really just loved everything about her.

So when I would get nervous at one of my own gigs, I'd just pretend I was Jonatha, and I immediately felt more confident.

I love that she just keeps following life down the off the beaten path.  Her songs are usually in non-standard guitar tunings, in keys that perhaps aren't radio friendly. (Because they're not cookie cutter pop music.)  She cared for her ailing mother, who she recently lost, and has since immersed herself in writing a play about her mother, with an accompanying CD that will hopefully be out soon.  I'm sure the creative process is therapeutic for her, and I love that her fans get to share in that.  The next batch of songs may never get radio air play either.  But I love that the choices she makes don't seem to be about having a "hit".

Anyway, I just adore her.

Here's a video I ran across of her performing "Sweetest Angel"-  a song she wrote using Woody Guthrie lyrics/poetry to music she wrote.  (Check out the whole CD, Woody's words, Jonatha's music, Called "The Works"!!!) Gorgeous.