Carolyn Anele

I am fortunate to have know Carolyn for quite some time as a great singer/songwriter from Salmon Arm, BC.  In 2005, I was able to hire Carolyn to be one of four writers to compose the centennial song for Kelowna.  It was a pleasure to work with her.  She took time off from her music to raise a family and has recently returned to music with the release of a new CD, Where Birds Sing.  I asked Carolyn to be part of my musician features and she graciously agreed.

1.  You’re quite a spiritual writer using your music and words to heal and uplift but you have a wicked sense of humour.  How do you balance that when you write?
I don’t know that I fully understand my writing process yet. I just go with what I think may be funny and hope that my audience would find the songs humorous as well. Then there’s always the more serious or heartfelt songs that I love to write…I think it’s just different sides of my personality that need to be expressed or some other energies along with the muse that want to be channelled!

2.  Do you criticize yourself?  How do you get past that?
I’ve always criticized myself and still do but I’m into self help and inspirational books and that has always helped me to look inward and move forward. Having loving people around me helps as well.

3.  Do you ever catch yourself setting limitations on your music?
Many times. It could be I don’t know how to play that instrument well enough or I don’t know enough about that social issue to write about it or what perspective to take. I haven’t learned enough about the business side of music to pursue that venture… the list is long. But it doesn’t stop me from plugging away and doing what I love!

4.  You are a very private person yet still a performer.  How do you balance that?
Who I am on stage is really who I am in my personal life. But I like to keep my family life private out of respect for them and because I don’t believe one has to share everything with the public. I’m as much an introvert and homebody as I am an extrovert who likes social gatherings from time to time.

5.  Who are your mentors and role models, if any?
In my world of music, my favorite vocalist was the late Eva Cassidy – she could sing anything. Here in Canada, writers like Roy Forbes and Bill Henderson have been a huge influence in my writing as I participated in many of their songwriting workshops. I’ve always been a huge fan of Elton John and I love Nanci Griffith and Canada’s, Katherine Wheatley and the great creator and songwriter, Mr. Fred Penner, to name a few.

6.  What was your “aha” moment?
Lots of “aha” moments – some too long to tell here, Jane!

7.  This is not how you make your living, but you still do it.  Why?
Because music is my living, it’s what I make – it’s my life work, it’s a part of who I am whether I make money at it or not. However, I would love to be able to support my family with my music. I’m fortunate to have a partner who is out there slugging away, making a living for our family so I can be home with our kids and creating music.

8.  You’re a mother of two small boys and still find the time to do music.  How do you do that?
Writing is sporadic but it’s woven throughout my day. Needless to say when I’m working on a song, certain household chores take a back seat. Once my youngest child is in school full time I’ll have more of a set schedule to sit down and write consistently. Performing is usually at night so I just schedule it and I’m fortunate to have a supportive husband that takes care of the kids.

9.  What is the importance of family to you?
My family is everything to me. They are my safe place and being an older parent I’ve had the opportunity to learn from friends who have adult children now. It’s really important for me to be home with my kids while they’re young. It’s a decision my husband and I made before having children and we certainly don’t regret it. Even when times are tough, I look around and see how great we have it here.

10.  You’re a very accomplished songwriter.  Can you tell us a little bit about how you write?  Rituals, favourite pen or chair, room in the house?
Paper piles everywhere, whatever pen works, being alone in the house helps! I’ve learned to adapt to lots of noise but I usually go into my bedroom and shut the door when I’ve got something brewing. I have my H2 recorder handy because usually the melody and lyrics arrive suddenly and I’ve got to write them down or record the tune or I’ve lost it.

13.  Could you describe your perfect day?
The kids are playing nicely, my husband’s busy with work and I’m out on the back porch with a coffee and my guitar writing my arse off! Can I say that?! Now if I let my imagination run wild…my perfect day would also be sitting on that back porch contemplating the huge concert I had performed the night before – and after the show, that one person who comes up to me and says, “that song made me cry and the other song made me laugh.”   Isn’t that what it’s all about? For me, it’s creating and sharing my music that moves people in some way.

“ The individual passes, living his life and the things he touches receive his kind of impress, and they afterwards bear the trace of his passing. They give evidence of the quality of his growth.” – Robert Henri from the “Art Spirit”

   Website: http://www.carolynanele.com/

Barb Samuel

If you’ve ever been to the Centre for Spiritual Living or seen Sista B & the Boyz or Rant & Rave singing around town, you’ve seen Barb Samuel.  A wicked powerhouse singer with a passionate vocal style, she is unforgettable.  I asked Barb to sit down with me and talk about the journey that brought her to music.

1.  What brought you to music?
Music has been part of my life since birth. My dad was a cellist with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and the San Francisco Philharmonic.  He taught at Mount Royal College. On my mother’s side, I received the Motown, Gospel and R & B roots.  Our family get-togethers would include Beethoven, Bach, Smokey Robinson, Aretha Franklin, dancing, singing, jamming with cello, violins, guitars, flute, broomsticks and anything else that could be used as a drum.  I would also say faith brought me to music.  I find God in every word I sing….including the bump and grind (LOL).  But my heart is passionate for singing about God, love, heart and soul.

2.  Did you have a “aha” moment? Role models or mentors?
So many Ah-ha’s!!!!  The trick is to recognize them and act on them.  I think the one that had the most impact was when I found a lump in my throat and it was diagnosed as throat cancer.  At that time I was told there was a possibility that I may never have the ability to sing.

Up to that point, I had never considered myself a vocalist.  But I knew in the moment, how precious the voice is.  In the next breath, I made a pact with God saying, “allow me to sing and I will create a safe haven for people to come and express themselves creatively through song”.

My first role models and mentors would be my mom and dad.  Mom passed at age 50 (the same age as I am now).  I often wonder at her trials and tribulations and what she endured, her being black and my dad, white and having seven mulatto children.  Yet I always, always heard her singing and saw her holding her head high.  I can picture her now as I’m writing this.

Ricki Byars-Beckwith is the Musical and Artistic Director for the Agape International Spiritual Centre in Culver City, CA.  I have taken many courses and participated in music symposiums in Los Angeles with her.  It was through Ricki, I met Nikki Harris who has been the main back-up singer for Madonna, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and so, so many more.  I’ve NEVER met anyone who could lay down vocals like Sista Nikki.  Powerful and dynamic [with] the ability to allow and invite her audience to feel through voice and song.  So much emotion.  I have always aspired to be just a little piece of her.  She doesn’t know it, but she’s my best friend.  Hahahaha.

Another inspiration to me locally is my teacher, my mentor and girlfriend, Ellen Churchill.  This is a woman who is generous, kind and honest!  It was through her support and perseverance as an instructor, truly, that I have endured in this industry.  And my husband, Neal Klassen, who always shares his views with me from the most gentle of places.  He is the best songwriter I’ve ever encountered.  His love and passion for his art inspires me to always keep moving forward even when I want to curl up in a ball and cry.

3.  I often talk about the leap of faith, when you know you have to jump.  Did that happen for you?
My leap of faith was leaving a successful court reporting business of 25 years that generated tons of money, security and familiarity to dive into my passion of ministry and music.  That longing, that thing calling me nearer and nearer to it.  I was a single mom with two kids, quite content.

One day I walked into my vocal lesson with Ellen Churchill…it was a Wednesday in February…and I said to her, guess what?  I’m retiring [from] court reporting.  She said, “wanna buy my vocal program?”.  I fell to my knees…God answered my prayers immediately.  LOL.

4.  Do you ever doubt the path you’ve chosen?
Actually music is not my path.  It happens to be a vehicle for ministry.  Creating a space to support people of all ages, gender, race, sexual orientation in creating self-confidence, self-love through song.  In my opinion, there’s no greater gift.  I teach through singing because I recognize that how we do one thing is how we do everything.  So when we sing from heart, we live from heart.  When we sing with soul, we experience the depths of soul.  That path is clear to me and I have no doubts.

I have however, questioned in the past, why me?  I have felt under-qualified, talentless and less than.  But then I remember the faces of those receiving me and I am refueled and ready to continue to move forward.  When I get out of my own way and remember the passion, desire and strength it took my parents to be who they were, I stop feeling sorry for myself and jump back in fearlessly.

5.  You belong to a church here in town and you sing there quite a bit.  But you also play in bars.  How does that feel?  Is the support different?
All songs are about God and I come from the place of bringing joy.  Doesn’t matter church, bar or wedding.  Sometimes when I’m playing that can be the happiest part of someone’s life and you never know how you can affect or inspire people.  Any venue is a house of music.  Wherever I go, I am living out LOUD with purpose and intention.

6.  You teach and mentor others but also find time for you family.  How do you do that?
It’s definitely easier now that I am more established as a singer/instructor/performer.  I am finally in a position to teach when I want and create the hours I desire.  Also, I don’t take just any gig that comes my way.  I know who I am as a performer and I know my gifts and strengths are connection and energy.  So the gigs I accept must allow me to fully demonstrate that.

By being so clear on who I am as a performer, it allows me to generate quality time with my family.  I work, play and record with my husband.  We are together probably 98% of our day, having shared studio space.  So I always feel that is a great gift to allow me to stay connected to all of those important to me.

7.  If you could leave a legacy what would it be?
This makes me smile thinking about this answer because I used to think perhaps it would be our music, via our CD.  But after so much time writing, preparing, rehearsing and recording the CD, upon its completion I said to my daughter, come and listen to our CD.  It’s done!  She said I’ve been listening to it for two years.  Lol.  I tried to guilt her and say when I’m dead and gone, you will have wished you would have listened with me.  She said when you’re dead and gone, I will have the CD!  Hahahaha.

But I would pray my legacy would be my children and students and the people I have coached and supported.

8.  What’s coming up for you?
Cruise ships!!! We have discovered a way to continue to bring joy to others and continue expressing ourselves through music and travel the world together.  We will be away during the winter months and then I can come home and just be Grammy for my two grandchildren, Roman and Rhema Joy.

9.  If you could describe your perfect day, what would it look like?
Yesterday, today and tomorrow are all perfect.  Since it is my life and I’m living it, it must be so.  Whether challenges or happiness arises, it’s all mine and it’s all perfect.

I can honestly say that I have created an amazing life that is full and joy-filled.  I have learned to embrace and cherish every moment, every breath, every song.  When opportunity knocks, I have learned to answer.  When I look up and see folks dancing and singing and laughing and sharing, I feel I have helped to contribute to create their perfect day too.  And for that, I feel blessed.

Website:  Barb Samuel