Life Is Calling

Recording Date: July, 2006
Recording Location: Warren Wilson College, Swannanoa, NC
Musicians: Me - Guitar, Vocals

Recorded at the Swannanoa Gathering--an annual series of workshops--during Contemporary Folk Week.  The song was written in October 2004 after a series of life-changing events had opened up new possibilities for the future.  So far I have yet to record a studio version, though a band version was performed with Unfrozen Cavemen.

Side By Side

Written By: Wendy Hearl and Pen Seddon
Recording Date:
February 14, 2004
Recording Location: Holston Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, Gray, TN
Musicians: Me - Guitar, Vocals; Pen Seddon - Vocals

In the middle of my long songwriting drought in the early 2000s, I managed to finish one song, “Side By Side”. My good friend (and future wife) Pen and I were asked to sing a song relating to love and commitment for the Valentine’s Day service at church in 2004. After spending a couple of weeks trying in vain to come up with a suitable song, I decided to write my own.

I started with a melody that I had written a couple of months earlier; I spent a weekend trying to rather painfully coax the song out of my brain. But by the end of the weekend I had done it. I was not very confident about the final result; it seemed forced and I wasn’t sure I could write a love song that wasn’t trite. But Pen was enthusiastic when I played it to her; she suggested some revisions and additions to the lyrics.

We performed the song at church the following Sunday as a duet, to some acclaim; this recording is from that premiere performance, warts and all. We performed the song live several more times over the years. It will forever remind me of her.

Pariah

Recording Date: June 14, 2003
Recording Location: Holston Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, Gray, TN
Musicians: Unfrozen Cavemen (Me - Guitar, Vocals, Joe Arrington - Guitar, Vocals, John Franjione - Bass)

Recorded for a Saturday night coffeehouse.  The song was written on August 13, 2001; a journal entry records, "...might be called 'In His Image' or 'Afraid of Knowing Where I Belong'.  A studio version first appeared on my New Heart album in 2002.

Around the Block

Recording Date: June 14, 2003
Recording Location: Holston Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, Gray, TN
Musicians: Unfrozen Cavemen (Me - Guitar, Vocals, Joe Arrington - Mandolin, Vocals, John Franjione - Bass)

Recorded for a Saturday night coffeehouse.  I started writing the song on November 30, 1997 and had finished it by December 3.  It was inspired by a brief and strange but electric encounter with a woman at work.  A journal entry records, "It's pretty much about the last few weeks, my mental state, my bodily state...and more than anything, about (and to) Kristine, and how I let opportunity slip through my fingers.  The song has an air of reflection, but there is a lot of hope in the lyrics..."  A studio version first appeared on my Machine Dream album in 1999.

Morning Paper

Recording Date: August 20, 1997
Recording Location: The Down Home, Johnson City, TN
Musicians: Brian Hearl - Guitar, Vocals

Recorded at the Wednesday night Open Hoot.  I believe the song was written sometime in 1993; I remember showing the lyrics to my Culture Shock comrades Will Henson and Jared Bentley.  It didn't seem to be suitable for that band, though, so I recorded it for my Why Not? album in 1994.

Throughout Time

Recording Date: April 23, 1993
Recording Location: The Tavern, Abingdon, VA
Musicians: Culture Shock (Me - Guitar, Vocals; Will Henson - Guitar; Jared Bentley - Tambourine, Wade Crounse, Bass; Taylor Burgess, Drums)

Recorded during one of our many weekend gigs at the Tavern.  I think I wrote the song sometime in 1990, probably working on the lyrics during some class or other at college.  A studio version first appeared on my debut album, Anti-Gravity, in 1990.