 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
original folk and blues |
|
||
|
(April 12, 1999 Andrea talks about Croatia) (Don't forget to read Jane Davidson's interview of Andrea Rowe.) BIO "When I was a kid I had a hard time sleeping. My parents gave me a transistor radio which I put under my pillow. Every night I fell asleep to the voices of Aretha Franklin and Gladys Knight. My angels. "Folk was the first music I learned to play on the guitar. Joni Mitchell and Judy Collins inspired me with their beautiful voices. But the Beatles songwriting and harmonies, and the raw edge of the Stones gave me a glimpse of the power I wanted to possess. "Janis Joplin and Grace Slick showed me it was possible. The first band I ever saw live was the Jefferson Airplane at the Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco. I was just a kid but I felt the magic instantly. "I started performing in my first band at age 16 in Berkeley, California. I wrote most of the music for it. We were pretty good, but I had such stage fright I was usually drunk, so... who knows what might have happened? "At 18, two weeks into my first year of college as a music major, my mom suddenly passed away. We had been fighting about my boyfriend when she had a stroke, went into a coma and died the next morning. I was devastated. I left home, and to punish myself, didn’t pursue music again until I met my husband, Cheth, seven years later. It was love at first sight. Especially when we realized we were both musicians. "We started a rock band in Seattle, played five years on the road, and then quit. We were tired of the club scene. It was grueling and creatively unsatisfying. At the time, you had to play covers and you had to play them perfectly, just like the record, or you didn’t work. I always knew in my heart that my original music had to be born, so I started from scratch. "I went back to college and studied classical music. What a trip! After singing rock’n’roll for all those years, I found a deep love and gift for singing Italian and German opera. My teacher was amazed. He had thought I was a hopeless case. I had purple hair and smoked cigarettes. I gave up the cigarettes--but not the hair. "On a trip south, Cheth and I found Cannon Beach. Love at first sight, again. Within six months we sold our house in Seattle and moved to the coast. We’ve survived twelve winters and summers here. "Soon after moving here the acting bug bit me. I've performed many exciting musical roles including Marian in the "Music Man," the Witch in "Into The Woods," Miss Hannigan in "Annie," and Aldonza/Dulcinea in "The Man of La Mancha.". "Six years ago we started a recording studio, "Studio M.A.R.S.," so we could record my material and help others on the coast realize their musical dreams. Recently my musical dream came true with the release of "Hold Your Vision," an album of original folk, rock and blues. "It has been a tough job. I was used to singing other peoples songs, even in theater. I didn’t realize the risk involved when you sing straight from your own experiences. It is a very vulnerable feeling. My life has had some rocky roads, but I survived. I want people to know they can create wonderful situations for themselves, even out of the hardships of life. I want my music to have a truly positive effect on everyone who hears it, whether it inspires them, makes them dance or lets them cry." | live | music | theatre | andrea | you | peace | home |
| |||
