Blogx

Ok – I guess I’ll go first…

So..tada!!

One of the things we decided to do is to start a blog about this group – the joy and pain of the process of putting it (and keeping it) together, everything we are learning and will continue to learn as we go along.  And also, what we will be able to share with “you”, dear person who is reading this.  We know all of us are not alone in our journey – you are here, perhaps searching and growing as well…

So, since this is the first “official” post, I will take you in the “way-back” machine, for a moment, to the very beginning.

The Inspire Project is/was/is a really BIG idea.  It’s so big, that I sat on it for 20 years , staring into the depths of it, and wondering what in the world it was actually going to be when it grew up…and paying for the parked domain all along!

Although I have been a working, “regular” songwriter for many (many) years, writing lots of love songs and everything, my heart tends to like writing big-concept, inspiring, come-up-out-of-the-darkness songs. I can’t help myself! (seriously, I can’t).

And apparently, I am not the only one!

Ilene Angel and Lorraine Ferro have been two of my dearest, deepest friends and co-writers for SOOOOO many years…I mean, like 3 years – yeah, 3…cough, cough…

Anyhoo…the bottom line is, we love each other.  We have shared the good and bad times – the deep, REAL stuff of life…and in all of that time, it never once occurred to us to become a band. And, despite all the planning and controlling I try to do in life (mostly unsuccessfully), we somehow came together recently, completely serendipitously, without any forethought (or warning) at all.

This past year, our friend Carolyn had a beautiful coming-together of musicians and artists to raise money for her cancer treatment, and we long-time friends sang together onstage as a trio for the very first time at her benefit.

And it was magical.

And Mike from the NJ Folk Project was there, and gave us a gig on the spot.

He asked us what we would like to be called, and I said, without hesitation, “The Inspire Project”…and he said, “No, pick something good.” (Ha!).

But I knew it was right…and as true as anything I have ever really known.  And so, we teamed up…and the rest is history!!  Sort of…

Now, we are in the beginning stages of trying to get our three entirely separate lives (complete with other gigs and projects, and caregiving duties) to coordinate so that we can create this one, big, beautiful thing – all at the same time.

One thing you should know about me, though, is that I love a challenge.

Another thing you should know, is that is a total lie…I like things easy-peasy…(also, I’m a terrible liar, and promise I will never lie to you again).

In any case, now we are in the process of creating music for our first compilation album.  And we also, completely unbeknownst to each other, have already been feverishly writing books that seem to (magically – no surprise), be completely in line with the intent and feeling and sweet spirit of this project.  And we are trying to find open dates to book some gigs (which so far is proving near-impossible…please kill me now…thank you).

While it is my nature to wait until everything is done and ready, so it can be put out into the world fully and perfectly formed, I am daring myself to be exacly where I am in this moment – completely exposed in all my/our imperfections (sorry, gals!).

I know myself, and so I don’t want to wait, lest the chance to really do, and BE this, slips away.  This is too important to me (to all of us), and so, ready or not…

Also, there is a part of me that believes “If they come, you will build it.”

Hey – whatever works…

And so, thank you for being here…hoping to be up and rolling sooner than later, and wishing you beauty and love and peace in the meantime.

With much love and gratitude,

t

The Inspire Project