I have some exciting…and unlikely…news!
Let’s start at the beginning, shall we?
One day early spring, 2022, my cat was sitting on the kitchen counter, as she often does.
Yes, my husband and I let Linn on the counters. We tried keeping her off for a while, but at one point George just looked at me and asked, “Is her being on the counters really hurting anything?” My response: “No.”
She’s been prowling the counters as she wishes ever since.
By the way, if you’ve ever wondered why counters are called that, here’s what Google tells me: “It entered Old French sometime in the 1300s as contoeur (from comptoir), and was used to describe the table where sales and banking occurred, where things were counted by a counter. The counter (person) used the counter (object) to count upon.”
But, I digress. Back to Linn sitting on the kitchen counter that one early spring day.
A line of lyrics popped into my head. Cat’s sittin’ on the counter. Just a-singin’ the blues. Cause someone came along, and interrupted her snooze. The line came with a melody, a traditional blues riff. I added a few more lyrics and sang it to George. He chuckled.
So I added a few more lyrics, and George chuckled more, then a refrain that she had the Cat Nap Blues. Suddenly it was an entire song I’d never even intended to write.
Here’s where it gets weird. My car was being serviced at Erickson’s Automotive, the only auto shop I’ve ever 100% trusted. Bill Erickson is in a band called Ten O’Clock Hill and I love their CD, Good to Go. Because I knew Bill is also a musician, I sang a few bars and wondered if the band might want to play around with Cat Nap Blues. They did, and we started rehearsing the song together at Ron Stearn’s home studio in Beavercreek.
Then…the band told me they know the legendary Dean Baskerville, a music producer who has worked with the likes of Sheryl Crow, and that he would be in Oregon in October.
All of a sudden I was making a professional recording, in a professional studio, of the only song I’ve ever written both lyrics and music to.
Because of my cat.
Wow, that is something to completely revel in!
To celebrate the release of Cat Nap Blues February 18, I’m hosting a benefit concert for Hazel’s House Rescue, where we adopted Linn in 2020, at Chehalem Winery Tasting Room in Newberg. Here’s the flyer with all pertinent information. You can make donations here: https://paypal.me/LauraHandke or at the live event. The raffle prizes are super fun!
Come join us! Have a glass of wine, enjoy the music of Ten O’Clock Hill, and help the homeless kitties of the Willamette Valley all at the same time!
After she is tragically orphaned, young Abella loses the ability to speak her truth and express herself. She is sent to live with a reclusive uncle she’s never met, and her only friend is her horse. Abella endures heartbreak, loneliness and questions who she truly is inside. Eventually, she meets friends and animals who help her not only regain her voice, but also uncover her strength and purpose. Purchase How Abella Found her Voice for $4.95 here: https://laurahandke.com/product/how-abella-found-her-voice-e-book/
Please spread the love and pass this along to a friend!
Love Your Voice & Voice Your Love,
Laura