I'm thrilled to finally share these songs with the world, but quite embarrassed about how long it has taken to get here! It has taken me over 15 years to get these songs to the point where they are ready to be shared, and to get to a point personally where I am ready to share them. It is terrifying to me to put these songs out there! I still hear many flaws or changes that I would like to make, but the time has come to declare these songs done!
I'm thankful to so many who have inspired me and helped me! Thank you to Peter Breinholt for not only inspiring me in my youth to learn guitar and to write songs, but for welcoming me into your home studio to help me produce and record some of the early sounds that fill out these songs, and for passing on so much wisdom in the process!
I would also like to thank Cori Connors, for her example and teachings about songwriting and for setting an example of what can be accomplished from our sleepy little town by someone with a love of music and bunch of songs inside! Cori introduced me to Mark Stephenson of MAS productions, who I must also thank from the bottom of my heart! Mark has been so patient and kind over nearly 10 years of stops and starts. Thank you Mark for taking my home recorded tracks and helping to add amazing sounds and instruments - and then mixing and mastering the album so expertly!
What a thrill it has been to sit in Mark's studio and watch true professionals bring their instruments and talents to the project. Thank you to Michael Dowdle (Guitars & Mandolin) Rich Dixon (Guitars), Ryan Shupe (Violin) and Nicole Pinnell (Cello). Through all of this I have felt more like a tourist than a musician - sitting at the feet of so many professionals to learn, and to get the thrill of a lifetime watching them add layer upon layer of beauty to these songs!
I would also like to thank my Mom and Dad, David and Mary Ellen Barss for being my biggest fans when there were only two! (Thanks Dad for pulling Polly aside and telling her we needed to buy a piano when we got married...we couldn't afford it, but it has been so important.)
And of course, to my amazing wife Pollyanna and our kids, Andrew, Lillian, Anna and Tommy for encouraging and allowing this to happen!
