Me

Picture by Mary Jennings.

I've been writing since I was in grade school, & winning poetry contests & such. But I never dreamed I would be writing poems & putting them to music.

Moving from a very active & physical lifestyle to one of illness is very difficult. I had to relearn my energy levels. I have lived with Systemic Lupus since 1992 & now rebattling Systemic Lupus Nephritis. In August of 2007, I suffered a stroke which awakened a part of my brain to music. Writing & creating music has been such a huge part of my recovery that I don't think I would have recovered as fast as I did without it. January to April 2009, I was hospitalized.Dialysis was part of the treatment as well as others that were painful & unpleasant. 'You do what you do in the face of adversity'.

I saw my loving husband's & brave son's faces when they came to visit me in the hospital. Long lonely hours of labs, pills, exams, treatments, IV's, busted IV's, painful infiltrations & other mind melting things being in a hospital can do. My husband brought me pad, pen, & my travel guitar.

What a savior that was for me to have. I was able to bring out some of my frustrations.I got better & I am home now with some very nice songs.

Armstrong & Getty morning talk radio gave me a different type of healing. I entered their radio morning theme show contest. Jack Armstrong, (who I giggle so much at) & Joe Getty, who I admire, & hope to see play with his band, Joe Getty & The Dead Flowers.

I want to thank Mr. Bob Kinney one of the best humans on the planet.I learned so much from Bob.  

My family, who always puts up with my illness & always waits for me to emerge from the ugly sea I sometimes wade in, I love you,& if ever it happens that I am left to my own mind, I will have so many loving memories to relive & be fulfilled for a second lifetime. 

I have recorded with Jay Messina, Bill Bently, Gary Black, Michael Thompson, James Earley and many others.  I am learning music everyday and I am happy to be known as the "songwriter".

In Martinez, Ca in June of 2010 I won Best Song with "Heat of the Sun" at the West Coast Songwriter's competition.

I performed at Pista Sa Nayon in Vallejo, Ca.

Jay Messina and Liza Marie Sparks at Expressions College in Emeryville, Ca.

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