Celebrating 10 Years of Inspiration

The Sundial Bridge is one of those places that continues to inspire and delight me. My daughter was a volunteer with Turtle Bay in 2004 when the bridge opened and was one of the first to get to cross it. Since then,  I get out there every chance I get.

I've found a lot songs on that span and on the adjacent River Trail, including Under the Sundial Bridge and River Whispers.  So we were delighted to be asked to perform some of our tunes during the Sundial Music Festival,  part of the Celebrate 10 festivities.

The Riverfront Amphitheater is a cool, grassy slope above a stage that sits just off the river bank,  it's north of the Convention Center, between the Sundial Bridge and the Boat Ramp.   It's a perfect spot to share our locally-inspired tunes.

In addition to music, you'll also find a beer garden and food trucks with all sorts of goodies available.

photo by Cierra Goldstein

Sundial Music Festival runs from 6 -9 PM,  June 22 - June 25 and June 29 - July 2.  It features  different musical acts every night.

Still Married will perform on Tuesday, July 1st, at 7 PM at the
Riverfront Amphitheater.

More details are here: http://www.shastaartscouncil.org

This tune is on our playlist for the Sundial Music Festival - hope to see lots of friends there for  this is a momentous occasion. Ten years of beauty, grace and inspiration is well worth a grand celebration.

When the well runs dry

I was on a roll for awhile and busily churning out songs. But I haven't written anything new for a couple of weeks (I don't count commercial jingles) and I always get antsy at this point.

IS there another song out there -- will it show itself? Please?

Usually a change of scenery will get the creative juices flowing again -- hiking a new trail, setting out in unfamiliar surroundings -- seems to shock the system into producing something worth working on. At least it has in the past. But I'm curious how other people deal with these dry spells.

A question for you Artist-Creative Types: What do you do when you can't muster any creative thoughts? How do you recharge your artistic batteries?

The Sacramento River Trail has always been good to me, so I'll be heading out there this week. That's where I found this song, "River Whispers," last year:

River Whispers

The Sacramento River winds through much of Shasta County history, and while I enjoy my long walks on the River Trail, I like to listen and write.

In River Whispers, I considered the part the river played - and continues to play - in the making of this community. This song is first track on our CD: Sacramento River Whispers.

And I am fairly certain that the long-stemmed yellow rose I found on the riverside last autumn has a story that will, eventually, find its way into another song.

River Whispers
words and music © Erin Coombs Friedman


“Kneel before the queen and sift
The sparkling sands, the regal gifts”
Fools rush in, wise men resist
The River Whispers - to them all

The River Whispers -- The river sings
Races through ages, remembering
Love songs and lullabies
Fables and ancient rhymes
River Whispers drifitin’ by
River Whispers driftin’ by

“The wild west is yours to tame
Build a mountain – move the rain
Drench the thirsty waves of grain”
The River Whispers - then they came

The River Whispers -- The river sings
Races through ages, remembering
Love songs and lullabies
Fables and ancient rhymes
River Whispers drifitin’ by
River Whispers driftin’ by

Kestrel cries and voices reach
Thru tangled vines, miner’s debris
A yellow rose among fallen leaves
The River Whispers – to me

The River Whispers -- The river sings
Races through ages, remembering
Love songs and lullabies
Fables and ancient rhymes
River Whispers drifitin’ by
River Whispers driftin’ by

Out of the Ashes

These days, there are lots of reasons to sink into A Funk --


The bleak economic outlook, the juvenile sniping that passes for political discourse, the return of the fashion disaster known as the "smock top." Oy.

And In a Funk is where I was on Thursday, when I set out for a walk by the river.


But it couldn't last, because out there on the riverside, which just a few weeks ago was burned to a crisp, everywhere I turned I saw signs of new life, new hope: Fresh green, growing sprouts emerging from the ashes, doing their damnedest to heal the blackened landscape and revive the dark, dreary scenery.

The river sparkled in the sun. Tourists smiled and posed, snapped their souvenir shots.

The Funk surrendered, having been soundly battered by the prevailing theme out on The River:

"Life is good - healing happens."

The pictures are, mostly, from the river trail and surrounding areas.

The song is "I Never Knew I Could Fly." Free download available here.

I Never Knew I Could Fly

© Erin Coombs Friedman

Saw my whole world fall apart in slow motion
The tragedy unfolded frame by frame
Before and after severed in a moment
When the ground beneath my feet fell away

I tumbled in a free fall without warnin’
Terrified until I realized
I was no longer fallin’ -- I was soarin’
I Never Knew I Could Fly ‘til I tried

A fall from grace – A leap of faith
I Never Knew I Could Fly ‘til I tried
Til I was fallin’ desperately
I never knew I had wings
I Never Knew I Could Fly ‘til I tried

I found hope in a hopeless cry of sorrow
An upliftin’ wind in a dark cloud of despair
From here on high, I see a bright tomorrow
If it’s an angel that you need, I’ll be there

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