Heather Waters

[barb62]

I had the pleasure of hosting a house concert on Sept 26, 2009 featuring the very talented Heather Waters from Los Angeles CA. Please check out Heather's site at: http://www.heatherwaters.com/fr_index.cfm

Also, you can check out a link to our show that night at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bx7h1hJF ... re=related

Enjoy!

[Mtn Gal]

Very nice barb! Thanks for sharing. I checked out her website and just love the song, Diane. What a beautiful voice Heather has!

[barb62]

Thanks Mtn Girl -

Heather is truly an exceptional artist and everyone who attended the concert fell in love with her. Her voice is amazing! I think we have the same taste in music - Ellis, Chris, and now Heather!

[paddyinthepub]

Have to take a minute here today to talk about Heather Waters. No, really, I HAVE TO!!! You see, I'm an invited dinner guest at Barb and Mike's place (also known as Jammin Jules House Concerts on occasion) tomorrow evening and there's no way I can show up without having laid down a few words about the show recently where they hosted LA based artist Heather Waters. I've put it off for far too long.....

Would I sing for my supper? NEVER!

Would I blog for my supper? YOUBETCHA!

I was committed to this show long before I had heard Heather Waters sing even one note. I'd missed the first Jammin Jules House Concert, made the second one, and had it in my head that I wouldn't miss another one ever again. Barb and I share a passion for music so I figure if she says it's not to be missed that I'd best listen up and save dates accordingly.

I'll confess to being a little lazy about looking up this Heather Waters person in all the ususal ONLINE places, I was counting on Barb's word that she was the real deal and that I would love her. So I did. For weeks on end. Then, as the date drew closer and closer I thought, I need to take a peek at something for some idea what I had gotten myself into...

I started to watch some Youtubes a couple times and always got distracted by one thing or the other....and never really got through one in it's entirety. Again....had to go on Blind Faith.

Hard for this old music lover to do.....so a day or so before I did some slightly more intense googling to find out that Heather Waters had stepped out from behind the shadows of Nashville recording studios "go to girl" for several prominent female artists who count on Heather to take the new songs into the demo sessions lest they risk the label suits passing judgement too soon. Heather would get the ball rolling essentially, having those BIG BOYS interested enough by virtue of Heather's vocals on the tracks that they just couldn't wait to hear their STAR"S version of the song....mission accomplished.

Also learned of Heather's time in Boston, Nashville, and LA in the early days spending considerable time as the psuedo foster child of The McLinton's ~ as in Delbert McLinton and family. Heather went on to be an integral part of Delbert's touring band. I'm sure there's a whole lot more I could offer about this amazing talent, but I'll leave some of it for your own discovery.

I do know she reminded me, in concert in Barb and Mike's living room and accompanied by guitarist extraordinaire Chuck Bramlett, of none other than Roseanne Cash. She's that good!

Something else I learned about Heather in reading about her online before the show is that, like Roseanne Cash, Heather also suffered from possible career ending vocal chord troubles. She was fortunate enough to not have to have surgery after getting hooked up with one the best in the business Docs that deal with these things. Lucky for her and of course, for us!!!

What a show! This woman can sing! Holy cow! Loved her amazing way around a song, with and without accompaniment. She was repaid by one BIG NAME country artist who she'd done an album's worth of demos for when she collected on the "anything I can ever do for you thank yous" by asking for and gaining permission to put 2 of that artist's song on her latest album.

I've got both Heather Waters CDs.....both fantastic!!!

But then, I should have known.....

right, Barb?

Next up at Jammin Jules House Concerts::::::::?

Chris Trapper of the Push Stars

On Barb's Birthday in late March of 2010...no less.

Need I say more?

[KarenZ]

Paddy,

It's always gratifying to me to hear about friendships formed as a result of our online community. Have fun tomorrow night. I wish I lived closer to Barb & Mike so I could attend the Jammin' Jules Concerts!

KarenZ

[paddyinthepub]

The Jammin Jules House Concert series hosted by Barb and Mike is a true labor of love these two love to share with friends and family. Truly a wonderful evening in store when these two music lovers open their home and hearts to acoustic music artists and there soon to be new fans.....

Beyond the forum and long before Jammin Jules came to be I chanced to meet Barb and her family up in Jim Thorpe Pa at the FLYNN concert inside Mauch Chunk Opera House. Bonnie and Lyn and Sue had talked me into going. It was a great show made all the more special by meeting 4 new forum members for the first time on the same night. By the time we all said hello for the first time face to face we all felt like we had known each other for ages.

Forums are cool that way. So, alot of time passed between the Flynn show and the next time I would see Barb and Mike again. I may have seen them briefly at the Tin Angel when Ellis and Flynn were there but I had to bolt for home before Ellis took the stage due to an emergency at home. Beyond that it had been years it seemed.

Barb reached out a while back about her dream of starting up the Jammin Jules House Concert series since she was settled in her new home with the space for it. We talked a bit via messages here and I gave her what little advice I could about what I had experienced attending other house concerts. Before I knew it I was poolside for my first show. What was evident immediately was the sheer joy Barb got out of bringing folks together for an afternoon of food wine and song.

Fast forward to Heather Waters a few Saturday nights ago. Same story. Warmth pours out of this family to all gathered in their home. Another intimate concert put on just for those of us lucky enough to have said yes, we'll be there.

Much success to Barb and Mike and Family....long may they run!

Funniest line of the night came from a woman I had not met before asking me how it was that I knew Mike. Now, what I did not know at the time was that the woman was Mike's mom. So, it's Barb's mother in law. A very sweet woman.

She: So, how do you know Mike?
Me: Oh, actually, I've known Barb a long time!
She: Oh, and how did you meet Barb?
Me: Well, we met online on a (and before I can get it out)
She: YOU MET ONLINE???

We are laughing out loud at this point....

I got a chance to explain just how we met online.......

Here, of all places!

[Mtn Gal]

Paddy,

I just love to read your reviews! Both pre- and post- were excellent, informative, and interesting and I love the conversation you had with Barb's mom. How funny!

I, too, wish I were closer to attend the Jammin' Jules House Concerts and aspire to be like barb when I grow up! What a wonderful thing you do for the the music community and those fortunate enough to attend and be a part of it.

[barb62]

Paddy,

First of all, thanks for all of the wonderful compliments you gave myself, Mike, and Jammin' Jules House Concerts! Second, as I said many times before, you have a natural talent of writing these reviews - they are from the heart, they are extremely informative, and they show without a doubt your passion for music and talented singer songwriters. I can't imagine anyone doing it any better than you! In my book, you, Pam, and Michael are family! The pure love of Ellis's, Bill's, Heather's, Chris's, Flynn's, Chuck's, and all the other talented artists that I didn't include - this is what gives us this strong connection - and I can't think of a better connection to have!

Karen and Mtn Girl, we sure do wish you both lived closer because it would be awesome having you attend our concerts. I've had the pleasure of Karen's company at many shows and hopefully I'll meet Mtn Girl sometime in the near future. Music is the key to the soul - a translusent soul that is - (hope I spelled it right).

barb

[Mtn Gal]

Thanks Barb. I'm sure our paths will cross someday.

[paddyinthepub]

words are better when they're written down ~ fall to the page with no sound ~ if you let 'em sit awhile ~ give 'em time and distance ~ ellis paul

Barb, as you know, at dinner on Saturday night at your house your husband Mike asked me where I learned to write. All I could think to say that it was a very good question. I'm not sure I had a good answer. I tried my best to wing one.

I suppose there was something in my answer that held some part of the answer in that I did train folks in special projects and often had to try and capture the essence of one thing or another and make it easy enough for others to read and learn from. I'm sure that's part of it.

I can't really put it into words....even here....even now.

Let's just say that the opportunity to write about music here on the forum has been one of the joys of my life these past several years. I grew up learning about music from a certain writer and hung on every word. I learned alot. The music biz has changed alot over the years. That writer died too young.

I guess the early exposure to good music writing helped.

I'm humbled.

Glad you guys are here.... If not for the forum I'm certain that I'd just listen to and think about but not write about music. Glad you're all here to share the passion for Ellis and others with. It's easily one of my favorite things on the internet.