Lure of the Mountains
cutthroat pass trail 8-12-20
Another big influence on my writing and my life itself has been the out of doors, In particular the mountains, hiking and backpacking.
When I was a kid I always wanted to be out in the woods wandering around and discovering nature. Opportunities in the Chicago area where I grew up were pretty scarce. As I grew up and got older I would occasionally drive out to Wisconsin or Michigan to check out the hiking, camping or fishing.
A friend of mine took me on two canoe portaging trips in the Boundary Waters area of Minnesota on two summer vacations. Man- I was hooked on the out of doors after that. The scenery, paddling and camping opportunities were just incredible.
When I got back from Nashville, got a “real job” and got married I was given an opportunity to move to Washington state. On the weekend they interviewed me for the transfer they took me out to Mt. Rainier National Park.
Now I was really hooked.
The size of the Cascades, the beauty of the Pacific Northwest, just swept me away. I didn’t have to think long about it- my wife and I moved to the Seattle area.
So what’s this got to do with songwriting? ALOT!
I have gotten a lot of inspiration and ideas for songs from being in the out of doors here. I have written some songs about backpacking and wandering. But really- the inspirations in my wanderings have been truly heartfelt and I strive to write songs that convey a sense of playfulness, thoughtfulness, and hope.
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