Songwriter Sunday
Monday is the new Sunday, right?!
Not “Are You Afraid of the Dark Part 3”?!
Don’t worry. There will be more installments. I need some more time to feel ready to share more chapters of my life (that part at least). I appreciate your patience, friends.
But I think I’m almost ready.
Wisconsin, born and raised
You would think someone that is based in Iowa, and is on the road all the time, would make their way over to see family in Wisconsin fairly often.
As it turns out, I only see my family a few times a year.
I’m so grateful to be making a living as a freelance artist. It was a long, hard road to get to a place where I have stability in all areas of my life (well, most areas). I often recall my parents sitting me down for a chat in my early teens (not the kind you might be thinking of)…
Both of my parents are musicians and were full-time high school choir directors. My mom also does freelance work as a soprano soloist and choral conductor, and my dad has been a civic orchestra and choir conductor, as well as a piano tuner, for many years. They also run the music program at a methodist church.
This is all to say…my parents know how to be successful in the music industry.
In their conversation with me (I believe I was in 7th or 8th grade), I told them that I wanted to be a professional musician for a living. Though I could see a spark of joy in my sharing this sentiment, it fairly quickly shifted to a real talk about the hustle and grind that I would be stepping into.
“You’d better want this. And I mean…really want this. It’s going to be a difficult life to lead, so you better not just want to do this. You better love this so much that you need to do this.”
Looking back on my childhood, I’m grateful for the candor my parents had in our dynamic. Was it challenging having musician parents and knowing I was leading a life to being a professional musician? Absolutely. The level of perfectionism I was seeking was off the charts. I had to be perfect - not just for them…but for me.
Though I spent much of my childhood in our music room practicing viola (and learning Beethoven and Debussy on our Bush & Gerts grand piano), I did eventually find a friend group where I felt accepted.
It wasn’t easy being a nerdy, straight A student orchestra dork. I was often seen as aloof or conceited. The truth was that I spent so much time obsessing over my passion for music that socializing was a foreign concept to me. It was much easier to express myself through music than it was to converse with another human.
But when I found that friend group at 15 years old, I clung on as tight as I could. I have fond memories of driving out on country roads at dusk in Evansville, WI. We’d park our cars on the shoulder, place blankets in the road and gaze up at the stars.
Conversations were never surface level with these friends. We always went deeper - dreaming up our futures and discussing our philosophies on life.
It was a pretty magical time.
As I laid in my childhood home this past week (in what used to be my bedroom), I found myself looking at my first 13 years of my life. It was right before my eyes in sharpie and pencil (the image you see above).
It’s hard not to reminisce when your life is etched in front you.
I sure am grateful my parents never painted over that part of the wall. It’s a reminder of not only my growth spurts, but also my growth as a human.
Beaver Moon
“Beaver Moon” is a celebration of my time spent with my friend group at 15 and 16 years old.
Remember the nights we used to spend out in the country
Laying in the road and talking about life
Wondering where the road would lead us
Finding joy in the unknowns of what could be - what we’d see - when we were young
When the stars are shining bright
I think of you and what remains
Do you think of me too
Looking at that same ‘ol beaver moon?
Years have passed
And miles between the thoughts of what could be and now the way life leads
We’d never have guessed the heartbreaks and victories
How many unknowns could there be at 93?
When the stars are shining bright
I think of you and what remains
Do you think of me too
Looking at that same ‘ol beaver moon?
Sharing time
I’d like to share an unreleased song I wrote with you all, titled, “Beaver Moon.” Oh, nostalgia…
I can’t wait to share the back story to more of my songs with all of you, as well as my journey in music and life. Until next time.
See you in a week
If you’re reading this, thank you. I’m honored. And I can’t wait to continue on this journey via Substack with all of you! We’ll see what next Sunday brings.
To learn more about myself, follow my show schedule and hear my music: Kathryn Severing Fox's website
Photo by Chad Elliott
Kind of a silly question, but what is the time signature on this beguilingly simple song? Fits so nicely with the story you told.