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5 Songs That Changed My Life: Wrap Up
Some songs stay. Not because they’re the most difficult to play, or the most impressive to perform — but because they mark a shift. A beginning. A return. A quiet realization that something has changed. Over time, I wrote five individual posts about songs that shaped my relationship with music — not all at once, and not intentionally as a set. Only later did I realize they belonged together. Each song represents a different doorway:into confidence, into presence, into joy, into tenderness, into commitment. This…
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Five Songs That Changed My Life: Love Story
This post is part of Five Songs That Changed My Life, a personal series reflecting on the music that guided me back to playing, performing, and sharing songs with others. The songs in this series unfold in order, beginning with Lava and ending with Love Story. Recognizing Artistry, Integrity, and Ownership Some songs change your life quietly, and others announce themselves the moment you realize they’re staying with you forever. Love Story by Taylor Swift falls into both categories for me. While the song itself…
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Another Year Older, Still Practicing
Three years ago, my practice looked very different than it does now. Back then, I mostly practiced what I wanted to play. I cycled through the same eight or so songs — the ones I loved, the ones that felt good in my hands. I wasn’t thinking much about vocals or clean strumming or picking. I trusted that those things would improve naturally over time, and honestly, they did. Practice often happened in community. I’d go to ukulele jams, play for a while, and go…
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Five Songs That Changed My Life: The Mother
This post is part of Five Songs That Changed My Life, a personal series reflecting on the music that guided me back to playing, performing, and sharing songs with others. The songs in this series unfold in order, beginning with Lava and ending with Love Story. The fourth song in this series is The Mother. Finding Truth, Purpose, and Belonging on Stage You might think The Mother is my favorite Brandi Carlile song, but it actually comes in behind The Story and Carried Me With You.…
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The Moment I Knew the Room Was Listening
There are moments in performing when something shifts. Not loudly, not dramatically—but unmistakably. The room changes temperature. The noise drops away. People stop multitasking. That’s when I know the room is listening. One moment I’ll never forget happened at Rails End Brewery in the summer of 2024. I wish I could remember what song I was playing, but maybe that’s part of the point. What I remember is the silence. A crowded brewery, full of conversations and clinking glasses, suddenly grew quiet. The shift was…
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Progress, Not Perfection
One of the consistent themes running through my 100 Days of ‘Ukulele project was learning how to loosen my grip on perfection — especially when the music wasn’t staying in the dark. I’m classically trained — my primary instrument was tuba — and I studied music at Colorado State University. Later, I taught band and orchestra, where precision mattered: right notes, right rhythms, right entrances. In that world, mistakes are something you fix before anyone hears them. You practice until the errors disappear. That mindset…
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Five Songs That Changed My Life: Surf
This post is part of Five Songs That Changed My Life, a personal series reflecting on the music that guided me back to playing, performing, and sharing songs with others. The songs in this series unfold in order, beginning with Lava and ending with Love Story. Letting Music Be Playful, Social, and Fun Surf is the third song that changed my life, largely because it reminded me that music can simply be fun. I learned this tune through an extra songbook at the ukulele jam—the…
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What I Practice When No One Is Listening
When I say “when no one is listening,” I don’t just mean an empty room. For me, sometimes it’s music without an agenda.No setlist. No audience. No outcome I’m aiming for.Just showing up with the instrument and seeing what wants to happen. For me, this kind of playing is deeply personal — a choose-your-own-adventure type of practice. It’s also where a lot of my real progress lives. Practice doesn’t always look like drills I think of practice a little differently than I used to. If…
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Five Songs That Changed My Life: La Vie En Rose
This post is part of Five Songs That Changed My Life, a personal series reflecting on the music that guided me back to playing, performing, and sharing songs with others. The songs in this series unfold in order, beginning with Lava and ending with Love Story. La Vie En Rose is the second song in this series. Learning to Be Brave in Front of Others La Vie En Rose has always carried special meaning for me—it was a favorite of my late mother, and long before…
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Five Songs That Changed My Life: Lava
This post is part of Five Songs That Changed My Life, a personal series reflecting on the music that guided me back to playing, performing, and sharing songs with others. The songs in this series unfold in order, beginning with Lava and ending with Love Story. Finding My Way Back to Music Through Simplicity and Aloha The Pixar short Lava, with music written by James Ford Murphy, tells the story of two volcanoes patiently waiting for love, separated by time and distance. On the surface, it’s…
