About George Thompson
Location: Missouri
Occupation: Writer
Bio: Bio I was born in the small town of Ironton, Missouri in the mid-40s. My father was a minister and my mother was the devoted pastor’s wife. We moved when I was three to Kansas City where Dad pastored several churches, then moved to Fulton in 1960 where I graduated from Fulton High School in 1962. Dad was pastor at the Southside Baptist Church from 1960 through 1967. It was during those teenage years that I started writing poetry, articles, short stories and novels. Many poems were of a “grim” nature because I was usually either frustrated or felt depressed when I wrote them. Further in-depth study of myself helped me to see matters in a different, more enlightened way and gave me a much greater peace Bio of mind. That feeling came about when I realized that a Higher Power held control over my life and although I felt free here on earth to explore many things because God gave me the mind to make my own decisions based on the “terms” I had set for myself it was I who set the terms and levels of frustration and worry. Once I turned everything over to God, my writings became more positive and that feeling of emptiness I once had was lifted. My faith in God and the good intentions of mankind grows daily. I believe in the power of words, whether they are written, spoken or through the motions and spelling in sign language. They can be used to empower or defeat, accept or deny. My poetry is just one of many means of communicating. Retired now, I make my home in Ironton once again after being gone for sixty years. I write a poem every day, an article or two a week and have a continuing column at wickedwordsmith.com on the Web. My pleasures are writing, feeding birds and taking care of my new cat, Mandi.
Posts: 146
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A powerhouse of music!
It’s not impossible to get a toehold on where Marianne Keith is coming from once you know a little bit about her through her bio, and what she stands for: music for the multitudes, not just the grateful.
At 16, Marianne Keith sold her clarinet for a guitar and didn’t realize it was a classical guitar; she didn’t know the difference between that and an acoustical one. It would be almost two years before she got up enough courage to stand up in front of a crowd and perform. She said it was a “do or die” situation. Her nerves were on edge, but she figured so were everyone else’s who was performing.
This is her debut album of 12 songs that cover pop, folk, country and more. Two of her songs, “Make You Mine,” and “Sideways Rain,” have become crowd pleasers in Riverside, Orange County and Los Angeles where she won the Orange County Music Award for the Best Country category because of her rendition of “Make You Mine.”
Keith has expanded her talents to include the piano and it becomes evident that she is highly talented with her haunting melody “Sideways Rain.” It is done in one take and that says a lot for an up and coming young performer. She has a strong voice of several octaves and has been inspired by the likes of Sarah McLachlin, Tori Amos and KT Tunstall.
Marianne Keith’s voice is strong and supple, and she can reach the range of notes called for by the songs she has written. Incidentally, she wrote all 12 songs on her debut album and performs both piano and guitar accompaniment while she sings. I was trying to think of someone else with whom I’m familiar that has a striking voice like Ms Keith’s and Cindi Lauper came to mind time and time again. They both have a wide range of octaves from which they can pull notes and sing them with ease. Ms. Keith has a singular voice on self titled album. This is her music done the way she wants it. As far as I’m concerned, she has vindicated herself and won me over without having to try.
I liked the album very much, and knowing what I know about the singer, would purchase it in a heartbeat. That country rhythm alone on “Make You Mine” really helps sell the entire album and makes the rest of the songs all worthwhile.
Very well written! Congrats!