Waking The Muse: Eve Selis

Country roots singer-songwriter Eve Selis reveals her musical inspirations.

“Music has always moved me. Even as a baby my mom said I’d tap my foot along to the rhythm in my crib. I loved to sing and drove my family crazy for most of my childhood. I remember the moment I knew that singing was what I wanted to do as a career. I heard a Carly Simon song on the radio called, You’re So Vain and that was it. Singing along to my reflection in a sliding glass door, I knew the feeling that singing along gave me was something I needed and wanted to do for the rest of my life. I told anyone who would listen that I was gonna be a singer. I loved duos like Loggins and Messina, Simon and Garfunkel and even Seals & Crofts. I guess I was destined to become a singer-songwriter. What better job is there to express your feelings and touch people’s hearts than through words and music?

“Flash-forward through many cover bands and many more gigs to 1991 when I was flying over to Europe for a Department of Defense military tour. Marc “Twang” Intravaia was also in the band and after a 17-hour flight we started a song and what would become a collaboration lasting over 21 years.  That has brought us to the UK for the past nine years. Singing in England was a bucket list item for me (and probably most American musicians) that came true in September of 2003. On our second visit in 2004, we were fortunate enough to meet up with Malcolm Mills of Proper Music and the rest is history.

“Twenty years ago, I was recording my debut CD and was scouting locations to take a band photo shoot. For some reason I was drawn to a tree at the top of a hill and thought it would make a great cover shot. Our band, Kings Road, hiked down to just below the tree. Our photographer was a great sport and even brought a ladder to get the shot that became the cover of Where Angels Walk. Little did I know how big a role this tree would play in my life.  Fast forward to 2011 and we’ve come full circle by completing our 10^th studio CD and calling it Family Tree.

“It seemed like a perfect fit to take another photo of the band with that same tree. But so many things have changed since that first band shot. Marc Twang and I are the only remaining members and our former keyboard player and friend, Mike Peters, has passed on.  We have grown musically and our journey has led us through much of the United States as well as trips to the UK. Our own families have grown and our music family has too, with Rick Nash on bass, Sharon Whyte on keys and accordion, “Cactus” Jim Soldi on guitar and Larry Grano on drums.
 
“Trying to think of a concept picture for the CD, a picture of the band by a tree seemed too obvious… but how else do you show it. Marc mentioned the original tree from our first CD and I was sold. Perfect…let’s do it!

“I was the first to arrive on scene and Marc showed up next. He brought his son Sam and we went to check out how the trek to below the tree would be. Marc said it was going to be easy. Sharon mentioned trying to get a few shots on the other side of the tree. I loved that and the sentiment since it had been 20 years ago, but the bright sun would not cooperate with our eyes. We brought the cover of our first CD with us and marked out where we needed to stand to match up the shot. The tree was definitely not as full and the sun was still bright but we managed to get THE shot and the result is fantastic. I love it!

“The title track bridge says it all, “It’s the people you’re from that give you the courage to free fall into the unknown. And the people you’re from that give you the strength to stand there in silence and watch as they go.” There are so many beautiful intertwining truths in those lines. Each of our personal families and musical families brought us to that photo. Every choice we’ve made having a direct result in bringing us one step closer to returning to that tree.

“I am so grateful for all the help and input our music has received from past band members and co-songwriters, from musical comrades and fans, from people who have joined our team and become an integral part of the roots and trunk of our tree. It continues to fill my heart with gladness that we are able to make our living playing our music. I am so happy that music has been a part of my Family Tree!”

Thanks to Eve Selis for the latest in our series of artist blogs. Eve’s new album Family Tree is out this week on Hippy Chick Twang. Eve’s UK tour starts tonight in Surrey and she’ll be touring the UK until 16th July 2012. Check her Tour Schedule for full info.