Gina's Diary

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Diary Entry #56
September 2010

Hi Everyone,
I hope life is good for you right now.
We are having a wonderful time. As I write this, it is school holidays. I loooove school holidays so much! This holiday we decided to stay home and have lot’s of PJ days, go to the beautiful local beaches, have friends over for plays, go to the movies! Fun!!!

At last, my album “Old Paint” is in the shops! I am so excited to have it out on Rod’s new label, Core Music through Sony Music.
Rod and I made the album over the Christmas holidays, and as you know being married to one of the biggest record producers in Australia, I have to wait patiently in a big long queue to get my own album recorded!
I liken it to being married to a plumber and your taps are leaky! You are the last to get fixed!!
I was happy to wait while Rod produced Adam Harveys new album, then Troy Cassar-Daley and the list goes on and on!!
So, we made it during the holidays. Rather than spend the usual 6 weeks or so recording, we did it in 6 days!
Rod played every single instrument, and I think I’m very funny when I say in interviews that I sang every song!
It was really just the 2 of us and a wonderful thing to do.
It is my favourite album I have ever made.
It is all old songs from my childhood. Songs that are really the reason I am a country singer and why I sound like I do. It’s an album we recorded with no bells and whistles! No auto tuning, all instruments recorded in first takes. We really wanted to somehow pay tribute to the old songs and record them as simply as possible.
It really was a fun way to record.
I think Rod particularly enjoyed the process as a producer too because he had complete control with no outside influence from anyone other than me!! My brief to him at the start of the recording was to make an album that was easy to listen to. An album that was laid back. Something that would be nice to play when you have people over for dinner. I think he nailed it!
I love also that we recorded it together, just the 2 of us, in our 10th year of marriage. It was quite romantic and private.

After 20 years in the industry, (next year in January, it is 20 years since I won Star Maker. Can you believe it??) I have truly come full circle and I am back singing the songs I started singing as a kid and teenager.

I thought you might like to read the track my track list I wrote for the media that explains where each song comes from and why it means so much to me.

1. “It Doesn’t Matter Anymore” – I used to sing the up tempo Buddy Holly version of this song when I was in a band in my teens.

2. “Blue Bayou” – This is the song I sang at the audition to get into the first band I ever joined when I was 15. I am a huge Linda Ronstadt fan and this was on her album “Simple Dreams” which was the first record I ever bought with my own money! (The money I made singing in this band!)

3. “Dream a Little Dream of Me” –– For as long as I can remember, my Mum has sat at the piano and played old songs. This is the song she used to play in her house when she was all dressed up and waiting to go out on a date with my Dad. Mum tells me my grandfathers eyes would well up with tears every time she played this song.

4. “I’m so Lonesome I could Cry” –Hank Williams recorded this in 1949. It’s the saddest song I know, and sometimes it’s nice to wallow in a sad song. Another song from my childhood.

5. “Crazy” –I grew up listening to a lot of Patsy Cline and Willie Nelson. I’ve been singing this song for as long as I can remember. The real reason this song is on the album, is my Mum would disown me if it wasn’t!

6. “Here, There and Everywhere” I couldn’t record an album of my favourite old songs without putting a McCartney/Lennon song on it. This is from the Beatles album, “Revolver” released in 1966.

7. “You Don’t Know Me” – This is another song from my childhood. When Rod and I recorded it, we did this in one take together. No bells and whistles, no tricks, just the two of us in the studio late at night on our own. Quite a date!

8. “He Thinks I still Care” –Another song from my Mum’s piano repetoire! In my early days touring, Adam Harvey and I used to get up and sing this together.

9. “When You Wish Upon a Star” – My brother and I used to fall asleep every night to the lull of our Mothers voice singing this song when we were little.

10. “Old Paint” This is the oldest song I know. Set in the 1800’s it’s about the special relationship between a cowboy and his horse. I have been singing this song for as long as I can remember.

11. “Smile” –My grandparents played together in an old time dance band back in the 40’s and 50’s. This was one of their songs. My Nanna on the piano and my Grand father on the piano accordian.

Anyway, I want to thank you all so much for your unbelievable support over the years and thank you again for buying my new album, “Old Paint”.

I will sign off now and get ready to play a game of UNO with our gorgeous little boy!
He taught me how to play yesterday and he is very hard to beat!! (I’m pretty sure he cheats when he deals the cards when I’m not looking…….somehow he ends up with all the good ones!!)
Ahhhhh, life is wonderful!
We are so blessed!! I don’t even mind that Jackson is happy to tell me that Daddy is his favourite!! (Well he does play the guitar, drums and soccer!!!) but I cook and kiss and cuddle!!
He is a wonderful Dad!

HAPPY!!!!!!

Hope you are too!

Lot’s of love
Gina xx