From the Ground Up

& Then Some

"Hey ya'll," I greeted Hunter's band as we arrived in the studio, "how are you?" I shook hands with a few familiar faces but who's names I forgot.

"Lincoln," a young, dark skinned man with long dreadlocks outstretched his hand, "bass."

"Right, sorry - I know we've met." He pursed his lips, and a somewhat apologetic look rested in his eyes. Just as I was getting settled, a voice with an unmistakeable twang entered the room.

"Dustin," I laughed, "how've you been?" Stephanie told me she, Dustin and their young twin boys just got back from a four week tour in the northern USA and some of Canada.

"Super busy but I'm ready to get to work."

Confused, I looked at Hunter, "So Dustin sent me a snippet of something he was working on, it needs another voice." He pointed at me, "You're his back up."

"Oh, okay, let's get started then." I smiled as Dustin handed me lyrics for a track titled, Ridin' Roads. He explained where he felt the song needed the female vocal emphasis. "It's great, I feel where you're coming from." In two takes we nailed it, and I melted as I watched Hunter in his element, headphones on, blending the track to the vocals, his nose scrunched up from working so hard. We listened to the rough cuts and with a few minor adjustments, we landed a track.

"Dustin, do me a favor?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't credit me." He was confused, so I explained, "Just do me the honour of being 'that back up vocal', I'm working on my own thing and I don't want to stamp my name on everyone's work. Get it?"

"I think I do. And I must say, because I know you so well and I married your best friend, I know whatever you're up to is going to be a big comeback for yourself."

"Hell right." Hunter smiled before shaking Dustin's hand as he departed the studio.

"Did you actually need me to sing for you babe?"

Hunter nodded and handed me a song, "For whatever amazing, big thing you're working on."

I smiled as I read the song, "Sky Stays This Blue"

"Right now in this moment
It looks like you'll never stop smiling
You don't even know it but I'm living off of
The wild in your eyes and it's like
Your posin' for pictures I'll frame in my mind
You're dancin' to music in three quarter time"

"I read this and the kids come to my mind."

"Exactly." Hunter smiled.

Hunter played through it once to help me get the gist of what he wanted to capture then I took a leap at it. His smile at the end was worth a thousand well written songs. "Beautiful!" He put a hand on my shoulder and I took a deep breath.

"I love it."