biography

questions and answers

If you could duet with anyone dead or alive who would it be?

That’s a toughie….. when I was younger…Elton John…but I love singing in other languages…I love Luis Miguel’s voice….or David Bisbal, Gigi D’Alessio, Lara Fabian…..Rene Fleming and Josh Groban just to name a few… and to work with Bach or Mozart….or Albinoni among would have been such an honor even though the duet with them would have had to be with their instrument as opposed to their voice. Bobby McFerrin has done some amazing duets with instrumentalists…..

Who are your musical influences?

Being that I had a classical upbringing…. Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Katchaturian, Ennio Moricone, Carole King, James Taylor, Brian Wilson, Elton John, My husband – Jerry Epstein, Beverly Sills, The late Opera Director Sarah Caldwell

How do you write your songs? Do you start with the music or the lyrics.

It’s a strange process…. Almost like a meditation. I much prefer to be handed a stack of lyrics…. .Which I breeze through and then put in a pile on my piano The better I know a lyricist, the more satisfying it is to write..almost like the emotion that comes from me is their’s. When I’m alone…and it’s quiet (except for my incessantly barking dogs) I turn down the lights, sit at my piano, close my eyes…. And out of my fingers comes the next song….. I never know which lyric is going to go to it….I pick up the pile….flipping through it and grab a sheet…and it is always the one that works with the music. I can’t tell you how….it used to kind of freak me out but I just go with it. My daughter writes her music the same way….as opposed to my husband who can’t understand it at all. He’s a trained and educated professional musician (40 year member of the LA Philharmonic) and learned to write with composition paper and all the “rules”. Though I am trained, I just could never write that way….it never seemed to be coming from my heart and soul…so I just go with it and don’t question it anymore. I feel physically exhausted after I finish a writing session.

Can you play any instruments if so which ones and do you have a favourite?

My mom was an opera singer and felt that music was a discipline not a luxury. By the time we were 7 years old, we were expected to be playing 2 instruments, the first being piano. I started piano at the age of 2. My two older brothers would be dropped off at the piano teacher’s house and I wanted to stay with them and listen. I begged to take lessons and so I began.

My 3rd grade teacher told our class about how she had a beautiful flute that was stolen…and so the entire class chose to play flute in the school music program…including me! Well, I hated it, but in my family, there are no quitters and whatever you do, you do well..no choice in that matter. So for the next 7 years I played flute and piccolo (and mind you, I was better than the Principal Flutist in the NY Philharmonic when we were at summer music camp together as kids).

During that time, I also played drums and percussion and I studied the 32 pedal organ. I used to perform barefooted…and it was my favorite instrument…I just loved it. After being tortured with the flute for 7 years, I was given a choice, I could play the oboe or the French horn, both of which I loved…but truthfully, the oboe is high maintenance…you have to constantly be making reeds and I truly preferred the sound of the French Horn. In less than a year, I was playing in All State Orchestras and loving it.

That is my instrument..right from my soul…aside from my voice. I used to go into the bathroom to practice because I loved the acoustics. I’ve tried learning guitar, though I find the position of the hand awkward, but I’m not giving up yet. One of my brothers started teaching me how to play the standing bass..that was fun…and of course I play keyboards.

Though I love the harmonics produced from the strings of a piano, I find it so exciting to be able to use thousands of sounds produced by sound banks with the keyboards and computer. When my husband retires, I’m getting him a midi viola so he can hook up to my studio and have some REAL fun with his instrument.

How did you get into music, was it from an early age?

I guess I couldn’t help combining this question with the one above. I will say, coming from a large family along with cousins that were classically trained, we had our own family orchestra. When I got married, my siblings, cousins and some of their friends put together an orchestra to play for all of us as a gift.

Do you have any musical training?

Yes, between weekly music lessons on two or three instruments, summer music camp in Maine for 8 summers, various programs to study music theory, harmony and composition and various other programs… School/College Symphonic Bands, Orchestras, Brass Ensembles, Choirs, Various other orchestras…exposure to all kinds of music….and perhaps one of my favourites…my mom was an opera singer and helped found the Boston Opera Guild. The director of the Boston Opera was Sarah Caldwell. This woman lived, ate and breathed Opera. I remember being a young tot, sitting on her lap during the rehearsals conducting with her…..I dreamed of being a conductor….but it wasn’t in the cards.

Which of your songs are you most proud of?

That’s a toughie. I’m working on a project right now with Susan Santiago. I’m turning 50 in June and Susan wanted to complete 50 songs by then as a birthday gift. We’re about halfway…so who knows, but we’ve come up with some songs of which I am extremely proud. When I did the lullaby albums in 1997, I especially enjoyed the Italian version and specifically the song “Cara Luna Amica”, a personal favorite of mine that I wrote with Pauline Priore and Ricardo Osorio. I’m proud of the song “Wichita (Heart of the USA) that I wrote with Larry Caldwell. The City of Wichita, Kansas had a contest for a theme song for the City. We lost and yet we were the most requested song, got in USA today and were played all over the world….plus I got to play in the Arkansas Riverfest with Randy Travis and Kathy Mattea. In the 80’s I wrote a song with Grammy winning songwriter Phyllis Molinary and we recently wrote another that I can’t wait to record. She’s such an amazing lyricist. I also wrote a lot of songs with my brother Ian Randall Wilson in the 70’s and early 80’s that I still like to listen to and still have people requesting. It’s too hard to choose!

Where were you born, and do you still live there?

I was born in Newton, MA (10 miles west of Boston)…one of 7 children…the oldest of the 2 girls…5 brothers (can you imagine?!). I’m #3….and feel like I raised a family by the time I was 18…my youngest brother is 12 years younger than I am. I moved to CA in the Fall of 1978 trying to put some distance between all us, but then almost the whole family followed me out here! I had to remind them that I’m not their mother away from home and to get a life!!!! I’ve been out here ever since.

Where would you like to see yourself in five years time?

Well, If I were back in my 20’s..I’d have a completely different answer, but at this point in my life, I’m right where I want to be….and five years from now, I want to continue to fill my life with creative, fun-loving people. Instead of performing in huge venues, I now like the intimacy of small venues. I recently saw Carole King and James Taylor perform at the Troubadour in West Hollywood, CA (down the street from me, how much better can that be!!!)…and it was an incredible evening. The intimacy in that room with those artists was fantastic! Even though large venues are fun and exciting, at this point in my life, I want to slow down and enjoy myself. There are so many places in town to play and with the internet, it’s so easy to do video podcasts of those venues and performances. I want to continue recording…and I can’t wait to start working more with my husband. Maybe in the next five years..I’ll actually be able to play guitar….

Six words that best describe you..

Fun – playful, passionate, loving, talented, intelligent and loyal.

What’s your favourite of all of your songs?

Oh don’t do this to me….. like I said above…I love CARA LUNA AMICA, but of recent, I’m having a hard time choosing between “Do You Ever Think of Me”, “Is There Another One of You”, “Perfect” or “There Goes Love”

How long does it take to write and record one of your albums?

Usually it’s 6 months to a year. I was hoping to have my new album underway, but unfortunately, the Producer got into a serious motorcycle accident and is working is way back through PT. I could go find someone else but we have a great rapport and at this point in my life, I’m not in a huge rush. I’d rather have something of which I’m proud than something just for the sake of something.

Whats the best Live / recording moment you ever had?

I think it was in Wichita. Here I was in this huge venue but the people were so kind and gracious and respectful.

Of recent I have been doing Salons like in the 30’s….and I’m loving it. My next Salon I am going to video cast…

Where was your first public performance?

In terms of in the pop end…. It was 1979 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel…oh I remember that day. I got up on stage…sat down at the piano, started playing my intro..opened my mouth to sing and NOTHING came out…I mean NOTHING..not even a squeak. You’d think with all the performing I did on French Horn…all the solo work I did, it would’ve been a piece of cake..but I froze like and icecube until I could gulp some air…and once I let go, I sang my heart out. After that, it was so easy and enjoyable!