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Most of my family is from Oklahoma, although I moved around quite a bit when I was a kid. The very first memory I have is from when we lived in California. We were in Yosemite national park and I was running toward a mountain that I could have sworn was just close enough for me reach. I ran and ran until my mom had to come get me. I was probably five years old. I swore I was almost to that mountain! I guess I’ve always been running toward something.

My family finally settled down in Enid, Oklahoma, where my dad was born and raised. His family had been there since the great Oklahoma land run. So, I was finally in a place everyone knew me! Childhood carried a mix of musical influences for me. The stereo was always playing in my house, and someone was always singing. It was usually dad or me; we didn’t care who told us to “shut up” (usually my older brother) though you could catch my mom, sister or two brothers singing too, when they thought no one was around.

Music has always been a big part of my life. Dad and I were always singing and playing classic rock and folk songs around the house on his old Martin guitar. I was always singing somewhere in Enid, be it at the symphony hall with the conductor’s daughter when he needed extras, or in a trio around town. I performed as much as I could growing up… in school plays, community theater and churches, but like most kids growing up in small towns, I didn’t realize it’s benefits until I left.

I moved to New York City right out of high school to study theater and music, and quickly realized I had a lot to learn about showbiz, myself and the world. Although I started writing songs at the age of twelve, my songwriting really developed in these lonely months away from home in New York City, away from my family, friends, and the man who is now my husband. I began to sing the songs I wrote for two of the very few friends I had in New York, the little German girls I nannied for. They seemed to like them, and certainly sang along… it was a good sign, so I kept writing.

After a year in New York, I decided to go back to Oklahoma. I studied music and journalism at Oklahoma State University and loved it. College life was great, but I hurried through it wanting to finish up so I could start my “real” career in music. I had fun though, even held the title “Miss OSU” for a year. (I don’t tell many folks that-- guess it’s out of the bag now.) I graduated from school early and promptly married Will, my husband, and we moved to St. Louis. I kept writing and got a couple corporate jobs to bring in some money while my husband started his career.

Many of my songs came from ideas that developed while staring at a computer screen all day, songs that also provided great motivation to get out from behind my desk and follow my dream. After a year in St. Louis, we were able to move back to Oklahoma. Enough was enough… I had written at least 30 songs; it was time to see if anyone besides my friends and family would sing along. I answered an add in the Oklahoma Gazette, sang a few songs for a producer in Norman, Oklahoma and gained a new fan. (This fan really knew music, it wasn’t just all in my head!) We started co-writing, and performing the songs I had written. I got this little thing called a myspace page, and the music world started opening up to me. I started playing little joints that had singer/songwriter nights, and then I was contacted by a production company in Dallas to shoot a music video! I had been running for so long, and it finally felt like I was getting somewhere. There is a lot of music out there to hear, and the industry is constantly evolving with all the new forms of media. I believe it’s a great time to get started in the business, but one of the most challenging times as well. The rules are changing, so I think I’ve just got to make my own. There it is-- my life in a nutshell. It’s fast-paced, it’s all new and I’m loving it. I’ve finally reached the mountain, now I’ve just got to climb to the top.