Martha Ann Brooks's Page

Favorite music:
Americana, Folk, Blues, Roots

Briefly:
I write songs and play 'em whenever I get the chance. The other day somebody in the studio asked me to specify the genre of my music. Since I draw from so many different influences when I write, I was a bit stymied for an answer.....and then it hit me.....I must be..... "Bluefolkacana". It never ceases to amaze me how uncomfortable some people get when they can't fit you all neat and tidy into a box.

Website:
http://www.MarthaAnnBrooks.com

About Me:

Born in Montgomery, AL and raised in Augusta, GA, I graduated from the University of Georgia before moving to Atlanta where I soon began my career as a solo artist. After a successful year playing solo, I expanded my act and performed with bands for the next five years, garnering a nomination for Female Vocalist of the Year from the Atlanta Society of Entertainers along the way. My musical career was put on hold in order to begin raising a family and to focus on my other creative endeavor, painting. After relocating to the shadow of Lookout Mountain in Northwest Georgia, I found my passion for music rekindled with a burning desire to resume writing and performing again.

I felt very flattered when told that I had "the heart and soul of a true storyteller." While my songs are normally well grounded in the folk music tradition of relating personal experiences, common occurrences, and newsworthy events; they also have contemporary and unique elements that allow them to freely flow in, out, around, and through many different genres.

Prefering to ignore those neat and tidy little boxes meant to contain specific musical styles in favor of the cross-contamination of genres we now define with terms such as Americana, Folk/Rock, Country Blues; I recently (with tongue in cheek) coined a new term to describe my own particular musical style at this moment in time - Bluefolkacana.

It's only been within the past few years that I've begun to understand how much of a distraction "genre labels" can be to the true appreciation of music. When you like something, it doesn't matter what type of label has been stuck upon it by others. It's very saddening to think about all the great songs that people have missed simply because someone else labeled it with a genre different from the musical fare they normally enjoy. I know this to be true because I myself have been guilty of genre prejudice. Although I'm trying to move beyond the pitfall of musical labels, it's not easy to overcome what I've practiced in the past.

Maybe every musician needs to invent a new "micro-genre" of their very own to fit the music they create rather than trying to create music that will easily fit within the confines of an existing genre.

I have always felt compelled to acknowledge the influence that other varied songwriters and performers, both past and present, have upon what I believe to be my ever evolving musical style. Every songwriter/musician reaps the fruit of fields previously plowed by their predecessors and adds a little more flavor of their own to the musical stew left simmering for those who follow. A well turned phrase..... really righteous rhythm..... magnificent melody..... passionate performance; all of those things catch my ear and inspire me to reach deeper within myself to try bringing forth my best.

I'm thankful that my music has been well received at various clubs, house concerts, festivals, and songwriter events; and to paraphrase one of the recurring remarks I've been hearing over time - "my performances draw people in, touch their hearts, and leave them wanting to hear more."

What more could a singer/songwriter ever want ?