All true stories, from the heart, sometimes quirky, love guitar, drums, strings.

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ROCK: Progressive Rock, POP: Quirky



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Wendy Bio

Wendy was never anyoneâs idea of a musician. No musical family background, minimal musical instruction as a youth, and zero early signs of talent.

So, why did she major in Music in college? 1) She liked music; 2) It was challenging and mysterious for her, she being entirely unprepared; but mostly, 3) Her planned career would be in something else (film, thought she), and she figured her time in college would be best spent learning about things sheâd never get around to once the job ate her life. During her attendance at 7 universities (all chosen for location), including a year each in Austria and Italy, she began to hear music in her head. It was fairly big instrumental stuff, however, and though she knew how to write it down, she lacked an orchestra. They do have orchestras at universities, but you have to be taken seriously to get near one. After 6 ½ years, she received one Bachelors of Music, which was granted purely to get rid of her.

Eight years after graduation, well into a career as Assistant Director in TV and film, she heard about software that allowed one to write music into the computer, and then pipe it out via MIDI to synthesizers, which could reasonably replicate real instruments. A software/hardware buying spree was all that stood between her and her orchestra. After said spree, and about the time she got everything working, the love of her life dumped her. Suddenly the instrumental music was loaded with words. Now a compulsive songwriter, Wendy resumed guitar, her major instrument in college, at which she has never ceased to suck.

She made some 4-track recordings she thought were presentable, aside from her unfortunate singing, and thought sheâd try her luck with publishers, who might be able to shop them to a real singer. She brought one to a National Academy of Songwriters âSong Pitch.â Her song came pretty much at the end of the session, during which the Publisher made astonishingly insightful observations about each professionally produced demo, which featured kick-ass singer after kick-ass singer. Being a chronic sufferer of stage fright, she nearly threw up waiting for her tape to be played. She jumped to her feet as she saw her cassette loaded, and whimpered an apology for the quality of the recording, especially the vocals.

After running through the customary 1st verse & chorus, the publisher stopped the tape, and, for the first time in the pitch, asked for comments from the room. Wendy thought, âHeâs stalling. Mute with horror.â Then someone said, âI like the voice.â Others agreed. The publisher said, âThe voice is perfect, and the style is too unique for me to shop this to anyone. No one can sing this but you, and you need to seek a recording contract.â Wendyâs turn to be mute with horror.

Not really thinking it through, but seeing as how she had been found to be unpublishable, she followed the only professional advice she had ever been offered, and managed to deliver her next demo (5 songs) to an A & R man from Sony Music. She received a phone call from him two weeks later, saying he really liked the tape, where could he see her play? He might as well have asked, âWhere can I see you vomit?â She told him she didnât perform, and he said to call him if that changed. Bye.

Didnât see herself turning into a performer in this lifetime, so she figured the massive amounts of time it took to create the music might be better channeled into something else.

The music was put away, and she took up learning to fly helicopters as a hobby. Liked them too much, and ended up quitting Show Biz, worming into a job flying news, charters, photo and medical flights.

Still heard music, but tried to ignore it, till a few years later it began to dawn on her that this Internet thing might offer an outlet. Also, she heard about hard-drive recording software that offered spectacular editing possibilities (awfully useful for a lousy performer). New buying spree. Unfortunately, though the capabilities of the new system were the best things that have ever happened to her, they didnât make the process less time-consuming. As a helicopter pilot, she couldnât get enough time at home to make music headway.

She heard jet airplanes offered a cushier schedule. So, despite helicopters being her first love aviation-wise, she spent all her spare time and money for a while on airplane training. Dumb luck landed her in the co-pilot seat on small jets for a charter operator. She was still perpetually on call, but there was enough down time to get a lot of music done.

Now sheâs quit being a full-time pilot, put out an album, and has a second on the way. Sheâs even working her way towards performing. Since she lost the performance anxiety associated with the literally dozens of practical tests to which she was subjected in various aircraft, she hopes these freshly hardened nerves of steel can be transferred to singing and playing guitar actually in front of people. However, there still remains that pesky detail of being a crappy musician. So, she practices and practices, shooting for a January debut, probably somewhere in L.A. No more wimping out.

Do buy the CD. Itâs an astonishing example of how you can make someone sound a lot better than they really are.

Love my fans and thank you for the support, Wendy.

See our site at wendypeterson.net