"A little air, a little fire, a hint of water imbued with a sweet earthiness", is what Steve Thorpe from the Rapid City Journal said when he revued Marnie Cook's cd Miles and Miles.

8 MP3 Songs
ROCK: Acoustic, FOLK: Power-folk



Details:
Kim Allen from KQRQ, Rapid City, says "Her lyrics are wonderful!...Marnie talks of scenery like it is a scrap book. If you want to experience a style not quite like anything you've heard, something you can relax with, think with, reflect upon and deeply enjoy, Miles and Miles by Marnie Cook is it."

Music has been in Marnie's heart all her life, but a voice in her head quieted the melody for many years. That voice belonged to her 8th grade music teacher, who stood her up in front of the class and used her as an example of a âno talentâ flutist.

âI was crushed!â Marnie says. âBut I really wanted to prove him wrong.â

Her strong will and flute lessons propelled her to first chair before the end of the school year, where she remained through her sophomore year in college. However, the more technical aspects of a music major brought doubt back. Struggling with music theory, Marnie decided that maybe music wasn't her forte after all and changed her major.

âI thought that I would have to settle for something else. After all, not everyone gets to do what they want in life, right?â

Graduating from the Ron Bailie School of Broadcast in Spokane, Washington in 1988, Marnie launched her career in radio. She worked at radio stations in Spokane, Washington's Tri-City area, and Bozeman and Billings, Montana, holding a firm grip on these market's top morning shows and mid-day shows.

âAll the while, I would scribble words or phrases, sometimes a line or two, on the nearest piece of paper and toss it in a pile of other little pieces of paper. Sometimes I would buy a guitar, take a lesson or two, struggling to play and sing.â

At one time, Marnie owned a keyboard, 3 flutes and 2 guitars. Her efforts brought her together with guitar partners in Bozeman and Billings, but severe stage fright--possibly the result of those words spoken by her music teacher so many years earlier--was another obstacle for her to overcome.

âI could play on stage with someone else, but there was no way I could get on stage by myself,â Marnie says.

Becoming increasingly disillusioned with the radio business, she got fed up. âOne morning I literally walked out on my radio career. I left the building and was back in my cozy apartment by 7:45, wondering what I had just done.â

A few weeks later, Marnie found herself in South Dakota, where she was born. It seems that going home was true to her heart. Very shortly after her move she met other local musicians and began writing the songs that are now recorded on her Miles and Miles cd. Next she began playing open mics and making a name for herself. By summer, Marnie was a working musician and is now well on her way to making her musical mark.

"I still hear the echo of those words that my music teacher said to me, but I think I've got a certain style that people will enjoy. I think listeners can identify with my original work and I can't believe I've wasted so much time, worrying about what some old man said about me, for whatever reason. I don't believe it's true and I'm not letting it scare me anymore. I'm grateful for a second chance to share my music.
Thanks for buying my cd and I would love to hear from you."