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Laurie Markvart's Diary

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Synopsis for Somewhere in the Music, I’ll Find Me: A Memoir

The book Somewhere in the Music, I’ll Find Me: A Memoir will be published in Summer 2022.

A coming-of-age story told with raw honesty, suspense, and dashes of humor of a woman’s journey in finding self-acceptance and healing in the face of grief and devastating loss.

Musician Laurie Markvart was adrift in life. In the wake of the untimely deaths of her father and preemie baby, her family life was in anguish, and her music career stalled.

Music was the remedy for anything in Laurie’s life. Looking for a quick fix, she attended an open audition in Los Angeles for X-Factor’s reality TV singing show. During the demanding two-day audition, Laurie reflected on her lifelong music journey.

As a teen, she fled her isolated Wisconsin farm town and her greatest supporter, her loving but mentally ill mother, for the famous music scenes of Minneapolis, Austin, and New York City.

In rock bands, on tours, and with Broadway auditions, Laurie had many highs and lows, successes and failures, some humorous, some dangerous. At the center of it all was a stormy relationship with her mother and Laurie’s growing anxiety disorder that plagued her most. The despair she thought would be extinguished with marriage and parenting, and for a time, it was, but it shattered with the profound loss of her father and baby.

With mounting pressure to succeed at the X-Factor audition, Laurie must push through her anxieties and heartbreaking reflections and not only find herself in the music, but a way to move forward and heal.

© Laurie Markvart. Cover art image by Jesslyn Bundy.

“intro” Album Re-issued on iTunes

Hi Friends –

Just a word today, my album “intro” has been re-issued on iTunes. The music is also available on Spotify, Amazon Music, and YouTube, but I know lots of ‘ya use iTunes and Apple, so head on over there and get the download. Or, you can listen to the first song off the album, “Faith”, above.

This album was recorded in Austin, Texas. It was a labor of love. Studio work is never easy but can be incredibly fulfilling. The process captures creativity in pure form. That’s the beauty of it. Through hard work and tenacity, (sometimes lack of food and sun), outcomes something extraordinary. But, one of my favorite places in the world is to be holed up in a dim light recording studio. Especially when I do it with my friends.

I’m proud to say this album was analog recorded. At a time when everyone was going digital, we wanted to keep that authentic tape sound, albeit analog recording is indeed more labor intensive. Cue: great engineer! Digitally, we did add some effects, sounds, loops, and samples for added color and taste but overall, a Quantegy 456 Grand Master tape ruled the project. Funny thing is…everyone wants to record analog again.

“intro” included some of the best Austin musicians. I was honored to work with them then, and I’m blessed to still watch their careers soar in whatever direction they’re off to. Most especially my producer, Aaron Barrera. He put his heart and guts into this project, and he celebrates this reissue with me.

I contributed the voice, some keyboards, and naturally, the songwriting but here’s a BIG call out to the fantastic session players on “intro.” I guarantee you’ve heard their work on other recordings. Google them!  Some have their own projects, but most the work they do is in the studio or backing live bands. They are there busting out the best they have; take after take after take. Thanks, to all session players!

“intro” by Laurie Markvart
Aaron Barrera  – Producer, all guitars, songwriting
David Green – Engineer and mastering
Scott Marshall – Drum loops, sounds, effects, samples, mastering
Michael Stevens – Upright Bass
Glenn McGregor – Electric Bass
Shawn Lucas – Electric Bass
JJ Johnson – Drums
Bryan Keeling – Drums
Ephraim Owens – Trumpet
Stewart Cochran – Piano, Clavinet

Additional contributions:
Rodney Connell – songwriting
Todd Wolfson – photography
Brandi Cowley – hair and makeup

SUPPORT INDEPENDENT MUSIC! Not just mine, of course, all artists.  

Happy Listening!

 

 

Happy New Year – That I Can Do

The New Year is the perfect time to say “That I Can Do.” It just depends on what you plan on doing. And then after you say it, can you do it? Alright, I’m messing with you all.

I’m blogging to post lyrics for my song “That I Can Do” that went live on iTunes a few days ago. But if you can say to me, “Yes, that I can do, Laurie. I can buy your song for a meager .99¢.” Well, thank you! Head on over to iTunes! And, Happy New Year!

Lyrics for THAT I CAN DO

There are many things you ask me
Some are tough, and some are meant to be
You’ve tried so hard to believe
That I’ll be more to you than truth can really be

There’s never been a question of my faith
It lies deep when I see you
But my life has taken me away
And time has no offer to replace what you have missed or what I regret

All I can offer you isn’t much, but it’s love, that I can do
All I can offer you isn’t much, but it’s love, and that I can do…for you.

I feel the shame shallow in my pain
I fall upon my troubled heart
But I’ve kept my heart pure in touch with you
Grown apart you need more of what I can do…what I need to do

You’ve been long in my heart, fast to my rescue
Never one to compromise your hand
You’ll never need love the way I do
I’ve become your fool with love all I offer

 

© Laurie Markvart

“HOW” Lyrics for Lovers and Those Who Are Done

Hello Friends,

Here are lyrics to a new song I’ll post to Youtube within the coming weeks. If the words resonate with you then embrace them. You’re not alone.

X,
L

HOW

How do I say I’m sorry
When I’m not sure I’m wrong
How do I fix broken glass
With shards that are gone.

How do I relapse into a love
That has been drunk dry
How do I care about a story
When a sigh become a lie.

How is it here, we became this
Broken in two, no longer fit
How many times did we try to make it right?
Not enough, not enough
’cause we’re here.

How the hell does ambition
Turn to regret
And trust to lust
For another to get.

How does intention
Become a memory
And purity to anger
It’s all I see.

Lyrics ©lauriemarkvart 2017

 

“Listen, Be Heard” – Lyrics from Yesterday for Today

I wrote these lyrics below for my old band Wicked Gypsy. We were collectively devoted to national and world issues, environment, equality, politics, justice, love, and peace. And to play music! But, often these topics were the muse behind our songs. And today, I know my brothers in the band feel the same.

When I wrote this, I was poking at our government and big corporations to play fair, be transparent and honor ALL people. Fair pay, equality to gender and race and to listen to us…WE are here. These lyrics ring truer than ever TODAY. Hence, the reason I’ve brought them back.

I usually do not explain lyrics as I prefer the listener or reader to come to their own definition, but I must clarify the line, “the truth of the dumb man always wins.” The dumb man is the everyday man, the one the government thinks is dumb and not worth worrying about, the one they think they can fool. Actually, this is the one who is left standing. And we all must stand. We must keep our mind positive, learn, and continue to fight for what is right. Period.

We also need an administration who can speak wisdom with their mouth shut. Most people know exactly what that means. If you don’t, stop talking and listen.

PEACE, L

Listen, Be Heard 

Speak the wisdom with your mouth shut
Win the system with your cutting blood
Call your lies out under your skin
Bleed to mercy your forgiven sin
You ask why? Why? You ask why? Why?

The truth of the dumb man always wins
For he is always the standing kin
He wastes no time on foolish trust
Just pay him once and time is lost
You ask why? Why? You ask why? Why?

Don’t you know? It is here.
Close your mind. Never find.
Why don’t you listen? Be heard.
Decision. Learn.
All you learn. Is decision turn.
Be heard.

Talk your thoughts out over the rest
Cry your fears out to the best
Call your lies out under your skin
Bleed to mercy your forgiven sin
You ask why? Why? You ask why? Why?

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