Life Goes On

FROM MATNEY:

I know it’s hard to imagine, but there was a point in my younger years when I thought I didn’t like country music. Early in my musical career I couldn’t stand the stuff, leaning away from it in every other direction possible. Over the years, as I opened up to allow songs to come through me into this world, the catchy, light hearted, down to earth way that the genre pulls you in emerged in my songwriting. I’m a singing cowgirl at heart after all! 

I first had the idea to record and release this collection of my country songs from throughout my songwriting career back in 2021. As I’ve played in various groups for the past 20+ years many of these tunes didn’t quite fit the vibes of those bands for one reason or another. I kept them alive by playing them during solo performances or in various duo and trio settings. Recording them for this album felt like a return to my roots as well as an important way to archive this side of my creative stylings. 

The oldest of these tunes, Grandma’s Song, I wrote back in 2007 in honor of my maternal grandmother Ellen shortly after she passed away. The song began with an accordion melody that I transposed to guitar for performance purposes. It was so special to add accordion back to it in this recording! And the accordion I used was a gift from a family member on my mother’s side, passed down through the years, which makes it all the more meaningful!

Each of these songs has their own backstory; a snapshot of a moment in my life, and me-oh-my has it been a ride! The most recently written song of this collection is “How Do I.” This song encompasses the ways I’ve made it through all the ups and downs and downs and outs that have crossed my path- by choosing to find my way. If you wonder at the meaning or history of a song I don’t mention in this description just ask- I’m always delighted to share the stories of these creations!

My co-producer and dear friend Tom McKay also has a deep love and appreciation for country tone in music. I’m so grateful that he has been one of the main supporters of my musical endeavors in recent years. His label, OGS Records, released my first solo album, and I really needed a lot of help to get that out into the world! He also re-released the Mudflat Walkers’ albums to a wider audience as well as two albums (so far) from our band Nobody’s Peach. Collaboration with Tom is a highlight of my musical career! In his wisdom, Tom suggested adding our other bandmate Taylor Merlina’s song “The Pines” to this collection given its honkey tonk nature and I’m so glad he did! I’m also incredibly grateful to Taylor for sharing his song with me in addition to adding his talents in several forms to some of these tracks. 

I chose to include my first recording collaborator, Jeff Lacy, in this project as another way to circle back to my beginning. He helped me get started with recording back in 2010 and has been influential to and supportive of me always. He and I have had many a musical adventure since, this being our most direct one in years. And it just so happens that the beautiful recording studio he built himself is just miles away from the hospital where I was born! Given the thread in this project of returning to my roots it made sense to do most of the tracking at Jeff’s SeaKing Sound Studios. 

The only song in this collection that has more of a folk leaning than a country leaning was written by my father Lorry Cook, called “The Edge.” I chose to include it because it’s another tune I’ve played many times but not yet recorded. Dad came to Jeff’s studio to sing backup vocals on the choruses, his first time tracking in a studio. Thinking of his bravery, stepping into the unknown like that, touched my heart in ways I don’t yet have words for. 

Some of these tunes have yet to be performed live (like “Blue”) so the instrumentation and development of them for this album took some trial and error. Others have been played live in various forms for years (like “Trailer Living”) and were just waiting patiently to get shined up and shared with the world. With that, I’d like to thank all my friends and inspirations that came to add their sound to these songs: Tom McKay, Ted Madden, Taylor Merlina, Jeff Lacey, Dean Luce, Stone Jones, Randy Weeks, Matthew O’Toole, and Paul Benoit. Some of these rad humans are my oldest friends, others are new friends, and I feel equally blessed to know and collaborate with them all. 

I’m also grateful for the visual talents of another of my dearest friends, Meagan Spitler, who took the photos for the album art design. Tom’s brother, Alex McKay, illustrated the lettering for the cover of the album. Those efforts created a beautiful and befitting package for this collection of songs. 

I wouldn’t be doing what I am today with music if it wasn’t for the enthusiastic support of my family, both blood and chosen. My mother and father, Terri and Lorry Cook, instilled a love and appreciation of music in me early on and have always encouraged me to continue creating. This powerful gift is one that keeps on giving and their continued creativity inspires me always! 

My husband and partner in life, Vance, is the inspiration for “For As Long.” His generosity in supporting and encouraging me in the many hours it takes to bring recording to fruition are just a couple of the plethora of reasons I’m grateful to and so in love with him. Another is how he brought a second set of amazingly supportive and loving parents into my life, my parents in law June and Greg Snelson. 

Last but not least, there’s you. Dearest friends that keep buying my albums, coming to my shows, and taking the time to show an interest in my art. All of it means so much to me! There are too many of you to name- you know who you are and I appreciate and love you all so much!