New Age Music World host John P. Olsen has conducted an Interview with composing musician Cadence Spalding. The topics involve her music career, Save The World album, and news about a project currently in progress.
Cadence Spalding is a multi talented singer, songwriter and performer. Many know about her Save The World release and solo performances with another artist on his albums, but there are so many more aspects to Cadence Spalding we wanted to find out more. Cadence is a television network host for a Children’s program in California having already performed in a teaching role for years by her Miss Jenny television personality designed to educate and entertain children in the California community.
Cadence Spalding has recorded and performed original music for children’s musicals that benefit renowned charities, including donations of original scores for documentaries, independent films and commercial CD/DVD’s. In 2008 Cadence composed the scores for both the original and the remake of For The Children, a documentary originally narrated by James Coburn for Share Incorporated based in Beverly Hills, California.
The Save The World release is Classic New Age, where her radiant vocals host a lovely mix of ballads finely tuned to perfection in the purest sense. It is on this release where Cadence instills her personal message of peace, harmony, and dedication to the family unit. It is a message in harmony with all people who share the same logic, devotion and perspective. Today I am pleased to present this interview with a popular new age artist.
Interview with Cadence Spalding:
John : I truly enjoyed meeting you for the first time awhile back. It’s very apparent to me that you are a friendly and sincere person. I am asking this half jokingly, but how did you arrive a such a wonderful disposition Cadence?
Cadence Spalding: Thank you John for complimenting my disposition – there are so many jokes for right here! – regarding female disposition in general – meaning my family will tell you just how “human” I can really be – but I’ll refrain and say “thank you – that’s such a nice compliment” – and maybe you are just picking up on how blessed and happy in general I’m feeling these days to even be talking about my music – inseparable from myself – and feeling satisfied that those sounds I’ve heard inside my mind for as long as I can remember are finding their way into my voice and through my playing hands and imprinting onto digital recordings and floating through the airwaves and touching hearts – and if even one, that means the world to me – to be able to express my deepest joy and gratitude – and to share that dialogue with others here on earth.
And maybe too you are picking up on the fact that I use music as a tool to soothe myself and to pray and to meditate, so it helps me to relax and to be inspired and to connect with God (although I’m non-denominational), and I can only wish that it can help do the same for the listeners – to help them to pray or to connect spiritually to a God of their choice.
Okay, I’m also just beyond excited about a project I’ve been working on since my early 20’s as a music teacher in public schools called “Miss Jenny”. I perform music in costumes and as a “one-girl-show” on guitar, vocals and piano – singing rock/blues/country versions of kiddy classics. I’m now doing weekly Miss Jenny shows at festivals near my hometown in the Napa Valley, and just got asked to co-host a local, live! TV show here as Miss Jenny called “The N.A.P.A. Show” with host Arty Party. A new adventure, great people, musical, creative, community oriented and lots of fun!!
John : You have performed as a vocalist on another artists albums prior to your solo release. Has it been rewarding like expected, composing and performing on your own album, or is it more work than you had expected?
Cadence Spalding: I’ve so enjoyed singing on his albums – they are so diverse. He is a wonderful man, a beautiful father, and gifted artist and a true genius in the studio. Can I say that about my own husband? Well, I just did – lol!! I was a fan of his music long before I met him, and obviously we hit it off on many levels, as now we have a beautiful son and we are married. The crazy thing is that we work together professionally as well, and it all seems to work so well. We are blessed and I think we both know it. Truth is that even though this CD has my name on it, my husband and I really recorded this album together, side by side. It has a lot of co-writes, and he is the sound engineer, and plays a lot of the instruments. And YES, great question John, it was a lot more work than expected – but most worthy things seem to be. Our Christmas album was our first official project together called Star Is Born, so we definitely had a taste of the size of this project ahead of time – but we were held up anyways with a new baby and lots of library music work – so working together on this was perfect timing – as we already were in building and recording mode. The layered vocals take a lot of patience and perseverance to accomplish – but again, revealing this fresh sound that we discovered together is so exciting, and sky is the limit. We have a lot more of these projects to do, and that’s a blessing too.
John: Your first project is Save The World, and is a great album I might add. What was the turning point that made you decide to produce your first solo album?
Cadence Spalding: I’ve been playing, writing, performing and teaching music most of my life – so it was a natural progression to record a solo album. My very first album singer/songwriter album was recorded ages ago actually, and just sold in small outlets – “demo” though, as the quality was slightly below broadcast, but a few of the songs did well publishing wise and I toured with my band in the LA area.
I’ve worked hard on improving my vocals the last 5 or so years – singing in professional choirs and studying voice specifically, and finally technology was accessible for my passion for songwriting and especially harmony. I was also ready to record this album at the same time I was ready to perform a sound like this live. The sound when performed live involves back up prerecorded vocals that I sing on top of in full voice, and I think it sounds even better than the album because I also play rhythm guitar on top of it, and it has a stronger acoustic/rock vibe – live that is. It is a TRIP to do this music LIVE! I LOVE it!! I think of songwriting as something so much more than basic composition – it has really kind of therapy for me over the years. When times were tough, I’d stay up late and write shoe boxes full of songs – often scribbled into journals and on pieces of paper in the middle of the night. Teenage and early adult angst – 1A – and I thank God for the writing getting me through lots of hard times in my young adulthood. And again, I have to thank my family for this, as I come from 4 generations of musicians and music teachers – so piano lessons at age 3 wasn’t uncommon.
I was fortunate as a young girl to have mentors to inspire me to be open creatively and to work hard, and they made it fun and interesting for me by praising me for practicing and encouraging the writing throughout my childhood and teenage years. I only wish more parents would encourage their kids to be creative musically. It is a healthy and calming outlet. Just reading notes on a page is so difficult for most children! I wish parents would be more open in general to alternative modes of music education – like for example….uh oh…rock n roll! Aren’t we there yet people? Is this still seen as something “less” than classical music?? How sad. I wish the gift of music for all children in the world. I wish parents would be more open to kids learning rock!!!
John: Your singing abilities are extraordinary. Could you tell us your music background and the instruments you play?
Cadence Spalding: OH my goodness, what a sweet question this is to me, as really most of my life had music as a big part of it, but not as a vocalist. Personally I started piano at age 3 as a result of 4 generations of music teachers behind me – but the ideal age for kids physically, is about 7. Guitar lessons started in high school, and later on that was the perfect instrument for me to teach my students with because of it’s mobility and the fact that kids naturally LOVE rock n roll! In elementary school I was playing in school bands on violin and flute. It was not only just a great hobby – but something that gave me self confidence and joy – and the schools I attended all had terrific programs. Today, it’s unfortunately not available to all children, music education that is, and that truly breaks my heart.
I have always loved to sing, but didn’t study voice formally until well into my adulthood. I had to work very hard to open up my upper register. Once it opened, I never shut up!! I began singing in church choirs as a second soprano well into my adulthood. It was a blast! The feeling of singing music that I love, old and new styles, is euphoric. I can’t get enough. It’s almost like an addiction to be honest…and thank God a healthy one !
John: What were your thoughts behind some of the song lyrics. What is the meaning behind the lyrics in Trust In Love?
Cadence Spalding: Trust In Love is a prayer. It’s meaning to me is as simple as it sounds – and a universal sentiment that is unique to every individual. We all have parts of our lives where trusting in love is the answer. It’s in integral force in nature in a way – love.
Love makes everything grow, pulls us, inspires us – but is often the difficult choice to make in reality. I was thinking about world peace when I wrote this song, hoping that just in general, mankind would trust in love more. The lyrics are straight forward and it is written in classic Celtic prayer form with traditional early American church hymns and chorales as the inspiration.
I was struck by the melody which is almost circular – each verse like a complete thought or sentence – and to you musicians out there – returning to the one cord before you would expect – giving it that “old” feel naturally. Grandma’s Song is more of a traditional Pop! ballad written in 3/4 time or a “waltz” time signature, and was written for my Grandma when she passed away.
I wrote that entire song, music and lyrics, on the night that she actually died. It was a supernatural experience. I am positive that she helped me write it from the “other side”– it was a beautiful journey. I still get choked up by that song, and I perform it at lots of family type of events like birthdays and unfortunately, funerals. It is a song with deep sentimental value to me.
John: What were the song lyrics in Share Your Life about?
Cadence Spalding: Share Your Life was a song off my very first album – ages ago and a different name even…for a documentary for handicapped children for a beautiful organization called Share Inc. in Los Angeles. I was so honored to be a part of that prestigious charity group, a “Share Lady”. We raised nearly a million dollars a year for handicapped children in the Los Angeles area – doing an annual event/live show where we sang and danced on some of the greatest stages with some of the greatest talents in Hollywood. I was asked to write a theme song for their promotional video that was originally hosted by the late, great James Coburn.
The song came to me quickly, after being deeply moved by volunteering at a hospital for severely handicapped children. I was overwhelmed, beyond tears – at the strength and courage of the staff at these hospitals and by the families involved. The words came naturally and straight from the heart – and my cherished “sisters”, the lovely ladies of “Share Inc.” were so inspiring and supportive of my songwriting. Children, along with animals, are part of that family of “voiceless creatures” of the earth that we as healthy adults, are responsible for.
We share this burden as humans – it is given to us at birth – to care for these voiceless creatures. The littlest amount of volunteering can do a mountain of good, and it makes us feel alive and content in return. “Time to make it right…share your life…” Seems so simple –but I think many of us want to help more but don’t know where to begin. Thanks John for asking me about that song. I get moved every time I think about all the inspiring philanthropy I have been privileged to witness. I’m talking about such hard work and dedication from ordinary people that is beyond belief.
John: I read you are working on a new project. What can we expect Cadence?
Cadence Spalding: My new album is nearly finished and listeners can expect a release late this year or early 2010 – and I’m thinking of calling it “sessions” as it features an eclectic mix of pop, rock, new age, classical and even a dash of country. A feast of flavors – and a few surprises as well, with even an occasional acoustic version of the Cadence Spalding songs from Save The World that I’ve been getting requests to sing “naked.” Not me LOL, but the songs!! And so I did, happily, after producing them with often hundreds of layers of vocals per song and extensive instrumentation and sound design, it was a true pleasure to record them in their original form – acoustically.
My test for my music, in the beginning, has always been just that. I try to go by the philosophy that if a song is good raw, acapella even, it can then be built into anything and virtually in any musical style. So this new album I’m now creating will be a whole new adventure – evolving and building on the past and continuing to explore the sound we discovered, while revealing a more “raw” side, kind of a glimpse of my “underbelly” as an singer/songwriter – and as a woman too.
John: You had told me that you volunteer your time with children. Could you tell us about your volunteer work?
Cadence Spalding: In the past I have done many years of charity work involving music – often by volunteering my services as a music teacher, choir director, dancer, director – you name it. A music teacher by trade, and as jobs for Art Education in public schools becoming more and more sparse and low paying, I would get involved in all kinds of productions for charity in the beginning, just because I wanted to work and to learn. This lead to more work than I bargained for, but I don’t regret a single day of it.
I have composed songs for a group called songsoflove.org, an organization in NYC that writes and records songs for terminally ill children. I also wrote original musicals for kids for various churches, and even owned a performing arts school for kids at one point in San Francisco that did a lot of volunteering for the community. It’s just so much fun – all of it. What could possibly be more of a gift than sharing music with kids? Amazing. I think I get more out of it that anyone, and when I perform or write music for a charitable cause – the added pleasure of being thanked for my time makes it a treasured part of my life that brings me pure joy. It’s the ultimate high!! Please check the inside of my CD cover for Save The World for a list of charity organizations I’m involved with and how to donate time or money.
John: It has been great to visit with you again Cadence. I look forward to our next visit and doing a review of your next project. Thanks again for taking the time to do an interview with me.
Visit CadenceSongs.com or sample and purchase this album at Amazon.com. Read my Save The World album review. Photos are courtesy Cadence Spalding.