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Saturday, March 19, 2005

The Beauty of Music 

It wasn't until after I moved to Atlanta that I realized what a "hub" of good music it is. I remember getting here and being so excited that this is where the Indigo Girls were from. Yes, that's true, but it's the up and coming artist that make Atlanta's music scene to me.

I can't remember exactly where I was when I first heard Beth Wood. I believe it was a night at Eddie's Attic. I thought she was kind of quirky since she took off her shoes to sing and opened her mouth really big when she sang. However, I instantly fell in love with her music.

My friend R and I were always at her shows when she was in town. We were somewhat noticeable being the duo of a tall white woman and a short black woman that always seemed to be where she was when she was in Atlanta.

Beth wrote a song about Jeff Buckley called "New Blood." Before I had heard her give the background of the song and then sing it, I had not heard of Jeff Buckley. The beautiful song and Beth's reverence for Jeff's work sent me out to buy his album "Grace," which is one of my all time favorite albums.

"My Miles Davis Kinda Blue," was a song that Beth wrote about her missing CD of Miles Davis' "Kinda Blue" and where she imagined where her long lost CD had journeyed. I hit such a jackpot with Jeff Buckley, that I went out and bought Miles Davis' "Kinda Blue" and it is another of my all time favorite albums.

I was looking around on Beth's website recently and saw that she was going to be playing in both Chattanooga and Atlanta! The Chattanooga location was a place called "Charles and Myrtle's Coffeehouse." I figured that since this was most likely a small venue, that I would make the 1 1/2 hour drive to Chattanooga and see her by herself with just her guitars.

"Charles and Myrtle's Coffeehouse" is actually the location of a Unity Church called "Christ Unity Church." It is a very small, very cozy place that used to be a house. Beth was set up in front of the fireplace with a mike, and flanked by her two guitars. There were maybe a total of 15 people there. It was so incredibly intimate - like friends sitting around and listening to their incredibly talented friend sing. Beth was so kind and sang 2 of my request.

At the break between sets, the people at the table next to me asked me about what I knew about Beth. I gushed about her to them until Beth herself came up to speak with them. They were so impressed with the fact that she gave her all for this humble group of 15 when she has played for crowds hundreds of times bigger.

I am going to go see Beth again this Thursday when she plays here in Atlanta at Eddie's Attic. At this show she will have a full band and will be playing for roughly 200+ people. She will slip her shoes off before the show and open her mouth wide as she sings with the same intimacy as she did with a humble group of just 15.
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