Customer Reviews

The Calling

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For many of us, I'm sure the way we first heard new music was on the radio. AM in the early '60s -- which is how I first heard about a band from Liverpool -- FM in late '60s and into the '70s.

By the '80s, music videos seemed to be the way to find out about new artists. Here we are now in the 21st century, and the internet has certainly leapt to the forefront in getting the words and music out to the people.

Why do I tell you all this, which you probably already know? Because within the last three weeks I have been introduced to a terrific young singer/songwriter by the name of Wil Maring. After posting my MySpace info for the first time, I got a request to add her as a friend, and I checked out her page. She's based in southern Illinois and her music is described as being Americana/bluegrass/folk. It is most definitely "wooden music" as David Crosby once put it.

I have been listening to her latest CD, "The Calling," pretty regularly since I got it a couple of weeks ago. Wil's lyrics are simple, direct and from the heart. When you read the lyrics they are poetry and story-telling all at the same time. The music is joyful, sad, wistful and playful.

All of the songs are brilliant but some of the standouts for me are: The Open Road, Keeper of the Farm, Make You Smile, The Calling, All Gone, You Leave, and Rows.

If you want to learn more about Wil, you can visit her MySpace site or her webpage:
www.myspace.com/wilmaring
www.wilmaring.com

Give her a listen. I think you'll like what you hear.

I was passing through the Prescott area on my way home yesterday and had my radio tuned to my usual classical station when I picked up a station with the same bandwidth. They played Make You Smile, and it was just what I needed to hear right then. I just soaked it up. The disc jockey must have really liked her too, because he spelled her name twice. I'm not even a country music fan but listening to this album is like going home and curling up in favorite old quilt with a cup of hot cocoa.

Wil's song-writing is as good as it gets: completely fresh and original, and all her songs strike an emotional chord. Her voice and guitar are perfect complements to her songs, along with her excellent accompanists. I don't usually find myself playing the same CD over and over, day after day, no matter how much I like it. This one is the exception. Wil is a star, and I hope someday everyone knows it.