Adventurous and a passionate singer-songwriter, NSW south-coast native Margaret Anne continually touches her fans and listeners with her inclusive, heartfelt singing.
Having co-written a song ('Don't Look Back') with Shane Nicholson, Margaret Anne has been collaborating with producer and musician Doug Weaver (aka the Rock It Man), on her debut album 'Soul Laid Bare' (that is due for release March 2020).
Tomorrow, she'll release the title track from the album, which is an exciting blend of Americana and country, sweeping through sounds from roots and blues to grooving funk and rock.
Today, Margaret Anne (who is also the manager and member of the band Firefly) has shared with scenestr the accompanying music video to 'Soul Laid Bare'.
The video portrays her travels through the wilds of USA and Canada (watch the clip for the stunning vistas alone) with her daughter after the breakdown of her marriage.
"Most of the locations shot in this video were never intended to be a part of the song 'Soul Laid Bare'. However, in true essence, they WERE the song," Margaret explains.
"I had just left a 20-year marriage and my daughter (who had just finished high school) and I needed to escape the clutches of the whirlwind of life and get out for some fresh air.
"We rented a car in San Francisco, threw a two-women tent, some sleeping bags, a cooker and an esky in the boot, and headed north. During the next 3 months, I drove 14,000km and we camped and visited incredible parks and ever changing landscapes in the USA and Canada.
"During this trip, I wrote the song 'Soul Laid Bare'. I started it sitting next to an incredibly beautiful lake on the Icefield Parkway in Canada writing about picturesque streams and snowy mountain caps.
"It was finished while watching wild bison graze in the fields of Yellowstone when streams turned to blood on the window and tears on the pane. After 20 years of marriage, I needed to make an extremely important decision of whether to return to the marriage or to separate indefinitely.
"The song conveys a search for clarity and expresses the fear and recklessness in leaving a long-term relationship and the life changing decision for all involved.
"Essentially, even though wandering through amazing scenery, this huge decision was constantly weighing on my mind, hence the incorporation of this footage into the video.
"On returning home, I joined forces with producer and co-writer Doug Weaver who engaged skilful use of resonating mandolin, 12 string and National guitars, to give the song a searching and soulful ballad transporting the listener back into the high desolate mountains, and along austere byways and wild rivers which we had just travelled.
"I then felt the need to incorporate myself into the video as a musician and songwriter, and used Tim and Izzie from Brisbane’s Phaze Films to shoot some indoor band footage. My daughter was then dragged down to Jindabyne and we shot the outdoor footage by the lake and in a sheep paddock after completing a six-hour backcountry ski day.
"I essentially have to give huge thanks to my daughter Tenaya King for most of the footage and help with video editing, endless technology questions, stress and brain soothing! Thanks also goes to Tim Clough and Isabelle Rickards of Phaze Films for making the long haul to Thirroul and shooting some great band footage (stay tuned for the next video), and my band Firefly for learning and embracing my original songs.
"And of course, a huge call out of thanks for the audio track goes to the Rock It Man, Doug Weaver the incredible and patient producer, multi instrumentalist, songwriter, musician. . . of all time."
