I can’t write songs at the moment. I sit at my keyboard, play a chord and nothing inspires me. But that’s ok, it’ll come back. I’ve had writer’s block enough times to know it is impermanent like everything else. So I’ve started writing poems again, one a day after my morning meditation practice.

This morning it is stormy here in the Australian bush, the wind blowing the rain sideways. We’ve had so much rain the grass grows tall and so green it hurts your eyes to look at it. In the evenings the wallabies come to graze. They don’t seem to mind us.

The start of January is always a difficult time for me after the high of Christmas (yes I am like a small child). It’s hard to get going again, to get focused. But I have a new album to finish that is five years in the making and now at last we can see the end in sight. I have a new book to publish and an album of instrumental cello music to record. And a tour of south-east Queensland to promote.

All these are my reasons for being, reasons to stave off the black dog snapping at my heels. We are all stressed, we are all anxious about what will happen next. I hope 2022 will see the end of the pandemic and I will be able to travel to see my family again for the first time in over 2 years. I miss them more than they know.

But my life is here, in the bush, with the trees and the wallabies and the mist that comes creeping down the Obi Obi valley at dawn. I know why I am here and what it is I must do. To sing songs to people, to compose music, to write poems, to play my part in this crazy world we live in. Hope is a potent elixir. So I sit at my keyboard, play a chord and wait for inspiration to come…

Yesterday I went to Caboolture Hospital and sang some of my songs for patients and staff in their mental health facilities. Also performing were the Mindfulness Poet Brendan O’Shea, Cardie Boydell who did an incredible rendition of Nina Simone’s ‘Feeling Good’, Cecelia Scahill who organised the event and sang backing vocals and singer-songwriter Kaycee Morgan who is a peer support worker there and has the most beautiful voice.

I am passionate about the benefits of music for mental health and I used to do a lot of gigs in mental health hospitals in the UK. I hope I will be able to do more here in Australia.

In other news, I am delighted to be performing on New Year’s Eve at Bushtime, the wonderful summer camp organised by Woodfordia who run Woodford Folk Festival on the same site. I’ll be on the Troubadour stage with Christian at 4pm. The perfect way to see out the year.  Tickets are on sale now.

Hope all’s well in your world.

xx

I’m very happy to announce the release of ‘The Collection’, a double album of songs selected by me from my albums ‘Stranger Place’, ‘Keep Walking’, ‘Believer’, ‘Bird Inside A Cage’ and ‘A Bit Of Blue’.

‘The Collection’ is a kind of ‘Best Of’, if you like. All the songs I’ve ever recorded for my albums are dear to my heart so it was hard to choose but I hope I’ve included your favourites – please see the track list.

You can order ‘The Collection’ now through the shop on my website. Postal services between the UK and Australia are still very delayed so bear in mind it might take a few weeks to arrive.

My new poetry book ‘Words With Wings’ was featured on ABC Radio Sunshine Coast the other day. I’ve had some amazing feedback about the poems, particularly the digital album of me reading them accompanied by my own piano music. One person said it was like ‘a box of chocolates’. Can’t get much higher praise than that!

Hope all’s well in your world.

xx

“The poems in this book are all pieces of my heart.  I give them to you in the hope that the words will speak to you, that they will be words with wings to uplift, comfort and inspire.  There is so much space and beauty inside all of us, there is so much potential.”

I’ve just published a new book of poetry called ‘Words With Wings’.  Inspired by my life in the Australian bush and my daily meditation practice, these poems are my thoughts about the meaning of life and the world around us.

The book ‘Words With Wings’ includes a download link to a digital album of me reading all the poems accompanied by my own original piano music (you can hear an example in the video below).  This digital album is also available separately from the book.

You can order your copy of the book, or just the album if you prefer, here.

Big love and thanks to everyone who supported me on my Sunshine Coast Hinterland tour. We had such a great time. The last night at The Majestic Theatre on Saturday was the icing on the cake.

Thank you to my amazing band: Sarah King (violin/viola), Louise King (cello) and Christian Dunham (bass). Thanks also to our sound technicians Michael Whiticker and Mac.  A special thank you to Yvette Nielsen, Kristy Xavier and Jodie Archbold for all your help.  And to Henry Glover for his wonderful photos.

I have been overwhelmed with the audience feedback – a huge thank you to all of you who sent me messages. It means a great deal.

You can see more photos by Henry Glover on my Facebook Community Page.  If you would like me to let you know when I’m touring again, please join my mailing list.

Hope to see you all again very soon.

xx