The new female vocalist came for an audition and captured everybody's heart .
Making music is what a band does .
Music is the first love of every member and with every beat of the heart the song remains the same .
Regular rehearsal is very important for any band .
This stroy begins on a cold night in winter as the band are gettinfg ready to rehearse .
Shadows fell as winter kissed its cold frosty breath across the iron railings along Lagan Way .
At the gate Mac waited for the rest of the band members to arrive .
Each Friday evening the band practiced a few brackets of songs .
It was always harder to get motivated in the winter .
Cold fingers and playing guitars often clashed in the old tin hut .
The only thing that offered some relief was an old kerosene heater in the corner that barely melted the ice from the roof .
Most of the band members wore two layers of clothing to keep them warm .
Over the years a great bond of friendship had developed with everyone in the band and the music they played was brilliant .
Now and then I went to listen to them rehearse and found myself standing there like a stray cat waiting to get run over by this run away train .
The band were exciting and new .
Their pitch was at school's ,colleges and pubs .
The band was called Bare Trees and for the first time they were going to try out a female lead vocalist .
The band and regular groupies had all gathered in the hut and as the band tuned up and plugged their instruments in she walked in .
The moment she took the microphone something happened .
The band were in love with Karen .
She started to sing the blues there and then and the band accompanied her .
I had to keep telling myself to settle .
Her voice was fantastic .
She had introduced a romantic edge to the bands sound .
She was what Bare Trees needed and anyone who knew the band would say the same .
.
In that first beautiful moment the band found a new direction and sound .
It was like an echo from a heartfelt embrace .
Karen asked ,
"Do you remember any of the new age stuff from the late eighties ?"
Everyone understood and the band began to play a B52 track .
Karen gave a silent nod of the head and opened up in a high pitched vocal that sent goose bumps on my skin .
.
As I stood there listening to the band I knew something magic was happening and the experience was shared by all those who had come .
From the microphone Karen's eyes stared out at me and the few who sat in front of the band in the old tin hut .
She spoke softly to us as if we were an large audience .
She told us how pleased she was to see us there and then ,
asked for the band to play a love song .
You Can't Hurry Love she sung out strong and every word rested easy with the entire crew .
Suddenly two or three more people who were passing by and had heard the band came inside the hut .
In about half an hour the hut was packed full .
Everyone wanted to know what the band were called and where they would be playing . After the rehearsal was over I had to ask the crowd to vacate the hut . It was difficult to get them out . They wanted the band to keep playing .
I knew there and then that Bare Trees were going to make it big .
As their friend and manager I asked them if they would be interested to go on a small tour around the country when the summer arrived .
Everyone was all for it .
We all stood there looking at each other in a circle and then Karen asked if she passed the audition .
"Don't you dare disappear from here ."
I said .
Outside the night was cold and dark and well the stars shone in a far away sky .
I reached out for to touch Karens hand .
It was as cold as ice .
'Karen , what more can I say ?
Your voice is as warm as a glove in an artic wind .
Is everyone here ok with Karen joining the band "
I asked .
"You're welcome here " .
Said one .
Another briefly threw back his hair over his head and said .
"Cool , I'm looking at you and I'm telling you you're ok "
And another with the freckles on his face replied .
"Yeah , your voice has found a spot with us . "
One by one it was agreed and we all took slow frozen footsteps for home .
Tears dropped where Karen trod .
"Whats wrong ."
I asked .
"Nothings wrong I'm just so happy .
She said .
There and then I couldn't wait to hear her sing again .
"Listen Karen tomorrow we are going to go through a few new numbers . If you could be there that would be great ."
I gave her a contact number and place where we would be .
She looked at me and suddenly a picture of Karen had been x-rayed within my heart and I was momentarily struck by love .
"See you tomorrow ."
She said .
"Oh yes , thanks Karen ."
She walked away into the night and we all watched her disappear .
Well the band's response was top say the least a mixture of infatuation courage and admiration for her .
"Who going to be first to ask Karen out ."
Mac said and I replied .
"Ok guys , settle down . We have to be professional about things now . Bare Trees mustn't let their personal feelings take over ."
During the next week we all went to the night café , the gym and the hut for more rehearsals .
The band was really tight and Karens vocals had made a big imopactg to the sound . Some of us met secretly on the weekend .
We went for walks together with Karen and we all thought that nobody else knew about the secret dates .
Karen got to know us all fast . Music was our real love and we were all friends great friends .
After some really good gigs we began to get some good money at the door and it wasn't long before the band bough its first van .
The band toured that summer and we wrote a song called Lost and Found was a hit . We were on the road and playing music .
A six album deal with a music publisher was offered and accepted .
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Personal journals are full of potential, waiting for you to add the color! Pages for you to fill in the blanks with tidbits and trivia about New Mexico
