Greta Gaines

Bird Before Light

Big Air Records

Greta Gaines is an American singer and songwriter. She is a  graduate of Georgetown University. In the early years of snowboarding she  was the only female participant in the first World Extreme Snowboard Championship in 1992, competing against 19 men and thus by default, the  first Women’s champion in that sport. In 1997 Greta began hosting MTV’s  Sports and Music Festival, and her song “Mikey Likes It” was used as the show’s theme song, In 1999 the Oxygen Network created the show  “Freeride with Greta Gaines”. She later hosted ESPN 2’s “Basscenter”  and “The New American Sportsman”. Greta released her first album of  music, the self-titled “Greta Gaines” in 1999, and her song “Firefly”  received extensive radio play. Greta performed at Lilith Fair with Sheryl  Crow and Sarah McLachlan, and had gigs opening for Tori Amos and Alanis  Morissette. Greta was also active in the legalization of cannabis in the  United States. She owns and operates The Hempery, and is an outspoken supporter of Women Grow. Greta sits on the advisory board of NORML.

“Bird Before Light” was produced by Jim Reillery, mixed by Eric Fritsch and  Will Logan and recorded at Ken Coomer’s Cartoon Moon and Eastwood  Studios in East Nashville, Tn. The album features Reillery on bass; drummer Coomer (Wilco), Fritsch (Marty Stuart) on guitar, piano and keyboards;  Grammy winning Tim O’Brien on fiddle; Adam Ollendorff (Kasey Musgraves)  on pedal steel; Kevin Rowntgen (Buckcherry) on electric guitar, and harmony vocalists Raul Malo (The Mavericks), Dan Bern, and O’Brien.

“Coming To Fruition”, as Greta sings “there’s no way to express…I’ll just try  to be happy…I need sunshine and you’ll be all mine…all I need is sunshine  and you’ll be all mine”. “Homegrown” features some pedal steel from  Musgraves as she chimes “come on over…sometimes…we should get high,  and do it over again…sometimes we need to do it over again”.

“Moderation” includes some great hammond B-3 from Fritsch and the lyric  “I do everything in moderation…when it comes to you there’s no hesitation …I try not to discuss on the very first date, I do everything in moderation,  including moderation”. On “Harm’s Way”, Greta cries out “it goes against  my nature to give you the upper hand”.

“Tenderhooks” is a rollicking vibe as Greta chants “don’t need for you to  give me a reason…you don’t even hear a word I say, I find you running  every which way”. “What Do You Want”, features Greta as she moans  “what do you want, it’s in my hand…I guess there’s nothing in my way,  what do you want that you do not see”.

“Port-A-Lee” includes O’Brien on fiddle, as Greta howls “that atip or two …we slip into port-a-lee….where you wash away your chances port-a-lee …port-a-lee, where no one is too blame we can start again, port-a-lee”. “One Eye Open” includes the lyric “once upon a time…then you changed your mind, I can’t see, there was something in your eye…I sleep with one eye open, maybe there’s something to try”.

“All Yours”, includes more Hammond organ from Fritsch, as Greta belts “I’m all yours…I can’t feel your love, so hold me tight so I know…I’m all  yours but you knew that…I want it bad”. On the closer, Sonic Bloom” Greta croons, “just like a sonic bloom that can carry you so that you can carry on…there’s a sonic bloom moving into the room, that can carry you so that you can carry on”.  Greta Gaines states that “Before Before Light” is “about getting out of my comfort zone as a songwriter…it explores certain themes that I find myself wrestling with in midlife…empty nesting, newfound anxiety, resistance to change, grief, and betrayal…while also pursuing faith, finding the simple joy that comes with sharing time with old friends, and immersing myself in the beauty of nature and the natural world”. One listen and I’m sure you’ll agree “Bird Before Light” is a songwriter’s dream.

Richard Ludmerer

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