In the twilight of a beautiful, waning autumn's day, Dad and I drove up the interstate, around Moccasin Bend, up to the foot of LookoutMountain, and onto a luminary lit drive. It was here, at a house concert inside a beautiful 1800s log cabin, we met "Sweet Erin"Thomas, and two members of her band Last Call, Roy Agee on guitar, and Oscar Utterstrom, playing keyboards, harmonica and percussion.A native of South Carolina, Erin lives in Nashville's diverse music community, where for ten years she has played french horn professionally. She has taken a detour from that career and is forging a new path, singing and songwriting, and carrying a guitar.
On her website, Erin describes the hidden talents of her band, drawn from the brass playing ranks of Nashville - Roy and Oscar also play trombone! Last night, in that rustic setting, we were treated to the songstress in Erin. Hearing her voice, it was clear, "hidden talent" describes Erin as well.
Erin and her band mates played many of her original tunes, some of my favorites being "Proud," and "Little Ones," both inspired by motherhood and Erin's own daughter.
Erin's lyrics are provocative and compelling. Introducing "That Kind of Love," she posed the question that, considering love is such a force in our lives, when it's gone, where does it go? I suspect I will be pondering that question for some time to come.
As a listener, I found myself both wrapped around her words, and singing and tapping along with them. I was not alone in joining in the song as Erin and Roy advised the audience, "Think about what you want!" The band also delighted the audience with some of their favorite covers of Allison Krauss, The Dixie Chicks, and James Taylor.
At the end of a lovely evening of music, I could not help but think of Erin's song "Gone," in the context of people who settled the land at the foot of Lookout Mountain. At some point in their lives, they also knew it was time to move to a new place, to start over. Like Erin's lyric, they said, "my bags are packed, I'm ready to go." This listener is glad "Sweet Erin"Thomas has packed her bags in a guitar case!Read more about Erin Thomas and hear her music at www.sweeterin.com.
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| From Left: Inside the log cabin, Erin Thomas, Oscar Utterstrom and Roy Agee |
