Ellen found in Atlanta more than a comfortable refuge from the cold Adirondack winters of upstate New York. She found a place to nurture a dream that began when she was an uncertain twenty-something. A nascent conviction to follow her heart and pursue a music career led her to blossom into an accomplished singer/ songwriter, resulting in the release of her first CD, �Through the Fields of Home.�
Her earliest creative influences were an artist mother whose mediums included watercolors, pottery and sculpture, and a talented father who played jazz trumpet and taught music. Ellen credits her father as being the person most responsible for informing her young musical values. �He didn�t encourage me to pursue a music career,� she explains.�But his passion , commitment and discipline for music inspired me to pursue my own creative dreams,� she explains.
Classical voice training and composition studies developed Ellen�s appealing three-octave range and sealed her affinity with the piano. The seeds of Ellen�s style were sown by a wide range of familiar artists- Ella Fitzgerald, Nancy Wilson, Anita Baker, Sara Vaughn, Carole King and Bonnie Raitt to name but a few.
As for her own musical contributions? Ellen honors the listener with her rich, potent voice and unwavering ability to interweave beautiful lyrics and melodies, softening the boundaries between smooth jazz, new age and adult contemporary styles. It is a subtle but powerful alchemy, made deeply affecting by Ellen�s extraordinary soulful presence and generosity of spirit.
Ellen has graced Atlanta singing, playing piano and leading numerous bands for almost 20 years. Centennial Olympic park, Barnes and Noble, Phoenix &Dragon bookstores and hundreds of hotels, restaurants and parties have all shaped and help to hone this artist as a performer and a musician. Ellen has also opened for Smokey Robinson and Art Garfunkel at the Frederick Brown Junior Amphitheatre in Peachtree City, GA where she was very well received.
So what does Atlanta think of Ellen?
Atlanta Human Relations Consultant, Sylvia Sultenfuss, remarked �� I realized the first time that I heard Ellen�s voice and the healing beauty of her lyrics that I had to share her with everyone I knew�
True to her word, Ms. Sultenfuss has used the CD as an adjunct in therapy. One client in particular, Jeff Pendergrast, MD testifies to it�s effects: �Two songs were played for me during a recent counseling session, �Your Friend,� and �How Loved You are.� I wept and told my therapist how I had been unable to cry and grieve the recent loss of my missing 23-year-old son. I asked for the name of whoever was singing. Her voice was so beautiful and provided great healing. I had to get this music for my wife and daughters to listen to. Her voice could heal the planet.�
Dr. Pendergrast shared Ellen�s music with his wife, Mary Ellen and reported: �The next day, my wife put the CD on when she was alone and cried and cried. She told me how moving it was. So beautiful, and so healing.�
In these days when love and hope seem to vanish like vapor, the restorative effects of Ellen�s songs linger. The resolve of her simple truth that �Love Is� challenges the listener to awaken to it�s many forms by reminding us that the mysteries and joys of loving life reside in each moment.
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