Singer/songwriter and wanderlust Mama Gina feels most at home when she can feel the earth beneath her feet and taste the freedom of the open sky. With down-to-earth, bluesy vocals, a bit of humor, and straight-ahead, rhythmic, acoustic guitar, she tells the true stories that fall into her head and heart. She sings of life, death and rebirth. She sings of holding on and letting go. She speaks to the Gods and Goddesses and they speak back. She sings their stories as they become her own. She sings of her spiritual connection to the natural world, and of our responsibility to nurture both the mundane and the magical. When she is not performing, you just might find her camping in the woods seeking inspiration from the earth beneath her feet and the vast, open sky. Here is what folks are saying about Mama Gina. "She's got a pagan Ani Di Franco vibe to her. ♥" - Heather S., Facebook "Great soulful vocals, Mama Gina! Deep spiritual insight. Peace." - Lojah, ReverbNation artist "Great show!! She took us the full circle ... laughter, tears and joy!!! A true artist!!" - B Mullins on Brighid's Fire concert "This is really beautiful and genuine music. Loving it !!! " - Monica Dupont, Reverbnation Artist "Passionate, emotional, all around phenomenal music. Thank you for sharing your soul. " - JulieJTmpa A message from Mama Gina Thank you so much for letting me share my heart with you. The music, the magic, and the mystery that each song reveals as it works its way through my soul and my voice is always a surprise! Here are a few of the moments that led to the songs on "Goddess Kiss'd." The Summer of the Fae June 2011, I was on my way to celebrate Grandmother Elspeth's birthday. We would be camping and playing music for an entire weekend in northern Georgia. Following my GPS, I turned off from the "main" road (already only 2 lane highway) onto a road that promised to be interesting. The sign before me was one giant squiggle and said "next 22 miles." This Florida girl was in heaven and driving oh, so, cautiously as I wound my way into the mountains - my intrepid '99 Ford Explorer loaded to the gills with camping and musical gear. Mountain rose on one side and dropped off on the other. The air really did grow hazy and the sun filtered through the trees, and I swear I heard evil giggles. And then I smelled my brakes burning. Apparently, one should not ride the brakes on a journey like that. I pulled over at the first house (read "shack") that I saw and knocked on their door ... no one home. I called AAA and took a seat on a rather large stone in the front yard. Well, the song says it all. You just have to listen. Absolutely true story. They really did have a fairy ring right in the front yard! By the way, there was nothing wrong with the brakes. Picked up my car the next morning at KARZ in Elijay, GA (wonderful folks!) and the mechanic explained to me how to drive in the mountains and laughed at this Florida girl as I drove away to the campground. Song of Atonement AutumnMeet, August 2010, was a lovely, magickal weekend full of friends, family, and enough down time to clear my head and heart. The first night, my friend KL and I sat and told each other stories into the evening. She told me part of a story that she was writing about an elven race who sang a song of atonement when the world around them needed healing. Whenever this song was sung by the elves, the world and everything in it would stop and begin to sing along. I asked KL, "What is the song?" She whispered, "I don't know ..." Later that evening, alone in my camp, with nothing but my guitar and all her inspiration, this lullaby fell into my heart and then flowed from my pen, from my guitar, from my voice. It is true, "The world sings your pain. Oh, but she would sing your glory. She will sing whatever you own. So, let go your fear. Let fly your soul, and atone." The Goddess of Letting Go Ever since my father crossed over in 2005, my Mom has enjoyed camping with me a couple of times a year. And now Mom has dementia. Last October, I was on the fence about taking her with me for a short weekend in the woods, and decided that I would be able to keep a good watch on her. She was fine during the days, but both Friday and Saturday night she wandered away from her tent after I fell asleep. And both nights I woke to the voices of my confused Mom and the flute vendor Mark W,. as he gently steered her back to camp. Mom was pretty disconnected for the next few hours and as soon as the sun came up, we packed up and I took her home to familiar surroundings. I've let go of quite of bit of my nuclear family in the last few years, and now I'm letting go of my Mom little by little ... one memory at a time. I wrote this that weekend, and still have a bit of a hard time singing the last verse. Almost made it through without choking up in the studio. Geez, who knew I was such an emotional gal? Anyway - keeping this song just as it was written - and a little bit raw. Hummingbirds One of my favorite sanctuaries is my lovely friend Julie's little piece of heaven just outside her apartment. Yes, I know. You'd think an apartment doesn't really give anyone enough space to create an outdoor haven, let alone heaven. I'm telling you that she has manifested a beautiful garden for butterflies and birds and even squirrels. The hummingbirds that show up are so amazing. And so is Julie. The Trouble I'm In I was meditating on the Tarot card The Hanged Man, and began wondering about Odin hanging on the World Tree - sacrificing himself for knowledge. And I began to wonder what he could possibly be thinking. I know there are times when I've bitten off quite a bit more than I could chew, and figured the All Father might have been in the same predicament. At any rate, that's the thought process that finally led to "The Trouble I'm In." It's a bit more edgy than a lot of the stuff I've written lately, and I rather like edgy. Again, thank you so much for letting me share my heart. I sure hope that you enjoy the music! Mama Gina