While performing during the 2006 holiday season, I decided it was time to record some of my favorite pieces in one of my favorite places. Bypassing
the professional studio and heading straight for the place where I found my voice.
In the summer of 2007, I began months of traveling back and forth to a beautiful church just outside of San Antonio, Texas, in a small town called
Seguin, where I spent a good deal of my youth. I recorded these songs in the choir loft of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, adding all of the
schmaltz and dramatics that a crossover soprano craves.
My piano accompanist and director on this project was my dear friend, mentor and first voice teacher, Thomas R. Engler. My engineer and guitar accompanist
was my father, Gilbert R. Merkle. My electric keyboard accompanist was Wendi Gustafson. And my everything-else and all-around-support was my mother,
Susan A. Merkle.
My long-distance supporters were back in Los Angeles and New York. Bart Chiate, a staple in the Los Angeles audio industry, was an amazing consultant.
Christopher Hoag, the Emmy-Nominated composer, was my post-production guru and sounding board. Ed Valentine and Jorge Avila, the artists
in my life who amaze me with their talents and drive every day, were my post-production cheerleaders. And there was Matt Ford...the guy who found
me, figured me out and still wanted to spend every day of his life with me. Words cannot express. I am a fortunate soul.
Click on the song titles above to hear clips from the project.
