DIY tips from Songwriter Krista Detor

Folk singer-songwriter Krista Detor of Bloomington, Ind. recently offered some helpful advice for songwriters that I thought I’d share with you, commenting on song collaboration, as well as national media outreach. Growing up in Southern California before meeting and marrying producer and musician David Weber, who owns Bloomington-based Airtime Studios, Detor worked a myriad of…

Tochter von Berlin (A Poem)

I finally recorded a rough cut of the first song I’ve ever written in German, entitled “Tochter von Berlin,” with my band, Irene & Reed. The music begins with a resurrection of a little Beethoven and Liberace, blended with drums resembling a death march and a mostly instrumental chorus. Weeded throughout are verses in German,…

Lessons from Tori Amos

I had never identified myself with singer-songwriter Tori Amos. She had a beautiful voice and an undeniable musical talent, but as a teen growing up in the 1990s, I felt more kinship with the politically active Dolores O'Riordan of The Cranberries and the angsty Alanis Morissette. Amos, to me, seemed unworldly and untouchable. Some kind…

Mission (A Poem)

Teaser lyrics from our new song, "Mission," by Irene & Reed, based on my original poetry, which we're working on tonight in the studio. This is an excerpt from "Mission" (c) Leslie Benson 2010. I am filled with love stories and inconsistence I am a free spirit tied to indecision I am the girl with…