Cindy Ellis - The Songs of Our Lives (2020)

The Songs of Our Lives – this is a tribute to my wonderful family and to the beautiful Ozarks of central Arkansas. While my feet are firmly planted in Tennessee, a big piece of my heart still resides in these gentle, rolling hills. Honoring the rich memories of my early years, I used only the instruments we played in our family band. The song features my nephew, Sam Trawick, on fiddle, with an assist by my brother Tim on mandolin.

The Hill – I originally wrote this song for the occasion of my second-degree black belt testing in TaeKwonDo, a martial art which I practiced for about 12 years. While dusting it off for this project, I realized the song is really a metaphor for life. We added a bridge and included a lovely saxophone solo by the great John Heinrich. Also featured on keys is my talented long-time friend, Joey Hodge.

Rocking Chair – I really enjoyed arranging this one with my engineer and co-producer Ian. He had a great vision for the song and wonderful ideas for deepening the emotional impact. Especially enjoyable was working with my daughter, Jessi Wade, on vocals. Brittney Grisham added the beautiful high harmonies. John Henrich on steel guitar added just the right feel to this country heartbreaker.

Pride – How many things would be better if we weren’t too proud to ask for help, or to simply say, “I’m sorry?” This is a lesson I have had to learn over and over in my life, and I sense that many people struggle with the issue of pride. I love the interplay of the flute and cello on this one and am so glad I got to re-connect with an old friend, flutist Yvonne Nagy, and make a new friend, cellist Alex Stradal.

Pins and Needles – I originally wrote this as a vocal solo, but when Ian suggested I get my daughter to help me sing it, I turned it into a duet. Her perfect delivery and Kevin Ray’s superb guitar work make it one of my very favorites on the album! Mothers everywhere can relate to the wild ride of parenthood, where you must eventually accept that you really have no control! Tasty rhythm provided by drummer Taylor Jones and bassist Gary Nance.

Gossamer Chain – This started out as a stripped-down, acoustic song, then with Ian’s input, morphed into a full-on rock ballad. I love the instrumentation and BGVs! Ian gets most of the credit for arranging this song; he also sang and played percussion and electric guitar. Also on BGVs are my great friends, Jennifer Henderson and Brittney Grisham. The cool slide solo comes compliments of Jeff Jones, who also allowed us to use his rehearsal studio for much of the recording on this project.

Girl in Blue – For over a decade I have been involved with Holding Out Hope, a ministry for inmates at the Tennessee Prison for Women. When learning about our work with incarcerated women, the first thing people always want to know is, “what did they do?” And that was what I wanted to know as well when I first became involved. But over the years through my letters and visits with an inmate, and through conversations with my mentor, HOH founder Tina Soloman, I learned that we are more than the worst decision we have ever made. I learned that every life has value, and that there is grace and forgiveness for all. My journey to this realization is depicted in this song. My long-time friend Bill Nesbitt gave me exactly what I was looking for on guitar, and my new friend, Josh Culley added just the right flavor with his accordion.

Legacy – This song came to me quickly a few years ago after I was invited to be the worship leader for a Christian women’s event with the theme “God’s legacy” (Read Ephesians 1:13-14). We really had fun in the studio with Sam Trawick on violin, and John Heinrich on dobro. It has a cool Western movie vibe and I’m very proud of this one. I would love to hear Ricky Skaggs or Del McCoury sing it someday! Just putting it out there!

Made with Love – When you go through a divorce, sometimes you may feel like the years and the time were wasted, and that love never truly existed there. But when you are blessed with a child through the marriage, even if it ends, the value of that former relationship is affirmed. It took me a while to get to this place of peace, but I have no regrets! The cello is gorgeous on this one – a million thanks to Alex Stradal.

Still a Thing of Beauty – I wrote this song around the time I turned 50. Women are so pressured to look a certain way in our society and to hold onto youth forever. I was caught in this trap, constantly checking the mirror for new lines and greys, obsessing over my changing shape and comparing myself to the fake images promoted by the media. I found that accepting and loving who I am – a “fearfully, wonderfully” made creation of God (Psalm 139:13-14) brings contentment and joy, and I learned that there is unexpected beauty in every age. This is for all my uniquely beautiful girlfriends everywhere! Special thanks to my studio band for capturing the attitude on this one – Sam Trawick, Gary Nance, Kevin Ray and Taylor Jones.