written by Author Melanie Maddy
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I was born in Everett Washington, the oldest of three children. My mom was 15 and my dad was 17 when I was born, young hard working with ambitions of my father being a musician, he worked as a welder during the day and musician on the weekends. Story has it that I slept in his guitar case when they played music.
My dad bought a brand new 1957 gretsch guitar,he told me he paid $500.00 for it and he never thought he was going to get it paid off. Danny's music in Everett said that The Maddy Brothers had some of the best equipment for that time period. Several years ago my dad gave me his guitar which is displayed as a legacy for everyone who knew him in my music room. I'm still holding on to this link between my dad and music. The old case with the burgundy velvet inside still smells like the old honkytonk bars he was apart of for more than 20 years with his brothers Jim Maddy and Bob Maddy. The group was a local band in the pacific northwest called "The Maddy Brothers". They released several singles including Mixed Up, Rockin Party, and Crazy Old Heart. They performed on the Jack Roberts show based out of Seattle Washington for several years and were a well know local band in the pacific northwest. Growing up with a musical family, I dont think you can help but love music, it stirs something in the heart. Watching my dad play and singing with him has always been a highlight of growing up one of Maddy's. As a child I took piano lessons, sang in the school and church choir. But it wasn't until later that I would pick up the guitar myself and after learning a few chords I fell in love with music all over again, which lead to a couple local bands and meeting other local musicians. |
Present Day- I always knew that I was a writer even as a child I would go off by myself and write, but it wasn't until I learned to play the guitar that I actually started writing music and creating lyrics. Its at that moment that things just came together, or you just have this feeling that "yes this is who I am". So in the middle of raising a family, creating a home, running a business, I'm practicing chords and singing in the middle of a living room. I joined a local band to be the back up singer. The lead singer at the time had an audition at the Blue Bird Cafe in Nashville, in which the bass player and myself were invited to go along. When we all got back home the idea was to start a band however the lead singer never made it to the practices and decided he wanted to focus on his original music. I became the singer and the rhythm guitar player. Thankfully those guys let me play music with them, learning new chords and songs on the spot as needed. We played several local events through out a period of Five years. In 2005- 2010 several songs were written while in a small ministry. Music, Family and Faith , growing up a country girl, with the country music roots from my father which included Hank Williams, Merle Haggard, Buck Owens, Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn to name a few , but also loving James Taylor, Carol King, Rodney Crowell and Roseann Cash, Karla Bonoff, Bonnie Raitt, Sheryl Crow and Emmy Lou Harris. And while music is a big part of who I am, being a mother of 5 has been the most gratifying and special part of my life. When I write, it's genuine words from the heart, its not an agenda, its not business. It's how I feel... it's how I think about life. |
"In A Child's Eyes" was written about a neighbor and his grandson as I watched them explore the river and overheard the little boy look up the river and say, "I can see the whole world from here". A little boy with his grandfather poking a stick in the water and holding his grandfather's hand. Together with his grandfather, it was his whole world. I have raised my family with this dream in the back of my mind and in my heart to publish a children's book creating "My legacy" to my children and grandchildren for future generations. Life has come full circle and I understand In A Child's Eyes myself with new meaning. I feel blessed that I was able to pursue this dream. |
in a day an age with computers and social media and all the information that we have at the touch of screen, I think it's important to read and write, to sing and laugh and cry ... to raise a garden, to feed chickens and ride horses, bake cookies and pies or whatever your specialty is, to spend the day at the river fishing or go crabbing. To take a walk and to sit down at the end of the day and tell a story. To instill in our children the importance of spending time with each other, the importance of spending quiet time with ourselves to "let creativity blossom". |
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The stories come full circle when you have children, because you realize how important it was to have the people and experiences in your life, the people who taught you right from wrong, who loved you, who inspired you and shaped your world. For me not only were those people my parents, I was blessed with these really special grandparents that shared memories and experiences and a special way of life. They were not rich monetarily, but they created a beautiful home with their hands, they had a wonderful garden that they shared with neighbors, and they spent quality time with me. |
I'm sure that my love for old architectural pieces, wood and log homes, river rock and fireplaces, quilting and looking for a special find at the thrift store to come from spending time with my grandparents. They have molded me to be the person I am today, And while I paint this beautiful picture there were difficult things mixed in there too. Life was never perfect, but I knew I was loved and I knew by writing, I could have my story heard.
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