Sylvia (7) – Nature Child: A Dreamer's Journey

Nothing Short of Miraculous!!!

A few years ago, I wrote about some of these songs in my, “Second Bloom ~ The Hits Re-Imagined" album review, and how much I wish they'd be on an album someday. Well, lo and behold, Sylvia recorded them for the follow-up, "Nature Child ~ A Dreamer's Journey". I received it from Sylvia a few days prior to its official release date and have listened to it countless times over the past several weeks.

Back in the early 90's, Sylvia would often fill in for Lorianne Crook of the “Crook & Chase” talk show on The Nashville Network (TNN). I'd watch every day to make sure I never missed her appearances. I kept hoping her co-host, Charlie would ask her about her music career, but time after time they never talked about it.

Until one day he brought it up and she mentioned she was working on a Children's album with songs that she wrote with Verlon Thompson. She named a few of the titles, “Imagination”, “My Best Friend”, “Don't Be Afraid to Dream” and “I Love You for Who You Are”. I was sitting there feeling stunned and beyond excited that she finally talked about a new project as it had been about 5 years since she'd released a new studio album.

About a year later, Sylvia was a guest on “Crook & Chase” and performed the song “Don't Be Afraid to Dream”. Oh, what a beautiful song it was! I could just imagine a great music video to go along with it. After she sang the song, she was interviewed by Lorrianne and Charlie. Sylvia mentioned she was in the process of signing a record deal and had plans to go out to New York and work on a video of the songs.

Well, days, weeks, months went by, and I hadn't heard anything about it. I was afraid the project was shelved just like her 1986 studio album “Knockin' Around” had been. Every day I'd check to make sure I didn't miss her being on TNN's “Nashville Now”.

Finally, one day in 1992, I saw that she was going to be on the show. She hadn't been on in a year or so. Much to my surprise, she sang “My Best Friend” and “(I Love You) More Than It Has Ever Rained”, (a song which a few years later was released on Sylvia's “The Real Story” album). I had not heard either one of those songs before. I taped the show and listened to them over and over again. I was on “Cloud 9” to finally have some new music from Sylvia to listen to. The host Ralph Emery interviewed her, and they didn't talk about any new projects. No mention of that children's album or anything. But as time went by and she made more and more appearances singing newer music, she referred to it as “Family Music”, great music for the whole family.

Sylvia came up here to Alaska in the fall of 1993 for some shows and she was interviewed on our local country radio station. Much to my delight, she mentioned that she was recording a new album back in Nashville. My friend Eddie, who was the interviewer, asked her if that was the “Family Music” album. She told him she had put that project on the back burner and was focused on country music and said something along the lines of, getting her music career back in high gear again. She said she had co-written several songs, along with songs written by other people that she felt really good about. She also said the new album would include, “Don't Be Afraid to Dream”.

Unfortunately, that project, along with “Knockin' Around” and the children's album were all shelved. My goodness!! To say I was disappointed doesn't even come close to how I was feeling. I just couldn't understand why my favorite artist was having project after project never getting to see the light of day!! I knew it must have been so upsetting for Sylvia and that made me feel even more sadness.

On the bright side of things, I had my amplifier hooked up to an audio cassette tape recorder, so I could record music LIVE right from the television. I made my own cassette tapes of Sylvia singing new songs that I'd listen to a lot. It was the closest thing I had to a new Sylvia album, they weren't the best sound quality, but I was grateful to at least have those recordings of her beautiful songs to enjoy.

Fast forward about 30 years and we finally have many of those amazing songs and more on a new studio album by Sylvia! I feel it's nothing short of miraculous to be able to add this album to my wonderful Sylvia collection. Even though I would have preferred it to have been released 27 or 28 years ago, I feel its timing is right. Not only does it contain many songs she co-wrote all those years ago, but it contains newly written songs she wrote as well. I think they all are sequenced perfectly on the album.

"Avalon" is a title I only heard about within the past year or so. I was guessing it had been written in more recent months, but I was mistaken. It was one that she wrote with Verlon Thompson back in the late 80's. I love it! The storybook and performance videos that accompany it are a sweet bonus!

"Imagination" and "Don't Be Afraid to Dream", two more Sylvia and Verlon wrote together and are a couple of my favorites that I had recorded on my cassette tape from her LIVE performances on TNN back in the day. She also sometimes sang them at Cactus Petes casino in Jackpot, NV. These recordings are so beautiful. I'm beyond grateful to finally have them on a Sylvia album!

I was a little taken aback when "Don't Be Afraid to Dream" began, because the words were a little different making it about "she" and not Sylvia's story like how I remember her singing it. I absolutely love this new recording, but it's taking some getting used to. I loved it when she'd sing, "I would sing along, and every single song was MY voice on the radio". I've always just wanted her voice on the radio, so I thought those words fit perfectly. Speaking of every single song, I absolutely love every single song on this incredible NEW album!!!

"If I Only Had Wings" - I've had this beautifully written song in my collection since 1995 when I ordered a various-artists CD, "Alive Hospice - Friends for Life" that included one Sylvia recording. I've listened to it a lot over all these years. It was one of my grandma's favorites. Sylvia also sang it in Jackpot when my grandma and I drove down there from Alaska in her motorhome. I'm so happy it was included on this album, it's a wonderful new rendition and takes me back to those incredible memories. I know my grandma, and my mom too would most definitely love this new recording of the song.

However, I sort of wish there was another version without the sound effects. Kind of like when record labels would release an edited version of a single back in the day. They were interesting the first few times I listened, but I realized that I'd be fine without them, especially the sound of kids playing before and after, "If I Only Had Wings". I just want it to get to the song. But I do love the train sound at the beginning and ending of, "Every Time a Train Goes By".

"Nature Child", "(Hey, Hey, Hey) It's a New Day", "Dancing Over an Emerald Isle", and "Home Is" are all brand new and have become huge favorites of mine! It's always so amazing to hear brand new songs from Sylvia! "(Hey, Hey, Hey) It's a New Day" is a huge highlight for me, it's so very uplifting and fun to sing-along on. The title track especially makes me think of my mom. I know how much she'd LOVE that song. Of course, she'd love the whole entire album. But that particular song touches my heart and finds a tender spot that makes me feel a little weepy thinking about how much mom would love it and how much I miss her and want to share it with her.

"Good Night, Sleep Tight My Little One", is a title I first heard of only a week or so prior to its release, when I saw it included in an article for the album. Just from the title alone, I knew it would become another favorite of mine and was I ever right about that!! It's exciting to know it was one of those that was written back in the late 80's and has finally landed on a Sylvia album.

"My Best Friend", another one I've had in my collection from a LIVE television performance from 1992. This song has an extra special place in my heart as Sylvia performed it in Jackpot and surprised me by dedicating it to little ole me one evening at her show. I was happy beyond words. What made it even more special is the smile my mom had on her face as she was so happy for me. Those memories are more than priceless. I had been wanting it on an album for what seems like forever! I can hardly believe it's finally on a Sylvia album!!

"I Love You for Who You Are", I had only heard Sylvia mention the title many years ago, but it stuck with me all of these years and it feels so amazing to finally hear the beautiful words and of course Sylvia's wonderful voice. I'm so grateful she included it on this album!

I listened to this new album over and over and over again, day after day in my headphones and was floating on a cloud hearing her beautiful voice and songs. Then I took the CD out to my car to listen to it on a drive and realized how much I wish there was the drum sound that I crave on the up-tempo songs, especially, "My Best Friend", "Imagination" and "(Hey, Hey, Hey) It's a New Day". I realize it's not a good idea for me to go back and listen to Sylvia's older favorites of mine like, "Heart on the Mend" as it really makes me miss that, I think it's called, backbeat sound. It's a personal style of music that my ears absolutely love, especially while on a drive.

Anyhow, I had high hopes the up-tempo songs would be similar to the production of "Second Bloom" and even several of the songs on, "It's All in the Family" that I love so much, in particular, "I Didn't Know What I Was Missing". I've been wrestling with my feelings about it and have been upset with myself wishing it wouldn't bother me so much. But I JUST LOVE that full-band sound she had in Jackpot and will probably crave it from her on an album until I take my last breath.

But even with me missing the drums and that style I crave from Sylvia; I absolutely love and am grateful to have this new album! Those most beautiful and clever "ethereal" vocals she created are SO AWESOME!!! John Mock and all of the musicians have constructed some of the best music on this project. I love the extra creative and special album cover Sylvia and John Mock came up with too. It's simply amazingly beautiful!

Together they produced a true masterpiece! I highly recommend you get this album! I will always love to listen to Sylvia's sweet, pure and beautiful voice!!!