Introduce yourself:
I'm Brooksie Wells. I am a singer/songwriter and have been performing, both for children and adults, in the greater Washington area for many years.
How did you get your start?
While living in Reston, I hosted a cable show called "Music Matters" and am a long standing member of CAPS (Fairfax County Arts Council Creative Arts Program). I relocated to Warrenton, Va., in 2001 and now have a home recording studio where I recorded my recent CD "Been There" and am currently working on a new collection of songs titled "Anything but Love."
How long have you been performing?
I played piano as a child and took up guitar in high school. In college, I was offered a publishing contract with Bobby Darin and recorded with John Lennon's band Elephant's Memory. I then became a member of the band Kid Creole and the Coconuts and recorded with them on Island Records as well as having several songs published by Chappell Music that appeared both on recordings and in movies.
What has been your best memory when it comes to music?
As my children got older (my son is now a high school senior and engineers in our recording studio as well as playing drums and writing for his own band, Midnight Trip, and my daughter is a freshman at Fauquier High School and an accomplished pianist.), I went back to writing and performing for adults and my recent CD "Been There" was nominated for a WAMMY for best country record of 2006.
Describe your sound:
My grownup songs are stories about love, relationships and life. My kid's songs are about pineapples, butterflies and rainbows. Go figure.
Biggest musical influences:
Returning to Virginia, I married and had two delightful children who are now both wonderful musicians. Helping at my son's Montessori preschool inspired me to write children's songs and collect preschool songs in many different languages and I began performing for kids.
What do you enjoy most about performing live?
For children, I usually perform solo on the guitar or as a duo with one of my wonderful musician friends like Nina Gibson or Lisa Kay Howard. My kid's shows are very interactive and there are lots of motions, singing and fun. For adults, it depends on the venue...I love to open for other groups or sit in with the Lisa Kay Band, a wonderful bluegrass band that includes Doug McKelway (from channel 7 news) on the banjo.
Future Plans:
I will be completing my new CD in the next several months so look for a CD release party in early summer.