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Simple Gifts w Feter by Roxylee [Email]

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SONG STATS:
Hits: 1148
Comments: 84
Votes: 13
Plays: 118
Last Played: Nov 03, 2008 - 08:03:02 PM
Downloads: 45
Fans: 23
Uploaded: Feb 17, 2008 - 09:08:13 PM
Last Updated: Feb 17, 2008 - 09:08:13 PM
Fan List
Keywords:
Feter (21), Roxylee (29), mandolin (41), harmony (56), folk Simple Gifts (1)
Description:
Feter's 2.34 minute long rendition of a folk classic, featuring Feter and Mr. Sanchez, aka Feter's mandolin. I added software cello-bass and vocals. We hope you enjoy this little song. :-)

Lyrics:

It’s a gift to be simple,
It’s gift to be free,
It’s a gift to come down
where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves
in the place just right,
will be valley of love and delight.

When true simplicity is gained,
To bow and to bend we’ll not be ashamed,
To turn, turn will be our delight,
Till by turning, turning we come round right.

It’s a gift to be gentle
It’s a gift to be fair
It’s a gift to wake
breathe the morning air
Every day to walk on the path
The gift that we pray,
we never come to lose



Hardware:
G4, mandolin

Software:
GB2
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Simple Gifts &mdash 02/17/08 - 09:11:53 PM
(when true simplicity came ..) a true charmin part ..it hit so deep
so wonderfull ...

I think this is more than awesome ..you did a real magic again ...
so honored so thankfull dear ...!



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My pleasure... &mdash 02/17/08 - 09:19:07 PM
Always wonderful to collab with you and Mr. Sanchez. :-)

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Simple Gifts &mdash 02/17/08 - 09:15:03 PM
I lik ehow you changed the melody a wee bit,and enjoyed the vocals.

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Thanks, John &mdash 02/17/08 - 09:30:46 PM
Very nice of you to stop by. Yeah, the phrasing is different than the original in some parts; and it was fun to sing along. :-)

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Lovely! &mdash 02/17/08 - 09:19:29 PM
Feter, this is one of the best recorded tracks you've done, and Roxy adds so much as well. Roxy, you've done an excellent job of mixing this and your singing and playing are a delight. Almost forgot Mr Sanchez - he sounds in fine form.
Wonderful post!
Neil

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Hello, Neil! &mdash 02/17/08 - 09:42:39 PM
Singing with Feter is always such fun! We are both "folkies" at heart, and Mr. Sanchez is the perfect instrument for folkies. Thank you for listening, and we truly appreciate your comments.

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Peace !! &mdash 02/19/08 - 04:33:06 PM
Thnx Neil ..alwaysw a delight to read you wonderful
comments ..you too kind .God bless ~!!

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intimate &mdash 02/17/08 - 09:26:06 PM
This rendition IS truly simple, the mandolin is such a "folky" instrument, perfect for this.

The vocals blend nicely and are pleasing to the ear.

This track sounds like I'm sitting across from you in the livingroom, very intimate.



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I'm happy that &mdash 02/17/08 - 09:51:08 PM
it has an intimate, living room feel, and that you enjoyed it. Thank you, Cameron. :-)

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free voices &mdash 02/17/08 - 09:36:24 PM
love the simple gifts you two bring to the table here... the harmonies are tweaked to make this sound fresh and new, the singing is uncluttered but full (however you can do that?), and the mixing really stands out here, good choice of panning and clarity and levels... sweet job you two!
ttfn,
Drakonis

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So all those mixing questions &mdash 02/17/08 - 10:00:42 PM
I asked and you, and you so patiently answered, have paid off. <G> Thank you very much, Eduard, for prompting me to start using GarageBand and to join MacJams. I am learning a lot here, thanks to great musicians and friends like you. I am glad you liked this simple song. Feter is a great collab musician! :-)

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Delightful &mdash 02/17/08 - 10:05:54 PM
What a wonderful accomplishment, special in every way...Bravo to all of you...

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We appreciate it, Dave &mdash 02/17/08 - 10:37:06 PM
Feter, Mr. Sanchez the mandolin , and I thank you very much. I just went over and listened to some of your songs-wow.

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Great &mdash 02/17/08 - 11:17:33 PM
Wow... The vocals sounds great and fits together... It's a really happy song.... Great..

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Why, thank you, Jakob &mdash 02/18/08 - 11:06:37 AM
I'm glad you enjoyed this, and I'm enjoying your songs,as well. Thank you for stopping by. :-)

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A DAZZLING JEWEL &mdash 02/18/08 - 06:44:21 AM
WHAT a multi-faceted Jewel, with so many filaments of pure light and reflection.

It may be a Traditional piece, but this is the first time I've heard this beautiful song; it is presented brilliantly with vocal architecture of sturdy, simple strengths.

Top Production Values creating a well articulated and very welcoming space for the prayer of this song.

Outstanding.

with appreciation and high regards,
Cooper

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Wow, Coop... &mdash 02/18/08 - 11:10:21 AM
I'm overwhelmed with your comment. This is what making music is all about fore me- making listeners feel peace and happiness (at least in most of my...er...songs.) <G>Thank you so much for your comments. I'm humbled and pleased that these efforts are bearing fruit.

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Excellent! &mdash 02/18/08 - 08:14:12 AM
This is excellent. A true folksong with a tune that one can hum along with. Good job Feter & Roxy.

God bless,

Rick



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I thank you, &mdash 02/18/08 - 11:12:51 AM
and Feter thanks you, too. I'm glad we got you humming along. :-)

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Love it &mdash 02/18/08 - 11:32:36 AM
it's so nice to hear you 2 guys singing together a wonderfully collab.

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Hi, Kenta! &mdash 02/18/08 - 01:48:06 PM
I just heard your latest- way cool.. Thank you stopping by. Your comments are always appreciated. :-)

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The heart of Folk &mdash 02/18/08 - 11:36:28 AM
Peices like this show the true heart of folk music. How appropo that this was a collaboration. Rox, you really have a helping gift as it shows in every collaboration.

Thanks Feter and Rox,
Stephen

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:-) &mdash 02/18/08 - 01:53:22 PM
Well, thank you muchly, Stephen. Feter is without recording equipment for the time being, and I love singing harmony with him, so having this chance to do collabs with him is a blast. :-) (another one will be up on his page any day now) ;-) Thank you for your comments; I really value them.

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great &mdash 02/18/08 - 01:42:35 PM
It's so difficult to write good "simple" music. You did a wonderful job, this is lovely!

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Well, Andreas, thank you! &mdash 02/18/08 - 01:56:23 PM
but we didn't write this tune; it's a trad. folk song. I *wish* I'd written it! <G> I appreciate your listening- your work is amazing, btw. :-)

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I love this song... &mdash 02/18/08 - 01:47:15 PM
and have sung it many times by myself and with others over the years. This is a fresh and pleasant take by the both of you. Simple... with the gift of lovely voices singing simple truths. Good one Feter and Roxylee.

Jack

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This song &mdash 02/18/08 - 02:06:05 PM
is one that I've loved ever since I first heard it, too. I'm so glad you like this version, Jack. Thank you so much for your comments and encouragement since I've been here in MJ. :-)

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Lovely simplicity &mdash 02/18/08 - 02:11:18 PM
A wake-up call to those of us who layer part upon part in GB that simple can be effective & beautiful. Good piece.

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And I marvel &mdash 02/18/08 - 03:26:00 PM
at those who can do all the layers and it comes out so well. Thank you for stopping by, Tom. your latest is beautifully done. :-)

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Great... &mdash 02/18/08 - 02:40:20 PM
...combination of voices and talent! That mandolin is so graceful. Very nice piece.
B

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Feter's playing &mdash 02/18/08 - 05:13:18 PM
is wonderful, and would make any folk song more folky. And his encouragement spurs me on to do my best. Thank you for coming over to listen. Your latest song is amazing..:-)

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Roxyee &mdash 02/18/08 - 04:22:08 PM
You must be proud of this!

The performances are so complimenting of each other.
The strings give the track some roar
the vocals its delicate appeal
and the mandolin its quaintness
What a wonderful lyric to sing
'count u'r blessings' ,my mom always says
such down to earth good music
peace
t

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Thank you, Tim &mdash 02/18/08 - 05:21:55 PM
Yes, we must count our blessings, and being a part of MacJams is a real blessing to me. Thank you so much for listening. I am happy that you liked our simple collab. :-)

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I just have to say &mdash 02/18/08 - 06:33:27 PM
Excellent job once again Roxy. I have to agree with Neil....I think this might be the best one yet. Your vocal work on this is just exceptional Roxy....everything is so tight. Everything sounds so good here, including Mr. Feter and Mr. Sanchez. I also loved the cello part.

very very nice

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Thank you so much! &mdash 02/18/08 - 09:58:59 PM
It's so good to hear that our collabs are working. Your comments are valued and I thank you for coming over to listen. I am so grateful to everyone here. :-)

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yay! &mdash 02/18/08 - 08:58:59 PM
*applause*

I love it!!!!! Very beautifully done, I really enjoyed this song!

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.. &mdash 02/18/08 - 09:02:13 PM
oh and I downloaded it for my mp3 player.

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I'm honored &mdash 02/18/08 - 10:01:59 PM
and I'm so happy that you liked it enough to add it to your mp3 player. I feel famous now. <G>

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I just loved this,... &mdash 02/18/08 - 11:20:53 PM
Great to hear mr. Sanchez again. Such a medevil village community sound, lots of nice feel of community interaction, really delightful words and nice singing on both of your parts.

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Hi, Ian! &mdash 02/19/08 - 07:13:18 AM
So good of you to stop by for a listen. :-) Yes, this tune has a timeless feel toit, like it can be sung through the ages and not lose meaning. I'm glad you liked it. Your latest video is cool. :-)

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Great listening &mdash 02/18/08 - 11:52:40 PM
Fantastic recording, this is a sweet song nicely played and sung, great colab!

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Thanks, TW &mdash 02/19/08 - 08:01:22 AM
MJ is a cool place, where all genres are represented. I dig it when a rocker can get into folk, and vice versa. Thank you for coming on over. :-)

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Fundamental truth &mdash 02/19/08 - 06:41:00 AM
the ability to put that self away.. die the little death... opens a whole new life... I've never heard this, although the melody is familiar... nice job all... and Rox, the day you move to NJ... there would certainly be a place for your voice and gifts.. :)

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That made my day &mdash 02/19/08 - 08:04:05 AM
Thank you, Scott. You are a gift to the MJ community. I am blessed by your encouraging remarks, and I am really happy that you enjoyed this one. I'm looking forward to your next song.

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Great gentle tune &mdash 02/19/08 - 06:42:30 PM
Your voices sound great together. Like the mandolin only music as it does not distract from the vocals.

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Hi! &mdash 02/19/08 - 06:55:00 PM
I really like the mandolin, and Feter plays it well. It is the perfect instrument for folk music. Thank you for coming over to have a listen. :-)

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very nice &mdash 02/19/08 - 06:53:42 PM
very folk, very very folk. I really enjoyed this tune.
I thought that the instruments could have came up a bit over all.
Very tight harmonies. Just a great collab!!!

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Hey, thanks, Steve &mdash 02/19/08 - 07:24:22 PM
Yeah, I like folk, as you can tell. <G> Thank you for the suggestion- I'll keep it in mind for the next one. Thank you coming over to listen. We appreciate it. :-)

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Enjoy &mdash 02/19/08 - 09:51:01 PM
the home style of this. This has a terrific folk traditional feel. In fact it is one of my favs of folk duets here.

True, simplicity can be a treasure and these are sure sounds to be treasured.

Thanks for sharing this delightful tune. What a fun and great addition you all have added to MJ.

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Wow, Bill, thanks! &mdash 02/20/08 - 08:04:06 AM
I am pleased as punch that you like this duet this much. I've always liked this trad. folk song, and singing it with Feter, another folkie at heart, was a lot of fun for me.

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Sweet and direct to the heart &mdash 02/19/08 - 11:04:58 PM
You bet I like it!

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Hey, Rich! &mdash 02/20/08 - 08:06:37 AM
We appreciate your stopping by, and I'm glad you enjoyed the duet. :-)

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Simplicity &mdash 02/20/08 - 09:41:40 AM
Clarity of cleanly voiced harmony enhanced by Saint Sanchez sweetly plucked.

Had not heard this tune before and reminded me much of Lord of the Dance.

Most enjoyable and we are lucky to have it posted here on MacJams.

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Now that you mention it... &mdash 02/21/08 - 04:03:30 PM
Those two melodies do sound a lot alike... I just looked up Lord of the Dance, and yup, it says:

"The lyrics for this version were adapted from a song called "Simple Gifts" by Sydney Carter in 1963. The music is a 19th century Shaker tune.

Good ear! :-) Thank you for your astute and kind comment. :-)

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Simple &mdash 02/20/08 - 04:04:29 PM
and beautiful...
Roxanne, this is a very nice tune, you did a wonderful job, great singing and playing, I love it !
Good collab with Feter and Mr. Sanchez, a pleasure to listen, bravo...
Marc

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Thank you, Marc &mdash 02/21/08 - 04:17:53 PM
Singing harmony is fun, and it's always a treat to sing with Feter and Mr. Sanchez.:-) We appreciate your coming over to listen. MJ brings the world closer together. :-)

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Very nice ballad &mdash 02/22/08 - 05:37:04 AM
I love mandolin and voices here.This is a very nice tune, you did a wonderful job, great singing and playing, I love it !

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I'm glad you stopped by, because &mdash 02/23/08 - 08:49:08 AM
I hadn't heard your music yet. The song for Sarah is beautiful. Thank you for coming over, and we are happy that this simple tune was so well received. :-)

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What they said... &mdash 02/23/08 - 11:20:31 PM
You all have kept the feeling of the old Shaker song. I can imagine that THIS RECORDING is a lot closer to the original version than just about anything else one might find. The Copland rendition is beautiful, to be sure, but it is not as authentic-sounding as yours. I love this. What magic you all bring to such a well-known "standard." Just beautiful.
Peace.
Paul

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Well, thank you, Paul &mdash 02/24/08 - 03:24:06 PM
We are just folkies at heart, and I'm glad we were able to preserve the simplicity that this song is about. Feter's mandolin was very instrumental (pun intended) <G> in retaining the song's flavor.

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The wonder of simplicity &mdash 02/24/08 - 10:31:52 PM
Such a lovely arrangement, gentle harmonies and just the right amount of accompaniment. Very effective combination and a true joy to hear.

Thank you both!
Doug

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Hey, Doug &mdash 02/25/08 - 09:53:47 PM
I hadn't heard your music before today. I had a chance to listen to your latest and it's beautiful. Thank you for coming over to hear this simple tune. :-)

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What a great member you are Roxy &mdash 02/25/08 - 03:26:11 PM
Just had to stop and make a comment, plus check out the new beta site as well.
Have a terrific week! Great to be able to see the comments and post a comment as well !

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This IS cool... &mdash 02/25/08 - 09:58:49 PM
to see the comment as I reply. Bill, you are so kind and encouraging to me, thank you. :-)

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Yes &mdash 02/26/08 - 03:20:42 AM
I enjoyed this little but o so great song!
Im getting so inspired here at MacJams...
Why arent you guys here in Sweden?

Bless you :-)

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Hello!! &mdash 02/26/08 - 10:01:08 AM
Thank you for stopping by, Mrs. Curry, and welcome to MacJams! We are all waiting to hear your songs. A duet with Mr. Curry, perhaps? :-) Many blessings and congratulations to you both. :-) I am happy that that you like this little song. Feter's mando playing is always fine.:-)

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Lovely and tender &mdash 02/27/08 - 04:52:46 PM
I never get tired of this classic and you two have done a lovely and tender rendition together. Wonderful.
Best,
Bowman

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Well, thank you! &mdash 03/04/08 - 07:39:29 AM
How nice of you to stop by, and I am smiling that this simple rendition of Simple Gifts was pleasing to so many.

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WOW! &mdash 03/03/08 - 07:09:30 AM
A masterpiece ... This truly amazing and one of the very best simple songs ever heard. Great work and KUDOS BOTH!

Take Care
- Yeman A. Al-Rawi

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Yeman! &mdash 03/04/08 - 07:48:21 AM
How good to hear from you- and I must say, your new song is a true Masterpiece. It touched me deeply. I appreciate your stopping by, and so does our friend, Feter. You guys are a testimony of how it is possible to overcome in difficult times. We pray for peace and safety to you both. Thank your for your comment. :-)

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Excellent. &mdash 03/03/08 - 07:57:34 AM

Hi another lovely song from you both you are so good together
it sounds sooo sweet- you harmonise perfectly and lovely lyrics thank you so much for sharing -your wonderful music that I simply love to hear.
well done as its just purrfect.

Peace
Dee

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Wow, Dee &mdash 03/04/08 - 07:54:13 AM
Thank you so much! :-) Singing with Feter is great fun, and his mandolin adds so much to folk songs like this one. Your music has been in full bloom and growing, and I can hardly keep up so many new songs from so many wonderful musicians in here! Thank you coming on over. :-)

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How can... &mdash 03/03/08 - 10:09:58 PM
two so very different voices blend and fit so perfectly?? I loved it!

Trevor

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heehee &mdash 03/04/08 - 08:01:17 AM
That's what I thought when I heard our voices together- they blend well, and I wouldn't have thought so until I heard the recording. It makes me wonder how many other collabs there could be that we wouldn't think of at first? There are so many musical possibilities in this place- we just need more hours in the day. <G> Thank you so much for stopping by, and for commenting. :-)

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a gift! &mdash 03/05/08 - 09:16:17 PM
and what a gift this is.

i really enjoyed the vocals and the mandolin

thank you



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Thank you, Bill &mdash 03/06/08 - 06:47:01 AM
and I appreciate your stopping by. I'm glad you enjoyed the song. The mando playing by Feter is just right for a folk song, and his arrangement of trad. songs is always fresh and uniquely his.

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dynamic duo! &mdash 03/07/08 - 09:34:42 PM
oooo - your song's title is evoked from the first measure of music!
i love the way you surround feter's rock-like deep strong vocal with your soft silkiness, roxy. simply lovely song with a simply lovely presentation.
i enjoyed your wonderful weaving,
anne



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Anne... &mdash 03/17/08 - 06:08:07 PM
your input is always looked forward to by us both. Thank you, and I am delighted that you liked this so much. :-)

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Understated perfection &mdash 03/17/08 - 12:44:52 PM
Roxylee, Feter and Mr Sanchez - a pefrect combination. I really enjoyed how your vocal lines blended with Feter's voice and how it was all gently held together by Mr Sanchez chiming quietly in the background. Who needs drums and a band when you can do this? To sum up - fantastic!

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We thank you &mdash 03/17/08 - 06:36:05 PM
and we are so happy that this one was so enjoyed. Thank you so much for coming over. i just listened to your guitar playing...wow.

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Straight from the heart &mdash 04/29/08 - 06:05:20 AM
A beautiful song, sung beautifully! And straight from the heart! I like the fact that you kept the arrangement simple, as befits the spirit of the song.

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Love it &mdash 04/30/08 - 09:54:25 PM
What's more to say? Faved and downloaded. This, I will say::Thank you."

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Simple Gifts &mdash 08/25/08 - 02:56:18 PM
Very nice.

Mitzi

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Thank you, Mitzi! &mdash 08/25/08 - 04:49:41 PM
I'm glad you liked this, and thank you for stopping by. :-)

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