Morpheus

Produced and Arranged by Pamela Rose
Co-produced by Randy Sharp, Kirby Shelstad, Michael Rhodes and Kim Person (where noted)
Executive Producer Kim Person
Re-Mix by Kim Person at Phoenix Recording Arts
Digital editing by Pamela Rose (except where noted)
Mastered by Bill Wolf at Wolf Productions in Alexandria, Virginia
?Louise, Louise? and ?Guns of Love? Re-Mix by Kim Person and Randy Sharp

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The making and completion of Pam’s CD Morpheus is by far the most notable event on the calendar. After two years in the studio, it is finally released.

“It actually feels more like how I imagine it would feel like to have written a novel, rather than to have recorded a CD. From where I view it, Morpheus is the journey of a soul traveling through time and evolving emotionally and spiritually. And as is the case with novelists, I found myself deeply relating to each character. It was a metamorphosis for me, as well, and sometimes it was hard to tell whether I was mirroring the character or the character was mirroring me. In the long run, I suppose it doesn’t matter, and is more than likely the same thing anyway.”

“I am delighted with the final result of this work, and I give total credit to the players, my co-writers and my co-producers for their emotionality and technical brilliance.”

“Several of the tracks from Morpheus were co-written and co-produced with my long-time friend and compatriot (Randy Sharp), about whose talent I could go on without end. I have yet to find an instrument which he cannot play or will not try or which he has not recorded on some song of his own. He has been recording almost as long as he has been performing, and his recording skills and technical expertise shine as brightly as does his musicality.”

“And while I am on the subject of brilliance, let me rave on about one of my favorite players and persons in the entire universe... my soul sister, best friend and constant comrade, Mary Ann Kennedy. I am blessed to have Mary Ann be a part of this record. We have shared so much together: from our lengthy liaison as writers, to our partnership as Kennedy Rose, to our experiences at the Grammys and the Nobel Peace Prize Presentation, and our tours and adventures with Sting and Emmylou Harris. We have had some fun! Mary Ann co-wrote ‘Walls’ with Randy and I, and is playing mandolin, bazouki, and percussion on several tracks. After enduring throat surgery and a successful recovery, her voice is back ‘in the pink’, she’s sounding better than ever. Also, Mary Ann and I will be recording a Christmas CD as Kennedy Rose, so make sure and watch for that in the near future. Kennedyrose.com will be forthcoming.”

“Before I leave the subject of Kennedy Rose, I’d like to mention someone whom I met indirectly through my association with Kennedy Rose, and that is (Kim Person. Kim was knighted with the sometimes dubious honor of Executive Producer of Morpheus, but she far exceeded the expectations of the title. Her technical prowess and sonic genius are superior, and her focus and organizational talents helped weave a thread through the complexities of the tunes and recording spaces of this disc. She is one of the best recording engineers I have had the pleasure of working with, and it is because of her diligence, patience and talent that this record sounds as beautiful as it does.”

“I have mentioned the players again and again for their awesome performances and skillful forays into this musical soundscape. John Jorgenson is one of my favorite musicians on the planet and I am extremely pleased that he has graced Morpheus with such a breadth of his talent. As once member of the Desert Rose Band, an acclaimed solo artist in his own right and for the last five years a member of the Elton John Band, this guy is indeed ‘the whole package’. He plays stunning electric guitar on ‘Louise, Louise’ and ‘Guns of Love’, then plays soulful clarinet and beautiful bassoon on ‘My Beloved’ and ‘Always’. His solo record ‘Emotional Savant’ is a ‘must-have’ and is available on his website.”

“Before I get too far away from the aforementioned Sharp family, I would like to rave on a bit about another of it’s famously talented members, Maia Sharp. As daughter of (Randy Sharp) and Sharon Bayes, Maia received a double barrel shot of the music and brilliance gene, and has grown and developed into her own unique and expansive style as one of new music’s most expressive voices. Her writing is solid and deep, and her performances on piano, guitar and sax are compelling. She joined Randy and I to pen ‘Louise, Louise’ and she plays recorders on ‘Old Ones.’ Her CDs are available on her website, MaiaSharp.com."

“I have had old friends and new friends alike participate in the making of this work, and the combination has been pleasing to both my ears and my heart. David Muse is one of my oldest friends and our history is deep and rich. We met in Atlanta and became fast friends, joined a band together and endured the starving days. The band was great fun and featured myself, singer/songwriter John Roedell and of course David. ‘Stillwood’ rehearsed diligently for 3 months, played one gig and broke up, leaving us all to find other work. David then moved to Boulder, Colorado where he would connect with and join his childhood friend Rick Roberts and his band, ‘Firefall’. ‘Firefall’ faired a little better than ‘Stillwood’, and they sailed up the charts with hits like ‘You Are The Woman’, ‘Strange Way’ and landed two World Tours with Fleetwood Mac. David is the unforgettable voice of the flute, sax and piano in ‘Firefall’. Even before ‘Stillwood’ and ‘Firefall’, David has been a solo artist with a unique sound and ground-breaking approach. He has always made his ‘space music’ as he calls it, and his pioneering musical journeys were the foundation of today’s ‘new age’ music. He is presently working on a solo CD which his friends and admirers are badgering and goading him to release immediately.”

“I have known Kirby Shelstad for almost as long as I have known David, and I have watched him become more of himself at each turn. He is a gifted rhythmist and percussionist, and has a style unlike that of anyone. As Pema Jinpa, he has recently released a CD based on ancient Tibetan music entitled ‘Dewachen, Land of Bliss’. A devout student of Tibetan ways and wisdom, Pema brings light and life to his newest work and is emotionally, spiritually and musically moving. He has joined me in producing and performing ‘Bring Down The Moon’.”

“It is hard to mention Kirby without mentioning two other dear friends, Michael Rhodes and (Larry Chaney), both of whom accompany Kirby on Dewachen. Michael is a bass player of unspeakable talent, whose work you have heard on countless CDs and radio hits and whose unmistakable presence you have seen on tour with the likes of Stevie Winwood and (Shawn Colvin). Michael is a remarkable melodist who just happens to connect us musically to the depths of our souls. He is featured as bassist and as my co-producer on ‘Please Don’t Make Me Say Goodnight’. (Larry Chaney’s) work on electric guitar stuns and inspires me. He has a sound as big as the cosmos and is constantly shattering the barriers of how you think a guitar might sound. But don’t take my word for it.... just listen to track 15, ‘into the moon’ on Morpheus. From 15 seconds in, everything you hear is Larry on guitar. He is also featured on ‘Bring Down The Moon’. You can find out more about Larry by clicking on jambkitchen.com and by going to the website of (Edwin McCain), with whom Larry is presently touring.”

“There are nine self-penned songs on Morpheus and three songs written by dear friends and admired writers (Randy Sharp), Catt Gravitt, Guy Zabka, Terry Burns and Irish artist/writer Naimee Coleman. My co-writers include (Randy Sharp), Mary Ann Kennedy, Maia Sharp, Chuck Jones, whose CD came out midyear 2001, Pat Bunch, Terry Burns and my dear friend, partner and soul-sister Jill Colucci. Jill’s CD ‘No Regrets’ is an absolute necessity if you like soulful singers and slam-dunk, to-the-heart songwriting. I am by no means unbiased in making this statement, but after one spin, I doubt that anyone would be. Her voice will captivate you on a cellular level. Jill and Terry Burns’ sultry vocals can be heard on ‘Bring Down The Moon’, ‘into the dream’ and ‘into the moon’.”

“While in Ireland at a Music Bridge songwriting collaborative, Jill and I met artist/writers Naimee Coleman and Eleanor McEvoy, who are both represented on Morpheus. Naimee has just released her sophomore CD on EMI/Ireland Records and is writer on ‘Bring Down the Moon’ with Terry Burns and Jill Colucci. Eleanor McEvoy has maintained a large and loyal following of listeners in the UK, Europe and the US, and her musicianship is as impressive as her songwriting and singing. I particularly admire her ability to move with equal grace and comfort from wicked electric guitar to classical violin and traditional Irish fiddle, which she plays on ‘That Ain’t No Way To Treat A Lover’ and ‘Guns of Love’.”

“Jim Hoke is another brilliant musician that I met when Kennedy Rose was touring with Emmylou Harris. Emmy has the uncanny knack for surrounding herself with unbelievable musicians and Jim is no exception. Not only does he play anything with a reed, he plays accordion, guitar, dobro and just about anything with strings. It is truly an adventure to have him in the studio, because he gives you not one, but ten different ways to be blown away in any musical situation. His style is smoky and seductive and it is utterly impossible to him to play one note that isn’t steeped in soul.”

“I can remember where I was the first time I heard John Berry sing. I was channel surfing and saw this guy with a guitar singing solo on a dark set. It was John, singing ‘Your Love Amazes Me’, written by Chuck Jones and Amanda Hunt. I thought that surely Mario Lanza had returned to earth and somehow landed in North Georgia. His voice is golden and important and imploring. I would put his Christmas CD ‘Oh Holy Night’ in the best ever category, right up there with Emmylou’s ‘Light In The Stable’. I have sung on his CDs through the years, accompanying Mary Ann, and now he is returning in kind, as we sing together ‘That Ain’t No Way To Treat A Lover’, a ballad which Chuck Jones and I composed. My alliance with Chuck has been one of my favorite, and I cherish and admire his talents. His writing is superb and he sings and plays guitar with soul that reveal his Memphis roots. He plays beautifully spooky electric guitar on our song “I Knew You When”, and is one of my ‘label-mates’ on the Nashville Underground Sampler CD.”

“Dave Pomeroy is an old friend and a masterful bass player. He is innovative and amazing, melodic and moving. He has been involved in many group and solo projects which have earned him countless kudos from peers and admirers. From radio hits to multi-platinum sales, his work as a studio musician is renowned. Check out his website to find out more about Dave and his music.”

“John Catchings, Kris Wilkinson and Conni Ellisor are a trio who comprise an intriguing and recurring musical component in the thread and fabric of Morpheus. John on cello, Chris on viola and Conni on violin are all soloists and classical greats who occasionally join each other to create their own brand of musical alchemy. I cannot imagine this record without them. An awe-inspiring artist and soloist, John is also a Tai Chi master which is reflected in his cello playing. When I listen to him , it’s as if his whole life goes into every note. John plays on several selections on Morpheus. Kris is someone whom I have had the pleasure of knowing for many years and whom I have watched excel musically and personally. Having reached yet a new pinnacle, she has just been nominated for a Golden Globe Award for her original score and arrangement in Billy Bob Thornton’s 'All The Pretty Horses’. Connie’s talent is superb and stellar. Her voice as a violinist is unique and evocative. Not only has she played on a host of popular hits in every genre, she has served as Composer-In-Residence for the (Nashville Chamber Orchestra), as well penning rock and pop hits and recording her own solo records.”

“Other new friends whose talents were enlisted in the making of Morpheus are (John Mock), Bill Wolf and Allison Prestwood. I had met Allison several years ago, when she was playing bass on a session, and through those years her name would come up time and again when I would ask ‘who in the hell is playing the bass on that?’. She graced us with her gift on ‘I Knew You When’ and on ‘I’ll Still Be Loving You’ which can be found on the Nashville Underground Sampler CD by going to nashville-underground.com. I came to know John and Bill through Kim, and cannot imagine ever doing another project without either of them. John is a master string arranger, conductor, classical guitarist and plays pennywhistle and concertina parts to die for on several Morpheus tracks. He has worked extensively with Nanci Griffith and has several solo CDs available on Green Hill Music. Bill Wolf is the mastering engineer of doom. His studio is outside of Washington, D.C. and I was totally awed by what his knowledge brought to the end result of Morpheus. If anyone has ever wondered what difference mastering can make, just go work with Bill Wolf at Wolf Productions. He is in Falls Church, Virginia.”

“Catherine Styron is one of the most ingenious pianists I have known. Her gentle intelligence and heartfelt renditions resonate profoundly in whatever she does. I am amazed and touched time and again by what she can bring to any musical space. Catherine plays on several Morpheus tracks including ‘You Have No Idea’, which we recorded live together. We have also recorded a live piano/vocal performance of the Franz Schubert ‘Ave Maria’, portions of which go to charities, which will soon be available for sale on this website in the music section. There will be much more to come with Catherine and I if I have anything to say about it.”


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This work is dedicated to the memory of my mentor Paul Mitchell, who made his journey to the other side during the recording of this CD. This earth was truly blessed by his talent and undeniable soulfulness, and as his legacy lives on, that blessing continues. It would be difficult to express how much I learned from this man. I love and miss him more than I can say. Godspeed Paul Mitchell.