Timothy McConnachie: oil on canvas
I had the pleasure of being introduced to the work of Australian artist Timothy McConnachie through a talented local artist and friend, Trish Toro, some years ago. Trish and her husband Bill, along with myself and my husband Richard, sponsored a gallery exhibition for Tim in Minnesota. Tim was a relatively new artist and his work had an enormous impact on all of us; I was especially taken with his paintings that featured women and music – no surprise! Blue Companion was one of the pieces shown in his exhibition. What struck me most about this piece was the intimate relationship between the subjects. I felt the seeds of a song the first time I saw it. I wanted to create that same sense of intimacy through music that this painting evoked in me.
During his visit, Tim and I took a walk in the beautiful regional park near our home. The sun was filtering through the trees and for some reason the line “filagree of light and shadow” popped into my head. I started working on this song, most of which was written while I was driving in my car. As a result, I had an a capella song – lyrics and meldoy, sans instrumentation. I tried several versions on my guitar, but never felt that my chord progressions supported the melody line. That’s where my friend Lonnie Knight came in. Lonnie was the co-producer, along with my husband and myself, of a CD we were working on at that time. I asked him if he had any arrangement ideas and of course he took that ball and ran with it. He felt his arrangment called for the unique classical guitar stylings of Michael Johnson, a world renown musician and friend who had moved back to the Twin Cities from Nashville. The recording session was absolutely magical with Michael on the classical guitar and Lonnie playing his haunting electric. After the session I knew that this was the title cut for my CD.
Both Lonnie and Michael passed away in 2017, leaving an indescrible hole in the music community as well as in the hearts of all who knew them. It was a priviledge to work with them both and I will always treasure this song.
I’m also fortunate to have the art work for Blue Companion in my home. I look at it every day with great fondness and think of my dear friends Lonnie and Michael, and of course, my talented mate, Tim.
Blue Companion
The summer trees outside my window, filigree of light and shadow
Fall across my face and leave a melancholy trace of madness
I watch the moon begin to rise now, all too soon, it sets before my eyes close
I see another day begin it brings my solitary friend
And you are my blue companion
Take me far beyond the rainbow’s end
Fly with the heart’s abandon
On wings of my blue companion
A single flower of summer fading into dusk, the light receding
Shadows whispering surrender of a heart so bruised and tender
The autumn sky gives way to the winter, we’ll survive facing together
Every love that’s been untrue, we’ll find a way to start anew
Cause you are my blue companion
Take me far beyond the rainbow’s end
Fly with the heart’s abandon
On wings of my blue companion
Facing fear and never knowing what tomorrow is unfolding
Tender touch upon my shoulder sharing secrets growing older
With you as my blue companion
Take me far beyond the rainbow’s end
Fly with the heart’s abandon
Far beyond this world of sorrow lies the promise of tomorrow
You are my blue companion
Yes, you are my true companion
Blue Companion is available as a single digital download and on the CD Blue Companion.