From Maryland to Berkshire :o) Hi!

Hi, Everyone!  
Originally from Baltimore, Maryland, I moved to England in 2008 to get married to my British husband (which I did in 2009). I'm a songwriter, musician, and author. Just an amateur, though.  I have to admit I love the weather in my town, there is less rain than back in Baltimore!  And no hurricanes or tornadoes to watch out for. Yay! Marylanders tend to be very open, so it's a bit difficult getting used to the reservedness of the British, but I'm managing.    Glad to find this website! Thank you for being here.

Hello, Musician. I moved here in '08 and married in '09, too.

So...waiting for ILR, then?

Hi, and thanks!   Yea, I file in January 2012, so trying to get the money up for it now.  Hope it goes through, 'cause I have nowhere to go if they deport me. lol

Are you filing for it yet?

Heh. My husband tells me he doesn't know why the visa process makes me so nervous.

Ummm...because I've burned all my bridges and I would be utterly destitute if they sent me back...?

EXACTLY!   Although I do admit my husband gets nervous about it, too, but not as much as me.  My mom and brother died last year, so I don't even have her house to go back to if I get deported.  I hope the process will go smoothly for you. 

Whohooo, love to see fellow musicians on this board. Welcome! 

Hey, thanks, phatbeetle!  What instrument do you play?

I too am an amatuer, just for fun!

Main instruments are trombone (play in several bands) and bass (play in a rock/folk band), plus I sing (choral groups, band, etc) -

I also dabble, sometimes decently, sometimes very badly in piano and guitar

What do you do?   

Wow, that is awesome!  You sound very talented!  I only play rhythm guitar, just to accompany songs I write and sing. My husband is a bassplayer (although he's starting to sell his guitars, including a Hofner) and was in a punk/rock band for 20 years, 'til they disbanded. When you mentioned playing trombone, it brought to mind my uncle who played trombone down in New Orleans on Bourbon street with a band, back in the 1970's. He still plays, andhe's in his 80's!  but he lives in Florida now. A lot of musicians in my family, but I don't play very well.  I'm happy to hear you're in a band, that must be so exciting. 

I only play rhythm guitar, just to accompany songs I write and sing.

Oh that's great!!!  I suck at writing songs, so I am really envious of that talent!!!

That's also great about your uncle in his 80s.  I think music keeps people young- one of my fellow band mates plays alto sax and clarinet - and he's 92!  We also have folks in their 70s and 80s, which is awesome!

That sounds wonderful!  I wish I lived near you so I could come listen to the band play.  I agree about music keeping you young.  I want to do home recording just to get my 40 songs on CD so I won't forget any melodies. I never learned how to write sheetmusic, so all the songs are from memory with just guitar chords listed on the paper above the lyrics.  It's nice you can sing, also. Thanks so much for posting here so I could hear about you.

There are more of us on here- I've bumped up the Musicians Show Your Faces thread in chit chat so you can see us all 

Great! Thank you!  I didn't realize that existed.  I'll take a look. 

Hello!  I too am a musician and used to live in Maryland!!  I now live in Watford, Herts and teach music in Harrow.  My main instrument is classical percussion (marbima, tympani, and all that) but I also sing, play piano (kinda badly) and am teaching myself the cello.  Nice to meet you!   

Hello!  I too am a musician and used to live in Maryland!!  I now live in Watford, Herts and teach music in Harrow.  My main instrument is classical percussion (marbima, tympani, and all that) but I also sing, play piano (kinda badly) and am teaching myself the cello.  Nice to meet you!   

Wow, how cool!  Thanks so much for introducing yourself. I think it's awesome you teach music. You sound quite accomplished!  Where in Maryland did you used to live, if I may ask?