BETH JOCHUM

I fell in love with music and the guitar in particular when I was
11.  It was clearly the Beatles' fault.  The two voices that
melted me as a teenager were Diana Ross singing "Where
Did Our Love Go” and John Lennon singing just about
anything in those early days.  


As a teenager, I wrote tons of songs and recorded them
"sound with sound" on a reel to reel tape recorder, shyly
playing them only for close friends and family. A lot of those
songs evaporated into thin air, fortunately, but many actually
became part of my recordings and performances over the
years.

In the 70's, I slowly emerged publicly, then helped form my
first band, Rubyfruit Begonia, friends from Pennsylvania
innerlands, and later, Begonia.  I wish I had kept notes of all
the gigs over the years.  It’s no small blessing to have enjoyed
the musicality and friendship of three women like we did.  The
number Three is very powerful.  I hope the spirit of Begonia
can somehow live on in a beautiful way.

Along the way and during the 90’s, I had the good fortune
to make music with Ernie Williams, a man who taught me the
meaning of “you don’t get old playing music, you get old not
playing music”.  True.  Music keeps our spirit and heart young.

Also during the 90’s, some sweet and amazing women friends
and I would get together and cook meals, play songs for each
other, and even do an occasional gig together.  We called
ourselves the hagangels, to each other only, and joke very
intended.  I was the only official hag in the band, I think.  
Here’s to the memory of laughing, making music, and being
moved with and by Amy, Sara, Amy and Rosanne.

I've also been honored to work with my brother, Glenn.  Will
be writing about this on my Musings one of these days, soon.

The journey of "1311" (my solo album and what I refer to as
my music studio), and which took place from 2005-2007 was
purely magical. I set my mind and heart to making music solely
with TheBandInMyHead ~ sometimes frustrating, daunting,
exhilarating ~ always challenging.  What I knew was, I couldn't
continue to allow my music to sit and collect dust and remain
inert.  I have slow, turtle energy, and I needed the time and
space to capture songs on...tape? no...been there, did that.  I
convinced myself that I could teach myself the basics of
digital recording via ProTools, and set out to do just that.  
I recorded the album organically, with the natural sounds of
wind and rain on a metal roof, and even the birth of baby
sparrows in the eaves.

I'm a rocker at heart, always will be,  with roots music deep in
my soul, and poetry in my romanticist bones.  I love good,
honest, soulful music...no pretentions, and the less connected
to corporate manipulation, the better.  Which means I'm no
American Idol, but I mean no dis to those who pursue their
dreams. I look for people who move me, with authenticity and
kindness and soul, and who actually think they can make a
difference in this world.  Makes no difference what the
instrument, or the genre…if it’s from the heart and soul, and
of course, good music.  What is good music? Whatever can
move you, I think, whatever can comfort you, take you deep,
take you away, make you love.  Make you feel.  

I rarely perform publicly these days but that doesn't mean I
like it that way.  What I do love is to spend hours playing
music for the love and joy of it, and if others dig it too, then
that sweetens the tea!
If "1311" can inspire anyone to reach inside and pull out their
inner musings, I will feel richly blessed.  
Tell your stories, paint your visions.
To order a 1311 CD or for more information
email :   bethjochum@yahoo.com
Lazy Burro Records
Listen
Purple Smoke
track 1