Kathryn Scheldt

I grew up in a family where music was important.

Music has always been my life…the driving force for getting out of bed. They say I came in to the world singing. I went from Gregorian chant in grade school to the flute, which I pawned at Bernie’s Pawn Shop in Camden, SC for my first guitar. It was killing my fingers and my parents were pretty upset, but they wound up taking me to Columbia and buying me my first classical guitar, which was a dream. I sat in bed and learned those doleful dirges and great folk songs, Beatles, Dylan, and whatever I could get my hands on. I sang in a rock band in high school. I’ve always loved singing, and songs are the best place for me to put my feelings. Even though I was a voice major at college, it didn’t last long, since no one understood what to do with my voice. I was pretty miserable but determined not to give up on my love for music. I switched to the classical guitar after hearing a woman play a Bach Suite. After graduating, I broke my wrist and went to Italy to heal. As I got my chops back, I started singing and writing songs in what I call my ‘have guitar will travel’ phase. I sang in jazz clubs in Rome and resort hotels on the island of Ischia. I came back home and taught at universities and wrote a couple of music books. Then made a break from it all and started focusing exclusively on singing and writing songs. Now I live back home in Fairhope Alabama and write songs from the edge of the earth. Songs give people a way of expressing their feelings…of saying I love you, I’m sad, I’m lonely, I feel great, I need to laugh, etc. I hope you will listen to some of mine and maybe feel something familiar…or something new. Thanks, Kathryn