Marilyn Gale: Bio

I was born and raised in coastal southern California. At the age of fifteen, I realized that I wanted to be a singer. I told my dad, and he brought me a guitar and a Bob Dylan songbook. To this day I do Bob Dylan songs that I’ve never heard done by him. I like to think that he’d appreciate my renditions. I started performing by wandering up and down the strand, a sidewalk that runs along the beach from Manhattan to Hermosa. Later, I performed as a street musician at the Redondo Beach Pier. It was there that I learned to project my voice. I’d spot people from far off and draw them to me as I sang…

Throughout the years, I wrote many songs. At first I used the guitar and dulcimer for melodic inspiration, but I came to declare myself a frustrated musician. I gave myself permission to continue to create songs without instruments, by simply singing what was there for me. I did this for many years. Sometimes I would sit down with my guitar and a chord chart and try to find the chords, but it was a painstaking process. I created few performance opportunities, singing a song for someone only if I was really inspired and thought it would be well received…

From the time I was a teenager I used all kinds of substances to "enhance" or "change" the way I felt. In October 1997 I cleaned up and am very grateful to call myself a recovering addict.

In 2003 I participated in The Landmark Forum (See Links Page). It was during that educational process that I realized how stingy I had been with my gift. I became determined to find a way to share the songs I have inside me, knowing that they have the power to inspire…

I hired Screaming Jimmy Townsend as my teacher. We worked together and he helped me regain some confidence in my guitar playing and put some chords to about fifteen songs. As time went on he told me his goal was to teach himself out of a job with me, and he also declared himself a fan of mine. I did become somewhat independent, but he moved away before his job was complete. I still miss him!

Meanwhile, I started playing at open mikes and parties around town, and sharing my songs at seminars and at spiritual centers. I became a troubadour at camp outs and festivals. I also joined the Sierra Songwriters Group, “Works In Progress”. People enjoyed my performances and began asking for my CD, so I began visualizing having that available as I continued performing and writing songs.

In early 2006, I started recording my first album at Jimmi Accardi’s Hit House and it took about nine months to complete. It’s pretty much a spontaneous work. Basically, we recorded one song per session (except that one day I was really ambitious and we did two songs in one day!). Many of the sessions were really inspired, and the day we recorded “Surrounded” was especially amazing. Jimmi shares writing credit for this song as it was a truly powerful experience flowing out of us that day.

In late 2007 I started a new recording project. This CD is all acoustic, just me, as if you've invited me into your living room to share especially for you. I expect it to be complete summer 2008.

I get out and play at Songwriter Showcases, Spiritual Centers, parties, camp outs, and basically wherever I am invited. If you have read this far, you are someone special in my book, and I'm happy to make your acquaintance whenever possible! Check my news and calendar pages to catch me live. E-mail me to play at your party!

Thanks for your interest, and I hope you enjoy the music!