Sofia Magazine August 2020

August 2020

thesofiamagazine.com

Traci Burke Owner

Mad Ones Real Estate

Grieving During Covid | Salute to Wellness | Deep Conversations

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Contributing Writers

from the staff of SOFIA! CONTENTS

Natasha Kubis Peggy Ratusz Sandi Tomlin-Sutker Cheri Torres

Photographer 4

over Article: Tracy Burke C Mad Ones Real Estate Sandi Tomlin-Sutker

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1 0 Steps to Have Conversations Worth Having about Big Stuff

Bren Dendy

P.O. Box 18416 Asheville, NC 28814 828-230.7537 thesofiamagazine.com

Cheri Torres

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Grief in the Time of Covid Sandi Tomlin-Sutker

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anaging Stress M through Self Care Natasha Kubis

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Women Making Music Peggy Ratusz

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Traci Burke Mad Ones Real Estate

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raci Burke is one of a rare group: born and raised in Asheville in a family who has been in the region for at least four generations. Her life and ambitions took her away and then back again, recognizing what an awesome place this is to create an extraordinary life.

SEARCHING FOR HER PASSION

Living Her Best Life

“When I graduated from high school, I had no clue what I wanted to do or be.” Getting a decent job was her first goal and that landed her at Mission hospital in housekeeping. Her assignment was cleaning all the public bathrooms there. She quickly realized she wanted to do something bigger with her life. She became a nursing assistant working in labor and delivery, then took classes at AB Tech to get into the competitive LPN program. She didn’t stop there, pushing onward to become a nurse anesthetist.

By Sandi Tomlin-Sutker

The first program that accepted her was the University of New England in Maine. “I decided to go for it. I was divorced at the time and had to make the choice of uprooting myself and possibly my child (at age 13 he opted to stay here with his dad). I knew if I didn’t do it, I’d regret it and I didn’t want to get to the end of my life and have regrets!”

“Gratitude is daily, Giving is the reward, and Failures are only results”

“The first year of working as a nurse anesthetist I made a good salary and you’d think I’d feel I’d accomplished something, but it was totally the opposite. I went through a major depression. Was this all there was to life, getting up every day to go to the hospital, pay my bills, doing something on weekends?

I knew there was something else I was supposed to be doing.”

Traci had owned her first house before going to anesthesia school, decided to rent it while she was gone and realized, “the renters paid my mortgage while I was in school. I thought maybe I should do it again. I watched shows like Flip This House, etc. and learned a lot. I

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thought I could buy a house, remodel it and sell it for a profit . . . and I did. Unfortunately, she also did it at the very worst possible time, 20072008. It took about 10 years to sell it at the right price and along the way she learned a lot of valuable lessons, especially that she needed to educate herself about real estate investing, mortgage and financing options, and how to spot and close a deal. She joined a local real estate investors’ group and right away met the person who would become her mentor and private coach.

REMODELING HER LIFE Real estate was a major breakthrough for Traci. “I had finally found my passion! I also managed to find and marry a wonderful man in the midst of all that. We both bring our strengths to the table.” The relationship also brought a new child into her life.

Together they adopted a weeks-old baby girl about seven years ago. Life has been, as she describes it, fun and challenging ever since.

Traci and Doug’s portfolio now includes several single family and multi-family properties, renovated into beautiful long-term rentals, as well as several properties they have built on desirable West Asheville lots.

Traci became a real estate agent and then a Broker in Charge, running her own West Asheville brokerage called Mad Ones. In their spare time, Traci and Doug coach others on how to become real estate investors, building passive income for themselves and their legacies.

The belief that is out there in Buncombe County is that there are not

any bargains left, especially in West Asheville. “I think my stubborn nature says, ‘don’t tell me I can’t, I’ll prove you wrong!’ My coach always told me there are opportunities everywhere, in every season. I see the world as a glass half full; I refuse to focus on the negative. I want to live an extraordinary life, have extraordinary relationships and give back in a big way. To do that you have to be successful.”

She puts a lot of intentional effort into seeing life this way. Traci has developed tools to help keep her on the path. One of them is to run through a list, every morning before getting out of bed, of all she has to be thankful for. She also does a lot of inspirational reading and realizes if she can help just one person live a better life she will be successful. “You know we have so much in this country, but many are focused on what they don’t have. It’s little things like having fresh water to drink, a bed to sleep in, and a roof over our heads. We are truly blessed.”

WHY THE MAD ONES? “The name is based on the wellknown quote from Jack Kerouac”, Traci explains. “It’s really about my philosophy of life. I’m not willing to settle for a mediocre life! I want to suck the marrow out of life you could say! I want to live my version of extraordinary and help others live their version. I can help do that through real estate if they are willing to listen and put in the work. My partner came up with the name and when I heard it, I just knew that it describes who I am and how I live my life. I wanted a memorable name that makes people ask questions . . . and it does!”

As a brokerage, they work with buyers and sellers of all kinds and walks of life. As a team they are each crazy about life, real estate, and the people in our Asheville community. Traci’s story is one of perseverance, influencing people around her to go after an extraordinary life. In a way, learning how to build a life and legacy you are proud of, not being afraid to remodel from time to time.

Monthly Community meeting at Mad Ones Last Tuesday of every month at 6 pm 717 Haywood Road Asheville, NC 28806 Food/drinks provided Featured speaker Traci@madones.com Phone: 828-222-7327

Sandi Tomlin-Sutker is a freelance writer and editor.

Contact her at sts@ madison.main. nc.us August 2020 | thesofiamagazine.com

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10 Steps to Have Conversations Worth Having About

BIG Stuff

By Cheri Torres

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his year has brought to a head many conversations we should have been having, but weren’t: It wasn’t the right time. They made us uncomfortable.

Why bother, we couldn’t change things. Those in power wouldn’t listen. Too stressful. Not enough time, not enough information. The list could go on and on. The topics are BIG: Among them are systemic racism, social, economic, and educational disparity, governance, climate change, and health care.

Pick the topic that is near and dear to your heart and develop your capacity to begin the conversations, even though they might be uncomfortable and the outcomes uncertain. They may be volatile because divisiveness and hostility are fueling social media. Pause, take a deep breath, and get curious. Invite mutuality.

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Start by acknowledging these topics are complex and ambiguous; no one person or small group of people can possibly have answers. It is going to take all of us, willing to engage, willing to change our minds, be influenced by one, and be open to the possibility that there just might be a better future for all of us. How might we imagine that together? I don’t have any answers, but I do know at least some of the important concepts necessary for us to have these conversations: 1. Accept change as a constant. It’s here and there’s going to be a lot more of it. If you can embrace it, all the better.

2. We’re Entering the Unknown. To quote Star Trek: We are boldly going where no one has been before. To see what we’ve never even imagined means dreaming together. Linking ideas. Using metaphor, biomimicry, and imagination about new possible futures.

3. It’s Complex, No One Knows the Answer. In complex challenges, solutions emerge in the process of generative inquiry. This means asking questions that challenge people to think and see differently, including yourself.

To examine assumptions, clarify needs and desired outcomes. To imagine the impossible and to stare long enough at the horizon to allow the future to come into focus.

4. Adopt a Beginner’s Mindset. Engage with the heart and eyes of innocence: be curious, wonder, be open, let go of preconceived ideas, judgments, and assumptions. None of us knows what’s best at this point in history.

5. Come from Your Square. Draw a 1’x1’ square on the floor and then stand in that space. Enter these conversations with the assumption that that space is all you know: You know your

story, experience, feelings, needs and wants, period.

6. Let Others Come from Their Square. Recognize that every person in the conversation is standing in their own 1’x1’ box, wanting the same thing you do: to be seen, heard, valued, and included.

7. Listen to One Another. Deep listening will be absolutely essential.

Listening to really hear what others are expressing. Listen with an open mind, open heart, and open will. This means listening without downloading your responses or assessing what the other is saying, without judging, and without automatically dismissing suggestions.

8. Adopt an Attitude of Curiosity.

Genuine curiosity often arises when you authentically stand in the 1’x1’ square with open mind, heart, and will. Ask questions to clarify another’s perspective, to truly understand their story, to learn from their experiences, and to find ways you might entertain their ideas. Generative questions help us broaden our own understanding and see possibilities where there were none.

9. Focus on Outcomes. Focus the conversations on what you want more of, on the outcomes that will come into being when we have a solution to an issue. For example, instead of focusing on immigration as a problem, focus on the outcomes that would accrue if immigration was not a problem.

Focusing on the problem often gives us a single point of view solution, like no more immigration. Focusing on desired outcomes broadens and builds possibilities for solutions. For example, one of the hoped-for outcomes might be that everyone in the country feels safe, secure, and economically stable. We could have a conversation that helps us explore how to make sure everyone in

the country feels safe, secure, and economically stable. Closing immigration might or might not be one of many solutions that emerge.

10. Be OK with Being Uncomfortable. Really listening to other people’s points of view with an open mind, heart, and will is bound to get uncomfortable at times. Especially if it bumps up against your values. Be willing to allow the possibility that there’s more than one right way. Any time you feel triggered, pause and breathe deeply.

Circle back #4-#9.

It’s time to have these important conversations. Time to start talking with those who are least like us. Those we call “other;” those who need the system to work for them as well. The future depends upon us. Our children’s and their children’s children’s lives depend upon our ability to have the kind of conversations that build new and strong relationships across differences and enable us to co-create our systems so that they work for everyone.

The future can’t help but be uncertain.

The current social and economic systems have reached their sustainable capacity. They have brought us to where we are. They cannot take us forward and we cannot go back. The future requires that we intentionally co-create it.

To do that we must have conversations worth having.

Cheri Torres is an author and speaker cheritorres.com. For information on training, certification and to download a free Conversation Toolkit go to Conversations WorthHaving.today.

August 2020 | thesofiamagazine.com

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Grief in the Time of Covid

By Sandi Tomlin-Sutker

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he pandemic of the novel coronavirus, known by the name Covid-19, has brought such change to our lives that grief is one of the most common responses. Grief at the loss of loved ones, our way of life, our ability to move freely and enjoy the company of friends and family. I’ve experienced those moments of grief but my grief this year is much more personal.

My husband Sam of 42+ years was diagnosed with ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease) in the fall of 2018. No treatment was available although we explored and researched every nutritional option we could find. Unfortunately, the disease quickly took its toll over the year and he quietly passed away just a few days before Thanksgiving 2019.

There were a few comforting things about his passing--and we needed to be comforted. The disease took more and more of his physical capabilities and his breathing was compromised. I feared him losing the ability to take a breath, perhaps having to be intubated.

Thankfully that didn’t happen. The hospice nurse told me he’d likely go to sleep one night and not wake up again; that’s exactly what he wanted and what 8

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happened. He was prepared and ready to leave his debilitated body, although he said he hated to leave me and the family. Another major comfort was that he passed before Covid-19 hit the world like a hammer. It would have been so sad and painful for him not to have friends visit, and for family and friends to miss out on saying goodbye and then sharing the loss with each other. So many thousands of Covid patients died in that lonely way.

That last night, he slept in the single hospital bed, relieved that he didn’t have to move anymore. Our daughter spent the night in the guest room next to where he was; I slept in our bed, really oblivious to the fact that this was his last night. In the morning our daughter came to my room, slid under the covers and said, “Mom . . . I think he’s left his body. I put a mirror up to his mouth and don’t see any breath.” We knew this was coming sooner than later; but I couldn’t move for a few minutes. “Let’s just lie here a bit, okay?” Finally, when I felt able to go see him, knowing he was gone, we went to him. Of course, he was pale and cold . . . his spirit clearly freed from the husk that had contained it for 74 years.

More blessings came to us. Our neighbor happened to be a “death doula” who could help us take care of his body at home. None of us wanted any formality, definitely no embalming. Dry ice was, surprisingly to us, available at our local grocery store. The family, including our two older grandkids, rallied around to help. Our son went home that day to build a simple and beautifully crafted, pegged pine coffin--just what Sam’s Jewish heritage suggested. We all participated in gently washing and wrapping his body in the perfect fabric. We placed boughs of evergreens and nandina berries in the coffin, and replaced the dry ice daily. We kept him home for three days while friends and family came to honor all he had meant to them.

Finally, we took him to our daughter’s farm where she and the grandkids had dug his grave. We researched and learned we could legally do this with a few notifications to the county. On a Tuesday evening, by candlelight, those who wanted talked about the most important memories of what he meant to them. His brothers said the Mourner’s Kaddish (blessing) and we lowered the coffin into the grave, each taking turns with the shovel and soil. The ritual and participation helped soften the grief, at least a bit.

There was so much love there, and more to come. I initially thought I couldn’t handle our big, traditional Thanksgiving celebration, but there were “messages” from Spirit that I should do it. Someone miscounted those present that day and “accidentally” set an extra place . . . for him, we felt.

The first Saturday in December, friends organized a Celebration of his Life at our local community center. Another moment of comfort to share.

Christmas came and went in a blur. I felt numb mostly, now having to adjust to not taking care of him, not watching Netflix together, not sleeping with “one

eye open.” Different friends spent nights with me for the first few weeks until I felt capable of being alone. Then the real grieving began.

Grief comes in many forms. I was mostly stoic, quiet in my mourning, overcome by crying spells when alone. And those would come over me suddenly at unexpected moments. Every day I woke up to the fact that I was now alone when I was so habituated to the couple-ness of all those years. Two friends arranged for me to travel to Hawaii for a couple weeks.

There was some talk by the time I left home about a new virus in China that was wreaking havoc on the population there. But it seemed far away.

Soon after I came home in late February, I learned that Hawaii was now requiring travelers to quarantine for 14 days; the entire length of my trip. Another blessing. Then the new reality, the new “normal” descended on us all. I was not only alone without my partner, I was reluctant to have anyone visit, and was unable to go anywhere except the grocery store every 10 days or so!

How to fill up my days and nights? I pulled out my watercolor paints and some instructional books. Many evenings I’d share my attempts with another painter friend via text but often didn’t feel the energy to create anything new.

I was always an avid reader but now found that I couldn’t stay focused on anything. I had some editing and transcription work I could do but the inertia I felt stopped me each time I tried.

Days have been long. Mostly I remain stoic, working to BE in the Now, taking care of legal and financial matters, but trying not to “future trip” too much.

Then those tidal waves wash over me and I wonder what I’m going to do with my life: should I move, start a business, retire? “Too Soon!” friends caution me.

And they are right.

times days at a time. There is no one to look askance at my kitchen sink if I’ve left a day’s dishes there. Seven months along and four months of stay-at-home orders, plus an uncertain future leave me even more needful of staying focused on the moment. Friends and family are deeply important to me; and my grown “children” have rallied in such a loving and supportive way that I am buoyed up by that love. I feel my dear Sam around me at times; other times I suspect he is traveling the Universe on a grand adventure to his Creator.

His advice was always this: Keep it Simple--don’t complicate things; don’t judge yourself or others; have compassion for everyone you meet; be kind, it doesn’t cost you anything. I am now more fully learning those lessons because I have time and space to pay attention.

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But there are blessings to be found daily.

I am able to be quiet for hours, someAugust 2020 | thesofiamagazine.com

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Managing

Stress

through Self Care “These mountains that you are carrying, you were only supposed to climb.” – Najwa Zebian

By Natasha Kubis

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ost clients that end up on my treatment table for acupuncture are dealing with some level of stress and its unhealthy impact.

Often, “stress” is not listed as their chief complaint, but symptoms like insomnia, body tension, upset stomach, feelings of anxiety, or depression, are of primary concern. In fact, I have never performed a session that did not include acupuncture points for calming the mind. With the average American working 44 hours per week, it can be said that we live in a homo industrious landscape. Chronic stress can result from the challenge of balancing our work and home life, as well as our relationships with family and friends. Prioritizing our own self care rarely makes the cut. This imbalance is a major trigger for ongoing stress accumulation in the body, which can cause or exacerbate serious health problems, including psychological disorders, sleep issues, digestive conditions, a weakened immune system, and cardiovascular issues.

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The stress response in the body is meant to be an innate survival tactic, reserved for dangerous situations. This response allows the body to prepare to face a threat or flee to safety. In these situations, your pulse quickens, you breathe faster, your muscles tense, and your brain uses more oxygen and increases activity—all functions aimed at survival and in response to stress. In our modern, workaholic society, longterm stress is all too common for most individuals, and as we try to keep up with daily demands, the body never receives a clear signal to return to normal and relaxed functioning.

I experienced the impact of chronic stress firsthand while living in NYC. During that time, I was averaging 40 clients a week as a solo practitioner, while traveling between Brooklyn and Manhattan to my home visits and offices. I would leave my apartment at 7:30am and get home by 10pm, eating most of my meals on the subway, or inhaling them as I was briskly walk-

ing (which probably looked more like jogging to non-New Yorkers) between appointments. My mind and body felt like they were always running, similar to the White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland. I was so burnt out from all that rushing around that I would fall into bed from exhaustion only to find myself lying wide awake and unable to sleep at night. It got to the point where feeling both tired and wired was my “normal” state, and I learned to function on 0-4 hours of sleep. I was treating people to help them decompress from their stress, and at the same time, I was running on empty. My insomnia worsened, as did my anxiety, heart palpitations, stomach pains, joint pains, and then voila . . . autoimmune issues came to the surface, and I was down for the count. My body was yelling at me to stop and pay attention to what it needed. My focus was always on the needs of my clients, my family, my business, and my friends. I had reached a moment in my life where I

had no other choice but to include myself on my own priority list, and take care of my body and mind in order to continue to be of service to my community. For me, those changes involved moving to a more peaceful living environment, incorporating more yoga into my week, using talk therapy as a place to vent, ensuring that I stopped work by 6pm to create a healthy work schedule, carving out time for a proper meal, creating healthy boundaries, and working on improving my sleep patterns. Doing these things not only made me feel better and alleviated most of my symptoms; it also reenergized me, and made me a better support to the people in my life.

August is National Wellness Month and a good reminder to take time each day to nurture our mental and physical well being in order to be the best versions of ourselves. Research has shown that self care can help manage stress and promote happiness. Here are 31 ideas to consider as wellness exercises for the month of August. It is good practice to help you incorporate self care into your daily life, all year. After all, we should be climbing the mountain of life with ease, not carrying its weight on our shoulders.

31 Days of Wellness • B e grateful. Think of everything beautiful in your life, and say “thank you”.

• Take 10 minutes to stretch when you wake up, and then again before bed.

• Go outside for a walk or a hike for 10 minutes, or an entire afternoon.

• Make a pot of tea with your favorite flowers like dried roses, lavender, chamomile, or chrysanthemum and inhale the fragrant aromas while you sip it.

• Have some time alone, even if it is just 10 minutes.

• Drink a full 8 glasses of water.

• Meditate for 20 minutes.

• Turn off social media for the day and be present.

• Take a luxurious bath with Epsom salts and bath oils.

• Give yourself a foot massage before bed.

• Experiment with a new workout.

• Organize your calendar, and carve out time for your needs too.

• Turn on music and dance around your house.

• Spend an hour with a novel.

• C ook up a veggie-filled soup and freeze leftovers, so you have meals ahead.

• Make a healthy smoothie with veggies, fruits, and protein (I like a scoop of almond butter).

• Give your mind a workout with a crossword puzzle or a fun game (Scrabble is my personal fave).

• Spend some time journaling your thoughts, writing a poem, or short story.

• Get in bed without your phone by 9 p.m. and sleep well.

• Go a whole day without foods that have added sugar.

• Spend 20 minutes with a heating pad on your neck, shoulders, or back.

• Spend 10 minutes with deep, focused breathing.

• Try drawing, coloring, or painting with relaxing music.

• Add a green veggie to every meal or snack.

• Have a meal, tea, or a glass of wine with a friend.

• Try to focus on one thing at a time.

Be present in the moment.

• Try a yoga class or any class of your choice.

• Treat yourself to fresh flowers.

• Clean out and organize a closet or a room.

• T ake yourself on a picnic with a view.

• Find a beautiful spot to watch the sunrise or sunset.

Natasha Kubis is a licensed acupuncturist and certified yoga teacher.

For more information, visit acuwellhealth.com August 2020 | thesofiamagazine.com

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Women Making Music

By Peggy Ratusz

Photo by Jeff Fasano

From top left to right: An Ya, April Bennet, Caromia Tiller, Cynthia McDermott, Ellen Trnka, Heidi Holton, Kathryn O'Shea, Kimberly Cann, Lo Wolf, Megan Leigh Johnson

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here’s a lot not going on; but also, there’s more going on every week- concert, gig and show-wise in WNC. Ticketed virtual shows are on the rise. Drive-In style concerts are popping up! Breweries with outdoor spaces are booking small combos of musicians and a limited number of restaurant gigs are up for grabs again!

Artists are still releasing music. Musicians are still practicing; on their own and having social distant rehearsals to keep up their chops. I know it’s been a godsend for me, to meet up with my music pals to play an outdoor live stream or do an outdoor house concert. Venues hosting bands for recorded shows to stream at a later date are becoming more common as well. The creative juices are still flowing in the music industry and our scene at large is no exception.

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The women, for sure, are still making music. Here’s a list of just a select few, out of literally hundreds of female, career musicians in our region, who haven’t allowed this Coronavirus to keep them down or out of the spotlight.

April Bennett struts across the hallowed ground of R&B, straddles and rides the rhythm and rhyme of Hip Hop and sails on the wings of Soul. Seamlessly blending her influences into a sound called April B. & the Cool, look for this trendsetting grove ingénue, this guitar slingin’ starlet, this elastic yet deliberate singer with a conscience, on the other side of the Cororna! aprilbmusic.com Lo Wolf just came out with her debut full-length album she titled, Singe. Some tracks come with a suggested Parental Advisory for their disquieting use of the

English language. She’s blunt, honest, unfiltered and extremely personal. This is a singer/songwriter who puts her money where her activism is. 90% of all the proceeds from the album will be endowed to Asheville Survival Program. lowolfmusic.com facebook.com/groups AshevilleSurvivalProgram Way back in April, local singer/songwriter, Kathryn O’Shea released a debut album too, that she calls January 9th, which is the date her father died in 2014.

On her website she elaborates about the album and her father: “….on January 9th 2020, I recorded 10 of my songs in a vocal booth built out of the closet I shared with him in my childhood home.

My brother, Michael recorded everything.

That day, he sat right around where he used to sit to do homework when this

now recording studio was his bedroom.”

Follow this link to support this amazing young artist, and purchase her incredibly raw collection of songs: kathrynoshea.net One of the most prolific and sensitive singers and songwriters in our town is one Ms. CaroMia Tiller. She’s a staple in this town for a reason. And the reason is her stunning soul saturated vocals and reflective original songs. Her latest release, Green, is a compendium of a larger collection of her most inspired writings. It’s a project that she recorded at home and produced almost entirely on her own. Before the epidemic, fans and tourists flocked to her solo and ensemble gigs at places like 5 Walnut Wine Bar. If you’re “jonesing” for contemplative lyrics riding on gossamer melodies, this new CD is one for your library. Here’s the link to stream/purchase this new record avl. mx/76s and to view a video of the title track, go here: youtube.com/watch?v=RjkYrxCdaTc Kimberly Cann, concert pianist and director of Piano Lab Studios, now called The Music Lab, is a former professor and currently a piano music instructor.

Founded in 2010, Kimberly’s concept has thrived and now includes several locations in South Asheville, Hendersonville and Mills River. Cann and her staff have a simple and compelling mission statement: To provide the best quality education for pianists & musicians in the WNC region and beyond. To ensure that ALL students, regardless of age, background or economic status are afforded the opportunities & benefits that a well-rounded music education can bring. Though the crux of students is on hiatus due to Covid 19, the lab offers virtual lessons upon request.

For more information, I urge you to visit her website here: pianolabasheville.com/ about Cynthia McDermott is a fabulously innovative and so too, nostalgia-infused creative. She brandishes her mandolin like it was her heart on her sleeve. Open,

liberated, unscripted is how I’d describe her playing style! Her singing voice is solid, lilting, twangy, edgy and pitch perfect – whatever the piece she’s interpreting needs, she brings it. The Pimps of Pompe, Miss Cindy & the The Knockin’ Boots, or when she plays “solo Cindy”, she’ll be back on a regular basis after all “this” is said and done. You might catch her on a virtual live stream until then. Just visit her website to find out: mandocynmusic. com/#miss-cindy-section Viola teacher Anastasia “An Ya” Yarbrough explains her approach: “I talk with the student to assess their interests and playing level. If they are beginners, we start with the feel of the instrument, with posture, and later with hearing the pitches and associating what they hear with the movement of their arms and fingers.

Once the student is comfortable with all of this, we move into simple tunes – first by ear, then by notation.” Yarbrough knows what she’s talking about! A sessions, orchestral and ensemble violist and singer, An Ya’s repertoire of accomplishments and collaborations is full and impressive. Reach her through the Asheville Music School. Their live streaming music session’s page is up and running: ashevillemusicschool.org/teachers/anastasia-an-ya-yarbrough Heidi Holton has made a name for herself in the international Blues community.

So much so, that Rory Block produced her sophomore release in 2018 which critics called “a stunning step forward.”

Well versed in slide and finger pickin’style guitar, this tom-boy beauty has been touched by the likes of Mississippi John Hurt and Memphis Minnie. Before the state’s stay-at-home mandate was enforced, Heidi was touring regularly. We’re lucky when she schedules a show more close to home. She’ll tour regularly again, I assure you. And when she does, you’ll know it by keeping her website on your rolodex: heidiholton.com/home Carolina Music Planner was founded by premiere cellist, Megan Leigh Johnson.

It’s a one-stop shop for all you grooms and brides, especially, to sample any number of and configuration of stellar string ensembles. Megan’s expertise and experience, booking and performing with her extremely accomplished roster of instrumentalists has elicited a plethora of accolades you can read on her beautiful website. carolinamusicplanner.com/ media Singer Songwriter and guitarist, Ellen Trnka along with her partner, guitarist and vocalist, Howie Johnson, venture out to mostly breweries in and around Hendersonville to play music where social distancing is enforced. Their simpatico is refreshing and familiar, what with a playlist that ranges from folk, to blues to jazz to country. There’s a sweet spattering of original material in there as well. A delightful respite from sitting at home in your pajamas, this duo will bring you out of the dull-drums. Ellen’s facebook page: facebook.com/ellen.trnka So there are just a few of the fine feathered females who are doin’it to it; helping to keep live music alive in Western North Cacka-lackie. Next month, I’ll delve into a few more, including Rebecca O’Quinn, Jesse Barry, Debrissa McKinney, Kelli Redman, Karen Corn, Melissa and Kayla Mckinney, Dulci Ellenberger and more!

Until then, be safe and support live, local music online or at a safe distance in person!

Peggy Ratusz is a vocal coach, song interpreter, and songwriter.

For vocal coaching email her at peggymarie43 @gmail.com

August 2020 | thesofiamagazine.com

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made it myself!

More than 10,000 bolts of quality quilting cotton!

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Read the story of Lily, an endearing little girl who’s passion for spinning gets her into trouble until she learns to spin like a ballerina.

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1378 Hendersonville Road in Asheville ~ 828-277-4100 Check out our classes at www.ashevillecottonco.com

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Find Your V o i c e

 Jazz  Soul  Rock  Country

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2372 US-70 Swannanoa, NC 828.215.0032

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Peggy Ratusz 828.301.6768

14

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