Hi everyone,

In the Summer of 2022, I embarked on a project in which I explored 100 (well, 112 to be exact) years worth of songs that were either written by a woman, or originally performed by a woman.

I called the show "Back in Time - 100 Years of Women In Song" as the show did just that: moved back in time.
From the first tune (Lizzo's "It's About Damn Time", released in 2022) to the last, (a medley of "A Good Man Is Hard To Find, originally done by Marion Harris and Sophie Tucker in 1919 and Bessie Smith in 1928 and "Some Of These Days", first performed by Sophie Tucker in 1910) we traveled through musical time, on a female watch.

It was nearly impossible narrowing down 112 years of song into a 2 hour event - including a few of my own originals as well - but I did it.

But I certainly didn't do it without a lot of help from my friends...

A lot of people worked behind the scenes on this show, for a solid 8 week period, to give us two fun nights of musical history.
These recordings are all from the 2nd evening, a Saturday night in September, where we were able to record and film the show. I am only able to include a few songs from the show here for you - my originals, and a few special cover songs. (Licensing covers, and the mixing and mastering process is quite costly for an independent artist!) But I hope you like my choices as much as I do.

Just between you and I, I still find it no small miracle that the show went on at all, and that this recording even exists.
There were some mighty forces working against us.

The day before dress rehearsal, the theatre let us know that we all needed to pass Covid tests, or the show was off. And what's more... that the show that was running in the theatre at the time had completely been canceled, as some members of the cast had caught the bugger.

I waited, very ungracefully, for each musician to return their tests. And I can't tell you how happy I was when I heard they were all negative.

One monster defeated ...

But then, like a Hydra attack in the night, more monstrous heads would appear, threatening to take us down.
You see, I had hardly slept more than 3 or 4 hours for the past 3 weeks straight, leading up to the show (for reasons that mainly included my own inner monsters) and my body and voice felt like it was giving out. I had even fallen down my stairs in the middle of the night, a few weeks before the show ... and could hardly walk for a time being.

Thank goodness for a little thing called "pure adrenaline" -- it got me through, and my voice and body held up good enough. Not ideal, but sometimes an artist needs to accept what is and remember that not every night is going to be your best. Sometimes good enough is enough.

But then... just when I thought we were in the clear, after a successful first night ... a terrible thing occurred!

After the Friday night show, the band went on home, and Tabreeca , my mother and I went out to a local diner, looking forward to a nice meal and a nicer night's sleep.

And then it happened: the waitress spilled a container of boiling hot water right on dear Tabreeca's legs.
It was simply horrible.
She suffered 2nd degree burns and we spent the entire night at the ER.
As this was still during the pandemic, only she and my mother were allowed inside the ER.
And so, I waited, and prayed, alone, for hours out in my car, in the Yale Hospital parking lot.

To this day I feel so badly for what Tabreeca went through ... and I thought I would have to do the second night of the show as the only singer, and the only woman in a show about women! No backup, no duets!
But holy toledo, Tabreeca Woodside is a champion, and she still went on the second night, second degree burns and all, and neither one of us getting a wink of sleep.

I was so impressed, and still am, that she was still able to go on... And still sing! What a champion.

Sure, both of our voices were significantly huskier (and harder to control) than they normally would be - but what can you expect?

And as they say in show business: The Show Must Go On!
And so, it did ... and this live album is a snippet of what we accomplished that night.

I'm so grateful to everyone who played a part in this show, however large or small, from the mighty musicians who trekked from New York to Connecticut for long rehearsals, to my older sister who helped with the programs, and my younger sister who helped me back stage (and behind the scenes the whole time) to all the employees at Legacy Theatre, and the Jana and Tom Shea Broadway Music Concert Series funding, which helped to make this show a reality. And all my Facebook and social media friends that helped to sell tickets and pass on the good word about the show.

And of course, then there was the audience. I think you were my favorite part of all.

And now, more of you can share a little bit of one tiny night of music, exploring a tiny amount of music, in the mass expanse of infinite songs that the great mind in the sky has given us all.

I do hope you enjoy - and I hope to catch you at a live show someday, if I haven't already.
And next time, maybe I'll get lucky and not spend the night before the performance sitting in an ER parking lot, stressed out of mind.

But even if I do ... I'll still sing for you!

My musical best to you all... wherever you are in the world...

xo
Natalie Hamilton