Artist: Linda Marks
Album: The Silence Of The Stars
Released: 2025
Website: https://www.lindamarksmusic.com/
While writing a review last year of Linda's last album A Recipe For Hope I learned of her impressive education and accomplishments. She has degrees from both Yale and MIT and has written two books, Living With Vision (1988) and Healing The War Between The Genders (2004). The most recent album The Silence Of The Stars is her 15th since 1983. After a 25 year hiatus from music to raise a family and care for her mother she has proven to be quite prolific, recording 14 albums since 2015. She has run an intimate concert series, The Music Salon for over ten years in Waltham, MA. It is dedicated to building community through music and art, with a commitment to bring live music to new and unconventional venues.
The most recent release The Silence Of The Stars is a 12 song set that clocks in at 53 minutes. The songs are lyrically compelling and well executed. Linda's formal music training shines through in her understanding of arrangements, the layering of the instruments and she is clearly well versed in the building blocks and the rules of music functioning beautifully within them. There is nothing odd or jarring at any point, but nicely flowing compositions from start to finish.
The title track, The Silence Of The Stars tells a story of an overbearing father that was frightening to the child character of the song. The uneasiness of the child escaping a tense environment has led to an adult finding peace through music. The silence of the stars in the song kept the character's heartbeat company while she hid as a child, and the piano seems to have the same effect on the adult many years later. It is a vivid lyric that is bittersweet for this writer. More often than not art is discovered out of frustration, which makes for interesting talking points, but perhaps not great memories. In the words of the great Miles Davis "if you're not living it it's not coming out of your horn." It is my hope that the story of this song is not autobiographical.
Wisdom Of Lived Years harkens back to the time when folk found its footing in the 60's. A wonderful vocal take over timeless chord changes makes for a pleasant listen from start to finish. Linda Marks is a storyteller at the core, painting vivid pictures with poems set to music. This song is a shining example of her ability to write an interesting lyric that leaves the listener needing to know if the child she is speaking to in the song has found their own wisdom yet.
The Garden Buffet is a bouncy fun piece. It should really be pitched to the folks that market vegetables to the masses. I can see it as the background music to a commercial as someone strolls down the produce aisle happily picking out vegetables. I have heard a lot of music in my time, but I do think this is the first time I have heard a lyric that says "Next year I'll be sure I plant carrots." It is lighthearted and fun. Not all music needs to be heavy and have some deep meaning. The only message here is don't forget to plant carrots if you want to make soup? I love songs like this one. Fun goes a long way in music and life.
The album is a wonderful piece of art across the board. It has all the ingredients of a classic folk album , but bigger production. Like her last record, the instrumentation is far deeper than a couple of folks strumming the cowboy chords on an acoustic guitar. Although the production is a bit more complex than a typical folk release Linda Marks uses the colors she chose masterfully to paint a pleasant picture that never gets too busy. I hope the record finds the listeners it deserves. If you are a fan of the classic folk sound this will be a great fit in your collection.
Check out the interview with Linda Marks as well....
Tell us the brief history of your band or musical career.
As a child, I did not talk until I was 3, but even as a toddler, I was magnetically
attracted to pianos, and would toddle my way to any piano I could find and start
writing music. Music was literally my first language. And piano was my first word.
Because my father was terrified of my musical passion and talent, he repeated
his mantra “music is a waste of a good mind” countless times. My path has been
a heroine’s journey overcoming many obstacles to embrace and follow my
deepest passion, music. My first publicly performed song was the 8th grade
graduation for my graduating class. I went to Yale for college, majoring in music
as a self-taught singer songwriter. I graduated with honors and distinction and co-
founded Yale’s 3rd women’s acapella singing group, Something Extra as a 17
year old freshman. I performed in the Boston coffeehouse scene when I was in
graduate school, and my first album, a tape cassette, came out in the mid-
1980’s.
My musical career has had two chapters, since I realized how hard it was to
make a living as a professional musician, and worked as a pioneer in the field of
body psychotherapy, which worked better with raising my son as a single mom
and caring for my mom with Alzheimer’s. The second chapter began about 17
years ago when my son was 12. I slowly but surely started creeping back into
professional music, and when my mother died in 2014, I started giving music
1000%. My January 1, 2025 album, The Silence Of The Stars is my 15th studio
album, and my 16th studio album, Queen Of the Angels, is now in the early
stages of the recording process.
Who are your musical influences?
Growing up I listened to all kinds of music. Folk music (like Pete Seeger,
Peter, Paul and Mary, The Weavers), Harry Belafonte, The Beatles, Herb
Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, Broadway musicals (Godspell, Pippin), the
entire Bacharach/David songbook, singer-songwriters like Carole King,
James Taylor, Gordon Lightfoot, Karla Bonoff, Joni Mitchell, and even
smooth jazz were all in my musical rotation. I was naturally a singer-
songwriter, and I never felt limited by a genre box.
What album has had the greatest impact on your life as a
musician?
When Carole King’s Tapestry album (complete with the cat on the cover) came
out, I listened to it over and over again and learned every song myself.
Is there a particular song that has resonated with you for a long
time?
Many songs that bring hope, healing and possibility resonated with me.
Two that I have loved for many years are “I Need You To Survive” by
Hezekiah Walker and “I Love Myself The Way I Am” by Jai Josefs.
What’s your favorite accomplishment as a musician thus far?
After having to step away from professional music for two decades due to
life responsibilities, jumping back in and making the 1000% commitment
about 15 years ago was a huge triumph. Writing enough material for 16
studio albums is another huge accomplishment. When the songs win
awards that is just the icing on the cake. The music itself and the creative
process are the greatest prizes.
What's new in the recording of your music?
I am working with Nashville producer and sound engineer Justine Blazer
(who is also a very talented singer and songwriter) on my 16th studio
album, which will be released 1/1/26. I just released a poignant, timely
social impact song, “Pain Changes Everything,” which looks at the mental
health crisis and broken healthcare system at the heart of Luigi Mangione’s
story. My goal is to step away from the political lens and the social media
sensationalism to look at the cost of a life of unrelenting, debilitating chronic
pain—both psychic and physical, and to shine the light on the need for
action and change.
How has your music changed over the years?
I have always been a multi-genre artist, finding my home in the world of
Folk and Alternative Folk, since I write social impact songs and story
songs. However, the longer we all live, the longer we all work at our craft,
the more experiences we have, and the more the world changes, our music
grows, evolves and changes as well. Many say I am writing my best songs
now, and that each album is better and better. Surely the topics I write
about change with time. I can’t believe how many gun violence related
songs I have had to write. I have also written a lot of songs about what it’s
like to be a child in this world, and songs for our children over recent years.
What inspires you to write the music you write?
Many things inspire me—stories, both from my own life and the lives of my
friends and family, and of others I know, and even strangers. Current
events can call to me, like when David Ortiz was shot in July 2019 and on
December 4, 2024 when Brian Thompson was shot in Midtown Manhattan.
What it’s like to be a child, to grow older, to lose loved ones, to cherish a
cat or dog, and go through different life’s passages can all be sources of
inspiration. Offering vision and hope and writing songs that uplift people’s
spirits can be a source of inspiration. And even more mundane
occurrences, like the impact of the teardown epidemic in my neighborhood
or the proliferation of bunnies in my garden can be sources of inspiration
for songwriting.
What made you want to play the instrument you play?
When I was a little girl, my first word was “piano.” I was always drawn to
the piano, as though it was an extension of my hands and heart. You can
say it was my natural instrument, and no other instrument called to me the
same way.
How does your latest album differ from any of your others in the
past?
I just released my 15th studio album, The Silence Of The Stars, and there
are more autobiographical songs on this album than on past albums.
“Motherless Daughters, Fatherless Sons” is about what gets passed down
through the generations and is what I have lived through. The title song
“The Silence Of The Stars” is my story as a child whose greatest passion
was music, and whose father did all he could to suppress her passion
because of his fear. “Shipwrecked” is the true story of how the 1883
Victorian how that I had stewarded for more than half of my life was
irrevocably damaged by the coldest day in 100 years in February 2023. As
I prepared to let the house go, I learned that it had been built by a master
mariner who may have perished at sea in a shipwreck! “The Garden
Buffet” is a fun response to the abundance of bunnies who appeared in my
garden as a result of a teardown on the property behind my house, making
song out of lost vegetables! “Brave Baby Brett” is the true story of a family
I worked with many years ago.
How are you continuing to grow musically?
I believe life is about learning and growing and strive to always learn and
grow. I work weekly with a vocal coach to care for my voice. I seek
feedback from a great songwriting coach when I am finishing new songs.
I participated in a monthly songwriter’s circle, where we all gave
feedback as we wrote new songs. I work with great producers, sound
engineers and colleagues to be able to hone my songs and bring them
to life in their fullness. I collaborate with talented colleagues.
Describe your worst performance. What did you learn from this
experience?
I am by nature an introvert, and being out on stage with my heart zipped
open was not an easy thing to learn to do. When I was 21, I remember
being so frightened and feeling so vulnerable performing on stage that I
literally froze. The experience taught me that I needed to forget about what
anyone else thought of me and focus on my own love of music, and my
desire to communicate heart to heart with other people. That was why I
took the leap to get on stage and perform—to reach other people, and
touch their hearts. It took many years of inner work, therapy and coaching
to become truly comfortable on stage. And it has been a very important
and worthwhile journey.
Tell me what your first music teacher was like. What lessons did
you learn from them that you still use today?
In high school took my first voice lessons with the concert choir director,
and it was a horrific experience. The man had a gigantic ego, and the fact
that I was a 13 year old kid writing ragtime and other music somehow
intimidated him. I could not understand why at the time, but today I can
see how insecure he must have been to be so triggered by a passionate
child, rather than appreciating the child’s talent and passion. The way he
directed his discomfort towards me was to obsess on my “register break.”
He chose a note in the zone where my chest voice starts to move into my
head voice, and would yell at me as I was approaching this Bb “watch out
for your register break, watch out, watch out you’re coming to your register
break” and it froze me. It took years of work with other voice teachers to
learn that what he was doing my not only cruel and destructive, but not
even musically accurate. That Bb was not even my register break! And
learning that by exercising the voice gently over time, you can strength your
voice and learn to develop a blend between registers was actually a much
better approach to singing smoothly.
I learned that if any teacher or coach approached me with their own
agenda which did not truly relate to me or serve me, to step away.
How would your previous band mates describe you and your
work ethic?
Musicians who have worked with me would say that I am
conscientious, treat people with respect, am organized, prepare complete
materials for anyone I am working with, keep commitments, communicate
well and lead as a team player. They also know how hard I work.
If you could play anywhere or with anyone in the world, where or
with who would it be?
There are many places that would be fun to play.
A couple include playing at the Grammys with a great back up band and
performing at the half-time show at the Super Bowl. I would love to perform
a couple of my songs as duets with Shaboozey. Because I have been told
by countless people my whole life that I remind them of Carole King (curly
blonde haired piano playing singer-songwriter), it would be great fun to
share the stage and play and sing with Carole King.
If you could change anything about the music industry today, what
would it be?
It is far too expensive to be a professional musician today,
and it is far too hard, if not impossible, to earn a real living as a professional
singer-songwriter, no matter how many awards you might win or how hard
you work. The growth of digital music and platforms like Spotify has
separated artists from a sustainable income stream. The costs of
producing high quality albums is huge. It is so much work to have to work
on music: writing, production, promotion, social media presence, booking
gigs, and more promotion…and to earn the money needed to be anything
less than invisible. And then in spite of working so hard, and trying really
hard to network and build good connections, to still remain so invisible in
the big picture of things. I wish music was valued more highly by the music
industry and society. Sadly, musicians and music are viewed too much as
commodities. An average Wall Street employee makes so much more than
a top notch singer-songwriter (short of the very few who get contracts with
labels) that it is heartbreaking.
What are your biggest obstacles as a musician?
My answer to the above question covers many of these bases: it is soooo
expensive to be a professional musician and to produce music. Even
working hard at my craft and a side hustle so I can pay for living expenses,
I can’t make enough money to promote my music at the level it needs to be
truly visible. I can’t be a full-time social media promoter, a full-time other
media promoter, a full-time booking agent, a publicist and all the other hats
needed to get my music seen. A musician is asked to do too many things
all at once with too little rewards.
What do you think the best aspects of the music business are?
The non-business parts are the best: my fellow musicians, the sound
engineers and producers I work with, the artist-alliance groups I am part of
and the people who listen to my music. The human side of music is the
best side.
What strengths do you have that you believe make you the
musician you are?
I have a deep, lifelong, innate passion for music and songwriting. I am very
intuitive, committed, hard working, love singing, and find inspiration and
creativity everywhere and in everything. I am both disciplined and
grounded. I know it is a marathon not a sprint and am willing to learn, grow
and do whatever I can to get stronger and better every day.
If you had to choose one... live performance or studio work, which
do you prefer and why?
Because it is soooo hard and sooo expensive to book gigs and perform
with a band, I would say studio work, which is also expensive, but much
easier to manage. I have great people I work with on producing my music
and it is a joy to work with them. If it were easier to both book gigs and the
finances were more favorable, the actual performing part is a joy.
Other than being a musician, what was your dream job growing
up?
I might answer this question more in light of what did I feel called to in
addition to music. As a child, in spite of being a shy introvert, I was a
natural leader and social architect. I naturally brought people together, built
teams, and did visionary leadership from an early age. I always wanted to
make the world a better place and bring healing. I also loved cats and
dogs and imagined working with them as well.
Give us some advice for new musicians just starting out in the
industry.
Music is a joy. The business can be hell. Don’t lose your joy. Surround
yourself with people who appreciate what you are doing. Find good
coaches and mentors and therapists. Take really good care of yourself,
and if you are not sure what that means, learn what it means for you.
Figure out what balance means to you, because the music business can
eat you, and put you in a position to trade off important parts of your life.
Enjoy the creative process. That is one of the great rewards.
How do you prepare for your performances and recording work?
I prepare an agenda of what I want to do. For performances, that includes
a set list with charts and orchestration. I build my musical team, send out
materials with lots of lead time for them to prepare, set up a rehearsal close
to the performance, and practice the songs daily myself. For recording
work, I set goals, a timeline, and make an agenda for each session I am
part of. I build a team of other musicians to play on the track or album, and
give the musicians the tools they need—from charts, reference tracks,
direction, timeline—to make their job easier. I always practice my parts no
matter what I am going to do so I go into the studio prepared and ready to
focus and deliver.
What are your interests outside of music?
I am committed to supporting my young adult son build his life in a healthy
sustainable way. I love cats and dogs and share my life with 7 cats and a
corgi. I love community service, and run lots of artist-alliance groups and
create songwriter showcases where a team of singer-songwriters get to
perform together in communities that might not have an active music
scene. I run an open mic. I love to cook beautiful healthy food, go to the
gym, take walks in search of beauty and take photographs. Living as
healthy and balanced a life as I can is important to me.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself.
I have always loved sports since I was a child, and would love to be a
commentator on tv for baseball, basketball or football. I was once a guest
on a sports tv show, and the hosts marveled at my baseball knowledge. I
watch as many baseball, basketball and football games as I can to
decompress.
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