For your Grammy® Consideration
"Pain Changes Everything"
When a young man in a hoodie and mask gunned down United Health CEO Brian Thompson on December 4, 2024, musician and psychotherapist Linda Marks began to write.
The Greater Boston singer and pianist has honed a knack for swiftly responding to global and national events - not only with compassion, but with song. Her 35-plus years as a mind-body psychotherapist shaped her response to the shooting.
Written from the perspective of the suspected gunman - Luigi Mangione - "Pain Changes Everything" is a heartfelt but critical assessment of the United States' mental health crisis and failing healthcare system, cutting through the media and internet sensationalism to earnestly ask "What could have led a bright, educated young man to the breaking point where he would be capable of shooting another human being? The song is a riveting capture of the vulnerability created by a lifetime of fighting debilitation pain, and the grave and unfortunate consequences that follow when pain breaks the psyche and soul. Pain does change everything.
Listen to "Pain Changes Everything"
Credits:
Linda Marks, Lead Vocals
Justine Blazer and Mike Tyler, Background Vocals
Guitar: Lou Molitch
Bass Guitar: Lou Molitch
Acoustic Guitar: Lou Molitch
Drums: Isaac Velasquez
Piano: Doug Hammer
Executive Producer, Mix/Master Engineer, Additional Programming/Engineer: Justine Blazer
Drum Engineer: Isaac Velasquez
Listen to "The Silence Of The Stars"
"The Silence Of The Stars"
"Marks' songwriting skills have reached a point where she is among the best of them, famous or local...The Silence Of The Stars forces the listener to wonder how it would have fared if it were released in the singer-songwriter era of the 1970's"
- Bill Copeland Music News
"The songs are lyrically compelling and well executed...nicely flowing compositions from start to finish"
- Luke Wolk, Radio Guitar One
In the Silence of the Stars, her 15th studio album, Linda Marks takes a deep dive into her lived experience and illustrates the relationship between the personal and the universal. The title song, one of several autobiographical songs on the album, tells the story of a little girl whose innate passion for music was quashed by her angry father, petrified that his daughter could never make a living by following the music in her heart. This album and its songs represent a heroine's journey the little girl and later woman embraced overcoming a litany of obstacles (including several decades away from her music career to raise her now young adult son as a single mom while caring for a mom with Alzheimer's) to write songs at the heart of our times that can touch the heart, heal our wounds, and inspire us to live a purpose inspired life.
Credits:
All songs written by Linda Marks, except "Be The Change" and "Learn To Really See A Flower," written by Linda Marks and Mike Greenly
Lead vocals: Linda Marks
Background vocals: Lisa Jeanette and Liz Miller
Violin: Alice Hasen, except "Bet The Change" - Gary Olyer
Cello: Michael Ronstadt
Piano: John Conahan, except "No Time For Dreams" - Doug Hammer
Drums: Erik Johnson, except "No Time For Dreams" - Doug Kwartler
Electric guitar and acoustic guitar: Ross Bellenoit
Bass: Chico Huff
Saxophone: Willie Sordillo
Trumpet: Stan Slater on "The Garden Buffet"
Clarinet: Raianne Richards on "Ghosts"
Tambourine, acoustic guitar, french horn, percussion: Glenn Barratt
On "Sanctuary": Vocals--Linda Marks, Adina Feldman, Amy McAllister, Dimiris Nezis, Piano--Charu Suri, Guitar--Noshir Mody, Bass--Christian Fabian, Saxophone--Willie Sordillo, Percussion--Nate Horton, Background vocals--Lonnie Park
Produced at Morningstar Studios by Glenn Barratt, except "Sanctuary" produced by Lonnie Park with Nate Horton at Barncastle Studio, and "No Time For Dreams" produced by Doug Kwartler at Hollow Body Studio and Doug Hammer at Dreamworld Productions
Project Management by Erik Balkey, Hudson Harding Music
About Linda Marks:
Boston area multi-award winning singer songwriter Linda Marks emanates a warm, intimate presence that mirrors her musical style. Her voice is bright, tender and soothing, with silky smooth and graceful renderings of songs that are heartfelt, conversational and emotionally direct. Her lyrical piano-driven compositions and heartfelt delivery echo the warmth and intimacy of Carole King's classic singer songwriter style, flavored with mellow jazz-pop undertones. smooth phrasing and soothing tone reminiscent of Norah Jones' gentle, soulful approach, with the kind of nuanced touch in phrasing and emotional expression of Joni Mitchell, though more understated. Marks' tender vocal stance and folk sensibility parallel James Taylor's warm, introspective style in his storytelling through song. Marks has been covered by the Boston Globe, Boston Magazine, and NPR.
