Gentle Thunder
began her musical journeyat the age of fourteen in Kirkland,
WA as a rock-roll drummer and by the age of seventeen began playing drums professionally. She had some experience in school band yet was
largely a self taught musician learning by ear.
Gentle Thunder graduated high school, stepping fully into her musical career and for years was the driving force behind
several Seattle based original bands.
Her recording career
as a drummer took her to Memphis, TN for two years. While
in Memphis she became captivated by the hammer dulcimer and
her Native American Cree ancestry. While exploring her Cree ancestry on her Mother's side, a door opened to her spiritual path, as she "remembered" her interconnectedness to ALL life and began to consciously walk the beauty way.
Hence, a new life and musical path opened and so she let go of her familiar "rock-n-roll" path, took a leap of faith and moved to Mt. Shasta, CA where the “voice” of her spirit expanded … performing with Shasta Taiko, playing hammer dulcimer, piano, ceremonial drumming, and Native American flute. Attending College of the Siskiyous for 2 years, she explored and received additional training in computer technology, creative writing, music, dance and theater.
Having performed in the U.K., Canada, U.S., Greenland and Europe, Gentle Thunder has obtained an international following with her distinctive style and heart-filled presence. Her solo recordings: Awakening Remembrance and Winds of the Heart have touched the lives of many and charted in the top 100 New Age Reporter.
In 2005 she teamed up with kindred spirits, award winning artists and multi-instrumentalists extraordinaire, Will Clipman and AmoChip Dabney, and brought her third release Beyond Words to life. Since its debut, Beyond Words spent all 9 months in the top 100 and charted 27 for the year in the 2006 top 100 New Age Reporter, nominated Best Native American Album in New Age Reporter's Lifestyle Awards, nominated for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album at the 2006 Indian Summer Music Awards and 2006 GRAMMY® nominee for Best New Age Album.
The Wall Street Journal's Jim Fusilli calls her music "direct and organic".
In 2007 Gentle Thunder expanded GT Productions to produce other artists. She co-produced Ann Licater's Following the Call and co-produced and played Native American flute and percussion on Mariee Sioux's Faces in the Rocks. Both these artists are receiving rave reviews and are not to be missed.
Other projects include composing the musical score for Mt. Shasta City Dance Theater's H20 Manifesto, a multi media theater dance performance directed by Krista Miller; performing at and facilitating weddings and celebration of life ceremonies; touring solo and with her 7/20 Twin Will Clipman and doing guest cameo apperances with Craig Chaquico (former guitarist and writer for Jefferson Starship) and his world class band.
In autumn 2007, she recorded her latest solo album entitled Opening the Gate. It is a pristine realization of her weaving grand hammer dulcimer, Native American flutes and a taste of her percussion artistry. This highly vulnerable solo album showcases the musicality, subtly and nuances cultivated over the span of her potent career.
At last, an album and a live performance that eloquently weaves all of her musical voices together, showcases her versatility and celebrates the path of a woman blazing her own trail in the world of music.
This winter she goes into full on production on her new album with percussionist and 7/20 Twin Will Clipman. Having recorded the tracks at Allusion Studio in AZ the new album is due to be mixed and mastered this winter with release due early 2008. In addition, Gentle Thunder is expanding her participation as well as appearances with Craig Chaquico and his band and looking forward to doing more work with Rising International.
Whether collaborating or producing other artists, creating music for performance art, dance and film or performing solo, Gentle Thunder is deeply dedicated to walking a path of beauty, honoring all life and bringing the vision of wholeness to all she does.
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