Composers' Forum is an on line community founded by Chris Merritt of Knoxville, Tennessee.  It now numbers well over 2,000 members from all over the world.  This is where to find some of the newest and most creative musical talent in the world today.  Every genre is represented:  film and TV scores, game scores, songs, pop, rock, new classical, choral, etc.  This site will be of interest to everyone, not just music industry insiders.  I LOVE it!

For some time, I've been writing new hymns and recording traditional hymns and spirituals.  The spiritual side of my work has been calling me more strongly than ever and I've finally reached the point where I want to devote an entire website and recording name to religious music and writing.  

And so, I am working on Dogwood Daughter.  Why the name 'Dogwood Daughter?'  Well, for a couple of reasons:  1) I live and work in the Cumberland Mountains of East Tennessee where the beautiful white dogwood trees define the vistas in spring and 2) because there is a legend that the cross on which Jesus was crucifed was made dogwood. 

I'm very happy and excited about my new project.  Also, a little scared...I think fear is the root of my (confessed) procrastination, with which I am frankly struggling.  So, I'm publicly setting a date for launch of www.dogwooddaughter.com

Hmmmm......Today is the 5th, so.....I'm setting my target date for February 15th....ten days to go.  

If you have advice or suggestions about Dogwood Daughter....or anything else for that matter....please e-mail me at marmelodian@marmelodian.com     

'Say Howdy' is a guestbook.  You can sign your name, leave a note, make a comment....in short, say 'howdy.'

Thanks for stopping by.  I appreciate each and every one of you.  Martha Maria

It's been a joy to record these beautiful old folk carols. I will continue to record them all month long.  Merry Christmas!   

"Winter Time at Arlington" was recorded two days before Veterans' Day, Nov. 11th.  I don't want to ever forget the men and women who have given service to me and my country.  I think Veterans' Day is a solemn, holy and poignant day.  I hope I captured those sentiments in "Winter Time at Arlington." 

I read the other day that the folks on the Gulf are feeling let down and abandoned.  Why?  Because the Deepwater Horizon well has been plugged, and the rest of the country seems to have moved on and forgotten the on going repercussions and suffering of people and animals in the Gulf region.  So, for that reason, I am posting a link here to my self produced video, "Someone Tell Me Please (How Much Oil Really Costs")  Here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1MsinLVbO4

Be well and thanks for visiting.  MM

The name of my video is "He Laid His Body Down."  I love to sing and write hymns.  As some of you know, I've been working on a project called "Hymns My Mother Sang."  Well, I've had to add a subtitle....'and a few she didn't.'  The ones she didn't sing are the ones that I had not written yet.  "He Laid His Body Down" is one of those.  I used beautiful old paintings, many from the Middle Ages and the Baroque periods, to illustrate the lyrics in my video.  Here is the link to the video on YouTube.  I hope you enjoy and are uplifted by the music, the lyrics and the images. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywgXUfmE-os 

The YouTube video link is on the 'LINKS' page of this website.  Look for the song on the 'DIGITAL DOWNLOADS' page.  Ringtones available.