How to make a album of music when your ears don't work

In the fall of 2009, my wife, singer-songwriter Marty Winkler, and her producer, our friend Michael C Steele, persuaded me to record a CD of some of my songs. With three tracks almost done, I woke up one morning in March 2010 to discover my hearing had deserted me. Three years, assorted Hail Mary treatments and two cochlear implant operations later, I could hear again, kinda-sorta, but my pitch was still MIA. I couldn’t even sing “Happy Birthday” without making the other party goers cringe.

I shelved my musical project. I focused instead on a book that would eventually be published in 2019 as Life After Deaf, meanwhile hoping I would someday be the beneficiary of a miracle, be it scientific or supernatural. Finally, as 2020 rolled around, I decided to accept fate and take advantage of the wonderful community of musical friends Marty and I had made in Athens since we moved to the Classic City in 2005. I asked for help.

The result is Better Late, a collaboration of splendid singers and instrumentalist whose performances of my compositions humble me and make me glow with joy -- even if I can only imagine how they truly sound.

The tunes include Marty’s sexy, Julie London-esque version of my song “Liquid,” Adam McKnight’s take on “Promised Land” and (see illo) Rick Fowler’s rendition of “Maybe It’s the Snakes,’ featuring Michael Doke’s fire-starter slide guitar. You can hear it via Bandcamp.com

https://noelholston.bandcamp.com/track/maybe-its-the-snakes?fbclid=IwAR1virPJU_uzEeE2b886_LAxP3yogtRCdJ0g3tmDVrmlGNZ4yv4H8wCeA6s