Series 1, Episode 42: Captain, Commander, and Movie Shaker

The real Captain Commander, Mover, Shaker of Watchfire Music is Julia Wade. Not only does she take care of the day to day grind of running the company, but she is also the #1 best selling artist in the company among over 300 various artists. Here is a rundown of all of the shoes she fills plus a best of Top 10 List and playback of examples of her ability to perform across many genres and styles ranging from Inspirational to classical to classical crossover to comedy.

Theater of the Imagination is presented by Watchfire Music watchfiremusic.com

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Transcript

Peter Link 0:08

Welcome to Scattershot Symphony. The music of Peter Link. That's me. Hey y'all, this week being the 42nd episode of this podcast, I prefer to let the music do the talking. However, if you need to know more about me, please visit wikipedia.com, Peter Link. This episode is entitled Captain Commander, Mover, and Shaker. It's about time we set the story straight. I am not the Captain Commander, nor am I the mover and shaker of Watchfire Music. Those titles belong to someone else. I have the easy job. I get to hang out in the studio 16 hours a day making music. I'm listed as the CEO of the company. But that's a job that takes me a couple of hours a month. Another listing I have is that of creative director. That's no job. That's too much fun to be called a real job. I get to just sit around and think of fun and crazy ideas, and then assign those ideas to a terrific staff that does all the work. No. The real Captain Commander, mover shaker, beloved leader, chief cook and bottle washer, and COO that's chief operating officer of the Daily Operation is our president. Julia Wade. Now, most of you know that Julia Wade is also my wife. That too can be a full-time job for her. Let's just say that I'm well taken care of. She also does the shopping and the gardening and the laundry and breakfast for the birds. Oh, did I mention that she's a singer? And a working auditioning actress? And watch fire music best-selling artist over these last twenty years. I know. You've probably guessed by now that I'm a fan. And in fact, a great admirer of this beautiful workaholic. All that's to say that it's time she gets a little credit. She also sits on the board at church and teaches in the Sunday school. Where she ever finds time enough to run three to seven miles a day is beyond me. And sometimes she would admit a bit beyond her. For a while there, she got so busy that she stopped singing. Bad idea. But our small staff and huge website drew far too much of her attention in the years after her seven-year stint as soloist at the Mother Church in Boston, her four years after that on the road concertizing around the country. And then, of course, there was COVID. People needed hope and inspiration. Watchfire Music, an inspirational music company, became busier than ever. Julia, our president, led the way. Many of you know that she started off her career as an opera singer, singing not only around the country, but also in Europe at the Palermo Opera and Rome Opera. After those years, she began to evolve into what the music industry calls a classical crossover singer. Her subsequent 15 albums caused critics to call her the female Josh Grovin. So I'm here today to remind you that first and foremost, Julia Wade is a singer. And yes, a most exceptional one. I could wax poetic for the next 30 minutes. But finally, let's let Julia speak for herself. Okay, Julia, it's time for you to take a stage. Let's start with a beautiful song that's reminiscent of her operatic chops. The coming. Retour shall come to thee. Oh come thou day spring command our spirits by thine dispers the through the clouds of night, and death's dark shadows would be choice shall come to thee. From our fears and centrists, let us find our rest in thee. From her first album produced by yours truly, the title song featuring guest artist Rong Chong Zhou, Chinese Master Arahu Artist Upon the Mountain. How do you find it? How do you get there? How can you possibly break through? You start by going to the deep place, the innermost point of control, the deepest pretestest of your inner still point of your soul, where battle doesn't matter, and my dear and truth holds forth like a fountain where darkness is not gone, and the light is over, and it's simply and gone upon the mountain upon the mountain, upon the mountain upon the mountain, upon the mountain. However, I've always thought that Julia's real gift was her ability to get inside of a lyric and pull her audience in with her. All the truly great vocal artists are also actors. That combination is the recipe for greatness for all singers. I've always loved Julia's rendition of this classic song. It definitely demonstrates the above. Julia could always tell a great story. Here's a true story. She told me late one night having come back home from Boston. While she was telling me the story, I quickly grabbed pen and paper and jotted down a few notes. It came out sounding something like this. On a train. I met a woman on the train. Usually the conversation skirts the Monday. Usually I find a seat apart from all the people. But I can't complain. About the night I met a woman on the tray. I show her my candle on the tray. She sits in wrapped amazement while I explain. She admits to me she's 83 and looks much younger. But I sense her pain. As the night rolls on behind us all the tread. I tell her I sing every weekend at a church in Boston. She confesses to being a Catholic. And that she finds me a little odd. She says she told her children to go and find their own truth. I look into her eyes and give my new old friend a nod. She says, Oh honey, we all are children of God. Oh honey, we all are children of God. Funny how we open up so quick to perfect strangers, but I can't complain. All because we share two lifetimes that terrain. She admits to her rash impatience. And that she should have spared the rod. We both look out the window and accept our imperfections. I look into her eyes and give my new old friend a nod. She says, Oh honey, we all are children of God. Oh honey, we all are children of God. Boston to New York. Trains have a way of putting us up on time. No one grows any older on a train. A perfect stranger sleeps head on my shoulder. The sleeping train gets quiet, the car a little colder. Mile after mile with her head upon my shoulder, and I dare not move a muscle lest she wake. This woman on a train, as long as we're experiencing the actress in Miss Wade, we may as well go the full mile. In June. He said as he texted on his iPhone back up north to his elf. Well, Mr. Claus, I replied, most polite, I guess I just had to speak for myself. Well, now you've gone and done it. As he pulled out his list, let's see here, uh-huh. You must be young Julie. Is that right? Well that's right, said I. Well, now you're in big trouble, Sure's high. I've got a most busy schedule. Now you're making me late. Right now I oughta be back in my sled instead. So go ahead now and go back to bed. And don't you be peeking through the keyhole. When I got up that morning, that Christmas morning, there was nothing in my stocking but a lump of coal. Rats. I would have cried my eyes. But remember, good people. It was just a dream. Just a dream. Just a dream. It was just a dream about the nine I saint. I don't know if he was a saint, but he sure was cute. Okay, don't go away. There's more to this story. Next Christmasy was hiding again on the sofa as he whooshed down the chimney. I remember you. You're that girl. You're Julie. You were troubled from the get-go, and now you're back again, my friend. Uh oh yeah. This ain't right, and it's just got too stall. Well, oh it is time, actually. I'm kinda glad to see ya. I'm a little bit stuck here. Got a flat tire and a reindeer, and I'm flown on out of squares. Whoever heard us to think like that. Well now we know good people. It was just a dream. Just a dream. It was just a dream about another night. I never promised it would make much dance. So I grabbed my old rusty plastic bum. And we went swoosh up the chimney in a flash. And there stood Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, and the other. Fixed saddle flat tiger. In the blink of a lash. And old Saint Nick was all like a shot. Well, goodbye. He tells Merry, Merry Christmas across the sky. Cheer all a happy, happy new year. He never looked back. He never said thanks. He just disappeared into the cloud. Hold on, just wait a minute, Santa. Here I am, stuck on the roof. And no way, I'm going back down that chimney. Uh-uh. It's too darn dirty and I just don't have it in me. I decides I'll never eat a bed. Thank you. Well, that Christmas morning, my stocking was filled to the brim and overflowing. Present in the kitchen. Present in the bathtub. Present in the attic and present in the chest. Under the pillow in my bed. I could have cried eyes out. And all the present left me. But then again, my friend. It was just a dream. It was just a dream about the night I met. It was just a dream about the night I met. Saint Nick. Now, who in Tarnation ever heard of a flat tire on a reindeer? I declare, Santa! I mean, I just don't make any sense. That's ridiculous. I just that makes no sense. Nothing makes any sense. However, most people know Julia as a gifted inspirational voice. Here are two favorites. Psalm one hundred thirty-nine, followed by satisfied. How precious are your thoughts, O God? How great is the sum of them? How grand if I could count them all, O God, they are more in number than the sun. Whither shall I go from thy spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy care? If I ascend up into heaven, you are there, you are there, and if I make my bed with the devil, you are there in the halls of heaven, you are there watching over. And I will raise thee. For I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Yes, I will thee. How marvelous are thy works, O God, and that my soul knows right well precious are your thoughts, oh God. How great is the sum of them? How if I could count them all, oh God They are more in number than the seed. They are more in number than the seed. They are more in number than the eye. Your peace is thine. End of these stones or tyrants' thrones, God is to raise our seed in thoughts and seed to fall. Normally, a female should never try to cover a song first sung by Barbara Streisand. But we fell in love with this little known love song, and I've always thought that Julia really held her own on it. On my way to you, I find myself reciting no words I've said or should have said like scenes that need rewriting the smiles I never answered perhaps I should have opened sogotten in the morning I relive the roles I've played, the tears I may have squandered the many bibers I have played along the roads I've wandered time I knew it was somewhere out there waiting though I may regret a kiss or two if I had changed a single day what went amiss or went astray I may have never found my way to you it happened so often as I wait for sleep the time I knew it was somewhere out there waiting for I may regret a kiss or two if I had changed a single day what went amiss or went astray I would not change a thing that happened on my way. Como è tu revance escucharé para nunca errar y con gozo seguire lo rebelde rendirás lo cruel te sueño al mundo abrazo de despertar en la hostil lucho con la fan por la puerta entro ici la collina de passion como de source en el triunfo y a tu rebaño hacia ti señor señor salma y danos pan hasta ver la luz la costos correos pan de ti pasto la colina de pastor let us close in this age of confusion with hope anyone who really knows Julia knows that she is for the birds now that um sentence could be read in two different ways the correct reading was to mean she is all for the birds she feeds them she watches over them she talks to them in that high soprano voice and they listen and sing back at every breakfast offering so it's only fitting to end this ode to Julia with the story of one of her favorite friends some would call it a Christmas song but since I wrote it I can tell you that I wrote it for any season it is a joyous song of hope bird song silver bird fly spiritual bird sing bird song the Christ is born spread the word let fly the song of peace sweet release sail on silver bill across the world spread the word a new age dawns as the silver bird streaks across the red size sail on silver bird across the world sail on little bird and take this message that the Son of God has joined us on this earth and brings us nothing but the good word it's the word of God he brings to us it's a kind of peace that lasts forever it's a love that raids from one to one another never fading away sail and sing your song bird as you swarm among the mountains as you wind along the rivers of life singing to each heart sing into the mind of mankind silver bird fly from the stable humble where Christ is born spread the word go forth his kingdom come up and you lum back and forth between the prophecy and the unforeseen the time has come a new age songs and the world will now change from one of song to one abounding hope sail on silver bird across the world sail on little bird and take this message that the Son of God has joined us on this earth and brings us nothing but the good word and sing your song bird as you wing your way through cities through the masses and the chaos of life sing it to each soul sing it to the shambles of men silver bird fly unto the people tell them the Christ is born silver bird fly and sing your song the Christ is born this Christmas born the Christ is born this Christmas mourn the Christ is born this Christmas born the Christ is born many thanks to the wondrous singers who sang on Julia's fifteen albums many thanks also goes to all those who supported her immense talent over the years. Also please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and to keep abreast of the latest episode you can subscribe to Scattershot Symphony from your podcast app of choice and thanks to Watchfire Music and the entire staff for all your work in producing and promoting this podcast. A very special thanks also to Stuart Barefoot our associate producer for all your invaluable knowledge and great vibes. And lastly a posthumous thanks to Ludwig von Beethoven for your opening four bars this podcast is presented with loving care by the staff at Watchfire Music. If you liked what you heard we got lots more where that came from in the meantime you can find the songs you just heard on WatchfireMusic.com forward slash podcast there you can purchase the singles or albums and have access to all the words also there you will find all previous podcasts and future schedules if you just became a Scattershot fan tell your friends and stay tuned