Posted on: August 28, 2020 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 2

It’s been about 5 years since we last conducted an interview with you.

What sort of work have you put into the recording and creative processes for tracks like I Am A Servant?

Hi! It’s so good to hear from you again! That is a demo album I made, in my home myself in a recorder, for future development, professionally. I have made 11 albums of demos, some with two or three discs, since we last talked. I have written over 400 songs, probably close to 500. I started when I was 20 with one song, You For Me and Me For You – I wrote this for my husband. Not till 2009 did I start writing and submitting songs for publication, as they came flooding into my head. I Am A Servant Demo Album will be finished sometime this season, by end of January, with graphics on discs too, but currently it was personal enjoyment of live singing of mine, while I wrote the songs, so if you like that, then you will like it. I might put it on amazon and i-tunes as is, not sure yet.

You are doing a lot of work on Youtube. How is the audience on that service different from those in a live setting?

Yes, well, you-tube for me is evolving. J Many years ago I was using my songs for choirs k-12 and praise bands for schools, so I decided to make word screens. One of my former students, Thomas Hauser, a home schooled young man, was looking for work between college, so he started meeting me weekly at the library to develop screens with words. Also, a student in my praise band at Celebration church at the time – a home schooled student, Chynna Birkmire, was interested in directing for film and tv, so she filmed me singing my songs along with her Dad there for support, or her mom, or both, and her little brother came sometimes  – Addison. We had a lot of fun doing them, and it gave her credit for her music senior year project. Both I paid a small amount per project as a reward, so they could get the feel before college of reward for a job well done. It was for both of their education experiences, but in the end it turned out to benefit the ministry work in song, and also the music work.

I have several small groups, and pages, each works differently. I do a ministry page, LADIES WHO LOVE THE LORD – for women, and GOD’S GUYS, for men. Each serves a different purpose, and so during covid, on Mondays and Wednesdays, the ladies’ page gets those songs. I have also tried to put up some live videos of songs I am in the process of producing professionally, 28 songs called Today Is The Day, and disc 2 is called This is the Day. I hired a musician John Heinrich for producer, and Eugene Moles for guitar, to work with him, then did the rest myself. I also use an engineer Benny Stoltz, who helped me finish up all the Light A Candle Albums, – “Light A Candle Tides 1”, “Light A Candle Tides 2”, “Tides”, and several albums not on line yet – Oh The Cross, Chandelier, Amazing Grace Radio Songs, Amazing Grace 2 (Radio Songs). I will put up Light A Candle Tides 2 Remix, if it’s not up yet, this coming year. I also finished an album called “In His Presence” I kept for myself, and one called “In His Presence 2” on my amazon-itunes page. I use CD baby as distributor under Doreen Pinkerton Production and it promotes to sites. You can find I think 12 albums up there at current. During Covid, I have made several demo albums, not online, but ready to go – “A Christmas Song (Volume 1) & “A Christmas Song (Volume 2).  I have promoted to companies, for full production. All Things New – I just finished this demo album. Also, One Love – a three disc album of 42 or 43 songs, I have finished. Also,  Hymns of Worship – I will be doing this one in September, it is finished as a demo album, I have the engineer removing my recorder clicks on all the songs, at present. I Knew – should be done in October – that is a three disc album of 43 songs, focusing on relationship, dating, marriage, honeymoon, etc., but also includes praise and worship and Christian and family songs. November I am just making product of past albums, primarily, but have done a professional Cd called Rejoice, for children, a composite album, I will release in December, using all past music. It is one disc in length, and has a solo of my flute playing called “Flute Dance” as well as the song Rejoice. It is a Christian album for Churches, but anyone can enjoy it. I have also released many songs with Diamond Garden Music, as producer and singer songwriter, 8-12 a year, the last two years. In December I will finish two more demo albums with the engineer fixing them up, all the songs are written. There is a three disc album called I’m Grateful, 43 songs. There is a one disc album called, Forever You Reign, focusing on leaving this earth for Heaven, and the process of giving God glory and Honor.

I am proud to say since Brighter Day, I have 31 other albums made, including a two disc album called My Story, a narrative of my life. I also have a missions statement CD out called Missions Statement, Doreen Pinkerton – Reaching Out (Psalm 100).

Everyone is going through a major life change with current events. What has it done to you as a musician?

Wow, this is a great question. Well, in my mind I decided not seeing people was difficult. So, I decided to add more live songs online. This was more challenging, yet it also helped me learn songs I had already had professionally produced half way get out there, so I felt like I was going forward anyway! I also found doing other kinds of things half the day, like building partnerships with other companies like Diamond Garden Music- for public radio promotion, for Akademia, for internet radio promotion, and Women of Substance Radio, where many of my songs the last few years are up. I also tried to sponsor with them two or three shows, to show I cared for them as well, but I saved my pennies too, not getting taken advantage of if companies did not have the details of their changes worked out. I continued to use Reverbnation, and currently, actually today: a new radio station in UK asked me to submit songs for a two hour program for new music! I was thrilled!

Tell us a bit more about any new music you’re working on. How does it differ from the material we heard on Brighter Day?

I entered the country and folk and pop song realm when I partnered with Diamond Garden Music in production, as well as Christian praise and worship and Christian Contemporary Songs, and Gospel. I was sending songs to diamond and Akademia, with winning songs in Akademia for songs like Please (Country), Travelin’ On (Americana) , Fearless (country), Fearless – Remix (country), My Homeless Child (Americana/Christian) , Heart’s A Flutter – Flute Mix (pop), Rejoice (Christian Gospel), Jesus Heals (Christian Gospel Hymn like),  No More Fighting In This World (Americana, Country), Lovin’ You Is Crazy (Country), I’m Waiting – Flute Mix(Country, Americana), I Will Stand by You – Flute Mix (Americana), Love Help Me Love (Americana), Comin’ Home (Folk), When I’m With You (Jazz), Forgiveness – Flute MIx (Christian Gospel), In His Presence – Flute Mix(Christian Gospel), Peace In The Presence Of The Lord (Concert, Flute Mix) (Christian/Gospel), Rejoice (Christian/Gospel), Free Indeed (Christian/Gospel), I Will Stand by You – Flute Mix made top of the charts two months with Akademia, internet radio! I won two Awards with them for 2019 I won the highest honor : The Executive Award. Only 1% of people get that! I also won this year, The Visionary Award, their highest honor, only 1% of people get that one.

During this season of change, I also have a Cover Songs Album Volume 1 not released, and I also have a Christmas Cover Songs Album not released anywhere yet.

How have current events changed your motivation, song-writing, and overall spirit?

Great question. I came to terms with although above you asked me a lot of questions that had to be answered with talking about my own works and vision, I found during covid, my main concern became others in my community, my family and children, and those who need food and clothing, or are ill, since I am an RN with a BSN in Nursing and a BA in Christian Ministry.  I found my concern for education also rose, as my home education days were over, but I had subbed in the schools, so my church and community mattered most, to be honoest, and of course, at the forefront, my family – to be sure they were well in body, mind, and spirit. I got concerned for those needing company, who were ill, or who needed encouragement. Music product became so important during covid, I spent a lot of time donating music to church members and friends and family, something long overdue in new ways, using all previous years of product to meet these more emergent time needs. This to me was a blessing to do, and I put a bunch more funding into this than into production or performance anywhere, just online.

What role do you see for physical media move forward into the 2020s?

Well, I am smiling, even chuckling. I realized during covid my gift was songwriting, yet I am a singer. I learned that all the songs I wrote could not all ever be professionally produced, so I felt a relief to take all the demo albums and make a book, called “Songs for the Family (320 songs)”. They are in a folder. It is the first half of my songs. Although I am fixing up the ten albums I originally wrote this season into demo albums, I also found that writing songs still was coming to me. I still felt inspired to sing and play, which was strange to me! I mean, it was covid season! I realized that I had lost my recorder, and so I had to use my i-phone instead! Thus, the songs you see on you tube. This was so new to me, and a bit awkward, to be honest. I found that it stretched me in new ways not to be able to see my audience. I also didn’t feel led to do concerts, per say, but songs one at a time. I also felt led to do sing along medley times for women, using hymns for the older ladies who love that. 

Do you have any additional thoughts about life and the universe?

Sure, Cosmic changes in virus transmission and the medical need for vaccines is at the forefront. I believe in a Creator, a master mind behind all things, God, who is in control. He made you and me. I also think, because of the Bible, I feel led to remind people we can still ask him things. We can ask through Jesus, as believers in Him, for needs, like a cure for corona virus, or protection for those fleeing in terror from other countries, looking for solace in the USA, for those who need legal immigration to be approved. We can pray for families separated from their children, waiting, and the things that need to change in our immigration system so that doesn’t happen. We can pray for the racial tensions and the police. We can in the end, ask God’s will be done, in all things. Above all, I love to look to the heavens, to the stars. It brings me great joy to see the vast universe, and realize it is amazing that a Creator would take time for me, one little speck in the great Cosmos of life!

Where should listeners search out samples of your music?

Check out my Facebook page, Doreen Pinkerton. I have some songs also on spotify, also make some spotify playlists, if it interests you. My long term goal continues to be to get songs in television and film, and now many are licensed around the globe in many countries through internet radio with Akademia. I would like to see some of my songs hit it big in the radio world that is hard for an independent indie artist to do, for country, folk, or Americana singers, to use, as well as the Christian songs, since I am primarily a Christian Singer songwriter! In the days of Alexa, you can also ask Alexa to play songs by Doreen Pinkerton – she will play about 21/2-3 hours for me, in our plan. Sometimes I have to say the album name, and my name, several times, for specific albums or songs, before she gets it, so be persistent! The plan you have determines what you can listen to, in digital radio. I try to brings discs with me to places I sing, and use digital sales online, for albums I choose to put up.

Check out amazon, and itunes, Check out Doreen Pinkerton Production. Check out Doreen Pinkerton – you can google me. CD baby did away with their store, but I still promote with them. Twitter I am NYNCGAL, YouTube channel I have a lot on there under Doreen Pinkerton, Reverbnation I am Doreen Pinkerton Music. I added Doreen Pinkerton, to just promote 1-3 song free by accident, and so that is still up there too, I just vary around the songs. I am also on sound cloud, and hopefully you can be looking for releases online for a composite album this next year called Oh The Cross, as well as a few others called Light A Candle Tides 2 Remix, Chandelier, and Hopefully if studios open more (I have bought some equipment for home now too), I will put out Today Is the Day and This is the Day CDs in 2021 and 2022. My produced songs are on Diamond Garden Music’s last three albums too, for promotion, 5 on their 2019 Route 66 album, 2 on their 2019 Christmas album, and 5 on their spring 2020 album just released, as well s 6 on their 2020 Fall album, to be released October 1st.

I’ve also enjoyed Women of Substance Music for a combined show of many women singing for you, with songs on the show the last three or four years, you could check!

  • My focus continues to be: God, Family & Relationship, Church, Community, and Education. I love to write about Nature, and our Creator as well as songs for the family: to Encourage, Inspire, Motivate, and Relate, and to Praise and Worship God.

Thank you so much.  If okay with you, here is a verse very dear to me during this covid season. We can sing about and call to the Creator of the Universe and trust Him, as we look at His evidence in the beauty all around us.

“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth His handiwork.” Psalm 19:1 Bible

I would say take time for the simple things, the little things, the things outdoors, like you spent time in when you are a child. Perhaps this season of time is for a return to the things and people and places most dear, near the home.

Home is where the heart is.

  • Much thanks to all who listen! Thanks so much for this opportunity to share. I am so blessed to work at the speed I can swing in cost. I found that it is not the amount of music, or the amount of production that matters during covid, it is indeed the message of the heart, that comes to us through song, in a season of cosmic change. – Sincerely, Doreen 
  • Doreen Pinkerton – singer/songwriter, musician
  • Doreen Pinkerton – Reaching Out: One Heart (Psalm 100)- ministry work
  • Doreen Pinkerton Production – executive producer, past producer, to be current producer again, in home, during covid, and contract out to build partnerships
  • RN, Educator, Mother, Wife

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