Big Mama

So here we go! My 2nd Blog entry!! I had planned to focus on the events leading up to my father’s passing. But, since I will be going into the studio this week with my band, Crimson Coil , to record another of our originals, I’m making a change to the subject of this blog.

See, we now live in a world where apparently letting people observe your life on an everyday basis by plastering it all over social media is the best way to get yourself, and your art, noticed. So, since I hired a social media marketing cutie named Jessica Jones, and since my intention is to GET MY VOICE HEARD, I’m focusing on the story behind this song I wrote with my band. It’s called ‘Big Mama’!

Upon reflecting on why I wrote this song and who this song is about, I’ve realized that, although this song is NOT about me, I myself, am a Big Mama! And I don’t mean in stature!😅 I uncovered another meaning to this stereotypical southern persona, by the way. Having successfully raised my son alone, rescuing him from a difficult traumatic experience and realizing that I am living large and taking control of my destiny, it dawned on me that many of the lyrics I wrote about my friend, also apply to me. So, as I introduce you to ME in this blog, it makes perfect sense that I tell YOU a little about my Big Mama self too.

BUT FIRST….let me tell you ‘bout Big Mama (the real Big Mama), as the opening line of the song says:

“Let me tell you bout Big Mama...She isn’t who you think she’d be. Ya she looks like she’d catch drama, but she’s a soft spoken southern sweet pea.”

See, this song is about my dear friend Linda! Linda and I started walking in March of 2020 when the country shut down due to Covid 19. We both live in downtown San Diego and decided that we would be each other’s walking partner and keep in our own little bubble. Thus began a journey of me discovering Big Mama. I had known Linda for close to seven years, but I really didn’t KNOW Linda. I made a lot of assumptions about her based on her posh living conditions and her bombshell looks! She has a Pamela Anderson meets Dolly Parton intimidating beauty about her…beautiful curves, perfectly manicured everything, and a super-sexy rocker girl high-end style.

I’m going to embarrassingly admit that I fell into the trap of assuming that she was a woman of leisure, thinking she married well and came from a trust fund situation. Well boy was I wrong, and boy did I realize how wrong it is for me to make such gross assumptions. I remember learning about not “assuming” from the 1970’s sitcom The Odd Couple, when Felix stated in one of the episodes “When you assume, you make an ASS out of U and ME!”. It’s true and it stuck with me…this memory from my youth. 😁

Anyway, back to Linda!

What I learned on our walks is, that this Virginia born and raised beauty lost her parents young, sold everything, and moved to southern California, knowing only one person in order to get her tan on and advance her radio career. She was involved with a well known rock star, who wasn’t so well known at the time, when she decided that she had her OWN dream to pursue. She went on to start her OWN successful spray tanning business, a fabulous line of skin care products and she continued to land PR jobs on the radio. She invested in real estate and made her OWN way before marrying a man who became successful, undoubtedly because he had her loving him.🥰 I learned that this quiet woman, who I often mistook for being a tad snobbish, was actually a humble, nurturing and unassuming powerful woman who KNEW better then to let just anyone into her inner circle. A good lesson for all of us!

As she and I, and unfortunately the many homeless in of San Diego, shared the streets on our 10,000 step walk during this shutdown, I learned about how she helped raise her step children. I learned how she would boldly step in to rescue them with all the moxie and power she could muster in her pretty, blond petite 5’4” frame, consequently garnering her the name Big Mama! The children would chant “Big Mama to the rescue” as she stood tall to protect them from whatever was threatening them. See, she wasn’t and isn’t the stereotypical, southern big mama in stature and dare I say, color. She doesn’t need to be. In this case, it’s what is on the inside that makes this mama BIG!

Up next in future blog…I share a bit of my inner Big Mama with you!

BUT FIRST here are the lyrics I wrote about my dear friend, Linda Watkins:

 Let me tell you ‘bout Big Mama...
 She isn’t who you think she’d be. 
 Ya she looks like she’d catch drama,
 but she’s a soft-spoken southern sweet pea.

 Let me tell you ‘bout Big Mama.. 
 On radio she’s Linda Lowe.
 Lost her loves there in Va-ginia. 
 Sold it all and chose to go!

 Let me tell you ‘bout Big Mama... 
 Shot through the heart by a rockstar! 
 Trusted boldly in her karma, 
 and ‘Gurl’ did she go far!  

 You see…..

 She lives large with no regard of who you think she should be!
 She loves hard and takes charge of her destiny!

 She lives large with no regard of who you think she should be!
 She loves hard and takes charge of her destiny!

 Big Mama to the rescue,
 Big Mama to the rescue 
 Go Big Mama Go!

 Let me tell you ‘bout Big Mama... 
 Muffy Malibu meets Motley Crew
 Sexy, steamy like a sauna
 But not the girl you thought you knew!

 Oh, let me tell you bout Big Mama...
 Now she’s California free
 Gail force winds made LGW,
 Now take a ride on her DSC!

 You see…..

 She lives large with no regard of who you think she should be!
 She loves hard and takes charge of her destiny!

 She lives large with no regard of who you think she should be!
 She loves hard and takes charge of her destiny!

 Big Mama to the rescue,
 Big Mama to the rescue 
 Go Big Mama Go!