All Good Dreamers

It was Daphne's daughter Paton, herself an actor & singer, who provided the impetus for her actor/singer mother's debut album, Grace Notes in 2010. Sitting in a doctor's waiting room the two began to harmonize a Joni Mitchell song. That was the cue it was time to come back to her great love of singing. And after many fans of her first album kept asking when her second album would be coming out, she finally sat down and started recording this year. Daphne's favorite motto is Do what you're afraid of. When I feel I am getting too comfortable, I know it's time to shake things up. Knowing that she wanted to do exactly that, she chose songs that she says she never would have had the courage to sing four years earlier. Joni Mitchell's Help Me, Cactus Tree and The Last Time I Saw Richard, and Patty Griffin's Forgiveness and Not Alone, some of the more difficult to execute vocally. I felt rather naked, to tell the truth. But that was the point. No more hiding, or taking the safe road. Just the intimacy of the guitar, the voice and the story. There's also the soulful Colin Hay tune, I Just Don't Think I'll Ever Get Over You. One of Daphne's favorites, The real challenge there, is to get through the tune without crying. Daphne also dives into two Imogen Heap/Frou Frou tunes, Let Go and Only Got One, as well as Ingrid Michaelson's Keep Breathing. All three contemporary songs have a larger instrumentation, but retain that intimate quality Daphne was looking to bring to the table in her sophomore release. And just to really push the envelope, she recorded Adele's Turning Tables and Love Song. I knew I was really taking a chance recording anything Adele has done because, first there is no way I can sing like Adele, and second, everybody's heard them. But I loved them so much I let that be the overriding factor. All of the songs that I chose for All Good Dreamers comment on the complexities of love, dreams and just being a human in today's world. Navigating your way through all the noise and tragedy that seem to roll through our lives daily. This music helps me through it. Stylistically in the Americana/Pop vein, the project features acoustic guitar, piano, bass, dobro, mandolin & drums, all from Producer/multi-instrumentalist David Vito Gregoli. The real treat for Daphne is her daughter, Paton, singing with her on the song Sherly Crow song Home.? I'm a big softy, but in a tough-love kind of way. I believe in dreaming and reaching for those dreams, whatever they may be. I just don't know how to go through life without it. You won't always get what you want, but the trick is to not care, but enjoy the work, the reaching and the beauty of the journey. Daphne Ashbrook's new album 'All Good Dreamers' - I'm just totally in love with now... -- Annette Bjorling The album is gorgeous! ... I am officially obsessed with Keep Breathing...it is breathtaking! -- Heather Maloney.