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{{Infobox musical artist
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|past_members =Joe Credit III, Bernadette Holzer, Joe Credit, Jr. }}
|past_members =Joe Credit III, Bernadette Holzer, Joe Credit, Jr. }}


'''SONA''' was a [[Neopaganism in the United States|Neo-Pagan]] music band that toured and performed at Neo-Pagan gatherings and other events throughout the Midwest during the first decade of the 21st century. SONA, with its three members, was popularly known as “the Peter, Paul and Mary of Pagan music”.<ref>http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/Sonafans/message/4 a yahoo group message that includes a review of one of SONA's concerts</ref><ref>http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/sona1 see section under “Album Notes”</ref>
'''SONA''' was a [[Neopaganism in the United States|Neo-Pagan]] music band that toured and performed at Neo-Pagan gatherings and other events throughout the Midwest during the first decade of the 21st century. SONA, with its three members, was popularly known as “the Peter, Paul and Mary of Pagan music”.<ref>[http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/Sonafans/message/4 a yahoo group message that includes a review of one of SONA's concerts]</ref><ref>[http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/sona1 see section under “Album Notes”]</ref>


The three members of SONA were Bernadette “Beltana” Holzer, “Papa” Joe Credit and his son Joe Credit III. Beltana played the conga drums, Papa Joe played guitar and Joe Credit III played mandolin. All three sang, harmonizing with each other. All three also wrote songs for the group.
The three members of SONA were Bernadette “Beltana” Holzer, “Papa” Joe Credit and his son Joe Credit III. Beltana played the conga drums, Papa Joe played guitar and Joe Credit III played mandolin. All three sang, harmonizing with each other. All three also wrote songs for the group.


== Formation ==
==Formation==
⚫
The members of SONA met in 2000 at [[Brushwood Folklore Center]] <ref>[http://www.wolvenwold.drak.net/sona/ The SONA Homepage]</ref> in New York as they attended the [[Sirius Rising]] and [[Starwood Festival|Starwood]] music festivals. Beltana reports having a dream about a mandolin player the night before meeting the Joes.<ref>http://www.cernowain.com/pagansongbook/sona/sonainterview07.html Interview with SONA 01/29/07</ref> The next day she saw Joe Credit III carrying his mandolin and introduced herself to him and his father. As soon as they started singing together they found the combination of their voices to be extraordinarily magical. The next day they were in the bardic pavilion show on the main stage performing one of their original songs, “Land of the Sidhe” together for the first time--- before 500 people. That night they also played again at the Tavern.


⚫
==Name of the band==
⚫
The members of SONA met in 2000 at [[Brushwood Folklore Center]] <ref>http://www.wolvenwold.drak.net/sona/ The SONA Homepage</ref> in New York as they attended the [[Sirius Rising]] and [[Starwood Festival|Starwood]] music festivals. Beltana reports having a dream about a mandolin player the night before meeting the Joes.<ref>http://www.cernowain.com/pagansongbook/sona/sonainterview07.html Interview with SONA 01/29/07</ref> The next day she saw Joe Credit III carrying his mandolin and introduced herself to him and his father. As soon as they started singing together they found the combination of their voices to be extraordinarily magical. The next day they were in the bardic pavilion show on the main stage performing one of their original songs, “Land of the Sidhe” together for the first time--- before 500 people. That night they also played again at the Tavern.
⚫
Word spread quickly and the three were invited to perform at the Festival at Tara at Camp Gaia near Kansas City, Kansas. On the way to this concert the three discussed [[Buddhist philosophy]], and Joe Credit III told the story of the lute player and the Buddha.<ref name="sacred-texts1">[http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe17/sbe17002.htm The Mahâvagga, Fifth Khandhaka 1.15-17]</ref> This parable describes how the Buddha taught a [[veena|lute]] player how using our energies to find enlightenment is like bringing the lute's strings to just the right tautness so that the instrument will be in tune, and so, as we keep our energies in balance we will be in tune and find enlightenment.


⚫
Not long after this discussion, Papa Joe found a book of Buddhist teaching which revealed that the lute player's name was ''Sona''.<ref name="sacred-texts1"/> When the three of them got together at Wolvenwold, Beltana's home, Papa Joe shared this information with Beltana and Joe Credit III and the band decided to adopt the name SONA for themselves. (The use of all capital letters for SONA was to distinguish the band from the Buddhist lute player, and later, from other groups of the same name).
⚫
== Name of the Band ==


⚫
==Musical style==
⚫
Word spread quickly and the three were invited to perform at the Festival at Tara at Camp Gaia near Kansas City, Kansas. On the way to this concert the three discussed [[Buddhist philosophy]], and Joe Credit III told the story of the lute player and the Buddha.<ref>http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe17/sbe17002.htm The Mahâvagga, Fifth Khandhaka 1.15-17</ref> This parable describes how the Buddha taught a [[veena|lute]] player how using our energies to find enlightenment is like bringing the lute's strings to just the right tautness so that the instrument will be in tune, and so, as we keep our energies in balance we will be in tune and find enlightenment.
⚫
SONA’s music is hard to classify because their songs drew from so many musical sources. The band was self-described as “Folkadelic” <ref>[http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/sona1 Artist’s description, see left panel]</ref> —a combination of their modern folk acoustic style with psychedelic and ethereal vocals. However, the band also dipped into bluegrass, jazz, gospel-style, Celtic, rock and other genres and tempos which gave their concerts a sense of variety which lead to a wider appeal among their listeners.

⚫
Not long after this discussion, Papa Joe found a book of Buddhist teaching which revealed that the lute player's name was ''Sona''.<ref>http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe17/sbe17002.htm The Mahâvagga, Fifth Khandhaka 1.15-17</ref> When the three of them got together at Wolvenwold, Beltana's home, Papa Joe shared this information with Beltana and Joe Credit III and the band decided to adopt the name SONA for themselves. (The use of all capital letters for SONA was to distinguish the band from the Buddhist lute player, and later, from other groups of the same name).

⚫
== Musical Style ==
⚫
SONA’s music is truly hard to classify because their songs drew from so many musical sources. The band was self-described as “Folkadelic” <ref>http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/sona1 Artist’s description, see left panel</ref> —a combination of their modern folk acoustic style with psychedelic and ethereal vocals. However, the band also dipped into bluegrass, jazz, gospel-style, Celtic, rock and other genres and tempos which gave their concerts a sense of variety which lead to a wider appeal among their listeners.


Songs written by Beltana often expressed a psychedelic bent or a soft/hard rock sound. Joe Credit III preferences include grungy world music and jazz chord progressions, but also Paganized Gospel. Papa Joe showed a variety of singer-songwriter styles from [[Folk Rock]] to Caribbean to Texas Swing to Polka, adding some fun and humor to much of the music.
Songs written by Beltana often expressed a psychedelic bent or a soft/hard rock sound. Joe Credit III preferences include grungy world music and jazz chord progressions, but also Paganized Gospel. Papa Joe showed a variety of singer-songwriter styles from [[Folk Rock]] to Caribbean to Texas Swing to Polka, adding some fun and humor to much of the music.
Line 38: Line 37:
Pagan musical influences on SONA include: Green Crown, [[Emerald Rose]], Loke E. Coyote, [[S.J. Tucker]], [[Gaia Consort]], Sede, Dreamtrybe, The Druids, The Raft, Spoonfed Tribe, Gretchen McMahon, Dana Davis, Michelle Mays, Burning Sage and others.<ref>http://www.cernowain.com/pagansongbook/sona/sonainterview07.html interview with SONA 01/29/07</ref>
Pagan musical influences on SONA include: Green Crown, [[Emerald Rose]], Loke E. Coyote, [[S.J. Tucker]], [[Gaia Consort]], Sede, Dreamtrybe, The Druids, The Raft, Spoonfed Tribe, Gretchen McMahon, Dana Davis, Michelle Mays, Burning Sage and others.<ref>http://www.cernowain.com/pagansongbook/sona/sonainterview07.html interview with SONA 01/29/07</ref>


== Tours ==
==Tours==

After playing at the Festival at Tara, their next gigs were at the Austin and Houston [[Pagan Pride]] Day events in Texas in 2001. There they met Trickster of Wiccabilly studios who invited them to participate in the full stage Pagan rock opera “Druid Four Winds”.
After playing at the Festival at Tara, their next gigs were at the Austin and Houston [[Pagan Pride]] Day events in Texas in 2001. There they met Trickster of Wiccabilly studios who invited them to participate in the full stage Pagan rock opera “Druid Four Winds”.


Line 46: Line 44:
In 2003, SONA took a break due to personal needs of their performers. After a hiatus of three years, SONA came back together in 2006. A much hoped-for additional CD was not produced, but they began doing concerts again in 2007.
In 2003, SONA took a break due to personal needs of their performers. After a hiatus of three years, SONA came back together in 2006. A much hoped-for additional CD was not produced, but they began doing concerts again in 2007.


== Reunion and Final Breakup ==
==Reunion and final breakup==
[[File:SONAreunion2007.jpg|thumb|right|350px|A picture of SONA at their reunion concert in 2007 at Columbia, MO.]]
[[File:SONAreunion2007.jpg|thumb|right|350px|A picture of SONA at their reunion concert in 2007 at Columbia, MO.]]
SONA reunited in February 2007 at the Magical Hibernation festival sponsored by Ozark Avalon and held at the Quality Inn in Columbia, MO. Fans welcomed them back with much pleasure and appreciation. Following this, they also appeared at Tara, [[Heartland Pagan Festival|Heartland]], Wytchehaven and at Wolvenwold.
SONA reunited in February 2007 at the Magical Hibernation festival sponsored by Ozark Avalon and held at the Quality Inn in Columbia, MO. Fans welcomed them back with much pleasure and appreciation. Following this, they also appeared at Tara, [[Heartland Pagan Festival|Heartland]], Wytchehaven and at Wolvenwold.
Line 53: Line 51:


The possibility of a reunion concert always lingers. As the lyrics of one of SONA’s songs (“Little Song”) say:
The possibility of a reunion concert always lingers. As the lyrics of one of SONA’s songs (“Little Song”) say:

:::“Before we make our exodus
:::“Before we make our exodus
:::remembrance my friend
:::remembrance my friend
:::The [[Joie de vivre|Joi De Vivre]] and Unity
:::The [[Joie de vivre|Joi De Vivre]] and Unity
:::And we will return again” <ref>http://www.wiccabilly.com/sona-littlesong.shtml Lyrics to "Little Song" by Beltana Spellsinger</ref>
:::And we will return again” <ref>[http://www.wiccabilly.com/sona-littlesong.shtml Lyrics to "Little Song" by Beltana Spellsinger]</ref>

⚫
== Post-SONA years ==


⚫
==Post-SONA years==
The three have gone on to personal projects with continued success.
The three have gone on to personal projects with continued success.


Joe Credit III has played mandolin with many groups, including Pikin Likin’ and Skinny White Chick. [[Singer-songwriter]] [[S.J. Tucker]] (known as "Queen of the Bards") wrote a song about him and her band’s trip to Washington D.C. entitled “Mandolin Holy Man”.<ref>http://music.skinnywhitechick.com/track/mandolin-holy-man hear the song, read the story behind the song and read the lyrics here</ref> He has done his share of street playing in [[Springfield,_Missouri#.22Crossroads_of_country_music.22|Springfield]] and [[St_Louis,_MO#Entertainment_and_performing_arts|St Louis, MO]]. In Springfield he has sung and played guitar and mandolin with The Voodoo Lounge Gypsies. He has joined in with Greg Bucking as a part of the Vine Brothers in Brooklyn Cafe playing jazz. Joe Credit III has also been the mandolin player for Opal Fly and the Swatters. And he was seen playing in Kansas City with both Greg Bucking and Opal Fly.<ref>http://www.myspace.com/gregbucking</ref> He has recently been seen playing in Western Automatic, a Kansas City swing band with Papa Joe and Scott Devouton. Since being in SONA, Joe Credit III has written new songs such as “Avocado” and “Sure Thing Myth”.
Joe Credit III has played mandolin with many groups, including Pikin Likin’ and Skinny White Chick. [[Singer-songwriter]] [[S.J. Tucker]] (known as "Queen of the Bards") wrote a song about him and her band’s trip to Washington D.C. entitled “Mandolin Holy Man”.<ref>[http://music.skinnywhitechick.com/track/mandolin-holy-man hear the song, read the story behind the song and read the lyrics here]</ref> He has done his share of street playing in [[Springfield, Missouri#"Crossroads of country music"|Springfield]] and [[St Louis, MO#Entertainment and performing arts|St Louis, MO]]. In Springfield he has sung and played guitar and mandolin with The Voodoo Lounge Gypsies. He has joined in with Greg Bucking as a part of the Vine Brothers in Brooklyn Cafe playing jazz. Joe Credit III has also been the mandolin player for Opal Fly and the Swatters. And he was seen playing in Kansas City with both Greg Bucking and Opal Fly.<ref>{{cite web|author=US |url=http://www.myspace.com/gregbucking |title=greg bucking &#124; Gratis muziek, tourneedata, foto's, video's |publisher=Myspace.com |date= |accessdate=2012-03-25}}</ref> He has recently been seen playing in Western Automatic, a Kansas City swing band with Papa Joe and Scott Devouton. Since being in SONA, Joe Credit III has written new songs such as “Avocado” and “Sure Thing Myth”.


Beltana continued to write songs, such as “Eorthe's Song” which she recorded in 2003 and “Sonorous Sanctum” which was #1 on the mp3.com.au acoustic charts in March 2004.<ref>http://www.mp3.com.au/charts/</ref><ref>http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=145647 Beltana's Soundclick page</ref> In the summer of 2007, Beltana formed a band of women called BellaWyck (i.e., meaning “beautiful witch” <ref>http://www.cernowain.com/pagansongbook/bw/bwinterview08.html interview with BellaWyck 02/03/08</ref> ) made up of her sister Kittin, Holly (''aka'' "Boom Boom Valhalla") and their friend Jennie from Columbia, Missouri. Their first concert was at Ozark Avalon’s Harvest Homecoming on August 31, 2007. BellaWyck produced a self-titled EP and the group toured for three years before breaking up. During this time Beltana began incorporating [[mantra|Hindu chants]] into her repertoire. Following Bellawyck, she made herself the front person in a [[Pagan rock]] band she named Spellsinger <ref>http://www.spellsinger.us</ref><ref>http://www.reverbnation.com/spellsinger</ref> which is currently touring. She now prefers to go by her mundane name, Bernadette, and tends to reserve the name Beltana for sacred circles.
Beltana continued to write songs, such as “Eorthe's Song” which she recorded in 2003 and “Sonorous Sanctum” which was #1 on the mp3.com.au acoustic charts in March 2004.<ref>[http://www.mp3.com.au/charts/ ]{{dead link|date=March 2012}}</ref><ref>[http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=145647 Beltana's Soundclick page]</ref> In the summer of 2007, Beltana formed a band of women called BellaWyck (i.e., meaning “beautiful witch” <ref>http://www.cernowain.com/pagansongbook/bw/bwinterview08.html interview with BellaWyck 02/03/08</ref> ) made up of her sister Kittin, Holly (''aka'' "Boom Boom Valhalla") and their friend Jennie from Columbia, Missouri. Their first concert was at Ozark Avalon’s Harvest Homecoming on August 31, 2007. BellaWyck produced a self-titled EP and the group toured for three years before breaking up. During this time Beltana began incorporating [[mantra|Hindu chants]] into her repertoire. Following Bellawyck, she made herself the front person in a [[Pagan rock]] band she named Spellsinger <ref>http://www.spellsinger.us</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.reverbnation.com/spellsinger |title=Spellsinger &#124; Elk Creek, MO &#124; Alternative / GypsyGothic / Pagan Rock &#124; Music, Lyrics, Songs, and Videos |publisher=ReverbNation |date= |accessdate=2012-03-25}}</ref> which is currently touring. She now prefers to go by her mundane name, Bernadette, and tends to reserve the name Beltana for sacred circles.


Papa Joe continues to play rhythm guitar solo and with different groups, backing up his son Joe Credit III whenever possible. In the mundane world he has been teaching youngsters what to do with algorithms.
Papa Joe continues to play rhythm guitar solo and with different groups, backing up his son Joe Credit III whenever possible. In the mundane world he has been teaching youngsters what to do with algorithms.


== Discography ==
==Discography==
SONA produced three CDs:
SONA released three CDs:


# '''MeGaPaGaTeXaPaLooZa''' recorded live in April 2001 and co-created with Trickster (who had 8 songs on the CD). SONAs recordings on this CD are:
# '''MeGaPaGaTeXaPaLooZa''' recorded live in April 2001 and co-created with Trickster (who had 8 songs on the CD). SONAs recordings on this CD are:
Line 110: Line 106:
## (Hidden Track)
## (Hidden Track)


== Solo Projects and Songs by SONA members ==
==Solo projects and songs by SONA members==
⚫
''Beltana'' included the songs Beltana performed with SONA and several new original songs. She has written additional new songs such as “The Secret”, “Ozark Mountain Fire”, “blue” and others.


⚫
Joe Credit III, under his own label “Mandolinsanity”, produced the CD ''Everyone Wants to Eat My Mando'' which is noted for the song "Sand Dollar Slot Machine" (aka, the "Star Trek" song) and for an extended live version of "Spoon" with saxophone.
⚫
Beltana— the Beltana CD, which included the songs she performed with SONA and several new original songs. She has written additional new songs such as “The Secret”, “Ozark Mountain Fire”, “blue” and others.


⚫
Papa Joe's unrecorded and new songs include: “Wedding at Wildwood”, “the Gift”, “A Year and a Day” and others.
⚫
Joe Credit III— under his own label “Mandolinsanity” Joe Credit III produced the CD “Everyone Wants to Eat My Mando” which is noted for the song “Sand Dollar Slot Machine” (aka, the “Star Trek” song) and for an extended live version of “Spoon” with saxophone.


⚫
==References==
⚫
Papa Joe— unrecorded and new songs include: “Wedding at Wildwood”, “the Gift”, “A Year and a Day” and others.

⚫
== References ==
<!--- See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Footnotes on how to create references using <ref></ref> tags which will then appear here automatically -->
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


== External links ==
==External links==
* [http://www.wolvenwold.drak.net/sona/pages/band.html SONA Homepage]
* [http://www.wolvenwold.drak.net/sona/pages/band.html SONA Homepage]
* [http://www.myspace.com/sonajams Sonajams on MySpace]
* [http://www.myspace.com/sonajams Sonajams on MySpace]
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* [http://www.wiccabilly.com/spoonwalk.shtml Trickster's Wiccabilly Spoonwalk Page]
* [http://www.wiccabilly.com/spoonwalk.shtml Trickster's Wiccabilly Spoonwalk Page]
* [http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/SONA SONA on CD Baby]
* [http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/SONA SONA on CD Baby]

<!--- Categories --->


{{DEFAULTSORT:Sona (Band)}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sona (Band)}}

Revision as of 12:46, 25 March 2012

SONA
Picture of the three members of SONA
Joe Credit III, "Beltana" Holzer and "Papa" Joe Credit
Background information
OriginMissouri and Kansas
GenresNeoPagan Folkadelic, Folk rock
Years active2000–2009
LabelsWiccabilly Studios, Magyar Magick
Past membersJoe Credit III, Bernadette Holzer, Joe Credit, Jr.
Websitewww.wolvenwold.drak.net/sona

SONA was a Neo-Pagan music band that toured and performed at Neo-Pagan gatherings and other events throughout the Midwest during the first decade of the 21st century. SONA, with its three members, was popularly known as “the Peter, Paul and Mary of Pagan music”.[1][2]

The three members of SONA were Bernadette “Beltana” Holzer, “Papa” Joe Credit and his son Joe Credit III. Beltana played the conga drums, Papa Joe played guitar and Joe Credit III played mandolin. All three sang, harmonizing with each other. All three also wrote songs for the group.

Formation

The members of SONA met in 2000 at Brushwood Folklore Center [3] in New York as they attended the Sirius Rising and Starwood music festivals. Beltana reports having a dream about a mandolin player the night before meeting the Joes.[4] The next day she saw Joe Credit III carrying his mandolin and introduced herself to him and his father. As soon as they started singing together they found the combination of their voices to be extraordinarily magical. The next day they were in the bardic pavilion show on the main stage performing one of their original songs, “Land of the Sidhe” together for the first time--- before 500 people. That night they also played again at the Tavern.

Name of the band

Word spread quickly and the three were invited to perform at the Festival at Tara at Camp Gaia near Kansas City, Kansas. On the way to this concert the three discussed Buddhist philosophy, and Joe Credit III told the story of the lute player and the Buddha.[5] This parable describes how the Buddha taught a lute player how using our energies to find enlightenment is like bringing the lute's strings to just the right tautness so that the instrument will be in tune, and so, as we keep our energies in balance we will be in tune and find enlightenment.

Not long after this discussion, Papa Joe found a book of Buddhist teaching which revealed that the lute player's name was Sona.[5] When the three of them got together at Wolvenwold, Beltana's home, Papa Joe shared this information with Beltana and Joe Credit III and the band decided to adopt the name SONA for themselves. (The use of all capital letters for SONA was to distinguish the band from the Buddhist lute player, and later, from other groups of the same name).

Musical style

SONA’s music is hard to classify because their songs drew from so many musical sources. The band was self-described as “Folkadelic” [6] —a combination of their modern folk acoustic style with psychedelic and ethereal vocals. However, the band also dipped into bluegrass, jazz, gospel-style, Celtic, rock and other genres and tempos which gave their concerts a sense of variety which lead to a wider appeal among their listeners.

Songs written by Beltana often expressed a psychedelic bent or a soft/hard rock sound. Joe Credit III preferences include grungy world music and jazz chord progressions, but also Paganized Gospel. Papa Joe showed a variety of singer-songwriter styles from Folk Rock to Caribbean to Texas Swing to Polka, adding some fun and humor to much of the music.

The contributions of Trickster (from Loke E. Coyote) in the studio should not be ignored when speaking of SONA’s musical style. Trickster recorded and produced SONA’s Spoonwalk CD (see below under Discography).

Pagan musical influences on SONA include: Green Crown, Emerald Rose, Loke E. Coyote, S.J. Tucker, Gaia Consort, Sede, Dreamtrybe, The Druids, The Raft, Spoonfed Tribe, Gretchen McMahon, Dana Davis, Michelle Mays, Burning Sage and others.[7]

Tours

After playing at the Festival at Tara, their next gigs were at the Austin and Houston Pagan Pride Day events in Texas in 2001. There they met Trickster of Wiccabilly studios who invited them to participate in the full stage Pagan rock opera “Druid Four Winds”.

SONA then began performing at a number of concert venues at Pagan gatherings: Pagan Spirit Gathering, Summerset, Heartland, Fire Festival, CMA Beltane 2001, Magickal Weekend at St. Louis, Spring Fire II in Indianapolis, Pagan Pride in Dallas, TX, Magickal Hibernation at Ozark Avalon and concerts at the DragonDance festival and other festivals at Beltana's home campground called Wolvenwold.

In 2003, SONA took a break due to personal needs of their performers. After a hiatus of three years, SONA came back together in 2006. A much hoped-for additional CD was not produced, but they began doing concerts again in 2007.

Reunion and final breakup

A picture of SONA at their reunion concert in 2007 at Columbia, MO.

SONA reunited in February 2007 at the Magical Hibernation festival sponsored by Ozark Avalon and held at the Quality Inn in Columbia, MO. Fans welcomed them back with much pleasure and appreciation. Following this, they also appeared at Tara, Heartland, Wytchehaven and at Wolvenwold.

In 2009, after a debate among Wolvenwold members over campground rules, SONA members, being divided by the issue, split up. At this time all three SONA members embarked on separate musical projects. Joe Credit III decided to relocate to St Louis and involve himself in the music scene there. Beltana started a women's music group called Bellawyck (see below). On occasion the Joes have played their instruments and backed up Beltana's bands, Bellawyck and then Spellsinger.

The possibility of a reunion concert always lingers. As the lyrics of one of SONA’s songs (“Little Song”) say:

“Before we make our exodus
remembrance my friend
The Joi De Vivre and Unity
And we will return again” [8]

Post-SONA years

The three have gone on to personal projects with continued success.

Joe Credit III has played mandolin with many groups, including Pikin Likin’ and Skinny White Chick. Singer-songwriter S.J. Tucker (known as "Queen of the Bards") wrote a song about him and her band’s trip to Washington D.C. entitled “Mandolin Holy Man”.[9] He has done his share of street playing in Springfield and St Louis, MO. In Springfield he has sung and played guitar and mandolin with The Voodoo Lounge Gypsies. He has joined in with Greg Bucking as a part of the Vine Brothers in Brooklyn Cafe playing jazz. Joe Credit III has also been the mandolin player for Opal Fly and the Swatters. And he was seen playing in Kansas City with both Greg Bucking and Opal Fly.[10] He has recently been seen playing in Western Automatic, a Kansas City swing band with Papa Joe and Scott Devouton. Since being in SONA, Joe Credit III has written new songs such as “Avocado” and “Sure Thing Myth”.

Beltana continued to write songs, such as “Eorthe's Song” which she recorded in 2003 and “Sonorous Sanctum” which was #1 on the mp3.com.au acoustic charts in March 2004.[11][12] In the summer of 2007, Beltana formed a band of women called BellaWyck (i.e., meaning “beautiful witch” [13] ) made up of her sister Kittin, Holly (aka "Boom Boom Valhalla") and their friend Jennie from Columbia, Missouri. Their first concert was at Ozark Avalon’s Harvest Homecoming on August 31, 2007. BellaWyck produced a self-titled EP and the group toured for three years before breaking up. During this time Beltana began incorporating Hindu chants into her repertoire. Following Bellawyck, she made herself the front person in a Pagan rock band she named Spellsinger [14][15] which is currently touring. She now prefers to go by her mundane name, Bernadette, and tends to reserve the name Beltana for sacred circles.

Papa Joe continues to play rhythm guitar solo and with different groups, backing up his son Joe Credit III whenever possible. In the mundane world he has been teaching youngsters what to do with algorithms.

Discography

SONA released three CDs:

  1. MeGaPaGaTeXaPaLooZa recorded live in April 2001 and co-created with Trickster (who had 8 songs on the CD). SONAs recordings on this CD are:
    1. Mary's Blue
    2. Blessed Be
    3. Pagan Polka
    4. Land of the Sidhe
    5. A Paean to Mead
    6. Snails Ho
    7. Burning Time in Texas
  2. Spoonwalk recorded in 2001, Wiccabilly studios
    1. The Well
    2. Tuesday
    3. Meditation
    4. Little Song
    5. Pagan Polka
    6. Blues River
    7. Burnin' Time in Texas
    8. Burn in Hell
    9. Paper Floor
    10. Land of the Sidhe
    11. Tate's Dream
    12. Spoon (First sung in concert at CMA Beltane 2001).
    13. (Hidden Track: “I’ll Kill You” from the “Druid Four Winds” rock opera written by Trickster.)
  3. Acousticnakedladyland produced in July 2002, Magyar Magick
    1. Gypsy Song
    2. Bliss Comes From the Realization of Impermanence
    3. Buncha Lady
    4. Merry Meet
    5. Snails Ho!
    6. Millay-D: (From poetry written by Edna St. Vincent Millay)
    7. Patience Isn't About Things
    8. Valkyrie
    9. Blessed Be
    10. All Naked Women Are Beautiful
    11. Rainbow
    12. Dance With a Dragon
    13. She Xing
    14. (Hidden Track)

Solo projects and songs by SONA members

Beltana included the songs Beltana performed with SONA and several new original songs. She has written additional new songs such as “The Secret”, “Ozark Mountain Fire”, “blue” and others.

Joe Credit III, under his own label “Mandolinsanity”, produced the CD Everyone Wants to Eat My Mando which is noted for the song "Sand Dollar Slot Machine" (aka, the "Star Trek" song) and for an extended live version of "Spoon" with saxophone.

Papa Joe's unrecorded and new songs include: “Wedding at Wildwood”, “the Gift”, “A Year and a Day” and others.

References

  1. ^ a yahoo group message that includes a review of one of SONA's concerts
  2. ^ see section under “Album Notes”
  3. ^ The SONA Homepage
  4. ^ http://www.cernowain.com/pagansongbook/sona/sonainterview07.html Interview with SONA 01/29/07
  5. ^ a b The Mahâvagga, Fifth Khandhaka 1.15-17
  6. ^ Artist’s description, see left panel
  7. ^ http://www.cernowain.com/pagansongbook/sona/sonainterview07.html interview with SONA 01/29/07
  8. ^ Lyrics to "Little Song" by Beltana Spellsinger
  9. ^ hear the song, read the story behind the song and read the lyrics here
  10. ^ US. "greg bucking | Gratis muziek, tourneedata, foto's, video's". Myspace.com. Retrieved 2012-03-25.
  11. ^ [1][dead link]
  12. ^ Beltana's Soundclick page
  13. ^ http://www.cernowain.com/pagansongbook/bw/bwinterview08.html interview with BellaWyck 02/03/08
  14. ^ http://www.spellsinger.us
  15. ^ "Spellsinger | Elk Creek, MO | Alternative / GypsyGothic / Pagan Rock | Music, Lyrics, Songs, and Videos". ReverbNation. Retrieved 2012-03-25.
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