I first heard Stolie perform early in her first year as a student at IWU. She wrote an original song as part of a Hindu celebration of friendship and family. I was impressed with her wordplay and I was impressed with her ability to write a melody. She had a bold guitar style...percussive with the ability to draw the listener in. I had no idea who she was or what she wanted to do with her life, but I felt compelled to talk to her after the program to tell her that I thought if she wanted to work in music, she had the right stuff.
Stolie and I kept in touch through her years at Illinois Wesleyan and I presented her at the Blue Moon three times, both in support of others and for her own night of music. I wasn't the only one listening---sometimes she brought more people to listen to her opening slot than stayed for the show (not exactly what a producer wants to see, but a testimony to her appeal around campus and the near community).
Stolie used several cuts from recordings I'd mixed for her on her debut CD---a great DYI effort. Though she needs little advice from me anymore, one of the last pieces I offered (and it is the advice I give to all aspiring musicians), was to get out of town...and play music. Play music to people you don't know. Play music to people who don't care. Play music for people who aren't listening. The word of the day is to play music. For Stolie, I thought this was particularly important because Blue Moon had been an ideal place for her to cut her chops---great acoustics, great audiences, lots of friends in the house. For her growth, she needed to get into other markets to develop her performance as well as the her music.
Stolie is a musician today and she is playing music---to people who do listen and do care. To learn more about Stolie, check out her web site at: www.stolie.com