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Memories Through Music
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Wednesday, September 10, 2008 10:36 AM EDT
Argus-Press Photo by Anthony Cepak Local cellist Pooh Stevenson is surrounded by instruments as she sits at her piano and holds a mandolin. Stevenson is in to Washington, D.C., to accompany singer/songwriter Kitty Donohoe of Ann Arbor in a performance at the unveiling of the Pentagon 9/11 memorial.
Pooh Stevenson's day job is running the Owosso Organics farm with her husband Richard Bowie, but people close to her say her real passion lies in music - especially bluegrass and folk.
Pooh Stevenson, 51, left the farm behind Tuesday to travel to Arlington, Va., to perform in Thursday's unveiling ceremony of the Pentagon 9/11 memorial.
Stevenson will play cello in the backup band for Ann Arbor songwriter Kitty Donohoe, who will perform her award-winning song “There Are No Words.” Stevenson will join multi-instrumentalist David Mosher of Ann Arbor, as well as the United States Air Force band and choir.
“It's a really beautiful song,” Stevenson said. “It's a ballad and is about her feelings on what happened to this county.”
The song was written by Donohoe on the day of the Sept. 11 attacks.
On Sept. 11, 2001, terrorists, armed with box cutters, commandeered four jets flying over the United States. Two jets were intentionally crashed into the towers of the World Trade Center, which then collapsed. A third jet struck the Pentagon, knocking down one portion of the building. Passengers on a fourth, using cell phones, were informed about the other attacks and attempted to regain control of their plane. The terrorists crashed it into a Pennsylvania field rather than let the plane be retaken.
About 3,000 people died in the attacks.
The memorial park was built to honor victims of the attack on the Pentagon. The memorial is located on the grounds of the Pentagon in Arlington.
The park consists of 184 memorials in a field, one inscribed for each victim. The site will be open to visitors 24 hours a day and there is no admission fee.
The ceremony begins at 8 a.m. and is expected to last about an hour and a half. President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney are expected to attend.
Stevenson said she was surprised when she got the call from Donohoe.
“Kitty called me about four weeks ago,” Stevenson said. “I was excited and honored that she would think to call me...It's such a good thing for her career and I am really happy that this is happening for her right now. And - of course - I am happy I can ride on the coattails of it too.”
The song first got attention when it was selected to be used for an upcoming documentary film titled “A Nation Remembers: The Story of the Pentagon Memorial.” The movie is hosted by actor Gary Sinise and was produced by 45 North Communications in Ann Arbor.
“Originally we were just going to play for the release of the documentary, but the folks at the Pentagon really liked the song...They decided they wanted to have Kitty play for the ceremony,” Stevenson said. “It's a very moving documentary. I've seen parts of it and it is just focused on what happened on that day (at the Pentagon).”
When the trio performs the song, it will start at about the exact moment of the attacks. Images used in the documentary will be displayed in the background in sync with the song.
While most people view the day of Sept. 11, 2001, as a day of death and mourning, the day also is one to celebrate life for Stevenson. Her second daughter Taylor, 6, was born on the day of the attacks.
“Kitty went into the studio three or four days after 9/11 and she wanted me to play cello on it, but I had a newborn so I didn't do it,” Stevenson said. “I'm really happy to be doing this now because I didn't have an opportunity on that day.”
Because the ceremony ends early, it gives Stevenson enough time to rush back to Owosso to celebrate the remaining moments of her daughter's seventh birthday.
“I've always said I experienced that day kind of differently from everyone else,” Stevenson said. “I remember the nurse came in and said, ‘I really hate to shatter this happy moment, but an airplane just flew into the World Trade Center.' Honestly, it didn't all sink in right away. I had a newborn baby, I didn't watch the television for pretty much the whole week. The experience came in waves for me. It didn't all come crashing down on my shoulders on that single day.”
Donohoe is a full-time folk musician and Stevenson said she has played with Donohoe sporadically for more than 20 years.
“Kitty and I have known each other for a number of years, with folk music being the thing that brought us together,” Stevenson said. “We have a history of playing music on and off together, and we have always really gotten along.”
From 1983 to 1995, they were members of the folk trio The Troublesome Lasses.
Stevenson began playing the cello when she was in sixth grade, but now said her main instrument is the mandolin. She also plays the guitar and the clawhammer banjo.
“My first love is bluegrass music,” Stevenson said. “Before I had kids I went down to South Plains College in Texas where you can study bluegrass music, as odd as that sounds. That was a great experience. I took like three mandolin lessons a week and I played in four different bands. I just immersed myself in the music.”
And even though she still has to run the organic farm, she still tries to stay involved in music.
“I still try to keep my hand in music as much as I kind,” Stevenson said. “It's especially tough in the summertime.”
She joined a band last year called Oh! Contraire.
She added she is very happy for the support of her husband Richard, 52, and daughters Taylor and Cody, 15.
“Pooh's identity as a musician has always been paramount. She does run an organic farm with her husband to make a living, but her heart has always been playing music,” said Dennis Cyporyn, a close friend of Stevenson. “I hope that something comes of this through the exposure.”
- Contact Michael Peterson at 725-5136 extension 223 or mpetersonarguspress@gmail.com.