In Harms' way
Created on Wednesday, 15 April 2015 01:00 | Written by John Baker | For 30 years, Joni Harms has told her stories and created her own special blend of country music
In a career that’s spanned 30
years, Canby’s Joni Harms still
wakes up each morning feeling
blessed and excited about
“what’s next.”
Country music has delivered
experiences all over the world for
Harms, experiences she holds
precious as she continues to
write and record her kind of
country sound.
And much of that sound is rooted
in the Century Farm she calls
home just outside of Canby. It is
often there that she finds
inspiration and contentment.
And for her, it’s still just plain
fun. Her latest CD release, “From
Oregon to Ireland,” is an
example of that kind of
unexpected, delightful fun her
music career has routinely
delivered.
“I do feel blessed to be able to
wake up in the morning and
really enjoy what I’m doing,” said
Harms. “As long as I do that, I’ll
keep writing songs and playing
music.”
Her latest project is a
combination of new material and
some of her most requested
songs from her catalog done as a
live album – with a twist.
SUBMITTED PHOTO ­ Canby's Joni Harms has stayed true to the type of country music she’s
passionate about.
Harms coming to Ireland to play for their 50th wedding anniversary with
the family band.
“Well, I’d never been to Ireland and kind of wanted to go,” said Harms. “I
was a little leery of what working with the family band might mean, but
She was doing some European
shows more than year ago when
a man called her and said that
his parents were huge fans and
was there any possibility of
when I got there we just really hit it off. They were unbelievable musicians
— nine of them — they were very, very good.
“We had such a good time together that I returned last July to do a live
album with them,” she added. “I’m going back this fall and will also be in
Switzerland, France and England. It’s crazy, but I have to tell you that
traditional country music, the kind I do, is almost more popular over there
than here.”
That adventure was just the latest in a long line of adventures that Harms
has enjoyed as she’s walked the path of a professional singer­songwriter.
And though the path hasn’t always been smooth, she admits that it has all
been part of a long learning process that’s brought her to this point.
She has changed even as she’s remained true to the type of country music
she loves.
“Since 1999, I’ve learned so much,” said Harms. “Getting that record deal (with a major label) back then was almost
like my college years. I got the opportunity to do things I never would have gotten the chance to do normally. I got to
write with some incredible people.”
Harms has always written music and enjoys taking the experiences of the farm or something she hears and turning it
into a relevant musical expression.
But her trips to Nashville and the chance to work with some of the industry’s top writers helped reshape the way she
approaches her songs.
“I think I’ve always had pretty good subject matter, but there’s just so much more to it to get that really good hook, so
people will really grasp that one line and keep coming back to it and want to hear it again,” she said. “I learned about
song structure and got a chance to really, really learn from those experiences.”
Harms said that writing songs is as important to her as the performance piece, offering her a chance to express herself.
“Growing up on a farm, I have a lot of things to talk about,” she said. “It has been a lot of fun to write songs about
those things, or the people I meet or places I visit.”
Harms’ catalog includes 13 releases now and she said that 99 percent of the songs on those albums are uniquely hers.
She’s proud of that and the message and content she continues to deliver to her fans. Country music, she said, has
changed.
“What I love to do is get out and share my songs and I liked to do that before my first national record deal,” Harms
said. “But I was so happy to have that opportunity and I was very adamant from the beginning about sticking to a
wholesome reputation and family­oriented music, things that a 5­year­old or 95­year­old could listen to. It used to be
country­western music, but they’ve dropped the western part. As country got more pop oriented, I think it became
harder for someone like me to fit.”
Although she’s had record deals with national labels like Universal, Capital and Warner Bros., Harms doesn’t regret
the path she’s chosen and continues to be excited about her own little swath she’s cut in the music industry forest.
Once again, she’ll do more than 100 performances this year and professes a continued excitement to be part of the
industry.
“I still make a good living at something I love to do today,” she said.
In addition to the music, Harms said she’s been working on a television show for a while now. Titled, “Let’s Put the
Western Back Into Country,” Harms has six episodes in the can and is hopeful it will be picked up either in the United
States or abroad.
The show’s premise is simple — they highlight a country­oriented place or product that’s located in one of the areas
Harms is doing a show in.
“We’ll have to see what happens here, but we’ve also had some interest from a UK station,” said Harms. “We may very
well get picked up there first and have bits of the show shown there. It’s all good, either way. It is something fun to do.”
Adding to the fun is the burgeoning singing career of her daughter, Olivia.
A sophomore at Oregon State University, she already has one CD to her credit and mom and daughter enjoy traveling
and doing shows together when the schedule allows.
“It is a lot of fun having her involved,” said Harms. “Whether she makes it her career doesn’t matter — just performing
gives you self­confidence and the chance to meet so many neat people.”
Whether recording, writing or performing, Harms said she has no interest in stopping now. The show, as they say, will
go on.
“I just love what I do and the day I stop enjoying what I do, I guess I’ll stop,” she said. “But with today’s technology,
there’s no reason you can’t live where you want to and make a living doing what you love.”
To find out more about her new CD or get more information about what Harms is up to, check the website at
www.joniharms.com.