The Old Spruce Sessions : Courtney Hartman “Inside Outside”

It was a rainy Tuesday evening when I rolled up and over dirt roads between pavement arteries joining the small hamlets and towns around my home in rural Vermont. I arrived at the Thetford Hill Church as the patter of rain beginning to speckle my windshield. Grabbing armfuls of gear bags, microphone stands and tripods I walked up a few steps and into a space to be greeted by a few familiar faces and soon after me came Courtney Hartman with her instruments in tow. We said our quick hellos and hugs before she got to setting up for the main event that evening and I ventured up into the organ loft above. A steep stairwell opened to an alarmingly narrow pathway with shin height barriers between the floor and the 30 foot drop to the pews below…a cautious dance with my arms full found me in a small nook with a large south facing window streaming with the October sky’s tears.

You would think at this point I would not longer be amazed as I am by the beauty that I am charmed with witnessing in these fleeting intimate moments with artists. But, nonetheless I continue to be awestruck about the feelings that come up as I am spending these quiet moments with artists with such beautiful souls and command of their craft.

Courtney’s prowess as a brilliant guitar player intertwining with the ethereal essence of her voice. Each note dancing around the cavernous, airy space around us, tucked in our tiny corner of the larger hall. Hauntingly beautiful and poignant, yet so relaxed and comforting.

I feel forever fortunate to continue to capture these moments with artists and document a time and place in the region’s roots and folk musical history. It’s these moments I continue to seek, yearn for and be so incredibly grateful to witness.

Courtney’s new record ‘With You’ is out now and available for purchase on her website store. Go get it.