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Tamanie Dove

Tamanie Dove, Mother of released at the moment with number 10 being
released later this year.
Singer-Songwriters
Apart from being a talented songwriter and
A dove is symbolic of many things. musician, Tamanie shines at working with
Oftentimes, it is synonymous with peace, but it other people. She co-writes with Australian
is also a representative of motherhood Jenny Trindall and has done work with Daniel
because it can manufacture its own milk. Shockley from Atlanta. She also plays out
Tamanie Dove, founder of the International twice a month with her band which consists of
Singer Songwriters Association, has the most David Holmes, Rob Goldberg, Joe Happer,
fitting name because she promotes peace Mark Meeks, Mark Rayburn and Robert Goin.
among the singer-songwriter community and Though Tamanie has created her own pro-
provides a nurturing motherly bond with them. jects, she has also selflessly created
Just like Daenerys Targaryen from Game of something much larger than herself.
Thrones is the "Mother of Dragons", Ms Dove
is the Mother of Singer-Songwriters. The International Singer Songwriters
Association(ISSA). I was fortunate enough to
Tamanie's story begins when she was a young get her story.
girl and practically grew up back stage at the
Grand Ole Opry. Her mother was responsible
for handling the books and
publishing for many artists in the industry
back then. Tamanie says that her favorite was
Roger Miller, whom her mother managed. He
taught Tamanie about telling a story. This
would prove to be crucial to her development
as a songwriter.

In addition to being influenced by some of the
world's most talented people, Tamanie began
playing piano at the age of 5. By the time she
was 12, she wrote a song for her church choir.
Afterwards, like so many of us, life interfered
and her songwriting aspirations stopped.
Luckily, in 2015, she was inspired to write
again with the encouragement of her son,
Matthew Mercer.

Tamanie touts Matthew as her number one
collaborator. She says that she bought him a The Story behind ISSA
guitar when he was 4, and he has not put it
down since. She says, "In my very biased
"As a young girl, Mom and I went to lunch one
opinion, he is the very best out there!" It is day with a guy named Eddie Miller. I
obvious that he gets his talent from hismother remember listening to him and a couple of
who plays any instrument that is available to their colleagues about their newest project. It
her. On top of that, her brain never stops com- was called the Nashville Songwriters
ing up with creative ideas. She has 9 albums
Association International. Mom and Eddie had

16 www.writeawaymagazine.co.uk