After years of penning and performing her divinely inspired songs for her family and friends,  as well as at local concert venues in the Philadelphia area, Deva Troy has expanded her musical reach and now offers it as a gift to a world in need of inspiration and sonic sustenance. Those of us fortunate to have been bathed in the music, which, if I close my eyes, reminds me of Joan Baez, are grateful for Deva’s leap into recording for posterity. I was blessed to be in the audience of her CD release party at Pebble Hill Church recently, among 100 or so singing and clapping along.

Deva shares:

“It was the gentle prompting of my dear friend of 30 years Gary Schoenberg that got me my first gig, opening for Elaine SIlver a traveling singer/songwriter with several cd’s and a lovely following who has the voice of an angel.

She has graciously invited me every year to open for her for the past 6 years at Pebble Hill Church
and also has encouraged me to write, sing and record my songs. Fairie Elaine has been a good friend and mentor for me starting out in my “middle years.” Without the Pebble Hill venue I don’t know if I would have found my place in the community with my music. Singing there has shown me that my niche’ is people who are into growing, healing and transformation. They “get” my music and are visibly touched by it. There is nothing better for a recording artist than to hear people sing their songs, request their songs, make your songs their own….”

Light of Seven Mornings (the title and theme of which come from a medieval Jewish poem) is the name of the CD and the lyrics in the chorus have long touched my heart, since hearing them in childhood:

May you lie down in peace my friend.
May you rise up full of wonder.
Wrap yourself in the one,
Morning after morning, morning after morning.

A  treatise called The Meaning of Life lays at  the foot of the listener a simple and profound guide for finding direction.

The meaning of Life at the core
Is to love unconditionally more,
To accept all the lessons as the gifts and the blessings
That make this life worth living, living for.

As a seasoned woman, by far, my favorite piece is called Raging Hormones

First I’m hot, then I’m cold,
Who’da thunk that growing old
Could power up the neighborhood,
With my raging hormones!

Can I get an amen, sistah?

Other song titles:

Gentle Sister, The Woman Honoring Song, Hands of Light, Help Me Stay Humble, Summertime, My Father Said, Hold Me Mother Earth, We Are the Ones and What If Peace Broke Out? Each song is a treasure to be unwrapped savored and shared. There is something for everyone on what I know is only the first of Deva’s delights.

An ordained interfaith minister, Deva is greatly influenced by her Earth based spiritual practice and she is one of the founding members of the Peaceweavers community based in the Finger Lakes region of NY.

For more info, go to www.devatroy.com where you can enjoy Youtube videos from her concert.