Tracknotes
Anya’s relationship with the studio began ten plus years ago, back in the Ron’s-living-room-days, in the earliest incarnation of Bring Your Song, where the music filled the house, and participants sat on cushions, in corners, on stairs—wherever they could find a spot. Anya grew as a songwriter in those days of sharing and cooperation, channeling her grief and faith and fear into brutally beautiful folk songs.
The ensuing years saw job changes and life changes, each circumstance shaping her sensibilities. Anya, in many ways, grew stronger, more confident in her voice and performing style. The songs grew louder, her stage performance more playful.
Studio Changes. Across those same ten years, the Realgrey studio was going through its own changes. Ron’s garage—a carriage house back in the horse and cart days-- was redesigned thoroughly from the ground up, into a state-of-the-art recording space. It was a community-shaped studio, built by the hard work, the volunteer hours, the love of all those who had sat on those cushions, in those corners, and found a voice once upon a time in that crowded living room. Anya, of course, was among them.
Anya's role In the last few years, Ron and Anya began discussions on how she could play a larger role in the studio. They both agree the conversations concerning her new position as manager were quite natural. Anya had learned many managerial-type skills in her life in the financial sector, and she brings a more business/detail-oriented outlook to complement Ron’s creative-focused vision. Anya’s many hours spent behind a microphone, in green rooms, on stages, also gave her important insights into the perspective of a recording artist, and she has been an advocate and mentor to the artists that record at Realgrey. The collaboration between Anya and Ron has been a prolific partnership that has brought stability to the ever-evolving, ever-growing studio.
—Photo by Aimee Juarez
Outside of her studio duties and her full-time job, Anya’s music career continues at a swift pace. Her rock and roll band began with fellow songwriters John King and Austin Wolfe in 2018–King and Wolfe were old friends who also gathered at Bring Your Song and helped champion Anya into writing and recording more. Anya Van Rose, as the band is known, have been playing frequently in the Canton, Akron and Cleveland areas. Though King had to step down from performing with the band due to a busy schedule, he remains in spirit, while Anya, Wolfe, Devin Johnson and Austin Popovich comprise the current lineup, and are set to release her first full length album, “Lucky Stars”, on July 14th.
Reflecting on Realgrey Records Anya says “A lot of people feel less alone because of this space, this studio, this home”. In her life and music, Anya has been singing that exact message—that you are not alone--long before her first glimpse of that studio house at the end of 18th street. When their two roads converged, it was a perfect fit.
