Find Our Way

Released in 2010, Find Our Way marked Shari Ulrich’s seventh solo album and her first fully self-produced recording. Long celebrated as a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and member of Pied Pumkin, the Hometown Band, and UHF, Ulrich used the album to explore family, memory, change, and reconciliation with unusual directness.

Several songs grew out of deeply personal turning points. ‘By The Grace Of Goodbye’ was inspired by Ulrich’s reunion with the son she had placed for adoption nearly four decades earlier, after reconnecting with him in 2007. ‘(Now You’re) Gone’ reflects on her daughter Julia leaving home for university, while ‘What She Left For Us’ pays tribute to Ulrich’s late mother. Other songs, including ‘Life Goes On’ and ‘Everlasting Great Regret,’ look at the unexpected turns that shape a life.

The album’s arrangements are closely tied to Ulrich’s family and musical circle. Her daughter Julia Graff contributes violin, while her partner Bill Runge adds bass, piano, accordion, and soprano sax. Ulrich herself performs across a wide range of instruments, including guitar, mandolin, fiddle, piano, accordion, cello, and percussion. Additional contributions come from longtime friends and collaborators including Barney Bentall, David Celia, Karen Savoca, Robbie Steininger, Phil Robertson, and Bruce Miller.

At the time of the album’s release, Ulrich was continuing to tour and record with Pied Pumkin, Ulrich Henderson Forbes, and with Barney Bentall and Tom Taylor, while also composing for film and television and producing Vancouver’s Bluebird North concert series for the Songwriters Association of Canada. The May 2010 release concert at the Rogue Folk Club brought the family connection full circle, with Ulrich performing alongside Julia and her reunited son Mike Magee, who also played percussion.

We seem to like to pretend it doesn't happen, but for virtually ALL couples, the passion wanes. And as you know, if there's a subject folks don't like to talk about, I'll be writing a song about it!

I was on a college campus in the San Francisco Bay Area during the Vietnam war, heavily involved in the Peace Movement. Needless to say, it formed my view of war & peace. I was ready to toss this song when Julia heard it and said “you HAVE to finish it!!” (She wants me to send it to the Dixie Chicks.) That girl's got good ears. Thanks Jules.

Since I started performing this song about finding the son I gave up for adoption, I have been deeply moved by the countless stories shared with me after concerts by those whose lives have been touched by adoption. I am pondering a book on the subject, so please keep sharing your stories with me. It is a profound experience to have the mystery solved and to be able to expand on the undeniable connection. 

I spent a week writing at a friend's house on Saltspring Island awhile back (that magical island where I wrote my first three solo albums) and came home with this song. There should be “Regretters Anonymous”, though I guess I've blown the anonymous part. I finally decided to just befriend it. 

The expression is so trite, and yet there is nothing more true. This song is a testament to the human spirit that rises above tragedy and miraculously finds a way through to carry on. 

This song was an 'assignment' - to read the 'coles notes' version of 5 different biblical stories and pick one as the subject of a song. I wasn't raised with religion, so it was all new to me. I picked The Woman at the Well because despite her 'tart'ness - (she'd had five husbands!) - she knew forgiveness. I like that.

This is the sequel to “I Will Be There” and the only song I've ever written with a punch line. Sometimes it seems that figuring out how our parents screwed us up - or how we screwed up our kids is our life's work - or sport. 

Some of you have known this song for a long time. I'm so happy to be able to finally be able to give it to you. 

I scored a film recently called “The River of Life”, about the women breast cancer survivors who paddle in the Yukon River Quest” every year - the longest canoe and kayak race in the world. I was so inspired and moved by their stories, their courage, and the strength require to tackle the challenges, both in and out of the boat. The women were surely working in me when I found the lyrics to this song.

I had no intention of recording anyone else's songs on this CD, but when my long time dear friend Bruce Miller sent me this one, it seemed so perfect for this time in my life. Bruce is one of the very first musicians I met in Vancouver when I started playing music over 35 years ago. He is also one of the most gifted writers I know. Given our friendship, my recent experience connecting with a number of great friends from high school, and how my treasured friendships have sustained and nurtured me over the years, I knew this was a song I wanted to sing.