In November, Womenfolk was invited to become a contributor to Star Maker Machine, a popular music blog many of you are probably already familiar with.

But for those who aren’t, Star Maker Machine consists of over a dozen regular writers, most of whom also maintain their individual blogs.

Every week, the blog’s moderator (Cover Lay Down’s very own Boyhowdy) announces a new theme and all of the posts within that week are devoted to the announced theme. The themes vary and can often times, be very challenging. But the best part about the blog is the perspective of its contributors. Some prefer traditional folk. Others take preference to popular music. We each have our own distinct tastes, but embrace the opportunity to expand our musical appetites.

Be sure to visit if you haven’t already.

Womenfolk’s entries up to this point:

In Memoriam: Jo Stafford
Songs from those who’ve passed in 2008. I chose to write about Jo Stafford, a woman who for over forty years, provided her beautiful voice to radio and movies and worked with the likes of Tommy Dorsey, Fred Astaire and Frank Sinatra.

Winter Wonderland: Snow Day
Songs about snow. Befitting for the holidays. I chose Catherine MacLellan’s “Snow Day.”

Leftovers (Advice): Don’t Marry Her
The “Leftovers” theme was a way for contributors who weren’t part of the Machine to write about a previously covered topic. I selected to write a post that fit the “Advice” theme from weeks prior.

The Bountiful Feast: Animal Crackers In My Soup
Songs about food. Truthfully, this one was difficult for me. Most of the songs I was immediately aware used food as a metaphor, but weren’t truly about anything edible. I ultimately chose American icon and world-famous child star, Shirley Temple.

Tricky Beats: That’s What You Get With People Like That On Cruises Like These
My first post with Star Maker Machine. The theme for Tricky Beats were songs that possessed an unusual time signature.