BARBARA BERGIN  (PART 2): PUBLISHED ON PRX  7  / 25  / 2020 - BEYOND A SONG originates in BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA and is sponsored by:
THE BLUEBIRD NIGHTCLUB, REAL TO REELS RECORDING STUDIO, AND VISITBLOOMINGTON.COM

Beyond a Song host Rich Reardin interviews Austin, Texas  singer/songwriter Barbara Bergin.
I’m Barbara Bergin, orthopedic surgeon by day, and you can occasionally find me gigging after hours in Austin, Texas, the Live Music Capital of the World! Bought my first stick, a Gibson B-25 Student Guitar, in 1968, with babysitting dollars. Back then I was earning a fat fifty cents an hour, so I would have to say that’s been one of the best investments I have ever made. You might think that since I started playing guitar when I was in the ninth grade, by now I should be quite the hand. But like many girls of my day, we were more interested in hanging with the boys, and the guitar was just a ticket to sitting at the table. I did learn how to play G, C and D, and was on my way to playing all the cool folk tunes you can play with those three chords, like Sloop John B.
College, med school and orthopedic residency slowed me down a little. But with one of my first paychecks, I promptly purchased a sweet Martin D-38, and that lovely guitar set me on the path to Travis finger-picking, and learning a few more chords.
Despite being primarily a left-brainer, and honing the scientific skills of my career, music and story-telling have always been a passion. In 2007 I published my first novel, ENDINGS (Sunstone Press). I won a few awards and sold a bunch of copies. Didn’t quit my day job though. But second and third novels are in the works, along with my non-fiction work-in-progress, Sit Like A Man (S.L.A.M.)
I have a pretty healthy case of stage fright, so I was surprised when songs started coming to my head, along with the chords to back them up. If you write songs, I guess they must be sung, so I got involved with a music school in Austin called Girl Guitar. It’s based primarily on the concept of forming band classes for women, and they’re taught only by women. The six -week class sessions are followed by public performances, and I was on my way to performing my own songs. Dealing with stage fright is also a work-in-progress, but since I’m not quitting my day job, it’s not too worrisome.
Since I’m a story-teller, writing old-timey ballads, bluegrass and folk tunes just seemed to come naturally to me. The owner of Girl Guitar, Mandy Rowden, and many of her students are aspiring and accomplished musicians in their own right, and publishing music and cutting CDs is a happening thing around there. Always wanting to try something new, I recorded my first CD, Blood Red Moon, in 2018. I had the help of one of my teachers, Jane Gillman, who is also my producer, and my sound engineer, Merel Bregante. I’m so happy with my product. I’m sure more are to come.
In my spare time, I run a medical self-help blog: drbarbarabergin.com.  As a cowgirl and rancher, I am also an experienced western equestrienne, in the sport of Reining. As of this summer, my new horse, Sneakers and I are in sync and looking toward regional championships in August.
And did I say I’m still not quitting my day job?

Musical selections include:The Captain of the Robert E. Lee, Let's Get on Up, Daughters Lament,She Danced With The Young Prince of Wales, Low Water Bridge,Blood Red Moon 

For more information, visit BEYOND A SONG.COM