Genoa native sings of sunsets, blue jays, moon flowers and more
GENOA – Genoa-born singer-songwriter Megan Bihn, who goes by the stage name Megan Bee, says she found her voice around a campfire. See the article : Hearst Foundation supports undergraduate research at Brandeis | School of Arts and Sciences. She had been traveling from the West in the mid-2000s, sharing a campfire in the desert with friends as she fell in love with singing.
“People started playing music, and I started singing, and I thought, ‘This is great,'” she said.
Shortly afterwards, a friend put a guitar in Bee’s hand and said she had to learn to play because she liked to sing, so she did.
“That changed my whole life,” she said. “I almost immediately started performing at Open Mics.”
Since then, Bee has grown into a successful singer-songwriter, releasing four albums and winning several awards, including The Ark of Music Album of the Year and The Ohio Music Awards Best Americana and Best Singer Songwriter Albums. On July 21, she will open for the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band at the Peoples Bank Theater in Marietta.
“I’m very excited. They’re a great band, and it’s a really nice old theater,” Bee said.
Entertainer is daughter of Gene and Amy Bihn
The bee is the daughter of Gene and Amy Bihn, who are still living in their childhood home in Genoa. Bee was a member of the band throughout her middle and high school years, and she led the choir her senior year before graduating from Genoa High School in 2003. See the article : Secret Pro’s journey of simplifying work style after a long vacation. Bee left Genoa at Hocking College in Southern Ohio, where she studied environmental education. After graduating, she worked in environmental training camps in the Hocking Hills region.
The bee has a soft powerful and melodic soul voice, reminiscent of the natural world she refers to in her Folk-Americana songs. She sings of sunsets, blue jay calls, moth wings and moonflowers.
“I’m really influenced by life in the southern part of the state. There’s a lot of Appalachian folk here, and I’m mixed that up with current songwriting styles,” Bee said. “I draw a lot of metaphors, a lot of images from the natural world. That’s where I get my inspiration. “
Bee may have found her voice in the desert and her writing inspiration in southern Ohio, but she developed her deep love for the natural world here in Ottawa County.
“I love Ottawa County. I love that I grew up there. It’s such a rich place. Magee Marsh and Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge is where I forged this love for nature,” she said. “I travel all over the country, and every time I come back to visit my people, I realize how happy I was.”
Bee offers classes, camps for youths
In addition to writing songs, creating albums and playing, Bee also has a passion for sharing music with children. She has conducted and taught songwriting classes for children in libraries, camps, youth centers and schools.
This year, Bee launched a new store, “Words in the Hills,” where she offers writing retreats and workshops for adult writers of all genres in the natural beauty of Hocking Hills. To see also : Lakes Jam campers are getting ready for a weekend of music and more. Retreats include sensory walks, writing in the woods, and open mics around the campfire.
“I’ve been dreaming about it for years, and it got up last year,” she said. “I like to get people out, and I like to write, and I like to learn.”
More information about Megan Bee can be found at www.meganbeemusic.com. Information on writing retreats can be found at www.wordsinthehills.com.
Contact correspondent Sheri Trusty at sheritrusty4@gmail.com.
