Maggie's Journal Musicians, Studio Information, and Credits
©Valerie Stevens 2023 Writing and Publishing Information for MAGGIE’S JOURNAL / All songs are Copyright 2023 Instrumental background tracks for speaking parts recorded & engineered by Tim Carter, Tree House Studio, Ridgetop, TN Vocals and instruments for song tracks recorded & engineered by Scott Vestal / Digital Underground / Greenbrier, TN Mixed and mastered by Chris Latham at The Gorilla’s Nest, Ashland City, TN. Produced by Donna Ulisse Genre: Roots, bluegrass, Grassicana, Americana, blues, musical, folk, historical content Journal: Written by Margaret Attebury Brooks-McCamis Script: Developed & written by Valerie Smith & Donna Ulisse Photos of Maggie - credit unknown, used with permission | Photo of Valerie Smith by Joe Zauner | Portrait of Valerie Smith by John Murray Catalog # BR20250 UPC: 085218111151 ℗ ©Valerie Stevens 2023, All songs are Copyright 2023 © Buckle Down Music Publishing (BMI)

SESSION INFORMATION Tim Carter’s Studio Cody Kilby: Acoustic Guitar Steve Burwell: Violin Evan Winsor: Upright Bass Scott Vestal’s Studio Cody Kilby - Guitar Scott Vestal: Banjo Steve Burwell: Violin Evan Winsor: Upright Bass Lead Vocal and Maggie's Voice: Valerie Smith Harmonies: Donna Ulisse, Josie Smith, Mike Rogers

Track Credits Valerie Smith: Lead Vocal - Disc 1: 3,5,7,9,11,13,15 | Disc 2: 2,4,6,8,10,12,14 Valerie Smith: Maggie's Voice - Disc 1: 1,2,4,6,8,10,12,14 | Disc 2: 1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15 Cody Kilby: Guitar - All Tracks Scott Vestal: Banjo / Disc 1: 7,11,13 | Disc 2: 2,4,10,12 | Steve Burwell: Violin - All Tracks Evan Winsor: Upright Bass Mike Rogers: Harmony Vocals: Disc 1: 3,5,7,11,15, Disc 2: 2,4,6,8,10,12,14 | Donna Ulisse, - Hamony Vocals: Disc 1: 3,5,9 ,11,13,15, Disc 2: 2,4,6,8,10,12,14 Additional Harmony Vocals: Josie Smith 9 | Rosa Vestal 9 | Aaron Vestal 9 Album Bio: Maggie’s Journal by Valerie Smith Maggie’s Journal (Bell Buckle Records, UPC: 085218111151) is a profound and heartfelt musical narrative that brings to life the raw, emotional story of Margaret Attebury Brooks-McCamis, the great-grandmother of bluegrass luminary Valerie Smith.

This ambitious 30-track album, a 12-year labor of love, blends bluegrass, Americana, and roots music to create a sonic tapestry which intertwines original songs with spoken-word excerpts from Maggie’s journal. That journal was discovered by Smith’s cousins, Kathy Eaton and Fonda Wells, hand-written in a “Car Load Tablet” hidden in an attic trunk.

Unveiling a life untold, the journal reveals Maggie’s early years in post-Civil War rural Missouri—married young to a violent man, her hardened exterior masking a kind, gentle soul. Her story, personal and unflinching, is a masterpiece of resilience, offering timeless insights into American history, women’s and children’s rights, education, and the enduring human spirit.

Crafted with deep reverence, Maggie’s Journal is in many ways a collaboration between Smith and her great-grandmother, whom she never met. The album’s tracks, from the haunting “That Was A Long Time Ago” to the tender “Alva’s Lullaby” and the stark “Jim O’Dell, Straight From Hell,” weave a narrative of struggle and grace, rooted in the storytelling traditions of folk and bluegrass. Smith’s evocative lead vocals, embodying Maggie’s voice, are complemented by rich harmonies from Donna Ulisse, Josie Smith, Mike Rogers, Rosa Vestal, and Aaron Vestal. The instrumentation—featuring Cody Kilby (acoustic guitar, mandolin), Stephen Burwell (violin), Evan Winsor (upright bass), and Scott Vestal (banjo)—pulses with life, capturing the raw emotion of Maggie’s world.

Produced by Donna Ulisse, whose songwriting partnership with Smith (along with writers Daniel Crabtree and Ann Miller) shapes the album’s lyrical depth, Maggie’s Journal was recorded at Tim Carter’s Tree House Studio in Ridgetop, TN, and Scott Vestal’s Digital Underground in Greenbrier, TN, with masterful engineering by both. Chris Latham’s mixing and mastering lend a polished yet soulful sound. Visually, David Lynch’s stunning CD design and John Murray’s breathtaking artwork mirror the album’s emotional resonance, has brought her story to a global audience.

Valerie Smith, a bluegrass powerhouse with a career spanning over three decades, brings her signature “sassy, sultry, siren-like” vocals (as once described by NPR’s Dave Higgs) to this deeply personal project. Smith’s artistry shines through, building on her legacy of Grammy, IBMA, and Dove Award nominations and collaborations with legends like Tom T. Hall and Ralph Stanley. Maggie’s Journal stands as a testament to Maggie’s plain and powerful storytelling, inviting listeners to reflect on history, resilience, and the power of music to connect across generations. ℗ © Valerie Stevens 2023