Category Archives: Musicians

You’re lookin’ at country

Posted on by

May I introduce singer / songwriter, American music legend ~ Loretta Lynn.
(click)

Born in Butcher Hollow, Kentucky to a coal miner father, Lynn married at 13 years old, was a mother soon after, and moved to Washington with her husband, Oliver Vanetta Lynn, Jr. (b.1926, d.1996), nicknamed “Doo”. Their marriage was sometimes tumultuous; he had affairs and she was headstrong. Their experiences together became inspiration for her music. (wiki)
~~~~~~~~~~~

I had the privilege of hearing Loretta sing a few years back and I gotta tell ya –
I was thrilled !   I love Loretta Lynn and her friend, Pasty Cline (click).  They are women of the highest caliber in my book – they blazed new trails in music and showed men in Nashville the power of women – both as singer / songwriter performers and also as women music fans.  Once Loretta and Pasty met, they became fast friends, supported each other, went on tour together, and they remained close until Patsy’s death. Loretta named one of her twins Peggy and the other Pasty.  They are both an inspiration to me.

Loretta sang of troubles from a woman’s viewpoint.  No subject was taboo – she sang about fighting off sexual advances of a come home late, good-timing drunk husband, fist fights, infidelity, teenage pregnancy, divorce and double- standards, the Pill, the Vietnam war, you name it – she spoke up about it – Loretta is Aries through and through !

A woman who had barely grown up before she started having babies, she was juggling being a mother with kids (4 children by the age of 19), her career and keeping a rocky marriage rolling while on tour and writing music.  She sang of real women troubles in straight talk, no glossy format- blunt and straight to the point, like you would dish with your best girlfriend over coffee. Women around the world love her for singing their stories and we still do.
~~~~~~~~~~~~

Her 1967 album, Don’t Come Home A-Drinkin, went to number one and became one of the first albums by a female country artist to go gold. (sales of 500,000 copies)  Loretta’s 1976 autobiography Coal Miner’s Daughter,  became a #1 bestseller making Loretta Lynn the first country music artist to make the New York Times bestseller list.

She has had ten Number 1 albums and sixteen Number 1 singles, four Grammies, seven AMA awards, she was the first woman named “Entertainer of the Year” by the Country Music Association, she was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1988, and Loretta was the first female country musician to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1977.  She possibly had more banned songs than any other artist in the history of country music, she was controversial because she spoke the truth.
OUT LOUD in PUBLIC !  WoOoHooOo  Go Loretta !

The movie, Coal Miner’s Daughter, the story of her life, starring Sissy Spacek as Loretta and Tommy Lee Jones as Mooney Lynn was the #1 box office hit in American and Loretta Lynn crossed over from country music superstar to American legend. This film also made Loretta Lynn the first living person to ever have a major motion picture made of their life. It garnered seven Academy Award nominations winning a Best Actress Oscar for Sissy Spacek and a slew of other top honors including a gold album for the soundtrack album, a Grammy nomination for Spacek’s singing as Lynn, a Country Music Association & Academy of Country Music awards plus several Golden Globe awards as well.
If you haven’t seen it ~ good Lord, do so, it is awesome !
“…go put the backdrop back on the bed honey..” one of my fave quotes, lol.

 Loretta is obviously a go-getter, mega Aries ! 
Aries likes to be first, fast – they are fiery and fun !  Loretta has rebel Uranus as her guiding planet (oriental), in an Aries stellium – she’s a firecracker – no doubt about it !

Lilith, Sun, Uranus, Mercury and Mars all in Aries – this stellium (by transference of light, I am counting Mars) is square Pluto in Moon – ruled Cancer.  Moon is the mother, but also women and the public in the natal chart and Pluto signifies major transformation and change.  (See bio above)  So Aries stellium on the house of Scorpio squaring Pluto (rules Scorpio on the 3rd) safe to say Loretta’s packing a punch ~ and I mean that in more ways than one.  The 3rd house is communication – Scorpio ruling – she is a force to be reckoned with because she speaks her mind – like it or not !  Change is a comin’ !

Loretta also has Sun square Saturn.  That is trouble with authority and men – obviously with all that Aries she demands her independence and has her own mind, takes her own lead.  It also means a heck of a lot of work and restraint in life because of it. She is the mother of 6 children, and was on tour much of the time during their growing up years – that had to be hard.  (Saturn opposite Moon and Jupiter)  Sun square Moon in Leo shows the need to shine but also the need denied or fluctuating in the emotional department.

See how Saturn (work) trines Venus (love, art) in Gemini..?  Gemini Venus likes to spread the love, it can and will cover all the bases because it multi-tasks well.  So her kids, her fans and her husband all knew – she and her love was solid as a rock.  They understood – she was just a busy lady, a mother and an artist juggling to keep everyone happy.

Neptune in Virgo shows her need for self-care.  Virgos can overdo the giving thing, and Loretta’s Neptune (sacrifice) is square Venus (rules peace of mind and balance).  This also signifies her love life was a bit too scattered and flip-flop.  She likely is very hard on herself for not being as successful as she would like regarding love, art and public longevity in the eyes of corporate Nashville. (Venus square Neptune; Saturn quincunx Neptune -music- hidden in the 12th)  * Aside: Thank you, Jack White !  I LOVE you !  (click) See comments for material from Van Lear Rose

Sun conjunct Uranus, I know that one well enough – a lifetime full of surprises as well as (conjunct Mercury) speaking up about them. Is it any wonder she wrote Fist City  with all that Aries..?  Aries on the 8th is territorial in love and will Back It UP !  Lookout !
Loretta is quoted as saying, “he never hit me one time that I didn’t hit him back twice”.  So the girl got it, then Doo did too.  Although Loretta had tough times with Doolittle, they remained married 48 years until his death in 1996.

Venus at mid – heaven…?  Well, Willie (click) has that aspect too – and obviously both Willie and Loretta are well known for their music, songwriting and performing and are also well loved by their fans. ox indeed !   Moon is quintile (spiritual gifts / talents) Chiron, giving Loretta healing gifts regarding the public, women in particular.

Moon conjunct Jupiter in Leo and Loretta was born to embrace her visionary principles (Jupiter rules Sagittarius) in the public spotlight (Moon and Leo).  The cool thing is that with Virgo rising she’s low – key about it and with North Node of Destiny in Pisces 7… she is meant to dissolve boundaries and walls regarding relationships in the collective consciousness.

She knocked it outta the ballpark by giving millions of American women and in fact, all women across the world a voice.
~~~~~~~~~~

I am one woman among many who thank you Loretta.
With love and always your fan,
Gneiss Moon

namaste~
gneissmoonastrology.net

Love conquers Hate

Posted on by

Marvin.
Such a lovely man with so much heart and soul.  I have been thinking of him today.  Mars, Pluto, Marvin and Music.  I own his box set – gonna give it a go here soon.

Marvin was a 12 degree Aries Sun, Mercury combust, Saturn at 19 Aries.
Saturn is debilitated in Aries, and Mercury is weakened by such a close degree to Sun.  Combust means the solar rays overpower the Mercurial judgement and the ego is given free rein over intellect. 

This debilitated conjunction squares both his 29 degree Cancer Pluto and also his Mars in Capricorn. Mars in Capricorn is steeping in Saturn already and in square to the Sun Saturn conjunction that can mean conflict and restriction of actions, and aggravation with authority or the father because of it.  (Sun and Saturn in the natal chart signify the father, males and authority.)

Pluto in the last degree of Cancer is a completion degree and is fully cooked – so to speak – in the lunar, feeling landscape of home and family.  If you read my last post, you know wherever Pluto lands in the natal you will undergo tremendous changes and it is the pressure cooker point in your chart.  In Marvin’s case – Pluto in Cancer means trouble with family.  Marvin suffered failed relationships with women, battled depression and drug addiction and made several suicide attempts.

The day before Marvin would have turned 45, his father accidentally shot and killed him. Marvin was trying to break up a fight between his parents over legal documents.
Saturn (father) in Aries (Mars ruled- weapon) square Pluto (death).
Listen to the lyrics in the song below for a chilling prophetic line..

Let’s leave that sad story and concentrate on his music.
It is worthy of celebration, Marvin was fantastic.
Marvin began his career in 1958, scoring his first big hit in 1963 with Pride and Joy.
He has had countless hits, recorded with the greats throughout his career. Marvin had Venus in Pisces (exalted) quintile (spiritual gifts) Uranus in Venus – ruled Libra.  Groundbreaking art forms for sure.  He also had Uranus quintile Pluto in Cancer and you can hear the soul pouring out in his songs.

I love that he had North Node in Scorpio trine Chiron in Cancer.
Sexual Healing.

rest in peace Marvin…
namaste~
gneissmoonastrology.net

let the music take your mind

Posted on by

Smokey.
Love Smokey.  He is soOo smooooth…

Smokey Robinson is a 29 degree Aquarius Sun, Cancer Moon.  Strong placement for a crooner, as Moon rules Cancer, and is in square to his Venus (rules Taurus the throat) Jupiter conjunction in (Mars- ruled) Aries.  Vocal power and inner restraint.

Smokey has Uranus in Taurus which gives him great vibrato.  Neptune (inspired musician) also trines Uranus in Taurus (throat).  Cancer Moon is trine Aquarius Sun and Mercury in Pisces – expressing his loving nature through song and voice comes natural to him as Mercury in Pisces and Neptune in Virgo are in mutual reception.

Mars in Taurus conjunct Saturn in Aries gives him great vocal control and Mars (sex) and Saturn are square (inner tension) Pluto (sex) in Leo (creativity). Pluto is also trine his Venus Jupiter (big love) conjunction in Aries (Mars ruled) and let’s face it, Smokey’s songs deliver the sexy sex.  Ohhhyeahhh…

This one goes out to my brother Jeff who loved this song and turned my high school bff into a doe-eyed puddle when he sang it to her, lol.

let’s flow, let’s gliiiiide ~
gneissmoonastrology.net

Hoss

Posted on by

Loretta Lynn & Patsy Cline
These are my refrigerator magnets.  Obviously, I love these gals.
The first one I bought was the Patsy magnet. I was in Nashville, at the Ernest Tubb record store, across the street from Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, which is right behind the Grand Olde Opry.
Incidentally, in 1961, Loretta was singing some of Patsy’s songs live on the radio from the Ernest Tubb record store, when Patsy heard her (she was recovering from a car crash in the hospital at the time) and asked her husband, Charlie, to go and fetch Loretta – she wanted to meet her.  Loretta was thrilled and a life – long friendship was born.  The chart below shows the transits for the car crash I am speaking of.

Patsy was a life path 5, she challenged the status quo and lived her life her way.
She was born just after the first quarter moon which indicates a life of action and crisis control – it is a moon of versatility and trailblazing.

Patsy was a raucous bawdy stand – up gal who stuck up for herself and others with strength of character and a great generosity of spirit.  Patsy was a Virgo, Capricorn Moon, with Gemini rising – Mercury chart ruler.

Mercury is at 29 (culmination degree) of Leo conjunct the nadir.  Virgo stellium in the 4th house of feeling.  Mercury conjunct Jupiter – that amps up any and all forms of self – expression.  Tightly conjunct Neptune the inspired musician – all the feelings from the well of water – felt and soaked up from others – comes pouring out through the divine vehicle – the voice.  Patsy has this entire Virgo stellium trine Capricorn Moon in the 7th.  She sang with such great depth of feeling and eloquently expressed each turn of phrase, each note.  Great singers practice control and restraint.

Patsy was a strong woman who stood up to record execs and promoters – she demanded cash on the barrelhead, ‘no dough, no show’.  She had top billing and maintained control of her career when many women were considered secondary to the higher paid male stars, and were treated as such.
Patsy was the first woman in country music to perform at New York’s Carnegie Hall, and in 1962, she was also the first woman in country music to headline her own show in Vegas.

Patsy also has a stellium in the second house, the natural house of Taurus.  When Patsy was 13, she had a serious case of rheumatic fever (Mars) and she almost died (Pluto).  When she recovered, she discovered she had developed a booming voice. (Venus rules Taurus, the throat).

This 2nd house stellium is in opposition to Saturn in Capricorn (it rules, strong placement) in the 8th.  Patsy had perseverance in the face of death (8th house), that’s for sure. The focal planet of her T-Square is Uranus in Aries.  Uranus is Mars flavored, and Patsy was known to be very down to earth and ‘one of the guys’, fond of telling bawdy jokes and cutting up while downing a few at the bar.  Uranus rules the 11th house, so she was an outspoken maverick, a strong what you see is what you get  woman.

Uranus square to Saturn and square the 2nd house stellium with Pluto dovetailing between Mars and Venus and she was a powerhouse catalyst for all those in her circle, women and  men.  I mean not only her inner circle, but Cancer being Moon (public) ruled, her audience and the music industry as well.

As I mentioned above, the transits are for the time of Patsy’s 1961 car crash.  She was thrown through the windshield and again, nearly died.  The 3rd house is short distance travel, (accident happened in Nashville) and Mars (accidents) is coming to conjunct Uranus in the 3rd house.  North Node throws a beneficial influence over Mercury (rules travel) by conjunction.  Sun does as well by sextile.

Note also that a Saturn return indicates a new perspective on life, reaching a stage of growth and reflection, as well as karmic meetings.  The accident spurred Patsy to a renewed faith and brought her a karmic gift – she met Loretta Lynn. (click)
If you are wondering about the title – Patsy called her friends Hoss, men & women alike.

namaste~
gneissmoonastrology.net

el Duderino

Posted on by

Jeff Bridges

May I introduce Sagittarian actor, musician, vintner and artist Jeff Bridges.  Jeff was born into a family of actors, his Mom, Dad and his older brother, Beau.  Jeff made his first onscreen appearance at the tender age of four months.

His first big break was in The Last Picture Show, when he became one of the youngest actors ever to be nominated for an Academy Award at age 22 (1971, Best Supporting Actor, The Last Picture Show), and at age 60, Jeff became one of the oldest ever to win (2010, Best Actor, Crazy Heart).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I just watched True Grit and of course, loved it.  I loved Starman and have been to Barringer crater, which is featured in the movie, and it’s fabulous !
Starmans expression when he tried Dutch Apple Pie..?  Priceless.

I loved The Last Picture Show, Fearless, The Big Lebowski, (obviously a classic), The Fisher King, Men Who Stare at Goats, Tron, the list goes on and on…
I have spent my life watching Jeff light up the screen, so I wasn’t too surprised to find out he’s a Sagittarius.
(I am a Sagittarius magnet, it seems, I am naturally prone to fancy them, since I have lots of Sag energy myself.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jeff is a life path 3 (the zero adds power) which is a path of growth, flowering, and new directions unfolding out of the balance of 2.

He is a Virgo rising, with chart ruler Mercury in the 4th trine Pluto in creative Leo, on the 11th (natural house of Aquarius) a visionary placement for an artist.  Sun (exact conjunct Chiron) trine Pluto from the nadir (conjunction straddles the 3/4th) and Jeff is a natural gypsy story-teller (4th is the house of Cancer, they can spin a yarn like no other) with an optimistic heart.  Through his craft, he shows others how to heal themselves through communicating the need for loving acceptance of the natural human beauty found within us all.  (The nadir is the deep well of self, where and how we restore balance, trine Pluto in 11th.)

He shines a light on human relationships through his exquisite ability to morph and change in the public eye.  Gemini at mid-heaven and Jeff can fully embody chameleon-like qualities for his career – this is particularly evident with Uranus (polarities and change) elevated as well as Moon (fluctuation, imagination).

Uranus in the 10th has no major aspects – making Jeff a mavericks maverick !  Uranus is rebellious and innovative and without major aspects reigning it in, it is truly wild and free !  Having Uranus quintile the Ascendant gives him the ability to be unpredictable in the eyes of others via work and career.  This quality is further shown by his predominately mutable chart. The quincunx to the artistic Venus (art in the 29th or culmination degree) Jupiter conjunction in the creative 5th house (Sun – creativity – naturally rules) gives Jeff a super – charged ability to build a life – long eclectic career in the arts.
I am tickled Jeff has Venus conjunct Jupiter, because I do as well, but in Leo !  He is very well liked by his co-stars (Venus is kind /Jupiter expands), and is described as exceptionally easygoing (Sagittarius).

His craft is deep and thoughtful (Pluto ruling 3rd) and he derives a tremendous strength from family (strong Nadir placements, Moon trine Venus and Jupiter).  He has been especially influenced by males (Sun trine Pluto) and had worked very close with both his father and brother throughout his life (Mars conjunct Saturn).

He is known for working hard, and when young appeared on his fathers television show, Sea Hunt  with his brother on several occasions (Mars conjunct Saturn conjunct Ascendant). Squares from the Mars Saturn conjunction to Moon at the mid-heaven represents the Sagittarius need to explore his own path, make his own mark with the public (Moon).  Neptune in Venus-ruled Libra trine Moon in 9th and Jeff documents his films and travels on film, he is an avid photographer.

Sun at the nadir opposite Moon at mid-heaven shows that he loves his home life a great deal, but his restless nature calls him out to learn and communicate his feelings through his work.  North Node of Destiny in Aries (Mars rules) and Jeff has a path before him of blazing new trails in showing the depth of human nature (8th) through his work (Mars conjunct Saturn).

I will leave you with one of my favorite quotes from Starman:
You are a strange species. Not like any other. And you’d be surprised how many there are. Intelligent but savage. Shall I tell you what I find beautiful about you?
[Shermin nods]
Starman: You are at your very best when things are worst.

namaste~
gneissmoonastrology.net

Earth Mama

Posted on by

A friend of mine recently asked her girlfriends on fb to list their girl crushes, as she didn’t have any.  I couldn’t think of any either – not any recent ones anyway. Chrissie, Joni, and the Wilson sisters..?  Well, that’s been going on for years…
Now, usually when it comes to my Venus Jupiter conjunction in Leo (love and heaps of it, especially for the creative arts) square (creative tension)  Neptune (music, film and illusion), if you ask me about crushes, I’m gonna ask, “How much time ya got ?!”  haha  (You can sift through the entries on here for the scruffy dudes if you really want to know.)

Venus square Neptune..?  It’s the escape, the other world, the dream life blooming inside my head.  I feed my imagination every chance I get.  It’s a waking meditation which allows intuitive sparks from my Mars in Sagittarius quintile Uranus to light me up !

Today a friend posted a Zooey Deschanel video, and I remembered: I have already mentioned Emmylou, (click) – she was one of my very first posts) then Patricia, now Zooey.  So I guess I have 3 recent girlcrushes, if you can call it that.  I like their work, voices, talent, their art.  It’s synastry somewhere between us that brings out my curiosity, I will follow their work.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As far as the synastry, I peeked and Zooey has Saturn conjunct my Virgo Sun/Uranus/Pluto stellium, all of which is trine her Sun/Moon/Mercury/ Part of Fortune stellium in Capricorn.  My Mercury is conjunct her Pluto and her North Node is conjunct my Venus in Leo.  My biggie Neptune is sextile her stellium as well.  (It just dawned on me…all these women I mentioned have strong Capricorn. hmmm…)

Go and check your synastry with your favorite artists, see where you end up, it’s fun !
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Zooey has loads of Mystical Sea Goat all conjunct her Capricorn Ascendant.
Zooey is a triple Capricorn.
Sun, Part of Fortune in 1st, Mercury spot on Ascendant, and Moon in 12th – all within 6 degrees.  (click here for another triple capricorn)

Planets conjunct the angles are stronger, and with both the luminaries conjunct her Ascendant, Zooey has presence !

Zooey has Venus exalted in Pisces quintile (genius talents- gifts of spirit) Neptune in Sagittarius !
These are the planets of the arts, and any aspect between them denotes an artist.  Venus, is the earthbound cultivated artist and personal love.  Neptune is the inspired artist, being in tune with the universe, cosmic love.  Zooey’s Venus and Neptune are both in visionary signs : I see (Sagittarius),  I believe (Pisces).

Her Capricorn stellium at the Ascendant is trine Saturn in Virgo.  Moon and Mercury are also trine Mars in Virgo (which is conjunct Jupiter).  Fair to say she is most likely a very hard worker, and organized with all that Virgo.

Uranus is at the Scorpio Midheaven in 10th showing the public she is a bit quirky and inventive with her talents, needs to switch it up a bit in career.   She is multi-talented and takes on many different projects – movies, music and she recently launched a website HelloGiggles (click).

North Node of Destiny at 29 degrees of Leo is a culmination degree in the sign of creativity.  Pluto in (Venus-ruled) Libra 9th, square Sun, Moon and Mercury, and Zooey is a powerhouse communicator through her artwork.

namaste~
gneissmoonastrology.net

give and take

Posted on by

John Francis Bongiovi, Jr.  LIVES !!

Woo Hoo !
That freaky internet rumor yesterday gave me the heebie jeebies.  I spent March 2 with him one year (his birthday) and it was great !!
Jon is a 5th house Pisces Sun and Venus- very generous, compassionate– check out his donation based New Jersey restaurant Soul Kitchen !

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jon inspired this post, by his lifelong generosity.  Pisces is the sign of compassion, the cosmos, everyone as a collective.  Jon is a Pisces Sun in the 5th house, which is the natural home of the Sun, the sign of Leo.  (Leos are 5th house, have manes/hair.  ahem. Bon Jovi.  exactly ! )

Sun rules Leo and Leo rules the heart.
Pisces is the sign of compassion and caring.

Leos are typically generous, the Sun (rules generosity) ‘shines’ on them, and they radiate sunshine. Just ask one, they’ll tell ya!   haha
Leos don’t own the Sun, we all share it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Where is your Sun ?
That is where you are generous – you give of that sign and house.  That is where you spread sunshine to others, where you have more to give, and do so.  The Sun shines steadily, it is the evenstar, it does not wax and wane.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now look to the Moon in your natal chart.  This is where you and your life fluctuate, your feelings are involved, you are sensitive and needy.   This is where you want someone at your back, where you ask for help.

Picture the Lunar phases in your mind’s eye…as the Moon waxes and wanes and travels through each sign, your feelings, moods, ability to adapt and imagine, and your instincts will ebb and flow.  You are more likely to take in the sign and house where Luna dwells.

namaste~
gneissmoonastrology.net