Margaret Esta Vaughn Allen, better known as Marghi, began playing piano before she was six years old. Her Granny, a fabulous rag-time piano player, gave her lessons. At 14, Marghi took up guitar. She wrote down her first song at 15 and has written songs steadily since then. She attended the University of Kansas where she began playing gigs in local bars. After graduation she lived in both London and Paris. In London, she played local pubs. In Paris she played on the streets and in the Metro. When she returned to the United States, she moved to New York. She was a regular on Bleeker Street playing weekly at the "Dugout" where she met her husband, Mick. They moved to San Francisco in 1985 and Marghi began playing with a blues band, Hired Gun, that morphed into a mostly chick band called the Gunrunners. They played weekly at Bouncers Bar and in North Beach. Marghi, Mick and their son, Justin now live in Colorado Springs.

Mission Statement

To have a Marghi song in every log cabin, igloo and wikiup!

Epic Journey

July 31, 2006: Well, friends, I have just returned from an epic journey to British Columbia where I went to a songwriter's retreat at the REO Rafting Resort. Classes were taught by Steve Seskin, Pat Pattison, Kathy Mattea and Jon Vezner. What a week that was! So much fun. I met some great people, among them Linda McRae a Canadian musician and songwriter who is just phenomenal! I did my first co-write with Linda and Esther called, "Ride the River." Very exciting stuff! Of course Steve and Pat were fabulous, as always, but the real surprises of the week were Kathy and Jon. Very hands on teaching styles. They both really helped me with my voice and songs. They were fearless and had all of the attendees madly in love with them by the end of the week. I was so sad to leave that I wrote a song about it. It's called "I'll Get Over You," and I think Dolly Parton should record it. I'll get it on my website sometime soon.

I want to send a great big thanks to Bryan Fogelman for putting the event on at his rafting resort. He also took us whitewater rafting and it was soooooo much fun! Whew!

Although I am now entirely broke and am faced with the eternal employment dilemma, I had the greatest time on the remainder of my journey. In San Francisco, I stayed with Laura and Alan, my bestest buddies in the whole wide world, and we laughed continuously the whole time I was there. That's what happens when you get three comedians together in one room! We also went to see "Love, Janis" the Janis Joplin musical. (Thanks, Buzz!) I found my "inner Janis" and am now pursuinig the blues with even more of a passion than before. Fortunately, Kathy Mattea is a great voice teacher and she gave me some tips on how to sing without straining my voice. In SF, I also played a showcase at the Hotel Utah, thanks to Laura bribing JJ to hire me! It's great to have high friends in places.

I have been playing so much this summer that I have written a few new songs that I intend to record in the next couple of weeks. It all started with a phone call from my "Rock 'n Roll past." Carlos Guitarlos!!! I was on my way to Austin /Kerrville, acrtually driving through the Texas panhandle when he got me on my cell phone, I don't think I'd heard from him in 10 years. Anyway, Carlos sent me to meet Gene Taylor. What a great piano player! He plays every Tuesday night at Evangelines Cafe in Austin. Go check him out if you love the blues or just love to boogie woogie!

Also check out Carlos Guitarlos. He is an American original and treasure. He has two fantastic CD's out and a third one on the way. He played me his new CD over my cell phone and it is F***ing bloody amazing! Brilliant! Just like his other 2. He is the kind of musician that makes you wonder why you even bother. Still, I took great pleasure in terrifying him by threatening to come and visit him in LA. I heard his voice crack. . .He was probably afraid I would move in and sleep on his couch for as long as I could get away with it. Payback is a bitch, isn't it? Anyway, sensing his fear, I chose to head back home instead of to LA. You lucked out this time, Carlos!

Kerrville was fabulous. I worked the Texas Folk Music Foundation booth and met loads of musicians. Played and played. I hung with my Texas peeps, the Armadillo clan and went to Evangelines and hung out with Gene and Christina. Mick and Justin even came down for a week. It was hot and buggy and beautiful. ANd then I got a virus that was going around. . . .ick!

Anyway, that's all from me for now. Much love to all and keep on laughing!

Marghi

Biography

Hi! I'm Marghi Allen, self-proclaimed "Goddess of Song." Welcome to my website!

It has taken me a long time to get to this point in my life; my own website with my own songs on it! So, I hope you have as much fun here as I am having creating it. I figure I can amuse myself for the rest of my life right here, with you!

Here is my story: Started playing piano before I was 6. Started playing guitar at 14. Wrote my first song at 15. Continued writing through a very rough teenage. At 19 I went to college at KU in Lawrence, Kansas and started performing in local bars. After graduation, I spent time performing in Wichita and Kansas City. I then went on to live in London, Paris and New York. In London, I played in a few pubs. In Paris, I played on the streets and in the Metro. In New York, I mostly played the Dugout on Bleeker Street. That's where I met my wonderful husband, Mick. After 5 years in New York, Mick and I moved to San Francisco. There, I played music in bars, mostly Bouncers and in North Beach. I had a band named Hired Gun that morphed into a mostly chick band named The Gunrunners. We ran a blues jam at Bouncers every Thursday night. Great times! Since then I have moved to Colorado Springs.

After 15 years of performing, I became disillusioned with actually making a living at music and decided to "grow up." I went to law school. That was 13 years ago. The 13 hardest years of my life. Anyway, I came out of that bad dream and finally realized that I am Marghi Allen, Goddess of Song and I will never be anything else. Now, people are whispering, "She's baack." And so I am! Be warned! Somehow along the way I morphed into Wynonna Judd's evil cousin, "Wynotta Jugg." Lead singer with the not so famous country blues band, "The Juggs." There is proof of this phenomenon on my Photos page.

I have always written songs. All kinds of songs, on guitar or piano or just in my mind; more songs than I could possible record or remember. Still, I am going to put all that I can on my website. To quote Karen Carpenter, "I've only just begun."

Anyway, to everyone who knows me, "I love you guys!" To all of you who are just getting to know me, "I love you guys!"

Love,
Marghi

Poetry Corner

I have decided to periodically post a poem that I have written and want to share. The first poem that I am posting is called Ground Zero. It is in response to my question, "Girl, why haven't you written a song about 9/11?" This was a subject that bothered me. It seemed that, as an artist, I should have been moved to get my feelings into song. Instead, they emerged on the first anniversity of the tragedy in the following poem. Just as an aside, I used to do floral design for parties at Windows on the World.

GROUND ZERO

I cannot think of it.
When I do
The bottom drops out
And I?m falling, falling, falling
Into Ground Zero
With all of my comrades.

Once I stood in the top window
Hanging out over the city
And I felt the glass shatter beneath me.
Then I was falling, falling, falling
Into Ground Zero.

I stumbled back.
The tower swayed.
Dizziness rushed over me.
I rode the elevator down, down
Down quickly to Ground Zero.

And now, I cannot think of it.
When I do
I die at Ground Zero.
Deep in my sorrow,
I too am falling into Ground Zero
With all of my comrades.

My body bleeds there with them.
Mourning their torment
Mourning their terror
Mourning our loss.

No one living did not die at Ground Zero
If only a little.
Even those who applaud the act
And cheer for chaos
Died at Ground Zero,
Their humanity scarred
With hatred and vengeance.

Sometimes I forget.
A day may go by without a thought
And then I am there
Again I am falling into the torrent:
Flames and horror
Torture and terror
Compassion and courage
Sorrow and hope.
Falling, falling
Falling into Ground Zero
With all of my comrades.



Marghi Vaughn-Allen
9/10/02