- [Narrator] From the STCU stage at KSPS, it's "Inland Sessions."

♪ I didn't learn to play these keys ♪ ♪ For nothing - [Narrator] Singer/songwriter Tonya Ballman.

♪ And we're all just living - [Narrator] She visits the Inland Sessions Studios to perform some of her most inspiring and thought provoking music.

♪ About how we could bring some meaning ♪ (smooth jazz music) ♪ The siren's song of security ♪ ♪ Has been calling softly out to me ♪ ♪ But I don't want my dream to die ♪ ♪ In the cradle of a 9 to 5 ♪ ♪ You gotta keep the bills all paid ♪ ♪ You don't make the rent, girl ♪ ♪ You can't stay ♪ ♪ But I didn't learn ♪ ♪ To play these keys for nothin' ♪ (gentle upbeat music) ♪ I've been lying wide awake at night ♪ ♪ Wondering how it is that I lost sight ♪ ♪ Of how good it feels ♪ ♪ To sit down and play ♪ ♪ To finally find the words ♪ ♪ I've been meaning to say ♪ ♪ My music's always been so good to me ♪ ♪ I really need to treat it respectfully ♪ ♪ Because I didn't learn ♪ ♪ To play these keys for nothin' ♪ ♪ And we're all just living ♪ ♪ Our short, little lives ♪ ♪ And we laugh and we dance ♪ ♪ And we scream and we cry ♪ ♪ We're only passing through ♪ ♪ You know, we don't get to stay ♪ ♪ And so we've got to be mindful ♪ ♪ How we spend our days ♪ ♪ I just wanna sing ♪ ♪ Play and write my songs ♪ ♪ And maybe find a couple friends ♪ ♪ Who want to sing along ♪ ♪ And I don't wanna forget about myself ♪ ♪ While I bend over backwards ♪ ♪ For everyone else ♪ ♪ It ain't about the money ♪ ♪ No, it ain't about the fame ♪ ♪ Although if they came along ♪ ♪ I wouldn't turn them away ♪ ♪ Because I didn't learn ♪ ♪ To play these keys for nothin' ♪ ♪ And we're all just living ♪ ♪ Our short, little lives ♪ ♪ And we sleep and we dream ♪ ♪ And we fantasize ♪ ♪ About how we could bring some meaning ♪ ♪ To the time that we share ♪ ♪ To make sense of the chaos ♪ ♪ That is everywhere ♪ ♪ Said we're all just tryna find a way ♪ ♪ To calm the hurricanes ♪ ♪ Inside our heads♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ But honestly, I don't believe ♪ ♪ That anybody's got it figured out ♪ ♪ Just yet ♪ ♪ And there's only one thing ♪ ♪ That I can truly say ♪ ♪ Makes everything else ♪ ♪ Feel like it's in the right place ♪ ♪ No matter how much I've changed ♪ ♪ Over the years ♪ ♪ I've known that ♪ ♪ I could find my comfort ♪ ♪ And peace right here ♪ ♪ At the altar of love ♪ ♪ And music in my soul ♪ ♪ I know that I can always come here ♪ ♪ When I need to feel whole ♪ ♪ Because I didn't learn ♪ ♪ To play these keys ♪ ♪ You know I didn't learn ♪ ♪ To play these keys ♪ ♪ You know I didn't learn ♪ ♪ To play these keys for nothin' ♪ - [Tonya] I was born here in Spokane, Washington.

And I started taking piano lessons when I was 10 years old.

I got a guitar for Christmas when I was 14, and that's when I started singing.

My solo stuff, I've just been into for about the last four or five years.

I've been incorporating the piano and vocals in songwriting.

So it's all just been a really fun adventure.

I've always loved music.

It's always been my favorite thing to do.

(laughs) ♪ I wanna live a good life ♪ ♪ So that I can write good songs ♪ ♪ And then I'll have sweet lullabies ♪ ♪ To sing for you ♪ ♪ Melodies about the sky ♪ ♪ The highways and maple trees ♪ ♪ And songs about the early morning dew ♪ (light sweet music) ♪ I'd create a sweet refrain ♪ ♪ To bring you back to summer days ♪ ♪ Of ice cream cones ♪ ♪ And sunsets on the beach ♪ ♪ I'd create a sweet refrain ♪ ♪ To heal your heartache and your pain ♪ ♪ And celebrate the earth ♪ ♪ Beneath our feet ♪ ♪ 'Cause you ♪ ♪ Bring a beauty to my life ♪ ♪ I've never known before ♪ ♪ And I ♪ ♪ Wanna find a way to thank you ♪ ♪ That's why I ♪ ♪ Write you sweet little songs ♪ ♪ To help you feel my warmth ♪ ♪ Because you are such a lovely one ♪ ♪ To sing to ♪ ♪ I love the way you love the rain ♪ ♪ And drop rocks in the bottles ♪ ♪ Just to watch the way ♪ ♪ The mud swirls all around them ♪ ♪ You got a knack for finding magic ♪ ♪ Even in the mundane ♪ ♪ And bringing out the love ♪ ♪ That's all around us ♪ ♪ Because you ♪ ♪ Bring a beauty to my life ♪ ♪ I've never known before ♪ ♪ And I ♪ ♪ Wanna find a way to thank you ♪ ♪ That's why I ♪ ♪ Write you sweet little songs ♪ ♪ To help you feel my warmth ♪ ♪ Because you are such a lovely one ♪ ♪ To sing to ♪ ♪ And it seems my words ♪ ♪ Are never near enough ♪ ♪ When they are standing on their own ♪ ♪ How can I possibly convey ♪ ♪ The way I always feel at home ♪ ♪ When I am with you ♪ ♪ This love we've fallen into ♪ ♪ It's given me new perspective ♪ ♪ So much more than I expected ♪ ♪ And you ♪ ♪ Bring a beauty to my life ♪ ♪ I've never known before ♪ ♪ I ♪ ♪ Wanna find a way to thank you ♪ ♪ That's why I ♪ ♪ Write you sweet little songs ♪ ♪ To help you feel my warmth ♪ ♪ Because you are such a lovely one ♪ ♪ To sing to ♪ ♪ Baby, you are such a lovely one ♪ ♪ To sing to ♪ ♪ I wanna live a good life ♪ ♪ So that I can write good songs ♪ ♪ And then I'll have sweet lullabies ♪ ♪ To sing to you ♪ - [Tonya] I do really like generating original music and exploring my life in that way.

So if I had to encapsulate it, it would be a jazzy piano pop.

(laughs) My song "January Frost" is just about gratitude for being home.

And that's something that I really found during the pandemic, just being able to be home and connect with my loved ones.

(soft reminiscent music) ♪ The pine trees are sparkling ♪ ♪ With the January frost ♪ ♪ There's a silver blanket ♪ ♪ Lying on the fields ♪ ♪ Everything is quiet ♪ ♪ There's a chill across the land ♪ ♪ And the shiver of the silence is surreal ♪ ♪ The fireplace is burning ♪ ♪ With the glow of golden warmth ♪ ♪ There's chowder simmering on the stove ♪ ♪ I've been a lot of places♪ ♪ And I'll go to many more ♪ ♪ But for now ♪ ♪ I'm just so thankful to be home ♪ ♪ Morning sun is rising ♪ ♪ Over the mountains in the distance ♪ ♪ Where the birds are cuddled up ♪ ♪ Into the trees ♪ ♪ The sky is soft and rippling ♪ ♪ With a quilt of flowing clouds ♪ ♪ Made of lavender and pink and tangerine ♪ ♪ The colors of the morning ♪ ♪ Spiral downward through the icicles ♪ ♪ That glisten at the edges of porch ♪ ♪ It's like today I've woken ♪ ♪ With a brand new perspective ♪ ♪ And I don't think I'm afraid anymore ♪ ♪ Didn't think that I could stand ♪ ♪ Another long cold winter ♪ ♪ And I used to look with longing ♪ ♪ Toward the spring ♪ ♪ But I was missing half my life ♪ ♪ While I waited for another ♪ ♪ So I've settled in to gratitude ♪ ♪ For what the season brings ♪ ♪ The whisper of the wind is sweeping out ♪ ♪ Into the forest ♪ ♪ While the snow is lightly drifting ♪ ♪ Through the air ♪ ♪ The silhouette of night ♪ ♪ Is fading dark on the horizon ♪ ♪ As I stop to shake the snowflakes ♪ ♪ From my hair ♪ ♪ I am at a moment ♪ ♪ Frozen in between ♪ ♪ All that I've ever been ♪ ♪ And all I'm ever gonna be ♪ ♪ Right where I belong ♪ ♪ Between the icicles, the mountains ♪ ♪ And the January frost upon the trees ♪ ♪ The pine trees are sparkling ♪ ♪ With the January frost ♪ ♪ There's a silver blanking ♪ ♪ Lying on the fields ♪ - [Tonya] "You Are Now" is a song that I wrote a few years ago shortly after my dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

And my dad was in a motorcycle accident in 2013 that, it gave him a traumatic brain injury and wiped out his short-term memory.

So the song "You Are Now" is inspired by this really intentional commitment that I've made to being present in my life in its unpredictability and in its imperfection.

It's not always nice.

In fact, it can be really awful and painful sometimes.

But it is a privilege to be in each moment, experiencing those emotions, in my opinion, and experiencing life.

(tender determined music) ♪ Rearrange, disentangle ♪ ♪ Stop searching for your angle ♪ ♪ It'll come ♪ ♪ If you don't chase it away ♪ ♪ Settle down ♪ ♪ Listen closely ♪ ♪ You can hear its gentle voice singing ♪ ♪ Dear, you are well on your way ♪ ♪ Slow down ♪ ♪ And look around ♪ ♪ You are here ♪ ♪ And you are now ♪ ♪ You are young, softly rising ♪ ♪ Like the light on the horizon ♪ ♪ Your heart is steady in your chest ♪ ♪ There is only one direction ♪ ♪ Through this ticking dimension ♪ ♪ And the sun ♪ ♪ Always sets in the west ♪ ♪ Slow down ♪ ♪ And look around ♪ ♪ You are here ♪ ♪ And you are now ♪ ♪ You're doing enough ♪ ♪ There's no need to rush ♪ ♪ Because your life ♪ ♪ Will already move fast ♪ ♪ You have traveled so far ♪ ♪ To wind up where you are ♪ ♪ In the center of tomorrow and the past ♪ ♪ Slow down ♪ ♪ And look around ♪ ♪ You are here ♪ ♪ And you are now ♪ ♪ You are here ♪ ♪ And you are now ♪ - [Tonya] I have such a broad range of music that I love.

I have a degree in classic piano, and so a lot of what I do is informed by that and also jazz.

Also, I love country music.

I grew up on country music, and so lately I've been really getting back to those roots.

I love hiphop.

Right now, I've been really into modern blues, but I'd say my musical interests just comes from music of all types.

♪ I can't stop chasing my tail ♪ ♪ Round in circles ♪ ♪ But I'm not fast enough ♪ ♪ To catch the drift ♪ ♪ And though I've tried day and night ♪ ♪ To put the puzzle together ♪ ♪ The pieces, they don't really fit ♪ (light jazzy music) ♪ What's it like to be able ♪ ♪ To sleep at night ♪ ♪ Without ghosts hiding inside the walls ♪ ♪ Can you help me acquire what I need ♪ ♪ To put out the flames ♪ ♪ At the center of it all ♪ ♪ 'Cause I've been burning myself ♪ ♪ In the ashes ♪ ♪ And I've been fighting this fever ♪ ♪ For years ♪ ♪ A scalding infection ♪ ♪ That's spread through my bones ♪ ♪ With the burden of unnecessary fear ♪ ♪ And I know it's a circle ♪ ♪ That I need to break ♪ ♪ I need to clear out the smoke ♪ ♪ Suffocating my days ♪ ♪ Oh, bring me water ♪ ♪ Bring on the rain ♪ ♪ We've all got our means of survival ♪ ♪ Be they whiskey or workin' ♪ ♪ But I've come to discover ♪ ♪ That comfortable numbness ♪ ♪ Will never be enough ♪ ♪ For me ♪ ♪ You can cover your eyes ♪ ♪ To the sight of the world ♪ ♪ But she keeps spinning all the same ♪ ♪ And I'm not gonna bury ♪ ♪ My head in the sand ♪ ♪ While the days of my life slip away ♪ ♪ I know it's a circle ♪ ♪ That I need to break ♪ ♪ I need to clear out the smoke ♪ ♪ Suffocating my days ♪ ♪ Oh, bring me water ♪ ♪ Bring on the rain ♪ ♪ I know there's a circle ♪ ♪ That I need to break ♪ ♪ I need to clear out the smoke ♪ ♪ Suffocating my days ♪ ♪ Bring me water ♪ ♪ Bring on the rain ♪ ♪ Bring me water ♪ ♪ Bring on the rain ♪ - [Tonya] Music is my thing.

It's what I want to do.

It's what I love, and it's what helps me through life.

(jaunty jazz music) ♪ Everybody's a student ♪ ♪ And everybody's a teacher ♪ ♪ Everybody gets broken hearts ♪ ♪ And stains on their T-shirts ♪ ♪ Everyone gets insecure ♪ ♪ 'Cause everyone's got an ego ♪ ♪ Everybody has awkward conversations ♪ ♪ With other people ♪ ♪ And nobody's totally perfect ♪ ♪ And nobody's totally bad ♪ ♪ So I guess the best that we can do ♪ ♪ Is do the best we can ♪ ♪ Because nobody ever said ♪ ♪ This life was gonna be easy ♪ ♪ But nobody ever said ♪ ♪ You needed to be so hard on yourself ♪ ♪ Gotta lighten up and realize ♪ ♪ That everybody here is just doing ♪ ♪ The best that they can ♪ ♪ To make sense of the way of a world ♪ ♪ That's spinning out into a universe ♪ ♪ Where everything's out of our control ♪ ♪ It's a game that nobody can win ♪ ♪ So we've been making the rules up ♪ ♪ And we can't start it over again ♪ ♪ But we all try as hard as we can ♪ ♪ I'm thankful just to be here ♪ ♪ And I'm working on my mind ♪ ♪ I wanna be a lot of things ♪ ♪ But mostly I wanna be kind ♪ ♪ You see, I can get restless ♪ ♪ My words can come out rough ♪ ♪ But no matter what ♪ ♪ I hope I can always ♪ ♪ Circle back to love ♪ ♪ Because I know I ain't totally perfect ♪ ♪ And I know I ain't totally bad ♪ ♪ And I guess the best that I can do ♪ ♪ Is do the best I can ♪ ♪ Because nobody ever said ♪ ♪ This life was gonna be easy ♪ ♪ But nobody ever said ♪ ♪ I needed to be so hard on myself ♪ ♪ Gotta lighten up and realize ♪ ♪ That everybody here is just doing ♪ ♪ The best that they can ♪ ♪ To make sense of the way of a world ♪ ♪ That's spinning out into a universe ♪ ♪ Where everything's out of our control ♪ ♪ It's a game that nobody can win ♪ ♪ So we've been making the rules up ♪ ♪ And we can't start it over again ♪ ♪ But we all try as hard as we can ♪ ♪ We've been singing now, singing now ♪ ♪ Oh, my, my, my, my, my, my, my, my ♪ ♪ Now, everybody been singing now ♪ ♪ My, my, my, my, my, my, my, my ♪ ♪ Oh, my, my, my, my, my, my, my, my ♪ ♪ Everybody been singing now ♪ ♪ Oh, my, my, my, my, my, my, my, my ♪ ♪ This world is complicated ♪ ♪ And some of the corners are dark ♪ ♪ You'll find light ♪ ♪ And you'll end up ♪ ♪ With plenty of nasty scars ♪ ♪ But your story isn't over ♪ ♪ You've got plenty left to write ♪ ♪ You gotta get back off the ground ♪ ♪ And get back in the fight ♪ ♪ Because you'll never be totally perfect ♪ ♪ But you really ain't doing that bad ♪ ♪ As long as you get up ♪ ♪ And do the best you can ♪ ♪ Because nobody ever said ♪ ♪ This life was gonna be easy ♪ ♪ But nobody ever said ♪ ♪ You needed to be so hard on yourself ♪ ♪ Gotta lighten up and realize ♪ ♪ That everybody here is just doing ♪ ♪ The best that they can ♪ ♪ To make sense of the way of the world ♪ ♪ That's spinning out into a universe ♪ ♪ Where everything's out of our control ♪ ♪ It's a game that nobody can win ♪ ♪ So we've been making the rules up ♪ ♪ And we can't start it over again ♪ ♪ But we all try as hard as we can ♪ ♪ And we've been singing now, singing now ♪ ♪ Oh, my, my, my, my, my, my, my, my ♪ ♪ Everybody been singing now ♪ ♪ Oh, my, my, my, my, my, my, my, my ♪ ♪ Oh, my, my, my, my, my, my, my, my ♪ ♪ Everybody been singing now ♪ ♪ Oh, my, my, my, my, my, my, my, my ♪ (smooth jazz music)