La Mesa-based musician Gayle Skidmore just released her neoclassical album, “The Ashtabula River Railroad Disaster.” Known for her hauntingly beautiful piano compositions and emotive performances, Skidmore’s new album is a deeply personal and historically rich exploration of one of America’s most tragic events: the collapse of a railroad bridge in Ashtabula, Ohio in December 1876. The disaster claimed the lives of 92 people, including Skidmore’s relative, renowned hymn writer Philip P. Bliss.
With her ability to play more than 20 instruments, this is Skidmore’s first instrumental project which she produced and recorded in her home studio.
Skidmore played all the instrumental parts to bring this composition together. This eleven-track album is an evocative journey through both the human tragedy and the historical significance of the event, blending delicate, intricate melodies with deeply emotional compositions. Skidmore’s piano work captures the sorrow, resilience, and humanity at the heart of the disaster. The album is also a tribute to her grandmother, who passed away in 2019, and who was proud of their family’s connection to Bliss.
This album is not just a tribute to a historic event, but a look at the beauty in tragedy and the resilience of the human spirit.
“The theme of the album is how beauty and tragedy are intertwined in horrific events. There are elements in disaster that point us to the preciousness of life,” said Skidmore.
Skidmore said her grandmother’s name is Bliss, the family name on her father’s side.
“My grandmother had a three-volume set on the history, which I wish I had because I do not know the real connection of Philip Bliss. I did a lot of research during the pandemic. I was raised believing he was like my great-great-grandfather, so the connection is so much more distant, like a second cousin,” she said. “I was so inspired by this story because it was so dramatic and moving. Because I have grown up feeling very connected to Philip Bliss, as the only other songwriter in the family and thinking we had a much better connection than we do, it hit me on a really deep level when I read the story of how he passed. There were a bunch of different accounts of how Philip Bliss perished in the fire. I have read a few books on it, but there were many accounts of him being in a separate train car than his wife Lucy on the train trip. When the train crash happened, he survived, but he went back to try to rescue his wife, and he could not get her out. And he stayed with her and perished. It is a really heavy story. I think that kind of story pulls on everybody’s heart when you hear about it. I was really inspired to write something in reading all these accounts.”
Skidmore said there are many elements to this story.
“There was a fire chief who was intoxicated and refused to even fight the fire. After the fire, the bodies of the victims were looted. The town’s people took in the victims who survived and housed them. It was blizzard conditions. It was a wild story. Everybody got obsessed with the Titanic, and it is very similar, where a lot of different elements come out in such a tragedy. People’s true nature really shows itself,” she said.
Skidmore said there is also a storybook she did with art.
“I did a picture for each of the pieces on the album. I picked flowers from the area. It is kind of like a posy for the dead kind of thing. This album is a tribute, so there is artwork that I have done, and also sheet music for the album which is available on my website. It accompanies my album,” she said.
The album’s creation process was deeply influenced by Skidmore’s Patreon community, where she was able to experiment with new styles and receive feedback before embarking on this ambitious project.
“Patreon really gave me the platform to experiment with all kinds of styles of songs, and I tried out a few of these on my patrons before putting the album together,” she notes. “It gave me a chance to see if anyone would be interested in this kind of a record from me, and the motivation to get the album done,” she said.
“The Ashtabula River Railroad Disaster” was released on April 4, marking the next chapter in Gayle Skidmore’s already storied career. With the album, Skidmore hopes to not only connect with fans of neoclassical music but also open new avenues for her musical expression, including film and TV composition. The album is poised to find its place in the evolving landscape of modern classical music, joining the likes of Ludovico Einaudi, Yann Tiersen, and Chad Lawson.
Skidmore, a singer/songwriter has a few performances coming up. She will be playing at The Escondido Music and Art Company on April 19, At Lestat’s West on April 26, The Athenaeum on May 10, and the Manzanita Concerts at Mission Trails Church on June 8.
“The Ashtabula River Railroad Disaster” is streaming on most music outlets, and to purchase the album, visit https://gayleskidmore.bandcamp.com/.
