Nearly 15 years ago, local singer-songwriter Maura Rogers came up with the chorus for “Winter’s Comin’ On.” Yet, she just couldn't figure out the rest of the tune.
Just recently, she finally completed writing it and even recorded the tune, a tender ballad that puts her evocative voice up front in the mix. She got a little help from Grammy and Emmy-nominated musician and producer David Mayfield.
“[I] never found the right verses until 2020,” says Rogers in a press release about the song. “It took a pandemic, social unrest, and months of isolation to appropriately capture the essence of this haunting holiday tune. Choosing to record this piece solo was influenced by a number of factors, both practical and medical. When it came down to the final decision, a solo approach was the right feel for a song reflective of holiday loneliness and the realities of being distanced from loved ones.”
Mayfield says he’s been a fan of Rogers ever since he performed with her and her backing band the Bellows at the Beachland Ballroom a few years ago.
"I was blown away by her raw spirit and passion and the boundless joy that her and the band generate from the stage,” he says. “When the invitation came to produce this timely and poignant holiday original, I jumped at the chance. The implicit trust and mutual respect made working with Maura not only artistically rewarding but was also a ton of fun."
Rogers dedicates the song to the memory of Stephen Bivens, a local photographer who passed away earlier this year. A supportive fan and friend, Biven was a "pillar" of the Waterloo Arts community over the past five years. Local graphic artist and musician Meredith Pangrace, who used a Bivens' photo, designed the single's album art, and the song features Rogers on vocals, Mayfield on guitar, upright bass, and cymbals, and Pangrace on accordion and mellotron.
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