PROFILE
One of the most meaningful times for Wyoming singer-songwriter Cora Pederson was in a parking lot of the Wyoming Singer-Songwriters State Competition Finals in Ten Sleep over the Labor Day weekend. Pederson was rehearsing her songs in the parking lot before her performance, playing her guitar, when a gentleman came up to her and asked if he could sit and listen to her. He said he had to be somewhere, but he wanted to hear more of her music. She told him he was welcome to stay.
The song that Pederson chose was a light Christmas song and was a somewhat funny story about Christmas. But when she finished playing the song, the man who had been sitting listening to her had tears in his eyes. He thanked Pederson for the song and said that he loved Christmas and that her song had touched him deeply.
This experience was very meaningful to Pederson and showed her once again that music can affect people in ways that the musician never even knows. “You never know what somebody needs in that given day,” Pederson said in the interview with the Open Range Record.
Cora’s approach to music is simple. She wants to write and perform songs that tell stories and connect with people. Her songs can be based on real life experiences, fictional stories, and everything in between. Most importantly she wants to remain true to the gifts God has given her as a songwriter and performer.
Growing Up with Music and the Western Way of Life
Pederson’s journey with music began when she was growing up on a ranch in the southern part of Wyoming. Her mother was a very musical person, and Pederson said that her mother was even involved with Western swing bands in New Mexico. Pederson’s father worked on a ranch as well, and she said that growing up on a ranch was a big part of her life and her music.
Pederson accompanied her mother to many of the Cowboy Poetry Gatherings throughout the years. At first her mother would perform by herself, but soon Pederson was up on stage performing with her as well. Pederson said that she was influenced by many of the musicians who performed at the Cowboy Poetry Gatherings, including Don Edwards and Dave Stamey. She was also influenced by many of the more mainstream artists, such as Lynn Anderson, Patsy Cline, and the Marshall Tucker Band. She said that different styles of music helped to shape her own unique sound.
While Pederson is a very talented flute player, she has chosen to use the acoustic guitar to accompany her original songs. These songs are inspired by the rural Western way of life, and she hopes to give listeners a glimpse into her world of ranching and Western life.
She loves to share her way of life with others because it is so near and dear to her heart. She hopes that her songs can give listeners a glimpse into her life and the experiences that she has had on the ranch. These experiences can include riding horses in the mountains, chasing heifers, and just being able to look out at the beautiful Wyoming scenery.
The songs on her new album are not all about the ranch, but there are some fictional stories, as well as songs about personal experiences, relationships, loss, and faith. Her goal with her songs is to write meaningful stories that can relate to people of all backgrounds.
Finding Her Way Back to Faith and Music
There was a time when Pederson wasn’t sure how music would fit into her life as she transitioned from adolescence into early adulthood. She said that music sort of fell by the wayside in middle school as she got involved in other activities, and in her early 20s as she tried to find her way in life as an independent young woman. She said that during this time she was not following Christ and was not living her life in a very healthy way.
After going through the young adulthood slump, finding her way back to Christ and a healthy relationship with her husband, Pederson realized that her music was her calling. “I truly feel that that’s what I’m being called to do, and I want to be obedient to that calling,” she said.
Pederson’s songwriting is influenced by her Christian faith, and she wants her faith to be seen in the stories she tells and the messages she sends out to her fans. But, she added, “Not all of the songs that I write are explicitly worship songs or mention Jesus by name, but I definitely always want to honor God in all of my songs.”
Songs of Hope, Loss, and God’s Faithfulness
Her new songs will be released on an upcoming album. One of the songs, “The Old Livestock Tank” is a cowboy worship song that Pederson described as a song about God pursuing people.
Another song, “Larkspring Daisies” was inspired by her personal loss of a loved one and her
hope that she will see them again in heaven as promised by the Christian faith. The song is sad, but she hopes it will bring hope to others who have experienced loss.
Pederson says her favorite song to sing during times of difficulty is the Christian hymn “How Great Thou Art.” She says the hymn brings her great comfort because it reminds her of God’s sovereignty in all circumstances, whether good or bad.
The themes of hope, loss, and God’s faithfulness found in Pederson’s songs of hope can be applied to all people in all stages of life. They can reach people where they are and bring comfort and peace in difficult circumstances. And as she found in a parking lot in Ten Sleep, sometimes even the simplest songs can make a big impact on someone’s life.
Balancing Motherhood, Work, and a Musical Calling
Pederson is currently raising a 16-month-old toddler, working full-time, attending school, and is active in her church. It can be hard to find time to write, practice, and perform, but she is trying her best to make time for her music.
Pederson has moments when she wonders whether she should continue to pursue music during this stage of her life. But, she said, she feels like her musical talents are a gift that she has been given. While her life is busy and she is trying to balance her responsibilities with her music, Pederson said she feels like she is on the right track. She believes that her life is being used for God’s purposes and that she is being called to use her talents for Christ. She said she wants to be obedient to that calling.
Pederson’s advice to others in similar circumstances is to be patient with yourself and give yourself some grace. Be aware of the season of life you are in and make time for your talents and opportunities. Don’t put them in the back of the closet and forget about them.
Finding Common Ground Through Music
Pederson said she has many friends, including some with whom she doesn’t agree on many things, but they are able to connect through music. “I am a strong believer in if you can find a middle ground, it doesn’t matter how vast your differences are, you can at least have peace with somebody.”
Pederson sees the value of the Christian-inspired music she writes and sings and how it can bring hope, peace, and grace to people in a world full of division. She hopes that people can extend more grace to each other even though they may disagree on some things. Music can be a way to share these messages with people without having to get into an argument every time.
She states that there is hope for people in today’s world of uncertainty and that Christians can find peace in knowing that God is in control of all things.
Encouraging Others to Use Their Gifts
Pederson’s advice to someone who believes they have a God-given talent but are afraid to use it is to first make time to reflect on why they are making music. This is how she was able to rediscover her own motivation for music while she was alone writing songs, playing guitar, and worshiping her God without any audience.
Pederson acknowledged that sharing her beliefs with others "can be scary, but I think it’s so worth it,” if there is the possibility of even one person connecting with her music. The encounter with the gentleman in Ten Sleep was powerful for her. She was not performing for an audience, promoting her album, or trying to impress anyone. She was simply practicing a song for herself.
A Legacy Beyond Recognition
When asked what she hopes people will remember about her and her music, Pederson said, “I'm not concerned with people remembering me . . . I hope that my music outlives me and continues to touch people and ultimately lead people to Jesus after I'm gone.”
For Pederson, her musical journey can be measured by the ways in which her music and her stories can impact the lives of others. Pederson shares her life and stories through her music on ranches, cowboy poetry gatherings, and songwriter competitions across Wyoming. She hopes her songs will bring comfort to someone who is grieving, hope to someone who is struggling, and even peace to someone who needs it.
“At the end of the day, as Christians, we know who is in control, and that, to me, is where my hope lies. It’s where my peace is.”