I Was Yours

2025

Nine songs inspired by cities, records, chocolate, fault lines, surf spots, keychains, dorm rooms, deep seas and sly creatures : 
1. I Was Yours
2. Scratch in the Record
3. Marzipan
4. Mendocino Triple Junction Fault Line
5. Lucky for a While
6. 41st Avenue
7. The Deep 
8. Conduit
9. The Fox  
Produced and arranged by Art Khu; recorded and mixed at Women’s Audio Mission by Arielle Flinkman and Sammie Wallinga; mastered by Jessica Thompson. Photos by Anne Kohler. Recording made possible by Whippoorwill Arts. 

 

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The Department of the West

11-song record (2019)

Exploring themes of natural history (“River Stones”), family (“All Signs”), and the #metoo movement (“Long Roads”), while also addressing the nature of land ownership and Native American history (“Department of the West” “What the Land Will Tell You”) and relationship (“Let the River do the Running”).

Co-produced by Danny Allen (Baby Buck Studio, High Diving Horses) and recorded at Tiny Telephone Studio in San Francisco. Allen also played guitars, ukulele and banjo on the album, and was joined by Mike Stevens (The Uptones, Sun Kil Moon) on drums and percussion, Kevin T. White (Chuck Prophet, Shelby Lynne) on bass. Longtime collaborator Kwame Copeland (Bay Station, Straw Coyotes), as well as Heather Davison (Loretta Lynch), Maurice Tani and Maryam Qudus contribute backing vocals. Mixed and engineered by Qudus (Tune-Yards, Kronos Quartet) and mastered by Piper Payne (Infrasonic Sound).

lyrics

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Beauty Everwhere

7-song EP (2016)

Songs covering the middle of a relationship (“Jumped in Anyway”), the end of a love relationship (“Record of a Day”), and moving into a new home (“Make this House”). Topics also explored are the impact of these uncertain times upon others, on (“Shattered”), about the lengths someone will go to put the pieces back together after their world falls apart, as well as the familial consequences faced by veterans of war (“Overseas and Faraway”). 

Beauty Everywhere was produced and arranged by Art Khu and recorded at Tiny Telephone Oakland. Accompanying Deborah Crooks (vocals), is fellow Bay Station member Kwame Copeland (acoustic guitar, backing vocals), longtime collaborators, Mike Stevens (drums), Ben Bernstein (bass), and Khu (piano, organ, acoustic and electric guitars). Mixed by Shawn Alpay and mastered by Michael Romanowski at Coast Mastering. 

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Bay Station Band

Beyond the Safe and Sound (2021), Other Desert Cities (2018), Go Out & Make Some (2016), Your Own Reaction (2014)

Bay Station is Kwame Copeland and Deborah Crooks combining their songwriting talents to create a diverse form of Americana aided and abetted by guitarist/singer Steve Waters and a varying cast of other musical collaborators.
"Bay Station delivers its own unique style, incorporating the best parts of Americana, Alt-Country, and just plain good storytelling." — Bob Leggett LA Music Critic 

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Little Bird

11-song record (2013)

Arranged & produced by noted multi-instrumentalist/composer Art Khu, Little Bird traverses reggae, funk, straight-ahead rock and the singer-songwriter tradition. Recorded at Lost Monkey Studio with drummer & engineer Mike Stevens, Khu and bassist Ben Bernstein. Songs from Little Bird appeared on RoadTrip Nation, and were included on Songs from the Fog V1.

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"Adding Water to the Ashes" (Remix)

Single (2018)

To commemorate its 10-year recording anniversary, the title track of Deborah's first full-length record is given a makeover by Mike Stevens at Lost Monkey Studio with drum loops, synth bass and keyboards. 

Mixed and arranged by Mike Stevens at Lost Monkey Studio, Hayward, CA Recorded and engineered by Ben Bernstein at Petting Zoo, Oakland, CA; Kwame Copeland at K2 Studio, Alameda, CA and Mike Stevens at Lost Monkey Studio, Hayward, CA. 

 
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Listen and buy all of Deborah's music via Bandcamp, Spotify, Apple Music, and other streaming outlets and at live performances. Email to order direct from the artist.