Megan Lynch ’89

---

Megan Lynch ’89 brings her own unique style and eclecticism to her album, Songs the Brothers Warner Taught Me. Lynch’s debut treats its listeners to classic songs heard in the beloved Warner Brothers cartoons of the mid-20th century in a distinct and nostalgic homage to the era like “Hello Ma Baby” and “You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby.”

During the recording of the album, Lynch, a lifetime member of the Alumni Association, says that there was a certain degree of improvisation on her part. “I didn't have elaborately planned-out arrangements going into the studio so some ideas were tried on the fly,” she says. “To hear a particular vocal arrangement coming together or to be able to weave two separate pizzicato fiddle lines together and have the song turn out even better than expected was a real thrill.”

Although she is a lifelong singer and picked up both the guitar and songwriting while in high school, Lynch didn’t begin performing in public venues until after graduation. However, her time as a student allowed her to nurture her creative side. She says that she was able to peruse the scores of renowned 20th century composer Kurt Weill in the UCLA Music Library and became acquainted with the difficulties of sight-singing as one of the few non-music major members of the UCLA chorus.

Lynch found camaraderie with other musicians while residing at the University Cooperative Housing Association (UCHA), often participating in eclectic jam sessions with her fellow residents.

“There were guitar players there far better than me, so I sang and played percussion on a napkin dispenser, which can sound remarkably like a snare drum,” she reminisces. She would also play on the back stairs of Robison Hall at UCHA, which she refers to as “training wheels for public performance” and was much less intimidating for her than playing on the bustling Bruin Walk.

For her fellow Bruins looking to break into the music business, Lynch advises, “Go for it, but do it for the pleasure of making music. Don't do it because you want to be famous or rich. If you don’t enjoy doing it unpaid, there's little point to doing it because making a living in the arts is tough.”

To learn more about Lynch’s music or to purchase the album, visit meganlynch.net.