Recording Artist Cyndi Garber
Describes Herself As Farm Wife , Mother
LOU ANN GOOD
Lancaster Farming Staff
MOUNT JOY (Lancaster Co.)
When Cyndi Garber performs
on stage, she tells the audience,
“I’m a wife and a mom who loves
to sing."
And when this farm wife sings a
blend of contemporary sacred
music, she communicates what
music critics call a very warm per
sonality with good stage presence.
Her flexible and agile voice ranges
from alto and to high soprano.
Cyndi said that her life as wife,
mom, and singer blend together. In
fact, while she packed eggs in the
family’s chicken operation, she
wrote one of the five original songs
now released on tape.
Recently, Cyndi was asked to
sing on a tape with such well
known persons as Evangelist Billy
Graham, and solists Sandi Patti and
Twila Paris. On it, Cyndi sang “I
Love To Tell The Story.” Forty
thousand copies of that tape were
distributed to troops in Saudi
Arabia.
With the war in the Middle East,
Cyndi said that at many of her con
certs, the audience participates in
“This baby is going to be a singer," said Cyndi Garber.
With his mother’s talent, he is sure to pick up her love tor
singing.
The Garber family at their Mount Joy farm: From left: Ryan, Scott, Phil, Cyndi, and
Rodney.
her rendition of “God Bless the
USA,” Often, the audience stand to
their feet and shed tears.
Although Cyndi did not grow up
on the farm, she said it was the next
best thing. Her parents, former
Amish, had horses, sheep and a few
other animals at their Rawlinsville
home.
“I can’t remember a time when I
did not sing,” Cyndi said, “but I
can’t say that professional singing
was part of my plans.”
In junior high school, she was
asked to sing at churches. After
that, appearances at banquets,
weddings, and special functions
became part of her life.
“I always felt comfortable in
front of a crowd,” Cyndi said.
She credits her success in part to
her participation in county, district,
and state chorus at Solanco High
School and to playing the lead in
the King and I and played in the
Sound of Music. After graduation,
she played Leisa in the Sound of
Music at the Fulton Opera House.
Cyndi draws a firm line between
performing and her own singing.
She said, “I do not perform. I con
sider my singing a ministry. I share
from the heart and from the home.
and people can identify with me.”
The summer after high school
graduation, Cyndi traveled to India
with a singing team. Later, she
attended Word Of Life Bible Insti
tute for one year and toured with a
singing group.
After her year at the Institute,
Cyndi married Phil Garber.
Phil, his dad, James Garber, and
brother Roger do partnership farm
ing on 1,000 acres on their Mount
Joy farms. They have 125,000 lay
ers; 125,000 pullets, 150 steers,
600 hogs, several grain trucks for
Garber Farms, Inc. Trucking, and
three combines for custom
combining.
The Garbers also have an on
farm feed mill in which they make
about 200 tons of feed a week.
Roger is in charge of the feed mill,
chickens, and the book work.
Phil oversees the field work and
the custom combining. Phil said all
the com, soybeans, and barley they
grow on the 1,000 acres are used
for their own livestock.
Despite the large farm opera
tion, Phil runs the sound for his
wife’s concerts, which average six
every month.
“I couldn’t do it if my father and
my brother didn’t pick up my load.
They get a lot of behind the scenes
work for which they don’t get cre
dit,” Phil said.
“Farming is in my blood. 1 can’t
think of a better life,” Phil said.
“But I do like to run the sound for
Cyndi. It’s a nice switch from farm
work. I really can’t say which job I
like best”
The Garbers have three sons,
Ryan, 9; Rodney, 7; and Scott, 18
months. Although the boys sing
around the house, they do not like
to be on stage.
Cyndi has a lot of natural singing
ability, but she has worked hard in
recent years to develop her voice.
She takes voice lessons weekly and
is supposed to set aside time each
day for vocal exercises and for
singing practice, but Cyndi said,
“There just isn’t time for me to stop
everything and concentrate on my
music. It is quite easy for me to
sing while I’m working around the
house. I can sing for one and a half
hours and really get lost in it”
Cyndi sings with an ensemble of
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, February 16, 1991-B5
six ladies from her church, but
regrets that lack of time prevents
her from singing in the choir.
Most of the Garbers’ itinerary is
near home, but sometimes she does
travel to New York and the New
England area. They have a
28-year-old friend who cares for
the children during the singing
engagements.
Cyndi takes an active interest in
her children’s schools. For three
years, she has been homeroom
mother. This past year, she started
a chapter of Moms In Touch, an
international group designed for
mothers to meet weekly to pray for
their children, the schools and the
faculty.
I Love What I Do
As a mother at home, I love what I do.
Even though it would be hard to explain it to you
To get ahead of my day, I should be up at dawn,
But when the alarm rings, I roll over and yawn.
It’s breakfast for school kids, and brush your teeth please,
Oh here comes the bus, your pants have holes in the knees.
I rush to have my quiet time, but I hear the baby cry.
The phone rings, the prayer chain, “I’m so sorry,” 1 sigh,
I’ve started the washing, dishes to do.
What will I make for lunch? Must go beef stew,
Is it that time already? Car pooling is a treat.
They all pile in, now there’s mud on the scat.
May I have a friend over to play for a while?
Oh sure, what’s one more, I say with a smile.
It’s a great way to share Jesus with others, I know.
With His love in our lives, I trust it will show.
The baby is fed, bathed, dressed and down for his nap.
Lunch is over, need to start supper, it seems to overlap.
The neighbor left, our 2nd grader is home from school
It’s homework, drum lessons, and chores as a rule.
It’s mealtime again, dishes, baths, devotions, and prayers.
They are all tucked in and free from all cares.
Now for some adult conversation just my husband and me.
But when I crawled into bed, I was too tired, you sec.
My mind wandered back to what went on all that day.
I smiled as I remembered it went something this way..
Mom, 1 can’t find my shoes, will you come play with me?
It’s a little bit hectic to take care of three.
Honey, is lunch ready? as he came through the door.
It’s even more crazy to take care of four.
I walked past the mirror, I looked like a dive
It’s next to impossible to take care of five.
But wait, a small voice reminded me, isn’t that odd?
There’s nothing impossible with our Almighty God.
Cyndi’s first album, “Wings Of Dawn” is available for $9 a tape. A
second tape is planned for release before Christmas. Pre-orders of $ 10
will cover cost of tape, handling, and mailing.
For booking information or tapes, write to Cyndi Garber, 876 Mil
ton Grove Road, Mount Joy, PA 17552, or call (717) 653-1229.
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Before the birth of the baby,
Cyndi packed eggs on a regular
basis. Like many farm families,
accidents happen. Last year, Rod
ney’s hand was caught in an egg
roller and required three surgeries.
On the eve of his second surgery,
Cyndi went into labor with their
third child. After all three returned
home, Rodney needed to be kept as
still as possible so the skin graft
would take effect. Then Cyndi had
to take him to therapy every day for
three weeks.
“I love being a wife and
mother,” Cyndi said. I know the
hectic schedules that families have.
I think that is why so many people
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Cyndi Garber
March 1990