Sometimes lightening strikes twice.

This year’s Kerrville New Folk Songwriting Competition holds the promise of just that when Houston singer/songwriter Derek Aramburu, takes the stage for the second time as a finalist, chosen from eight hundred international entrants.

Kerrville has hosted this longest-running American folk festival for thirty-five years and has been fertile ground for launching the music careers of such notable artists as, David Wilcox, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Lyle Lovett, Nancy Griffith and John Gorka. Only a handful of the New Folk competitors have scored the coveted opportunity to share their talent twice. More than traditional folk, Kerrville embraces a wide genre of music from blue grass, acoustic rock, Americana, country and jazz.

Derek’s style has evolved to a mood and message driven range of acoustic rock with a splash of country, pop and a hint of Christian, as evidenced on his newest CD “Where We Hide.”

The creation of “Where We Hide” came upon the heels of a deeply introspective time in Derek’s life, concluded by coming back to friendships, faith and his heart’s desire to best serve God by writing songs about the human condition and understand the places we hide, from people and ourselves to avoid pain. This journey is heralded by these songs. Like page turning short stories, delivered by his spirited tenor-to-baritone, each track leaves the listener wanting for one more. Produced with Bill Ward at Songdog Records and accompanied by the soothing harmonies of Selia Qynn and Melissa Sambrooks, there is something for everyone’s iPod here. Click over to CDBaby.com or iTunes to listen in or order a copy!

Aramburu, a boyish 41, previously introduced his lively finger picking, soothing acoustic melodies and reflective lyrics with the crowd pleasing “Six Strings Long” as a Kerrville finalist in 2000. A song of personal affirmation from his independently released 1999 CD, “One More Day in Maine.”

Born and raised in Marlborough, MA just outside of Boston, (across the street from Desperate Housewives actress Marcia Cross,) Derek envisioned himself as a musician from the precocious age of eight while mesmerized by a John Denver album of his parents. “Listening to ‘Rocky Mountain High’, I envisioned myself performing. What was strange about that is that up until that moment, I had never really wanted to sing, or play a guitar or ever had any thought of performing. But I could clearly see and hear myself playing that song. In my mind’s eye I knew exactly where the guitar would hang on my body from its leather strap.”

It was years later when a college baseball career was winding down at University of Maine-Orono, that his childhood vision returned, and he began to teach himself guitar and play around with some lyrics. Within a year he won the Bangor Bass Park Music Festival Songwriting Competition in Bangor, ME. Quite a ride ensued –opening for Livingston Taylor in Bar Harbor, ME and then on to Boston where he worked by day to support his songwriting habit, and played various venues by night including Nightstage in Boston, and The Bitter End in The Village of NYC. His talent was evident and the vision became a few steps closer.

The compass of destiny pointed southwest in the fall of ’92, by way of a brown-eyed gal from Texas who captured his heart and shared the promise of his dreams. Debbie was a childhood friend who also enjoyed “Barefoot sprints to catch the ice-cream man...” summer days on Robinhood Road, while visiting her grandparents in Marlborough. A period of time Derek so sweetly captured by the song “Robinhood Road.” They married in 1993 and made Houston their home.

Music took a back seat, while a growing family and working by day in the financial services field were top priorities. Yet, there were national anthems sung for Houston Rockets’ playoff games, openings at the Millbend Coffee house and airplay on WATD in Marshfield, MA; WKPFT in Houston; WKKFI in Kansas City; and WAVM in Maynard, MA. All of this, while working on his golf game, writing an occasional piece for Houston Links magazine, and narrowly missing qualifying for the Houston Amateur Tournament in 2005.

“Where We Hide” was released at a private event on March 24, 2007 in Houston and airplay on WKPFT in Houston followed within a week. The response has been “Unbelievable – like a dream come true.” For Aramburu, who is eager to present “Steps in the Sand” and “Home” at Kerrville and Wildflower in May. While the path has been a bit round about, looking back he wouldn’t change a thing. “It has been a great ride, and by some miracle here I am. I long to create music that makes others feel the same joy and peace I feel when I hear a song I love. The music is out there; all around us, everywhere, everyday….all we have to do is reach out and grab it. “

He welcomes listeners to drop him a line and share their comments at derek@derekaramburu.com.