Folk Fest, children's book

Well, if you read the News page you'll see that this has been a very exciting weekend for me. On Friday I was informed that I was selected as one of the Top Ten finalists at Telluride's Rocky Mtn. Folks Festival. They have a songwriter showcase each year. Ten songwriters perform and a winner is chosen. The winner gets to play the main stage the next year. If you haven't heard of this Fest, it's one of the biggest in the country...or probably the world for that matter. A few artists I respect very much are headlining this year: KT Tunstall, Patty Griffin, and Nanci Griffith...as well as last year's winner Sarah Sample (she used to be a local). Check out www.bluegrass.com for more info on the Fest. Anywho, I'm extremely excited.

Also, a friend of mine, Sandra Tayler, has just published a fantastic children's book I think you should take a look at. It's called Hold on to Your Horses. It's a story about a little girl whose creative ideas run wild and constantly get her into trouble. Her mother comes up with an imaginative way to help her reign her ideas in. I know a lot of high energy, highly creative kids who can definitely relate. The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous and Sandra and Angela Call (the illustrator) have given you two options for owning this book. You can download a free PDF of the book in the website (linked above) OR you can buy a copy of the book there as well. To truly do these fantastic drawings justice, I think you'll want to own it.



One of the things I love about what I do is how many people from the artistic community I get to meet and create friendships with. I think we should all share in our creativity.

i loves joolye

I loves me some sweet Joo-lye in the mornin'. Tomorrow (the 3rd) I will be playing at Provo's Freedom Festival. This will be my...let me calculate...seventh or eighth straight year playing the Festival. I think it was one of the first shows I ever played back when I was young, bright eyed, and bushy tailed. (Oh, and I had mermaid braids and I wore one of my mom's flower shirts from the 60's. Good times.) The Fest IS summer for me. I don't know how I'd survive without the smell of toasted almonds and funnel cake. And the heat...oh the heat.

Independence Day is on Friday, in case you didn't know. (Pssst. It's the same as the 4th of July. I know, weird, huh?) I have many veterans in my life to thank for the freedom to smell toasted almonds and funnel cake...and wear bad wardrobe choices on stage. My mom's dad was a pilot in WWII and was shot down over Germany when she was six months old. My mom's stepdad (who I always knew as Grandpa) also served. I have a brother-in-law in the Air National Guard, cousins in the Navy, and many other friends and acquaintances who are serving or have served this country. This country is a phenomenon and you make it possible. Thank you. Sincerely. Thank you.

i am an idiot...and other tales

So...twice this weekend I had percussion gigs with Mindy Gledhill and Stephanie Smith respectively. (For those of you unaware, in addition to my singer/songwriter thing...sometimes I also work as a percussionist for hire for other singer/songwriters.) And twice this weekend, I thought that since I was just doing percussion, I wouldn't need to bring very many CDs to the gigs. (I always bring a few, just in case.) And twice...I didn't have enough CDs for people who wanted them. You'd think I would have learned my lesson the first night. Nope. So, I apologize to those of you who were disappointed. I am an idiot.

I've been sick this week and it's made it difficult to sing...which has again made me aware of just how much I actually sing during any given day. A lot. Seriously people, I never shut up. I had ask my boyfriend to remind me to stop singing so my voice/throat could heal. He had to remind me like every two seconds.

Also, I've got a show coming up at Velour in Provo. See the News page for details. I love summer.

cali-forn-i-a...

...was awesome. I'm not a big fan of California in general, but if someone offered to sell me a big bottle of Cali weather I would say, "Yes, please." The show at the House of Blues with Stephanie Smith was quite awesome. The house was packed. The lights were low. The booze ran freely like a bacchanalian revel. I quietly sipped my vintage bottle of Arrowhead water c. 2008. Steph turned to me, her own bottle of water in hand, and said, "I feel like we're the mathletes at the cool kids party." The show itself was fantastic.

We spent one luxurious morning on a secluded beach in a cove in Laguna. The stretch of sand was maybe 100 yards across. Besides the six in our traveling party, there were maybe ten other people. It was mah-velous. I was sitting there slow-roasting my feet (something I discovered later) when someone spotted a pod of wild dolphins just off the shore, dipping and diving in the surf. Magical.

I finished my new song and I will play it at my next show. I'm already working on another.

hair

I debated growing my hair out because I knew that if I did, it would make my album look dated. My hair grows fast...I mean really fast. But I was thoroughly sick of short hair...and thus, sometimes when people look at my album and I'm standing right next to them they say "Who is this?" And "Wow, this is you? This album must be old." Yes, it has happened more than once. And no, the album hasn't even been out for a year yet. My follicles can't be stopped. I need to update the home page.

It is supposedly spring. I even had a vernal equinox party with my friends to celebrate the official emergence of spring. If it is truly spring, why is there still snow on the ground? And why is snow still haunting me? And why won't it GO AWAY? Just wondering.

daylight robbery

Someone stole an hour of sleep from me...and I want it back!

Last week I did a little road trip up to Moscow for a gig. Moscow, Idaho that is. Gotcha. I'm hilarious. The gig was at the University of Idaho which is the home of one of the country's most prestigious jazz festivals. The Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival. I missed the fest by a couple weeks...sadly...but there were plenty of other things in Moscow to entertain me. Like...uh...there was a Jack in the Box...and...I think I saw a hawk....maybe not. It was nice to get out though. We were even greeted by an Idaho State Trooper! He told us not to drive so fast and told me to break a leg at the show. I didn't. Oh, and then he told me I look like Lindsay Lohan. Lindsay Lohan? I mean...really.
All kidding aside, thanks to Vandal Entertainment with the University of Idaho for bringing me out! They treated me like the queen of America and were extremely accommodating. Thank you! It was truly a pleasure.

I'm working on a song right now but I'm agonizing over the lyrics...as usual.

Hark the Herald

Yesterday's issue of the Daily Herald UV Entertainment insert featured an article on tomorrow's show. Take a look here:

Clicky!

Also, I've decided to make a single of my song Subtraction and sell them at tomorrow's show. I've had a lot of positive response for this song and a lot of requests for a recorded version...so...I hear and obey.
Speaking of hearing, I'm really looking forward to hearing Russ Dixon play. It's been a while since I've had the privilege. I'm going to see if I can get him to freestyle rap. He's so good at it it's ridiculous!

I hope you all had a fantastic Valentine's day yesterday. Mine was...so, so wonderful. :)

I'm working on a new song at the moment. Not sure what it's going to be called yet, but I'm pretty durn excited about it. I love this feeling. There something about creating and shaping a song that is so fulfilling emotionally, spiritually, physically. I'm an addict.