Writing with Women

I have been writing songs for a while now…on my own, or always with men. I recently took a trip to Nashville, and had two co-writing sessions with amazing women. It was such a crazy experience—to walk into a room with a stranger, and in two hours complete a song from the heart. I was a little nervous, but it went really smoothly. I connected with these talented ladies right away. It opened my eyes to a whole new way to write music, a new camaraderie. I’ve always had such great friendships with women, and now being able to write with my fellow ladies that share many of the same experiences as I’ve had is incredibly fulfilling.

I am now working on a bunch of new songs with one of my best friends, Bevin Hamilton. (Check out her myspace!) We grew up together in Kansas, so needless to say we understand each other. To write with a woman I know so well and feel so comfortable with is yet another new, exciting adventure. But hey, I still got all the love in the world for the gents in my life. I’m just sayin', thank god I finally figured out I should write with the ladies too!

Changes

Ch-ch-ch-changes....the New Year has passed. Obama is in office. I feel like nearly everyone around me is pushing for positive transformation. I read a quote today that stuck with me: "The more important a call or action is to our soul's evolution, the more resistance we will feel toward pursuing it." Change is great; change is hard. So here's to all of us pushing through our resistance and creating positive changes for ourselves and the world around us...

Laugh At It All...

So you may or may not know that the song "Laugh" is a true story; it was written about a random conversation I had with an older woman named Besedka. She and I have since become really great friends. I call her for advice, and sometimes just to chat. Whenever I'm up north in San Fransisco, I stop by her apartment to have tea and catch up. Besedka is now 83 years old, but if you talked to her you'd never know it. She has such a vibrant, beautiful way about her...anyway, I recently finally got a chance to play the song I wrote about her in her presence. I hoped it brought her joy to see that she has had such a positive influence on me. What was her reaction? She laughed the whole time. She thought the song was great, but hilarious. And so she lives her own advice, haha...

The Record Making Process

From conception to completion this record (We Had A Thing) has been a year in the making. In some way, I feel like I've been waiting all my life to make this record. I was lucky enough to connect with two co-writers that eventually produced the songs as well. Together, we took a journey filled with smiles, stress, and all things in between. It has been an amazing experience, and I am thrilled to finally share these words and notes from my heart with you.

Fear vs Excitement

I have been thinking a lot lately about the tiny, fine line between excitement and fear. I am embarking on a new stage of my career, and I am venturing into the unknown. It seems like every day is a battle between being scared or excited about all of the possibility and uncertainty I face. I think anytime we venture into new realms and are brave enough to take risks, it is natural to feel fear. The trick is not letting that fear take you over. One of my best friends says that change is uncomfortable. Anytime you are willing to take a leap in your life and make a change, it is going to be uncomfortable for a while. But at the end of that brave road are great rewards. So today, I choose to be excited, and NOT scared.

The Feist Concert

So I went to see Feist last night, and I decided I wanna be kinda like her when I grow up...hahaha. She is relaxed, confident, calming, beautiful, and her harmonies were amazing! The crowd was peaceful yet attentive.

I forget sometimes how important it is to go see shows like this...it always reminds me of the pure reason that I want to do this: to share love and music with others. Being in the audience or on stage is much the same-positive energy is shared from both directions; it is a much needed breath from the stresses of everyday life.