Sing

Not my personal best, but it was fun!

We’re supposed to play our fourth Writer’s Night on February 11th. This time I didnt’ think I was going to be able to sing with the band because I hurt my neck pretty bad recently. They’ve been rehearsing without me. Today they said they’d really like me to sing with them. It would just be backup since I havent’ been rehearsing, but I’m thinking about doing it.

I was really bummed that they decided to go without me rather than trying to reschedule, so it’s nice to hear they still want me to sing with them.

I need to step back from the whole “Nashville” part of singing for awhile. I don’t mean I’m going to be a hermit, but it HAS TO take a back seat to my day job, my daughter’s wedding, my sister’s stroke & getting to know my husband & myself again.

I’m still writing & singing, but I want to keep it light & fun. I don’t need another obligation right now.

in town really likes my voice & has asked us if we want to perform a bunch of his original songs. Since we’ve only been writing a short while & have only a dozen or so songs to play, it was a real gift. He came over tonight to run through 8-10 of them, and they’re BEAUTIFUL.

His chord structures are complex. Lots of 11ths and inverted chords. His lyrics are deeply touching & full of beautiful imagery. His melodies are smooth with occasional dissonance to shake things up. Both hubby & I love everything about them.

He wants us to pick 5 to perform at a show he’s booked in April. He says he’s been playing his guitar alone in his bedroom his whole life and isn’t really comfortable doing the whole two hours alone. He also invited another woman to join in, one who has performed with hubby & me in the past. She’s a big character in a tiny little package & has the most amazing rich soprano, so it’s going to be a lot of fun rehearsing with them.

in Nashville featured female vocalists. I was almost sure I’d be one of the worst since I’m so inexprienced and since Nashville has so many brilliant singers.

Fortunately, I was wrong – again. We got an incredible response. The audience was clapping along on a couple of songs & we got cheers on EVERY SINGLE SONG. Lots of REALLY GOOD stuff happened. Plus we met some really nice people.

not the best ever. It was a smaller crowd than usual, due to various Christmas functions & football games. Pus, snow was in the forecast & we don’t drive on snow down here.

Me & Bobby McGee went great ‘til I had to belt out that high E in my full voice. Hubby says & the recording confirms that I did hit the note, but pinched it instead of letting it resonate the way it needed to. I thought I did an AWFUL job, but people howled afterwards. One couple was SO excited about it & told me I NAILED it. So ap

Three gigs this week, the last of which is tonight… Last night was up in Nashville as part of (another) showcase. It went well, so hopefully tonight will, too – and then I’m giving my voice some well-deserved rest.

My vocal coach has had me working at improving my tone in the upper part of my register for awhile now. We were both frustrated because no matter what she tried, I seemed to get it for a split second, then lost it. Suddenly, this week, something clicked and I think I actually have it. When I sang at the showcase this week, she came up to me & asked, “You got it. Do you know how you got it, like what you were doing to get it?” I rattled off a long list & she looked so proud that I had to laugh.

“My little songbird is learning to make her way in the big scary world that is Nashville,” she said. It was a moment…

Would appreciate constructive feedback, as always.

I guess this is as good as I get…

I recorded the vocals last night. I like them & hopefully some other people will, too. They should be ready for MySpace this week & then we’re taking it to Nashville for our meeting.

Me & Bobby McGee was incredible. Tooting my own horn a bit, but I surprised myself with how powerful it was. Something happens when I’m singing in front of a crowd. I get way into it & just wail…

Our newest original song, Mean Girl, went over well. It was kind of cool that the girl that QB terrorized (& I refused to terrorize) showed up for the song’s debut since I wrote it because of her. She was laughing & grinning from ear to ear, and I couldn’t help breaking out into laughter halfway through the second chorus. Pure joy. So thanks to Jane & Double N who suggested that I write a song about all the stuff QB put us through.

Don’t Fear the Reaper & Lola were huge hits. Hubby just ROCKED on Lola!

After the gig, another writer asked if I’d consider recording a funny song that he wrote called, Gay Country, the story of a girl who sees Britney & Madonna kissing on tv & decides to leave her husband. Told him I’d love to do it. Sounds like fun. He seemed a little surprised – “Really?”

:)