Black Friday Sale

I’m not really a Black Friday kind of person. I like shopping when I’m looking for something specific, but I’m certainly not excited about fighting crowds. And when have I EVER gotten up at 4 am for this endeavor?

Nevertheless, I’m contributing to the chaos. But the good news is, you don’t have to leave your living room to take advantage of it.

Marijke Jane - Half off for only $5 each!

Think of it as an extremely affordable Christmas present.

Or payoff for procrastinating on your purchase of my CD.

Either way, they’re cheaper today than even a full album MP3 download.

Where I Am Now

More often than not these days, I feel the need to recalibrate. I can’t go very long without needing to realign myself with the truth of why I’m exactly where I am. I forget it so easily. I fall into distrust and fear so easily.

Yesterday afternoon I decided to drive to Oklahoma to stay with my cousins – a couple days earlier than I’d been planning to for the Thanksgiving holiday. I listened to an old album, and I was struck at how much the meaning in those songs had changed for me.

Four years ago at this time I was living in Minnesota with my parents, working part time, sporadically spending time with friends, and daily taking walks around the lake near my parents’ house. I was in that ‘in-between’ period: no longer in Dallas, not yet where I’d find myself for the next 4 years. I was a little lost, and at the same time more free than I’d felt in a while. I was certainly unaware of how my life would change in the coming years.

Often on those walks, or while raking leaves, I listened to Jill Paquette. Her songs are honest about questions and doubt. She doesn’t defend her imperfection, but stresses her need for God in the midst of it. I connected with the album four years ago, but I was amazed at how much it meant to me when I listened to it last night. Songs I had overlooked before now flooded me with significance. I realized how much I have really changed in the last four years. I realized how much of God I recognize in my experience. I am more than ever aware of my need for him, and grateful for that need.

There’s no telling what the next four years of my life hold. Or the next four months, for that matter. But I don’t want to lose sight of the ways God speaks to me and draws me to him every day. I hope recognizing my need for realignment on a regular basis doesn’t mean I’m failing at what I’m doing. I think it means I see God at work in my life more than I ever have before.

Audio Expansion

For a musician, I have a ridiculously small musical library. I listen to what I listen to; I sometimes purchase a random song or album, but I have not traditionally invested in a collection. I don’t know why.

When I was in elementary school, I remember somebody asking me what radio station I listened to, and I told them, 102.9 Lite FM. At which point a friend of mine came to my rescue, said I was joking (which I wasn’t), and promptly told the inquiring individual that I listened to the local pop station.

What? 5th graders aren’t allowed to like easy listening?

Needless to say, I’ve never really been on the forefront of the music scene (which I’ve always found a little ironic, being I’m a songwriter and all). In any case, I am aware of the fact that expanding my musical tastes might be a valuable investment; I find I’m often inspired when I listen to new and different music I enjoy.

Recently I acquired four new albums. The first, recommended to me by my friend, Sally. The latter three, songs and albums I overheard while hanging out with friends. (By the way, two of the artists were lucky recipients of a spot on a recent “Road Trip Mix – 2009,” given to me by my friend Ruthie.)

The lesson here? Be my friend, and I might just listen to the music you like.

Most of this music isn’t new, it’s just new to me. And while I am just learning what these albums are all about, and might not recommend every song as the very best EVER, thus far I have heard beautiful and wonderful things in all of them.

So without further ado (and linked to the requisite iTunes description) I bring you my current playlist:

• Erin McCarley – Love, Save the Empty
  
• Marc Broussard – Carencro
• Imogen Heap – Speak for Yourself
• Eric Hutchinson – Sounds Like This

I can’t wait until I start sounding really keyboardy, bluesy, edgy, folk rocky. You know… when the influence of these albums fuses to how I write.

And as soon as my bank account can accommodate such growth? My next investment will be country. 

 

Ode To My Show

I started to write a poem about how I’m playing at a coffee shop tonight, but when I was half way through (thinking it was genius at first pen, of course) I realized that it had absolutely no structure. Or rhyme. So basically, it was like:

I like coffee.

I like  music.

Come see me play music and drink coffee.

Alright, so it wasn’t quite that bad. But it was bad enough that it caused me to delete the whole thing and start from scratch.

If by ’start from scratch’ you mean state explicitly what I’d tried to say poetically? Then Yes. That’s what this “from scratch” blog post is.

 

I bet you like music and coffee.

You should come hear me play music while you drink coffee.

The Pearl Cup

Downtown Dallas  

11/12/2009

6:30 pm

Wish That I Was (In Nashville To Congratulate Her Personally)

I started reading Annie Parsons‘ blog in early 2007 – long before I was a “serious” blogger myself. In fact, I’d actually creeped onto her myspace page through some mutual friends, started reading her posts there, and, well..  you know the rest. She’s the only blogger turned real-life friend I’ve ever met (so far). 

I like to think of her posts as my “bloggy breakfast.” She tells the stories of life, music, and adventure in an easy-going, coffee table, conversational kind of way. And I think that’s what makes her blog so well loved. You read her blog and you feel like you know her. She invites you into her living room (or driveway at the very least), tells you a story, and you’re not the least bit surprised when you leave knowing you’d like to visit again.

She, like me, is a songwriter and musician. And she, like me, has recently released a recording. (Yay!) I’m no country music expert, but I’m pretty sure I know her writing enough to know that these song are going to be interesting and fun, catchy, and easy to listen to. I’ve heard a couple of the tracks already via her blog – and I’m already proud of the triumph I know this is for her. 

I recommend you visit her blog to read all about the release – she’s featuring it throughout the week. You won’t be disappointed…

Focusing Perspective

I’ve been thinking about something ever since my show last Saturday night. The event went well enough, though I could certainly stand to work on my presentation. I’m not always sure how to engage the crowd in a coffee shop style setting, but that’s kind of what got me thinking.

I love to sing, I do. But what I love most about singing is truly sharing my heart behind the songs. I write with purpose, and a lot of who I am goes into those songs. Last Saturday night I was  playing my set, and a friend in the audience asked me to share the story behind a song, and I felt like I couldn’t.

I felt like I couldn’t say, in a very public, casual atmosphere, what was really behind the next song. Because there wasn’t a story or event I could tell, it was just about God – how I come to him (and sometimes don’t) and about how he draws me anyway.

Now you might think this means I am afraid to give a public testimony. I’m not. But I’m cautious when I call a venue and ask if I can come and play, that what I say fits into what they are expecting in allowing me to be there. I’m not into bait and switch evangelism.

But the fact that I didn’t feel comfortable to share my heart made me really evaluate what I want in performing. I don’t want to play a ton of shows that are just music and performance – no substance. Somehow, I need to narrow my focus. Either I choose to find venues to play that will be, up front, open to my message. Or I learn to be a little more bold in my approach – even if it alienates some.

I’m not totally sure how this is going to change things. But I know that I don’t want to waste my time or my money this year playing music that doesn’t matter. Because the message does matter. And that’s why I’m here.

Less Than Impressed

The only three books on the music business in the whole of Barnes and Noble, Grand Junction:

They’re Playing My Song

You know what’s great about pop music?

Nothing.

Okay, I seriously take that back, because I totally love pop music.

But think about it, pop music is like the antithesis of the river of life. And here’s why… Have you ever heard that old church song, “Deep and Wide?”

Deep and wide, deep and wide, there’s a fountain flowing deep and wide…

Well I’ll tell you what pop music is not: Deep OR Wide.

I mean, I don’t know exactly how music would be wide, but still. IT IS NOT.

Though it is some dang catchy music. It’s the annoying kind of catchy where you think if you hear the song you’ll get it out of your head, except then you don’t. You scan the satellite radio stations just hoping you’ll hear it, because, let’s be honest, if you heard it once you will hear it again. And then when you hear it, the catchiness is only reinforced until you reach the point that you find yourself purchasing the stupid song on iTunes for $1.29 even though you know you’re going to be sick of it in a week.

But until that week is over, oh it’s pure bliss, it is.  Let me tell you, driving in the car, nodding your head like ‘yeah,’ never gets old.

At least not yet, anyway.

A Public vs Private Life

“It is incredibly difficult to be both public and private all at once.”

So what of the musician, the writer, the artist, the actor, the politician? When “success” means yours is a household name, how do you savor your true identity? How do you manage to put yourself out there – to let your work be known – and maintain a sense that your world is your own? How do you keep from judging your value on others’ perception?

Is it worth the trade off? A necessary consequence of pursuing your passion?
Or does it warp what’s really important in this life?

I would argue that, if handled carelessly, it could easily be both.

Flash Back

A week and a half ago, we had  an MJ and the Groaters reunion.

Who are MJ and the Groaters, you ask? Oh, just me, Paul, and Jon. A nice little name for our trio of musicianship.

This is where it all began…  The three of us rehearsing to play a Jars of Clay song at church, 2 1/2 years ago. Not actually our first performance, but the first documented evidence of our friendship and collaboration.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is where it brought us…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And we celebrated our music together by having breakfast at my favorite restaurant and going for a drive. Thanks for being a part of my music for the last 3 years, you guys. I’m definitely going to miss you….