June 1, 2010

I love the first day of a new month. It's like you can wipe the slate clean and re-evaluate what you want to accomplish. This month mine are to write everyday, devote at least one or two hours everyday to business, moving into a new house, starting P90X, booking more shows. Sounds much too ambitious but that's good to me :)

CMA Music Festival is upon us once again and I cannot wait! This is what I look forward to all year long! This will be my fourth year participating in such a high-energy, star-studded, four-day extravaganza! I'm so anxious and excited to reconnect with familiar faces from years past and to meet new fans. I've got two big events lined up for CMA Fest so hopefully you'll be able to join me for one or both of them, starting with...Andy Griggs' 2nd Annual Celebrity Poker Tournament on Thursday, June 10th and then my 3rd Annual Pre-Stadium Blowout featuring Jason Michael Carroll, Andy Griggs, and special guests at Limelight on Sunday, June 13th! It's gonna be BIG and I hope to share it with as many fabulous CMA Fest fans as humanely possible :)

Yesterday I got back from my road-trip to Wisconsin to meet the boyfriend's family for the first time. The fact that we're still together after 24 hours in the car together (12 hours there, 12 hours back) must mean SOMETHING, right? :) It was super fun. Definitely a major change of pace for a city girl like myself...I went from Detroit to Nashville to Stratford, WI with one stoplight and cornfields as far as the eye can see. Good times, good times. I'll be in Nashville a whole 48 hours before I hop on a plane and fly to Detroit to see the family for the weekend. Can't wait to be reunited with them again...I get so darn homesick sometimes! My baby sister is having her graduation party this weekend and I can't believe that all of us kids are now out of high school. I have "empty nest syndrome" and I'm not even a parent, or living in my parent's house, haha! It's insane how time flies...

Then I'll be in town for CMA Fest the next weekend, and the weekend after, I'll be hopping on yet another plane to fly to Arkansas Father's Day weekend for a show! I'm getting to be quite the traveler...Texas, Wisconsin, Detroit, Arkansas...all in one month! Too bad my dogs are too big to fit into my carry-on bag, ha. Well...that's about all I've got for you for now. Summer's here, let's par-tay!

April 12, 2010

Last night I was meeting up with a couple of friends that I haven't seen in months and one of them stopped me in mid-sentence and just said, "Wait, I just have to tell you...you seem so happy. It's like your radiating..." So after assuring this person that it wasn't a pregnancy glow (HAHA), I just smiled to myself. This year is turning out to be fantastic and I couldn't be happier. Life feels like it's on the right track, in the right direction, and I'm going full steam ahead. I'm focused, I'm productive, I'm ambitious and driven...all the while, having a blast doing it and enjoying the people I love around me. It's good to be in my shoes today ;)

So many things to look forward to! Got a KILLER show at The Bluebird here in a couple weeks that I am beyond thrilled about! Called on some of my all-time favorite & ridiculously talented female co-writers and friends to join me. Seriously, I'm betting this is my best Bluebird round in 5 years! Don't miss me, Amy Dalley, Sara Beck, and Bonnie Baker at The Bluebird Cafe on Thursday, April 29th at 6PM! ALSO......I'm heading back to Texas to play again! Woop Woop!! Cannot friggin' WAIT! I'll be making my 2nd appearance as co-headliner for a phenomenal show called Melody Maker's in Lufkin, TX at the Crown Colony Country Club. I'll be joined by singer, #1 hit songwriter extraordinaire Karen Staley & Nashville record producer and fabulous singer/writer/friend Kim Copeland (as well as performances by local TX openers) on Friday, May 7th at 7PM. Don't miss us!

Went up to Detroit last weekend for Easter and had a blast! Getting to play "tour guide" in my hometown never ceases to amuse me. My boyfriend got to meet all of the fam, see where I grew up, AND have his first IKEA experience! YESSS! Also, the showcase last month was AMAZING! Still can't stop gushing over how wonderful it was to share in such a great night with such a packed house full of my peers in the music business, my friends, and my parents & Granny (who had driven 9 hours the night before from Michigan just to be there for the show!) See all the pics on my Facebook & MySpace!

Okay, that's about all I've got for you now. Home Depot is calling my name so I gotta get...! Talk to you soon!!

March 1, 2010

TEN DAYS TIL MY SHOWCASE!
What a whirlwind! This year is shaping up to be crazy good thus far!

I am feeling a bit of everything these days--blessed, happy, frantic, anxious, nervous, determined. I am thriving in the beautiful chaos that has become my life in the last couple weeks. I feel more pro-active and productive in the past 2 and a half months then I think I've felt in 2 years. Taking the reigns and owning control has never felt so good... There's been a lot of life changes with a few bumps in the road, but mostly a liberating sense of taking my life & my career back in my hands and not waiting, relying, praying for anyone else to make it happen for me but me. I am stepping COMPLETELY out of my comfort zone and I can't help but feel like "the big guy upstairs" is looking out for me and making this road an easy one to follow. I have such a great support system around me, amazing friends, a family that I think the world of, a house that I couldn't adore more, two precious pooches, and a future that has never seemed more in focus. I have absolutely nothing to complain about.

Let's raise a glass to making 2010 the year it all happens ;)

January 1, 2010

I can't believe that another year has passed. They say that as you get older, the years just fly by...does that mean I'm getting old? ;) It's gonna take me awhile to adjust to writing "2010" on everything now. Wow...another decade, huh? Well, I'll be the first to say that I am SO unbelievably relieved to give 2009 the big ol' boot out of here and embrace a fresh start for 2010. The year had it's ups and downs, some phenomenal career highs for me and some less than pleasant kicks to the gut as well. Either way, a new year...a clean slate! Isn't that a blessing in itself?! And I couldn't think of any better way to say goodbye to one year and hello to another than to be in COUNTRY WEEKLY magazine! Pick it on up and see my mug in there, yay! I hope you all had a BEAUTIFUL Christmas & New Year's, I know I did! Going away, getting out of town for awhile was so good for my soul. I ended up spending the week before Christmas down in Panama City, Florida on the beach with my dogs. Taking super long strolls along a deserted beach was so invigorating, I must say. Watching all the dogs run and jump into the ways was extremely entertaining and comical as well! I'm gonna have to post photos of that soon! Check my Facebook and MySpace soon for photos from the holidays! From Panama City, went up to Detroit to spend Christmas with all of my family. I didn't know I missed them so much, but I do. This trip was alllll about my family, I hardly saw any friends back home. Spending some real quality time with my parents, my Grandma, my little cousins, my younger siblings (who all stand completely over me), my aunt....it was so beautiful. I even spent time with all the bizillion dogs my parents have now acquired, haha. Present-wise, I definitely made out too! I got me a new camera, a Wii Fit Plus (FINALLY, yay!), clothes, giftcards, books....it was sweet! Had to fly home with an extra suitcase just to fit it all! Thank God Southwest still lets you fly 2 bags for free...

New Year's Eve was spectacular as well! I was honored to be a part of a GREAT benefit concert for the Magdelene Foundation alongside incredible hit songwriters like Bridgette Tatum, Danny Myrick, Julie Roberts, Marcus Hummon and more! My guitar player (and incredible singer songwriter) Tim Buppert tore it up with a set and had a blast watching all the performers throughout the night! Everybody was so sweet! AND I got to debut my new party dress!!! (I swear, buying a party dress for every occasion is an addiction for me, hehe!) I looked and left like a rocker-chick/80's prom queen/princess! From there we met up with some friends at a bar downtown and danced the night away...it was such a wonderful night and just the way I wanted to close out 2009!

I'm looking so forward to this year. I've got some huge changes taking place in 2010, some very big meetings in the first week of January, and shows galore! I've got a good feeling about this year, a very good feeling...

December 1, 2009

I am super happy & stressed out & busy & tired & everything in between.  Story of my life, right?  :)  The holidays are here and this makes me EXTREMELY excited!  I love pulling out decorations, singing Christmas songs, eating myself into complete and utter oblivion, going to the mall & seeing everyone in a frenzied state of shopping.  I can't wait to go home to Detroit and see my family! I can't believe it will have been THREE MONTHS since I've seen my "little" siblings (17, 18, and 20 and all tower over me)!  Hope you all had a fabulous Thanksgiving, I know I certainly did!  I happily ate myself stupid (thanks to the superb cooking from my managers) and then passed out into a state of unconsciousness on their Lazy Boy recliner about 12 minutes after food consumption, hehe.  It was beauuuuutiful!  I then went shopping at midnight at Opry Mills Mall in Nashville on Black Friday.  And also shopped on Saturday.  And Sunday.  My friend Ryan had the holiday weekend off from the Army so visited from Fort Bragg, NC.  It was a blast! Definitely made it hard to come back to the office & get back to work after such a long & fun holiday weekend! But the great thing is...just a 3 more weeks and I get an even LONGER holiday break when I go back to Detroit!  AND SNOW! Yay! So excited!

Here's a few things to catch you up on!

1) Due to the WONDERFUL response we've gotten over the last few weeks on my Official Lovers & Liars Contest, we've decided to extend the "liars" portion to Dec. 10th!  That gives you 2 more weeks to submit your story of 'love gone wrong', that ex that should be featured on "Tool Academy", that hilariously awkward first date with Mr. Full of Himself, and so on!  Submit and be qualified to win the GRAND PRIZE!  Our "lovers" portion of the contest will start before Christmas, with the winners announced on Valentine's Day!  If you don't wish to submit, read through and vote on your favorite story that we've already received!  Either way, download my song "You Let Me" FOR FREE!  For more info, visit http:/www.rachelwilliamsonline.com/landl.html

2) MARK YOUR CALENDARS!  I will be hosting AND performing at a brand new monthly show called "Country Indie" at the famous Wildhorse Saloon in Nashville on December 15th!  "Country Indie" will feature 3 up and coming bands on the brink of their big break!  Our debut show will feature Sage Keffer, hit songwriter Kim McClean, and myself!  Show starts at 7PM...don't miss it!  For more information, visit www.wildhorsesaloon.com.

3)  A few nights later, I'll be opening for the CRAZY talented Rick Huckaby at 3rd & Lindsley on Dec. 18th!  For more information, visit www.3rdandlindsley.com. 

4)  If you haven't added yourself as a Fan on my Artist Facebook page, please do so today!  Let's get those numbers up!  I appreciate all you MySpacers, Facebookers, & Twitterers oh so very much!  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rachel-Williams/24345721918?ref=ts

5)  Become a fan on iLike!  This website is AWESOME and is really looking like it's going to be the next "it" thing for all artists & fans alike!  Check out my page http://www.ilike.com/artist/Rachel+Williams   

Also, download my FREE iPhone app for all iPhone & iPod Touch users at: http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=327587742&mt=8&partnerId=30&siteID=ibjSM6AV2mI-cIK6NaMPJQv908N04uzRSg

6) Check out my latest video with clips from my 5 Year Anniversary Concert a couple weeks ago, featuring Lisa Carver, Angela Kaset, Marcia Ramirez, Rick Huckaby, Wood Newton, Vickie Carrico, Tim Buppert, Craig Monday, Kim Copeland, and Joe Spivey at www.youtube.com/herrecords

October 21, 2009

I'm finally awake.

Its a very exciting time right now. It feels like the universe and I are finally pulling together and in the right direction. I'm falling in love again with this life that I've created and striving to make it better each and every day. As nauseating positive as that may sound, I've decided to go with it, haha. I'm surrounding myself around people who are good for me, I'm trying to nix negative thoughts or grumpy moods from others and DEFINITELY from myself. It's hard but worth it. I'm re-training my brain. I'm excited to be excited about myself again. Does that even make sense? ;) I'm excited to write more songs, better songs. I'm pumped to practice guitar until my fingers bleed. I'm ready to be more involved in every aspect of my career-whether its scheduling more meetings, calling radio stations, dragging myself out of my sweat pants and seeing more live shows. whatever. I'm up for the challenge of challenging myself to be out there more, to better the "product" of Rachel Williams, to listen and act, to sell more CDs, to book more shows, to exhaust myself in the best possible way by being productive. Something has been stirred in me in the last couple weeks and I'm so thankful. It's a wake-up call. People always say "You get one life" and things along those lines, and it's so easy to take cliches like that and have it go in one ear and out the other. But it's really true. I think I've finally realized all the time I've wasted pursuing things that I thought would make me happy in the long-term, but they didn't. No friend, no boy, no trip, no new purchases blah blah blah is going to fully satisfy this heart, so...it's back to my first love. The little 5 year old girl who performed concerts standing on my Nana's fireplace singing The Judds. Or the 10 year old girl that made up song & dance routines to Mariah Carey in my basement. Or the 14 year old who fearlessly cold-called radio stations and fair promoters, asking if I could sing at their next event, and did. Or the 17 year old who burned my own CDs until 1am, the night before a show... printing off CD labels and stamping 'em on and cutting out photos she'd copied at Kinko's. Or the 19 year old girl who packed up everything she owned and piled it into the back for her Ford Escort and drove 550 miles to Nashville alone and never second-guessed or looked backed back. Yes, let's go back to that girl.

It's been a crazy couple of months and it has opened my eyes and my heart for the first time in a long time. Situations have risen where it would have been easy to give up and give in. But the second I realized that there are things out of my control, that I just have to let it go and give it to God, the easier everything became. My dad is recovering from surgery just fine. My best friend got through surgery fine the other day. I'm finally Ok with letting go of "friendships/relationships" I never thought I'd be OK without. My new roommate is awesome. I'm becoming closer and growing relationships that before, I'd never really pursued. I'm getting focused. I'm playing guitar and writing songs/coming up with new ideas left and right. I'm cleaning my bedroom (haha, that's a big one!). I'm getting organized...keeping a calendar...it makes me feel more productive. I'm going to church. I'm calling my family more. I'm not running myself into the ground anymore. I'm breathing deeper these days ;) I can already tell that this is going to be a fantastic year for me. Just fantastic <3

So, there was my "up on my soapbox"/introspective thoughts for the day. Hope you enjoyed.

Professionally, there is a TON to catch you all up on! But I will give you the ever so brief run-down here real quick:

• I'm planning my 5-Year Anniversary Party for next month! It's going to be a show full of my closest friends & favorite fellow singer/songwriters/musicians/mentors! We are celebrating me being in Nashville for 5 years! Right now we are just trying to get the schedule kinks worked out, but it's looking like the 2nd week of November. Will keep you posted!
• I'm going to start hosting a monthly show at world-famous Wildhorse Saloon called "Country Indie," which will feature 3 bands on the rise of stardom! First show is scheduled for December 15th! More details coming soon!
• Check out this link to read my interview with the amazing Jackie Lee King for Unrated Magazine at http://www.unratedmagazine.com/Document.cfm?Page=Articles/index.cfm&Article_ID=697%20
• You can now purchase PHYSICAL COPIES of my latest CD, "Lovers & Liars" not only here on my website on the Store page, but also on CDBaby at http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/RachelWilliams1
• Download "Lovers & Liars" on iTunes, Amazon, and Bandbox!
• "Lovers & Liars Contest" is in full swing & I couldn't be more pleased with the response we've gotten from yall! It would seem that I'm not the only one who's had a run-in or two of some "douche-bag" ex-boyfriends, eh? ;) I'm loving everybody's stories! KEEP THEM COMING! Contest runs through November 23, 2009 before we announce our winner! Check out other people's stories, vote on your favorite, and submit your own at: rachelwilliamsonline.com/landl.html
  

Okay,
Peace out.

(to each and every one of you *muah*!)

September 21, 2009

It's my birthday week!!! So freaking excited! Not only is it an excuse to have lots of cake, friends, and party dresses around...but we're also launching a new promotion that I'm super stoked about! As you all know, the title of my latest CD is "Lovers & Liars". Because, let's face it, in my eyes you're either one or the other. Am I right? Every song is a true story about a lover or a liar in my life and I'm always more than happy to share those experiences with you. I've got lots of material, haha. So, since I've been an open book for the last few years with all the truth-baring songs I've written, I want to give you, the FANS the chance to share a little back with me! So check out our "Lovers & Liars" page here on the site, read some stories from other fans, and submit your own! Don't be shy now...no one's judging you. Trust me, we've ALL been there! Just have fun with it and download my new single "You Let Me" as a bonus ;)

So getting back to birthdays...

I always like to start my new year, like a fresh start with every birthday. New Year's is great and all, but the REAL clean slate is one more candle on that birthday cake for me! The last year has taught me so much about myself--as a friend, a girlfriend, an ex-girlfriend, a roommate, a daughter & sister, an artist, and as a writer... I love what I've learned, even the tough stuff. I've come out stronger than I ever thought possible and I know that at the end of the day, I wouldn't be as grateful as I am for what I have if I didn't go through all the 'garbage'. Like in my song "Where My Line Is", I have redefined my boundaries as a human being...what I'm willing to give and what I expect from others. I've distanced myself from those relationships that weren't as good as they could be and allowed myself to become closer to those that support and inspire me. I learned to rely on myself more in the last year than any other time in my life, and it's a constant learning experience. I'm digging deep one minute and I'm wild & carefree the next. It's a beautiful thing.

I hope that with my 'new age', I can live more in a positive light. That I can keep myself from getting bogged down by current situations, dramas, difficulties, and such and allow myself to not only take control when I need to take control, but trust enough to give it over to God when it's something beyond me. I have a hard time letting go, and I'm hoping to become better at it this go-round. I want to throw myself into things that make me happy---singing, writing songs, being good to my body, being good to other people, going to church, having more "alone time", spending more time with my family & dogs, growing in mind, body, & spirit.

This journey I'm on will never be as wonderful as it could be if I am stagnate. I want to be fearless. I want to truly believe inside and out that I deserve the best kind of career, love, and life there is and commit to working for it every day.

My world is constantly changing. Instead of getting bitter and fighting it, I will embrace it.
So I just made this declaration on my website, for the world to see...now yall hold me accountable, ok? ;)
Love to you all...you're the best!!

August 17, 2009

There's SO much to catch everybody up on and not enough time! But it's been awhile since I checked in, so I'll
try to give you all at least a quick run-down:

I am currently writing this from the U.P. (Upper Peninsula of Michigan), enjoying the great outdoors, visiting with friends and such. Shot a gun for the first time, caught my first fish (14 inch Large Mouth Bass!), went into the Great Lakes (Michigan & Superior) for the first time, hung out at the U.P. State Fair yesterday and going camping tomorrow! I'm such a mountain girl now, who'da thought? Haha! Crazy how I've lived near Detroit for 19 years and never once ventured up to the U.P. It's like a whole 'nother universe up here, and I'm diggin it! This trip comes just after getting back from an 11 day excursion out west. Got to be in California...saw Orange County, Hollywood, Santa Monica,
Malibu, and everything in between! My BFF/roommate, Ellie & I went out there for a wedding a couple weeks ago.
One of my girlfriends from high school asked me to be a bridesmaid, so I accepted and before you knew it, I was
in my dress, fixing the bride's makeup, taking photos, dancing to Whitney Houston on the dance floor, and so on!
From there, I ventured onto my first vacation as an "adult" in Los Angeles. Drove around without a clue as to where
I was going and managed to stumble across all the sights...Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood, the beaches. We were so tourist-y, but I loved every minute...from posing with celebrity stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (Michael Jackson and Britney were my highlights!), to taking the most ghetto-fabulous/HYSTERICAL tour of Hollywood/Beverly Hills celebrity homes on an "open top bus" (the photos of this are priceless!), Rodeo Drive, discovering the $2.50 margaritas in Santa Monica, to having our rental car's battery die in the hotel parking lot. Needless to say, our trip was rather eventful ;)

From Hollywood, it was onward to Dallas where I landed right into a whirlwind couple of days. I played a big show in Lufkin, TX with hit songwriter Jill Colluci (think "No One Else on Earth" by Wynonna, baby!) and my producer, Kim Copeland on Friday night. Special thanks to radio stations KTIR in Granbury, TX and KJ 103 in Lufkin, TX and TV station KETK-NBC's "East Texas Live" for interviewing me as part of their shows and helping to promote the gig! Big shout-out to Connie for being the hostess with the mostess and not only for giving us the hook-up and booking us a great show, but for throwing the most fabulous house parties too!

From Dallas, I was home for 4 days..wrote an AMAZING song with one of my favorite singer/songwriters, Bonnie Baker (can't wait to get into the studio and record it!), and booked 2 more shows for early September!

Speaking of which, these are shows you WON'T want to miss!

Tuesday, September 1st join us as I tear it up with my full band for a night full of music from the new CD, "Lovers & Liars", previous albums, AND cover songs! I'll be joined by the badass that is Bruce Wallace (superb singer/songwriter/rockstar guitar player/entertainer) and his band, Walrus. We'll also be celebrating my best friend/roommate, Ellie's Going Away Party...as she says goodbye to all of us here in America and moves
back home to the U.K. :( Show is from 6PM-9PM at 3rd & Lindsley in Nashville, $5 cover.

Friday, September 5th-I will join hit songwriter Tim Buppert and James Casto for a special, intimate acoustic performance at Chukkar's Farm and Polo Club in Alpharetta, GA starting at 7PM. Don't miss it! (The night before, I'll be seeing Britney Spears live in action in Atlanta, WOOHOO!)

Tuesday, September 8th-Hit songwriters Jill Colluci, Karen Staley, and Georgia Middleman will join me as I host a late round at the legendary Bluebird Cafe here in Nashville! Show starts at 9PM, $8 cover. Make your reservations soon at www.bluebirdcafe.com.

Thats all I've got for now...

Hope everybody's August has been wonderful and I'll talk to ya real soon!

July 23, 2009

It's raining outside today. It's been raining all day. In fact, the roof to my house is leaking, just in case I forgot that it was raining. Needless to say, today I'd love nothing more than to climb into bed with my new book and read/sleep these clouds away!

This summer is just FLYING by! It's been a full month since my last Diary entry (for which I sincerely apologize for) and I'm finding it rather difficult to sum things up.

For the record, if you're REALLY interested in keeping up with me...I am a pretty frequent updater on Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace...so, if you can't find what you want here, be sure to check me out on my other sites too! We're also running some pretty sweet contests on all three of those websites too, so read my latest News article to learn more!

I'm excited! I've been writing a lot lately and really diggin what I'm coming up with. It's always great to have a song that you genuinely love at the end of a several hour writing session. It's very rewarding and makes me feel productive. If not, I'll probably be Facebook-stalking people, haha!

On Monday I got back from a 24 hour "vacation/detox" at a BEAUTIFUL lake house in Alabama! My managers were there already and I decided to invite myself, my two closest girlfriends, and my two puppies along for the last night!
It was great...right on the lake, with a dock and everything. We rented a pontoon boat, got a free jet ski ride (which, I'm sure the guy regretted later after we tipped it over and it took 4 bodies to get it upright again), and just hung out with our dogs and guitars. I wish I could have stayed longer. I need a getaway, for sure.

I fly out to L.A. one week from today! I'm so nervous and excited! I have no idea what to expect but from what I know now, our trip is pretty poorly planned. Which, I'm sure I'll regret once I'm out there. NEVER let the artist be in charge of booking a hotel room/rental car/etc. HAHA! From L.A., I fly right into Dallas to get ready for my big show in Lufkin, Texas! I haven't been to Texas in a couple years now and I'm SO stoked to be back and doin my thaaang! So, if you're in the area...PLEASE COME SEE US!

Other than that, just trying to play catch up. I feel like I had 2 or so months of nonstop things to do...recording the album, getting the website/MySpace done, CMA Fest, going to Michigan for my brother's grad party the week after,
then coming home to do a CD Release Party 2 day later...and now...? I'm busy and I'm not. Somedays I just don't
know what to do with myself! However, we've brought a couple new people on board to help us get this ball rolling
even more so and I CAN'T WAIT! We've got some GREAT ideas for this CD, some awesome exclusives & contests for you fans, and hopefully...I'LL BE ON THE ROAD SOON! Exciting?! DEFINITELY!

Other than that, it's just me...my boy...my roommate...my dogs...watching Harry Potter movies ;) I have this desire to go camping. Really bad. Hopefully, after all my traveling in the next couple weeks, it will happen!

Hope yall are having a GREAT summer!

June 22, 2009

*Warning: This is a long one, much to update you all on!*

What a whirlwind June has been for me! I'm sitting here on my manager's couch in her office and feeling like this
is the first few minutes of downtime I've had in weeks! Pretty crazy, huh? But I love it!

CMA Music Festival was beyond anything I could have ever hoped for! Meeting all of you...some for the very first
time, and others I got to re-connect with once again at this year's festival...such a thrill for me! I really can't even put it to words! I just remember my first year of being at CMA Fest in 2007, and thinking to myself"I hope that people will want to meet me", "I hope I get to sign a few CDs and pictures", etc. That year ended up being a great success! Last year's experience was unbelievable to me then because it was even bigger and better than the year before! But this year, yall made it INCREDIBLE! I'm still riding high from it! I got to meet so many of you, we ran out of pictures (we printed over a 1000!), the shows were packed, we got my brand-new EP in the hands of so many of you, you all were so enthusiastic to buy my CDs! Freakin awesome! Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! I can't wait to see you in 2010--and this time, we're aiming even higher! STADIUM, BABY! ;) Check out photos from CMA Fest on my BRAND NEW MYSPACE PAGE at myspace.com/rachelwilliamsmusic!

My brand-spankin-new 7 song EP, "Lovers & Liars" is officially out and ready for you to download (if you haven't already)!! It brings me great joy to finally share new music with you after all this time! I've been pretty good at posting demo recordings on my MySpace and on my Fan Page...but to have an actual CD for you all to take home (or download onto your iTunes, hehe) is so rewarding and exciting for me! I co-wrote all 7 songs as well as co-produced this record...so you're listening to "my baby", as I like to call it. I've been through SO much in the last 2 years since "Lonely At The Bottom" and here is a short time-line of all those experiences. I've been as happy and in love and carefree as can be and I've been devastatingly heart-broken more than once. I've learned so much about myself and the people in my life and redefined my role in their lives and their roles in mine. It's very liberating!! I've had my eyes opened & I love that I'm able to share so much of this with you...even if it is only 7 songs this go-round! My hope is to release a new EP every 6 months or so, that way, we are constantly giving you fans what you want...NEW MUSIC! And I'm a writing fool, so I'm more than happy to oblige ;)

Download "Lovers & Liars" on Bandbox, iTunes, or Amazon. Get a physical copy of the CD here on my website on the Store page! Get the lyrics to each song on my Music page here!

This Wednesday is my CD Release Party and I am so beyond stoked! It's been 2 years since I've been able to throw
a party to celebrate a new music release so...I'm READY! BRING IT ON! I'm going to have some of my great friends
and some of my favorite co-writers join in the festivities and perform at the bash! Catch singer/songwriters Karen Staley, Sara Beck, Mark Narmore, Karleen Watt, Bonnie Baker, and Bruce Wallace and then my band and I tear it
up to close the show at 3rd & Lindsley here in Nashville from 6-9PM! I'll post pictures on MySpace & Facebook soon
after!

Congratulations to my little sister Erin, who won Belleville's Strawberry Queen over the weekend in my hometown of
Belleville, Michigan. I was lucky enough to have been present and watch my sister DOMINATE the stage with her
performance of "Popular" from the musical "Wicked"! Who knew that we had yet ANOTHER musical talent in the family?!

And a big congrats & shout-out to my little brother, Garrett who graduated from Belleville High School and had an
a HUGELY successful graduation party over the weekend as well! It was SO great to be home and with all of my
family...it was definitely a reunion of all sorts! I had a blast! I'll probably post some photos from that trip as well very soon on MySpace & Facebook! I love you guys!

Okay...that's a lot.
*deep breath*

Thanks for reading this. Hope you enjoy the new music and I hope to see and/or hear from you all real soon!
Hope you all are enjoying your summer thus far and have a Happy 4th of July!

June 4, 2009

This time of year always reminds me that it is indeed true...I thrive on chaos. It's "crunch month" as we like to
call it here at the office. Which means, we are working at an abnormally busy pace to make sure we've got our stuff together for this year's CMA Music Festival. And like my experience at CMA Fest a couple years ago, this go round it's triple insane because we'll ALSO be launching the release of a new CD! My 7 song EP, Lovers & Liars is officially done! The photos and graphics are printed, the songs are mixed & mastered, and I was able to hold the finished product in my hands today! Pretty cool, eh?

I'm so excited for you all to hear what I've been doing over the course of the last 2 years since Lonely At The Bottom. I mean, you won't hear ALL of the last 2 years (kinda hard to sum up 24 months in 7 songs) but you'll definitely get a glimpse into my world, get inside my head a bit. Hope you're ready, haha.

Check out my full CMA Fest itinerary on my Tour Page here and also on my Official MySpace page! I'll be signing advanced copies of my EP, Lovers & Liars from my booth (#235) all four days as well as performing a show every day of CMA Fest! I'm sure I'm over-extending myself, but hey, this time only comes once a year and I want to make the absolute most of it! I can't wait to see all my fans and friends alike...see familiar faces and turn new people onto my music! I've been anxiously awaiting the arrival of CMA Fest weekend and it's almost here!

The official release date of Lovers & Liars is Tuesday, June 16th. We're working to make this release more digital than buying a physical copy of the CD. We're using this new digital store called Bandbox, which is one of the fastest growing digital download stores out right now! Bandbox has worked exclusively with artists such as Taylor Swift, Keith Urban and more when they released their latest CDs and singles and the coolest part about Bandbox? Well, unlike so many of these other download sites, the artist makes 100% of the digital download profits! Talk about supporting your favorite artists, right?! We've been and will continue to run specials on downloads through Bandbox on my MySpace page this month, just so that you can try it out! Bandbox will download straight to your iTunes, iPod, Zune, etc! The new EP, Lovers & Liars will also be available through my website, on iTunes, Amazon, and most other download sites as well! So mark your calendars for June 16th!

We'll finally be drawing a winner for the mp3 player that's loaded with all my music (both CDs, both EPs, and unreleased demo recordings) on Thursday, June 18th! Good luck to everyone who submitted themselves!!

After all the craziness with CMA Fest wraps, and the official CD release and mp3 giveaway are both over, I'll be heading up to Michigan for my brother's graduation party for a few days. Talk about a whirlwind! Then upon my return from Michigan, a couple days later I'll be rocking out with the biggest show of my year---my CD Release Party on Thursday, June 24th! I've asked some of my FAVORITE co-writers to join me for a complete extravangza at 3rd & Lindsley and it's going to be one hell of a party! You won't want to miss it!

Okay, that's about all my brain can handle for right now. My best friend just flew in from Florida today and so I'm trying to squeeze whatever few minutes I have left in my crazy day to go meet her for coffee.

I will talk to you soon! Hope everyone is well!!

May 18, 2009

I am feeling so good lately! Things are really coming along in every aspect of life these days and I couldn't feel more grateful, hectic, busy, productive, and blessed!

I have been a singing fool! On top of finishing up the EP (which yes, it's done and it sounds AMAZING!), singing demos in the studio, writing songs...I've also been performing a TON lately! The last few shows have re-ignited something in me. They've really inspired me to keep making my shows bigger and better. I love that high you feel after a great show and I'm ready to keep that buzz going all the time, with everything I do! It feels sort of like it's motivating me to get back on track with so many things...be the best at what I do with everything. I love that feeling!

Most recently, I performed two shows last week that have really opened my eyes. First being the Bruce Holloway Memorial Benefit concert on May 13th. To be paying tribute to my dear friend who lost his life last month was such an honor for me. It was heart-breaking but also very healing. To be able to hear songs that Bruce had written with others, to sing songs that he and I had written together, to share stories about our buddy, and just to be in the midst of such INCREDIBLE talent... Jeffrey Steele, Chuck Cannon, Emily West, Randy Houser, Kim Carnes, and so many more...I mean, it just really doesn't get any better than that! It was a true privilege to share the stage with these people and remember Bruce. We miss you!

The second show being just this past weekend, May 16th, at the Jo Dee Messina Music Row Road Race. I really didn't know what to expect when I woke up Saturday morning. The mega-band and I (three guitar players, keyboards, bass, drums...the whole works) were performing at 9:45am downtown for the race. To wake up to thunder and see the continuous pour down of rain from 7AM til almost 9AM was not looking too promising...but I tell you what...the second we walked out of the house and made our way to the show, the clouds opened up and the sun started shinin bright as ever! It continued to shine the entire race for all those runners and kept it going through the performances afterwards! I'm definitely no runner by any means, so it felt good to contribute to St. Jude's Children Research Hospital the only real way I know how...through song. The band and I rocked it out through our set for a crowd of appreciative runners, families, and other supporters! With the Cracker Barrel banner hanging behind me (they sponsored all the festivities and the race itself), it was hard not to flash-back to the good ol' days of wearing my Cracker Barrel apron, serving corn bread and sweet tea back in Belleville 4 1/2 years ago. Crazy, huh? Haha! At the end of my set, none other than Miss JO DEE MESSINA herself surprised us all and jumped up on stage with me! Talk about an adrenaline rush! I've seen her multiple times in concert over the years and am always blown away but her stage performance! I'm a big fan!! So to stand on stage and sing "Something To Talk About" by one of my idols, Bonnie Raitt, was more than a thrill for me! See pictures of the performance on my MySpace page!

I'm playing a writer's round with my guitar extrodinaire/best friend/awesome dude, Joe Spivey at Limelight on Wednesday night...looking forward to jamming with him and debuting some brand new songs (newer than the EP songs!) A bunch of my good friends will be playing that night too, so if you're about, come see us starting at 7PM! Then the VERY NEXT DAY I'll be playing the legendary Bluebird Cafe with some of my favorite people of ALL TIME---Karleen Watt, Bruce Wallace, and Chelsee Oaks. Reserve your seats today at www.bluebirdcafe.com!

Keep checking the website for CMA Music Festival information! I could have as many as FOUR SHOWS during CMA Fest. I will be at my booth, signing copies of my upcoming EP, "Lovers & Liars" all four days of CMA Fest! Can't wait to see some familair faces, meet new fans, and let yall hear the new music I've been making! This is gonna ROCK! I will post all the information SOON...I swear!

Well, that's about all I can handle right now...as you can see, so much is going on with me---it's hard to keep track...and that's just the way I like it! I love you guys so much and thanks for checking in! See ya real soon!

April 14, 2009

Soo…a ton of you have been asking me about new music lately and it brings me MUCH joy to announce to you that YES…it’s on the way! We’ve decided to release an EP with 6 brand-new songs that I’ve written over the last year or so! The EP, Lovers & Liars, will be available on June 16th to everyone! And for those of you attending this year’s CMA Music Festival, you can purchase advanced copies of Lovers & Liars from me personally at my booth in the Convention Center June 11-14! YAY!

Also, the MP3 player that we’ve been hyping for Lord knows how long will FINALLY find it’s home on June 18th, just 2 days after the EP is released! This mp3 player will be full of all things that are Rachel Williams…I’m talking EVERYTHING I’ve done over the last 5 years! So keep sending in those questions and captions to be entered to win!

I have a photo shoot on Saturday. I’m kind of freaking out about it. I haven’t been very good with the whole diet/exercise/tanning regimen like I wanted to be. But oh well, it’ll be what it will be and I hope you all will love it! I’m such a camera hog anyway, I’m sure I’ll have fun with it!

The last-minute Bluebird show that I did last week was AWESOME! Honestly, probably the most comical/entertaining/talented round I’ve been a part of yet! If you missed it, be sure to watch the YouTube video of me performing a new song off the upcoming EP, called “Unbroken Ground”!

As most of you know, Middle Tennessee went through hell last week with numerous tornadoes touching down! Two of them being as close as Murfreesboro (25 minutes from downtown Nashville!). Sitting on my couch (sick, of course), wrapped up in a blanket, glued to the TV for hours as the horrific images were coming in and the sky kept changing colors was an experience that I hope none of us have to see again. Ever! My hearts go out to all those affected by last week. If you’d like to donate to the Red Cross or help in any way, click here to find out how http://www.newschannel5.com/Global/story.asp?s=10165995.

Be sure to check out the new show dates I have posted on the Tour page too! I’ll actually be playing Murfreesboro this Wednesday…then a FULL BAND, ONE HOUR show on May 6th at my favorite…3rd & Lindsley! Also performing will be Angela Engelman from “Next GAC Star”. Bluebird again on May 21st….Information about CMA Fest shows coming soon!

That’s all for now. I need to go run with my dogs…they’re looking bored ;)

March 17, 2009

Mother Nature is being a mean ol’ thing these days. She teases us with incredible weather (I’m talking 70’s and sunny here) and then 2 days later, we’re waking up to snow and frozen over windshields. Spring fever has officially hit me…I can’t wait to start hiking, walking the dogs, canoeing, and all that good stuff (everything but roller-blading…I learned my lesson, haha!) on a consistent basis!

Things have been pretty good my way. The last few shows have been super awesome! I had a blast playing the benefit concert at the Wildhorse last month!! It’s kind of crazy…here in Nashville, we get used to playing the smaller clubs with the smaller stages (the musicians and I are practically standing on top of each other) and then we get to the Wildhorse and the stage is sooo big…I don’t even know what to do with myself! I swear, it’s like I could do back flips or something, haha!

I’m playing The Listening Room at the end of the month. Pretty stoked for that one…it’s fastly becoming my favorite place to play in Nashville. It’ll kind of be an “unofficial” kick-off to Tin Pan South week…so for all of you in town for that, come check us out on Monday, March 30th at 6PM!

Been writing like a fool and in the studio recording some brand new songs. I’m thinking we’re going to release an EP sometime in the next few months…I’ll definitely keep you in the loop over that. I’ve seriously written my next 4 albums in the last year…guess I’ve had a lot to say ;) So to narrow that down to 5 or 6 songs seems near impossible! Either way, I’m getting some GREAT demo recordings to pitch the songs…even if I can’t release them for myself just yet!

I head up to Michigan in a couple weeks. I CAN’T WAIT! Haven’t seen the family since Christmas and I’m missing them. My two younger siblings (Erin, who’s a junior in high school and my brother Garrett who’s a senior!) both have leading roles (Charlie Brown & Peppermint Patty!) in Belleville’s High School’s musical! I’m SOOOO proud and excited to go see them! It’s hard being 550 miles away when your younger “kids” are growing up…so I want to be able to play the ‘big sister’ role as often as I can! If any of you are in town April 3, 4, and 5…come to the BHS musical and check ‘em out! I’ll be the one hootin and hollerin (and probably crying) in the front with my parents, hehe!

Well that’s all for now…

Lots of love to you all! Hope March is treatin ya well ;)



February 12, 2009

My oh my, what a month can do…

This business is insane. Well, my life in general, is pretty insane. But in all honesty, I wouldn’t have it any other way. My 2009 started off a bit bumpy, but it has smoothed out quite nicely over the last month. Things are really starting to fall into place and I couldn’t be more grateful. We’ve had some really amazing meetings which I feel has just blown the door wide open for all sorts of opportunity this year! The universe seems to be in-sync with what I’ve been working so hard for all these years, and even if things don’t pan out the way I want in the end…the high I’ve been riding these last few weeks was a good one ;) Hopefully I’ll have exciting news for you soon!

Thanks to everyone that’s been coming out to these recent shows of mine! They have been ROCKIN!! I have been privileged enough to share the stage with some incredible talent, meet new people and make new fans, see old friends, and sing my lil heart out! Speaking of which…would LOVE to see you February 25th at The Wildhorse Saloon! I’ve never played the Wildhorse before, so I’m stoked! The band and I are gonna rock a full set as part of the Champions for Children Benefit show, featuring acts like myself with JIMMY WAYNE & BUDDY JEWELL…just to name a few! So come on out!!

Also, please be sure to check out all the new videos we’ve got posted! I’ve been debuting so much new material at all these shows I’ve been doing…and lucky for you, my manager is video camera-happy…so she’s got it all on film! Haha! Not only that, but be sure to watch the brand-new Q & A video posted on my FANS ONLY page! If you aren’t in on the action yet…shame on you! (j/k) Be sure to sign up for my FREE monthly fanletter so that you too can access all the goodies, exclusives, and contests we have on my FANS ONLY page! Okay?? Okay!

Well, that’s about it for me. The weather here in Nashville has been insanely beautiful and I’ve been so busy writing and in the studio, I haven’t been able to enjoy it near enough! I think I’m gonna take off early and walk my doggies today…woohoo!

January 9, 2009

I always feel compelled to blog when it’s late at night and I’m sitting on the couch listening to my incredibly loud furnace kicking on and off with good ol’ “Golden Girls” muted on the TV. Yes, yes…there’s no finer time to blog.

I sincerely hope that everyone enjoyed their holidays and was able to spend it exactly how they wanted and with who they wanted! Christmas was a good one back home in Michigan. It’s lovely that everyone I needed to see and visit with lives within a 5 mile radius from my house. That’s the beauty of Belleville…you can assemble a party of 20 in 5 minutes or less. And you’re bound to run into everyone and their brother for the $2.25 breakfast special at our local Red Apple and see everyone you went to school with and their parents roaming the aisles of Meijer around the holidays. It was good to be home. Unfortunately though, I did end up getting sick right after Christmas. I drove home to Nashville with a kidney infection which resulted in me sleeping my way through New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Which then led to me catching a pretty snazzy cold right after I finished my antibiotics. So add being sick, putting closure to a relationship and waving good-bye to 2008…I’ve decided to re-launch my 2009 this weekend. Yes, ladies and gentlemen…I’m throwing myself a NEW New Year’s celebration to make up for my sick and crappy first week of 2009. I need to start it off right and I intend to!

After much thought and soul-searching, I’ve come to the conclusion that 2008 was the year that “loaded the gun”. The year 2009 is the year that I pull the trigger, so to speak. And I couldn’t be more liberated and excited to do so!

I learned so much last year about myself as a “real person” and as an artist. And not only was I able to recognize the truth in myself but in others surrounding me as well. Like I said in my birthday blog a few months back…I did things I never thought I could do before in the year 2008. I detached from people I never thought I could, I wrote songs that I didn’t even know existed in me, I played some of the most memorable shows of my career, I met some of the greatest people and allowed myself to be inspired by them, I forgave when I didn’t think it humanly possible, I accepted change as a blessing instead of torturous, I got to travel and see things I never had before, I tested my strength and bravery in quite a few instances, but most of all…I got to grow up. I got to know ME a lot better. The greatest lesson I learned was accepting what I am and what I’m not and learning to own it and never apologize for it. I hope all of you feel the same way about yourselves as well…hell, it only took me 23 years ;)

Between all the new songs I’ve written (which YES, there WILL be a new project out this year!), having such a successful CMA Fest experience, a schedule full of great shows, getting to know you all so much better…it’s was a very fulfilling 2008 on the music front. But…I’m ready to rock it like never before in 2009. I feel like I’m about to be unleashed!

The year 2008 was when all the lessons were thrown on my lap, hence it “loading this gun”…2009 is the year I apply it all and use it dominate ;)

I am so blessed and no matter what, I hope I never EVER forget it. We have lots of big dreams for 2009 and the plans to back it up…so watch out! I’m coming!

From the bottom of this little ghetto-hilbilly’s heart…I love you guys, each and every one of you. You’ve inspired me in ways you’ll never fully comprehend and I appreciate your support oh so very much. I’m ready to give back the love 10x this year! It’s gonna be a good one <3

P.S.

Be sure to check out my round at The Bluebird Café next Friday, January 16th at 6:30PM with the amazing fellas Mark Narmore and Paul Sikes and my BFF/best writing partner ever, Karleen Watt!

December 4, 2008

IT’S DECEMBER!

Talk about mind-blowing…I can’t believe it’s already almost Christmas! The year 2008 has completely taken me by surprise on many levels, but mostly, with how quickly it has flown by! Does this mean that I’m getting old…? ;)

I have so many things to do! I dragged out all the Christmas decorations from the basement the other day, however, they’re still sitting in a box in the middle of the dining room…untouched and taunting me. I just don’t the energy for it yet, I guess. I need to get a Christmas tree PRONTO too! My family thinks it’s kinda crazy that I’m getting one, seeing as though I’ll be going back to Michigan for over a week around Christmas. But, I don’t know, I just want to make my house all Christmas-y again this year…even if I have to decorate it into all hours of the night b/c that’s the only time I have, haha. Check out my new Christmas songs on MySpace! And as a gift from me to you, I want to give both songs to you as a FREE DOWNLOAD! Just sign up for my free FanLetter, get your login and password for the new FANS ONLY page, and download from there! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Speaking of the holidays…

My family left on Sunday to head back to Michigan. My parents, two out of three younger siblings, my grandma, and one of the family dogs all came down to Nashville to spend Thanksgiving with me. So that means…7 people, 3 dogs, and one bathroom in my house for 5 days. Yeah, we would’ve made a great reality TV show! ;) Grandma stayed behind a few extra days to visit her brothers that live about an hour out of Nashville. So it’s been good to spend some extra time with her and to see her brothers and stuff. I’m taking her to the airport this afternoon. Usually I’d be super emo about her leaving, but since I’m going to see her in just over 2 weeks…I feel better!

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving! I know I certainly did! I’m STILL recovering from DAYS of nonstop eating and relaxing…yes, it requires recovering, haha. I participated in Black Friday shopping with my youngest sister the day after Thanksgiving. Arrived at the stores at 4am, shopped all morning/afternoon, came home to be too exhausted to sleep so instead decided to go groom my dogs, came home and got ready for my show that evening at The Bluebird Café! It was an AWESOME show for many reasons! 1) My family was there! 2) A lot of my friends were there with their families too! 3) We packed The Bluebird to capacity! 4) Tim Buppert is one of my all-time favorite people! And 5) I debuted a bunch of BRAND NEW SONGS! (You can see a video of one of those new songs, “Black & White” on my MySpace page!)

Well, even though the music business is on hiatus until the New Year…I’m still going to be keeping busy with writing appointments, studio stuff, a couple more shows, some Christmas parties and such until I leave for Michigan on the 21st! We’ve definitely got some things in the works and the second I can let you know of any new developments, you better believe that I will!

Well that’s it for now! I sincerely wish all of you a very happy and safe holiday season and I’ll see you next year! Here’s to making 2009 THE YEAR…for all of us!

October 16th, 2008

Okay, so no excuses…the fact that I haven’t put up a Diary entry in MONTHS is pretty much ridiculous. You have my sincere apology and hopefully…it won’t happen again! However, I WILL say that since my last entry…A LOT has happened.

As most of you know by now, I fell and broke my wrist literally DAYS after my last entry in August. Rollerblading. Don’t try it at home. Or on cement. Better yet, don’t try it anywhere haha. I ended up completely shattering my right wrist (of course) and going in for surgery a few days after the accident. Let’s just say, the whole week was nothing but a dramatic blur. I had my first ambulance ride, my family came down from Michigan, I was high on pain meds for a week, I had an extensive surgery that left me with a metal plate and screws in my wrist forever, and I hosted and performed a late round at the Bluebird Café ONE DAY after surgery. Pretty impressive, right? Haha. Ridiculous, I tell you. You can watch a video on YouTube of me performing “Happy (If It Kills Me)” during the show. Kinda funny…I’m so out of it, but hell, I sounded good. ;)

So on top of breaking my wrist, having my already busy schedule of writing, being in the studio, and performing get even busier with frequent doctor visits and physical therapy sessions…it’s been a rollercoaster of a time. And not only that, but I also managed to celebrate my 23rd birthday on September 22nd. Thank you so much to everybody for their well wishes with the surgery and the birthday…yall are so sweet! I had a GREAT party…my friends made me a celebrity/paparazzi birthday cake, I got Hannah Montana gifts, and Bekka Bramlett showed up and we got onstage at the bar and sang “No One Else On Earth”. Pretty much perfection, folks!

On the actual date of the birthday, I flew to Arizona for a writer’s retreated hosted by The Harters. It was one of the best experiences of my life. Aside from the whole “high school complex” of not knowing anybody right off the bat…it was great. It was so relaxing and inspiring to be in such a peaceful and serene place. The scenery was incredible. To wake up at 7am and just sit in a hammock with my coffee for an hour was unlike anything I’ve felt in a really long time. My soul was at peace for the first time in I don’t even know how long. I managed to write 3 happy LOVE songs in 4 days. My publishers are still in awe of it. And not only that, but since returning back to Nashville in the last couple weeks…I’ve written MORE happy songs!

Then, after coming back home from Arizona, I participated in Nashville’s Race For The Cure which was raising money for the Susan G. Komen Center in finding a cure for breast cancer. If you’ve checked out my MySpace in the last few weeks, then I’m sure you saw my blog about raising money for Team Cristina. If you haven’t…check it out and listen to a snippet of the song we wrote for Cristina last year called “Beauty In Broken”. The race was SUCH an inspiring experience. So many people. So much support. It was honestly just incredibly humbling. I can’t wait to do more stuff like that soon…I was so happy to be a part of it.

So overall, life is extremely good and busy right now. I’m feeling happy. I’m feeling blessed. I’m feeling like 23 is going to be the year that changes it all. I’m feeling re-inspired by things everyday. Whether it’s writing a great song, having some amazing industry meetings, taking the dogs for a nice, long walk, or participating in things like a retreat or Race For The Cure…I’m finding many reasons to thank my lucky stars these days.

Hope you all are doing well…I miss you!

August 14, 2008

Oh my, my, my how time has flown! I’m SO sorry that it’s taken me this long to put up a new Diary entry! Things have are just go-go-go here since CMA Music Fest and I haven’t had time to process much of anything going on these days, haha. Speaking of which, where the in the world did the year 2008 go already? Are we REALLY in August?? I can’t believe it! It’s almost my birthday all over again, WOOHOO! ;)

I find that I’m feeling pretty good these days. On the musical front, I’m writing more songs than ever before and it feels great. I’m really proud of the stuff I’m coming up with. I’m proud of the fact that I feel confident enough in what I do that I can be in a room with a complete stranger and leave a few hours later with a song I believe in and having made a new friend! I’m wanting to find a way to stream my demos on this site that’s just for you “online fan-club” members! That way, you don’t have to wait til the next album to get a sneak peek and what I’m doing now! So if you haven’t already, sign up for our FREE mailing list and get in on the goods!

Aside from songwriting, I’m performing some of the best shows I’ve had in awhile. Whether it’s at the Bluebird Café, 12th & Porter, 3rd & Lindsley, or a great interviewon the radio…it’s been SO much fun and I’m meeting so many new people. And the fact that when I introduce myself and people have already heard of me makes me feel like, yes…this really is happening. I’m so thankful.

((drum roll please))

Buy your tickets now! A week from today, Thursday, August 21st! I’m hosting my second ever late round at the legendary Bluebird Café. This is a HUGE honor and I’m so thankful that this industry and the people at the Bluebird believe in me enough to let me keep playing there! I’m starting to feel like a regular now! I called my good friends whom ALSO just happen to be mega hit songwriters, Karen Staley, Angela Kaset, and Bonnie Baker! We are going to blow the roof OFF of the Bluebird…I’ve never been more stoked for a round! So, you should come. Visit www.bluebirdcafe.com NOW and reserve your seats before they sell out! My Mom and Daddy-O are even driving in from Michigan to see it…yay, I can’t wait!

Speaking of family… definitely love having “connections” in this town. I just hooked my granny and my parents up with great seats for the Josh Turner show in Detroit AND they get to meet him! This is pretty much the best birthday present I could’ve ever given my grandma. And not only that, but next weekend I get to come up to Michigan and be with her on her ACTUAL birthday! I’m so excited! I miss my siblings oh so very much. They are growing up too fast! And of course, I miss my parents, my granny, all my cousins and my aunt. I can’t wait to see everybody!

In conclusion, would like to give you all big ol’ heart-felt thanks. Thank you for coming to the shows. Thank you for all the kind words you leave me on MySpace and at my performances. Thank you for taking the time to read this. Thank you to WLAC, WDKN, FAB, Dan Hodges, my fellow singer/songwriter friends, my managers, and my friends, family, & fans for making the last few months SO amazing! I owe you BIG TIME! ;)

June 16, 2008

Well, well, well…what can I say?!
This month has shaped up to be the best for me so far this year! CMA Festival was SUCH a whirlwind…so busy, so crazy, so FUN, so rewarding, so inspiring! I thank you all from the very bottom of my polish/ghetto/hillbilly heart for making this year’s experience at CMA Music Festival such a great one! I had the best time meeting each and every one of you—talking to you, taking pictures with you, signing autographs for you. It was incredible and definitely just made what I’m doing feel all the more real and inevitable. This industry, this town, can feel like such a JOB sometimes, you know?! You get caught up in the business of it all…but then something like CMA Fest comes along and it puts it all in perspective…it reminds us of why we do what we do! Read all my blogs about the experience on my MySpace page!

So, I’m in week 4 of my boot camp classes at my gym. It’s 4 days a week at 5:30am. Crazy, right?! Well, I’ve been surviving it so far. However, today had a major wipe-out during our run. We ran uphill (mind you, I am NOT a runner) for awhile, then to this park where we did a bunch of drills/sit-ups/push-ups. So after we’re exhausted, soaking wet from crawling around on the wet, newly mowed grass, then COVERED in grass…from head to toe…we run back to the gym, downhill from the park. I definitely tripped somewhere on the sidewalk and wiped out…Scraped up and bruised the palms of my hands and my knees pretty good. Impressive, I know. I’m so hardcore. ;)

Now, in the aftermath of the busy, crazy, thrilling rush of CMA Fest…I’m just trying to recuperate. Finally did my laundry and a little house cleaning the other day! Lord knows when I’ll have time to do THAT again, haha. The dogs are good. My family back home is good (though I WAS a little emo that I couldn’t be there for Father’s Day). Everything is good. We just did a DYNAMITE demo session yesterday where I recorded 3 new songs I wrote and we have another one next week where I’ll probably do another 4! I’ve pretty much got a whole nother album done! Woohoo! Just keeping busy with a lot of co-writes, studio sessions, and SHOWS! Speaking of which…

Don’t miss me next week on Tuesday, the 24th, when the band and I play The Billy Block Show at Cadillac Ranch at 8:30PM. You can catch the show LIVE on the web at www.billyblock.com! Also, will be making my FIRST APPEARANCE at Eddie’s Attic in Atlanta, GA next Thursday, the 26th! Totally stoked about that one! I’ve heard nothing but rave reviews about the venue and already, a lot of fans and friends are telling me they will be there! Can’t wait!

Well that’s all for now.

May 18, 2008

CMA Music Festival is less than a month away and there's so much to do, so little time, so little sleep to be had even though I'm in desperate need! Haha! CMA Music Festival (forever known as Fan Fair to most) will be taking place June 5th-8th here in Nashville! Last year was such a great experience for me, getting to meet fans from all over the world! Since it was my first year, I stayed at my booth all day, every day, breaking only to use the bathroom. This year, I'm going to do my best to be there as much as possible; however, I've got a few shows going on during Fan Fair as well so… I will have to frequent with my breaks a bit more!

Important things you should know:

1) My booth number is 318. Repeat it over and over, even in your sleep ;)

2) I will be there all four days. I hope to look pretty all four days too, so keep coming back and let me know if I'm still cute the next day. Thanks. Hehe

3) -Last year, I signed the strangest things. I'm hoping to beat the foot tub experience and the whole autographing-an-infant-child thing this year.

4) I love signing my name, so please, don't hesitate to give me as many things as your little hearts' desire.

5) I like to approve pictures taken with me. I mean, here you are, driving however many hours to Nashvegas, meeting me…how could I let you go back home with a less than stellar photo of us?!

6) I have merchandise. And it's a pain in the a** to load in, so we'd prefer you all take as much stuff as humanely possible so we don't have to load anything out. Haha.

7) My booth will be by Bucky Covington's again. Which means, well, anyone who was there last year knows what this means…

8) WYNONNA IS GOING TO BE THERE THIS YEAR! And not only that, but her booth is SUPER CLOSE TO MINE! AHHH! So, if for some reason you find that I'm not in MY booth, I'm more than likely taking creepy stalker pictures of my idol just down the way. So come over and say "Hi" to me over there. (I joke, I joke.)

9) Come see me on Friday, June 6th at the Acoustic Corner performance (inside the Nashville Convention Center) from 1:15 pm - 1:45 pm

AND

10) MY FANCLUB PAR-TAY! Fuel (on 2nd Ave…walking distance from EVERYTHING downtown!) Starts right at 4PM and goes til 4:45PM

More details and possible show dates coming soon!

Other things of note...

-Warner/Chapell set me up to write with some big songwriters over in Denmark for the last week or so. It's been wayyyy fun to think outside the box and write songs that are a little different than the norm here in Nashville!

-My days are filling up SO fast lately and it's great...the music biz is the best job there is. If I'm not busy in a cowrite, then I'm in a session, or there's lunch with so-and so, or we're auditioning this musician, or there's an industry party at this time, blah blah. It's fabulous. I was wanting to get up to Michigan sometime this month, but it looks like I won't have time til end of July or August!

-My brother was SO great in his high school musical a couple weeks ago! I was so ridiculously proud. Being here in Nashville, it's not often that I get to play the proud big sister so it was awesome to be able to do that again! I ran into old friends, parents of friends, dance teachers, choir directors...it was mind blowing and SOOOO cool!

-I start boot camp at my gym on Monday. 5:30AM four days a week for 6 weeks. Yes, I'm insane.

-My neighbor got a puppy. I want to steal it. I hope he doesn't read this...

-We hired a new song plugger who's AMAZING. He goes above and beyond the call of duty and is booking me up with some cool new co-writes, introducing me to people, and so on. It's really exciting to have new energy on our team who really believes in me and my songs!

-I just got another new guitar AND new amp. It's my first REAL electric...it's beautiful! My neighbors are going to HATE ME, because I practice. LOUD!

April 7, 2008

So, I’m sitting here at the office and no one is in the building but my two dogs and myself. There is a plate full of brownies sitting in front of me (such a generous gift from one of my managers) and I am beyond will-power at this point. Someone please remove these things IMMEDIATELY! Haha.

So it’s dawned on me that it’s been so long since my last entry! I have blogged on MySpace since February though, so go ahead and check that one out too while you’re at it… www.myspace.com/rachelwilliamsmusic.

I’m pretty pumped for my performance at The Billy Block Show tomorrow night! I just love my band to death and we have been consistently rocking people’s faces off with the last few shows…I’m sure tomorrow will be no different! I’m also doing some new songs, bringing back some great oldies too. So it’s good! ALSO…

I got a new guitar!

The brand–new singer/songwriter model Takamine. It’s beautiful. It sounds INCREDIBLE. And it will be making it’s debut tomorrow night! Woohoo!

Anywho, a brief run-down of things since my last Diary entry here:
February was a crappy month for me for a lot of reasons. However, March was splendid. I got to go to Vegas! (Unfortunately, didn’t win anything—realized I have an addiction to video Blackjack as well as shopping. Well, we already knew about the shopping, but still…it was never more evident than in Vegas.) My siblings came down for their mid-winter break, so that is ALWAYS eventful and entertaining! I’ve done some truly kick-ass shows…like, really. I mean, not that I ever have “bad” shows, but the energy is just different with the last few. It feels good. It feels like those first few shows I did in Nashville where you knock the socks off of ‘em and make new fans…making a steller first impression feels good. It’s refreshing. I dig it. I’ve been super busy with demos (finally, I could support my shopping habit for a few weeks!) and writing. It’s good, really good.

Like I said in my MySpace blog just over a week ago…I don’t know what it is, but it feels like something’s different. I don’t know if it’s me, my new “enlightened” perspective on things or what, or if it’s just an overall change of energy in my surroundings. Either way, it just feels right. I’m happy with life lately. It feels inevitable. It feels like everything is going to work itself out in the end, and I just have to keep myself happy, productive, and positive until all the pieces fall together. I’ve never once doubted what I’m doing here, musically, in Nashville. And I don’t now either. I know this is happening. I just don’t know when yet. I feel like I’m in a good place, personally and musically. I’m evolving. I’m learning from mistakes…mistakes of others and mistakes I make myself. I’m forgiving what I can’t control and change. It’s a very freeing experience.

Another experience I’m looking forward to is my trip back home to Michigan next week. My little brother is the lead in our hometown’s high school musical. They haven’t done a musical since I was the lead in “Oklahoma!” my junior year. Isn’t that insane?! I’m so proud of my brother and I CAN’T WAIT to be there, front and center, watching him!

Well, it’s a beautiful day out today…for the first time in a week, it’s not thunder-storming (ugh, my house is so muddy and gross from the dogs)…so I think I’m going to the park now. Yeah, I’m living the life. ;)

February 22, 2008

Hope your Valentine’s Day consisted of exactly what you wanted it to…whether it was a romantic date, hanging out with friends, or protesting the holiday all together (I’m a mixture of the three). Anyway, hope you enjoyed!

My song “Uphill” has made it into the finals of the International Songwriting Competition! Check out the News page for more information on how to vote for me!

Things are EXTREMELY busy here these days! Music is good...I’ve been quite active in the studio lately. Whether it’s singing demos for other songwriters or recording my new stuff, it’s busy, it’s consuming, and it’s JUST WHAT I NEED! Also, my writing inspiration has been completely stirred up recently and I’m super excited about the stuff we’re coming up with! I’m sure you females will whole-heartedly appreciate where I’m comin from! Besides, who REALLY enjoys happy, love songs anyway, right?!?! Haha!

If I’ve been reminded of anything in the last couple weeks, it’s that music and me go hand and hand. Together forever. I am who I am, I make no apologies for it. God built me to be quite the strong one. And even when I fall on tough times, I still come out bigger and better. Us girls gotta be fierce, ya know?! I always have stuff to say, and lately, I’ve been saying quite a lot of it. Hehe. My songwriting is my therapy and I’m so happy, so blessed, so grateful that I have such appreciative ears listening and relating to what I’m putting out there. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Can’t wait for you to hear some of the new stuff!

The team and I are going to be running a VERY special promotion through the website for all of you on my mailing list! So if you haven’t already signed up, please do!!! I’m really excited about this one and I’m sure you all are going to thoroughly enjoy it too! More details are coming soon!!!

My siblings were in town this week during their school break! I always enjoy hanging out with them and getting to play “big sister” while they’re here in my “Nashville world.” It was too short, but great! This weekend, I fly to LAS VEGAS, baby! Woohoo! Hopefully I come back RICH! Yay! Wouldn’t that just rock?! Don’t worry, I’ll take pictures and be sure to post them for all of you envious people! Haha, just kiddin!

Well…check out my MySpace next week. We may be posting a new song up there too. And new photos have been posted, so check those out too! And uh…well, that’s about all I have to say for now! Love you all!

January 3, 2008

2008.

Kinda crazy, isn’t it? Already a new year!?! I’m shocked at how much time has flown by but also relieved and encouraged to embrace a fresh start. The year 2007 was a good and productive one but I have no doubt in my mind that I can beat it. I’m determined to make this year bigger and better than all the years before it! I WILL get a cut this year, I WILL write a ton more songs. I will put myself out there more, I will play more shows. I will get the attention and recognition that I deserve from the people that can take me to that next level. I will get into a routine and be more strict, more disciplined, more consumed and dedicated. I will get stronger vocally, make my show the best it’s ever been, and rock it on my guitar. I will make healthier decisions…whether it’s eating better and/or not giving into unhealthy drama and chaos whenever it presents itself. I will learn to love, accept, and forgive what I cannot change and change whatever’s possible. “Let it go.” Happy 2008!

Hope everybody enjoyed a safe and happy holiday(s)! Michigan was great for Christmas! I got to spend a lot of time with family that I haven’t seen since the summer. I ran into quite a few people that I haven’t seen in years while going out and about with friends and family, so that’s always nice too. Also, reunited with some old high school girlfriends of mine, which was fun! I spent New Year’s here in Nashville, ringing in 2008 on the dance floor, champagne in hand, singing along with friends as the band played 80’s covers! ‘Twas lovely!

And now that the festivities have finally started to wind down…
I’ve got two shows this month that I’m pretty stoked about! One being this coming Tuesday, January 8th, with The Billy Block Show at 9:30PM. We always have such a great time playing for his show at Cadillac Ranch, so hopefully, you’ll join us! If you’re out of town and unable to make it out, check out www.billyblock.com, take 2 seconds to register (it’s FREE), and watch a live web-cast of the show!

The second show is Thursday, January 24th at 7PM. I’ll be partaking in a new showcase at Fuel on 2nd Ave called Fuel Underground. I love playing Fuel and so far, it’s catching on! Hope you’ll make it out to that one as well…40 minutes of me and the band is sure to rock!

We’re having a rehearsal next week and I can’t wait! I’m sooo excited to start working up new songs! Not only will I be adding newer songs that I’ve written since “Lonely At The Bottom”, but I’m also throwing in some pretty awesome cover tunes for the longer shows we do! AND…digging up some of the oldies of mine from the 1st CD and the EP that we released a couple years ago. It’s been so long since I’ve done anything from my prior CDs, so I can’t wait to bring ‘em back!

Well, that’s about it. I’ve got a lot to do and little time to do it! I’ll talk to you all soon!

December 8, 2007

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

I can ’t believe it’s December already! I feel like there’s SO much to do and so little time! I hope that everybody’s enjoying the holiday season. I decorated my house a couple weeks ago when my family came into town for Thanksgiving. However, my beautiful Christmas tree is still sitting in my living room, with no decorations. I don’t even have time to stop by Target to pick up ornaments! Haha.

Well as you can tell from the fan letter and the announcement on the homepage…I finally did a Christmas song! I know, I know, it’s long overdue. You all have been requesting it for quite some time now so I’m happy to finally have it out there for you! I wanted to leave it up to the fans and so I stayed true to what was voted…however, to appeal to the masses, we did a medley of your top TWO picks! Going into the studio to record these two particular songs was SO much fun, you have no idea! The musicians had a great time…we were all joking around and hanging out. It just kind of lifted everybody’s spirits. Christmas music has a way of doing that. Singing backgrounds on “All I Want…” was a riot too! Long story short, I thoroughly enjoyed recording these songs for you and I hope that you like them too! You all have been so good to me this year so it’s the least I can do to give a little something back! Be sure to read all about our special promotion!

Next week I’ll be participating in the 1st Annual Music City Celebrity Chili Throwdown. I’ve never done anything quite like this before…sing and cook chili all in the same hour, however, I’m open to it! Haha. Lorrie Morgan, Hal Ketchum, and friends will all be there so it should be a great time! This is taking place Wednesday, December 12th from noon til 4PM in the parking lot of Buddy Lee Attractions right off 16th Ave on Music Row. It’s open to the public, however, people are encouraged to bring one un-wrapped gift to donate to Toys 4 Tots. I’ll be singing around 1PM, can’t wait to see you there!

I’ll be headed up to Michigan for Christmas this year. I can’t wait! I feel like I haven’t seen my granny and aunt and cousins in forever (even though it’s really only been 4 months)!! Not looking forward to the frigid cold temperatures up there though. However, hopefully I’ll see snow for Christmas!

To wrap things up, I’m happy. I’m a tired-busy that’s productive. I’m spending time with people I love. I’m in the holiday spirit. Me and the poochies get to go up north soon. Life is good.

Merry Christmas.
I love you guys!

November 19, 2007

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Yay for Fall! This is definitely my favorite time of year. I love wearing sweaters without jackets, hearing leaves crunch under my feet when taking my dogs for a walk, seeing all the colors change on the trees… There’s just something so peaceful about this season. Oh, and I also LOVE the holidays! So yes, Fall makes me happy. First things first though…

Want to give a shout-out to Clear Channel for making me one of the Artists of the Week for their NEW! page online for the country genre! My song, “Lonely At The Bottom” was chosen out of thousands of songs to be featured! HOW COOL!! Thank you so much! www.clearchannelmusic.com

I’ve got two more shows coming up at the end of the month! On Tuesday, November 27th I’ll be hitting the stage for The Billy Block Show at 8PM at Cadillac Ranch. I always have a great time playin for Billy and I certainly look forward to doing it again! Then on Thursday, November 29th, I’ll be opening for southern rock/country band, Caddle (check ‘em out on MySpace!) at my favorite place, 3rd & Lindsley! Show starts at 9:30PM and I’ll be playing for an hour! It’s going to be SOOO fun, so I hope you all can make it!

Thank you to everybody who came out to my TWO shows on the 6th! We had a GREAT time! The Bluebird was sooo fun, despite the hectic start (Lisa Carver got sick and couldn’t be there unfortunately and I got stuck in traffic, so in true diva fashion…showed up way late to my OWN SHOW! Ahhh!), but it turned out to be such a relaxed and music-filled night once we got started! Much thanks to Bonnie Baker, Karleen Watt, and my guitar player, Joe Spivey for joining me! Then right after the first show wrapped just after 8PM, we had to haul our butts across down to be on the stage by 9PM for my second show! On The Rocks was super fun too! Such a party crowd! The place was packed and everybody was there to just dance and have a good time. I had a HUGE group of friends there and they were a riot! I definitely need to do shows like that more often! You can check out new photos from both shows on my Photos page!

Other than that, not too much to report. All of my family is coming down this Wednesday for Thanksgiving! Being in my new house and all, I can actually accommodate more than one guest at a time! So my younger siblings, parents, and grandma are all coming down! I can’t WAIT to see them! Seriously, I’ve been so homesick for them lately so this couldn’t come at a better time! Not to mention, I LOVE to eat, so Thanksgiving will be fabulous, and I LOVE to shop, so Friday’s shopping is going to be crazy! And I’m already going crazy getting Christmas decorations! YAY!

Okay, that’s all from me for now. Hope everybody has a GREAT Thanksgiving!

Talk to you soon!

October 10, 2007

So much going on, so little time, I swear! Things have not slowed down a bit since my last entry, not one single bit. Not to say that I ’m complaining whatsoever, because I am happy with it…just a wee bit exhausted and daydreaming of a beach vacation soon, haha. First of all, let me start out by saying THANK YOU! Thanks to all of you for coming out to my big birthday bash show last month (the pictures have been added to my photo page, so check ‘em out!) and for all of the birthday wishes. I really appreciate it! My 22nd year of life was celebrated in a BIG way that week and it just makes me even MORE excited about what’s in store for me! The show was great, then a big group of friends and I went for dinner and drinks a couple nights later and THEN…Dollywood! Seriously, there was nothing like it. Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg, TN was SO much fun and absolutely breath-taking! The sights were great, the entertainment was fantastically cheesy and wonderful and the food was…demolished by me and my friends! Haha!

AND THEN…
The very next weekend we moved into a new house! It was rather painful, to be honest with you. I hate packing. I hate having to clean through all my crap and realize just how much crap I do indeed have. Then having to pack it all into the U-haul, drop it off in the middle of the living room of the new house, cleaning the new house, THEN start to unpack everything. Ahhh…it was quite the draining work-out. Luckily, I had help though and the house is really beginning to feel like home to me now. I don’t know about you, but I’m one of those “impatient” people. I can’t stand to “start slow and work on it a little at a time”. I want it done when I want it done, even if it almost kills me. So I worked at a feverish pace until it was the way I wanted it and I absolutely love this place. My upstairs still needs some help, but for the most part, the house is just as it should be. It’s such a creative space for me and I feel like a brand new start. I’m excited! So now I have a different house, a new cell phone, we’re rearranging/redecorating my office, and I just feel like I’m heading for a fresh start at 22. It feels awesome!

Music is good. I’m really throwing myself into writing a lot these days. Whether it's alone upstairs in my room or it’s having co-writes 4 days a week. It feels good to be doing it, to be keeping busy, to be building up my catalogue and giving my managers and song pluggers more songs to work with. The band is starting to work up some of the new songs as well and I’ll be playing them at upcoming shows (OCTOBER 16TH AND NOVEMBER 6TH, DON’T MISS ‘EM!)! Things are good. Very good. No complaining here, except maybe a nap request every once in awhile… ;)

September 7, 2007

I haven’t a clue as to where I even begin with this entry! It’s been awhile since I wrote to you last and much has happened since that time!

First of all, it’s September!! I can hardly believe that we’re already into “fall” (though, it’s still 100 degrees here in Nashville). My birthday is the 22nd and I can’t wait! To help celebrate this “monumental event” be sure to check me out when I play with my boys (and a couple gals) full-band style for the Billy Block Western Beat show on Tuesday, September 18th at Cadillac Ranch in downtown Nashville! I’m playing for 40 minutes and we hit the stage at 7PM, so don’t miss it! It’ll be exactly two months since my last band show (my CD release party) and let me tell you something…I’m DYING to get up on that stage and rock it again! I can’t wait for the time in my career when I get to do my show every, single night of my life! It’s coming soon, I can feel it! But until then…guess I’ll try’n be productive in other avenues.

Speaking of those other avenues, I’ve been quite the busy little bee with my songwriting lately. I’ve finished great songs with some of my favorite people and some hit songwriters you might recognize such as Tim Owens, Karen Staley, Angela Kaset, T.W. Hale, and Derek George as well as new writers Jared Johnson and my girls, Karleen Watt and Vickie Carrico! PLUS, I’ve got some upcoming co-writes with some big, big, BIG songwriters in the next month or so! I’m definitely gonna be having a big session coming up so that I can demo all these new songs!

On a personal note, I’m moving again. So that’s always exciting and stressful and a realization of how much money you blow on stupid things…haha! It just came to a time where I needed a bigger place for me and my pups, however, I’m going to miss the cute little house I’m in right now! It’s kind of bittersweet, but I know in my heart that this is a good step forward for me. This new house is in a great location, closer to work, real close to the dog park, cute little porch and big back yard for my pups! I’m pretty pumped!

And I guess now would be a time to let everybody know that since I’m in town more often, I AM singing more demos these days for other songwriters, so if you ever need me, just give us a holler!

Well, I’m trying to get back into the swing of things lately. You see, I drove up to Michigan for my granny’s 80th surprise birthday party the end of August to help celebrate! The party was GREAT and she was definitely shocked that we’d been so sneaky as to assemble all of this without her knowing! However, during my trip I came down with strep throat. And due to this illness, it prevented me from pretty much everything for 2 weeks. So now I’m trying to get back to work (and let me tell you, there’s LOTS to be done!!!), working out, cleaning my house, taking care of my poochies and so on and so forth.

By the way, made some really cool updates to my MySpace page while I was bound to my house (hehe) so be sure to check it out!

Hope everybody had a great Labor Day weekend! My best friend since the 1st grade drove to visit me from Atlanta over the weekend with her little 6 and ½ week old lab puppy, Conan. I swear, I can never get enough of dogs! Between my Deliah and Delaney, my godson Pete (12 week old retriever pup) and Conan…I looked like the crazy dog lady! Haha. But it was so much fun and we had a great weekend canoeing on the river, eating ourselves stupid, playing with the pups, and catching up!

And that’s about all I’ve got to say for now… Talk to you soon!

July 24, 2007

WOW! That’s all I can say. A week later, I’m STILL riding high from my CD release party last week! I just want to say THANK YOU, thank you, thank you! Everybody’s support means the world to me and honestly, I just couldn’t have asked for a better party! (To see pics from the show, visit my Photo page!) So many people that I love and respect showed up to show their support; fans (even a few special ones that drove ALL the way from MICHIGAN for my show), family, friends, industry peers, and so on and so forth. We packed ‘em in like sardines that night, and even though it was hotter than hell the whole time, we still ROCKED and blew the roof off of 3rd & Lindsley! Thanks for being an incredible audience and buying the CD. And for those that already had purchased it, thanks for singing along to EVERY WORD and loving the music as much as I do! A special thanks goes out to Marcia Ramirez, Karleen Watt, Wood Newton, Karen Staley, Austin Cunningham, and Lisa Carver for starting out the show for me by gracing us with your performances! I thoroughly enjoyed hanging with you guys and getting to hear you play. Thanks for helping make my party SO great! Also thanks to my managers, Kim Copeland & Susan Tucker, without them, this party nor this CD would have taken place. I don’t have enough room on the page to thank you for all that you do and all that you are to me. Shout out to my band- Joe, Andrew, Brian, Luis, Lydia, Vickie, Ronnie, and Kim…uh, you ROCK MY WORLD! Thank you for being the best! And for those that couldn’t make it, thanks for all the emails, MySpace love, text messages and everything else wishing me luck!

Outside from that, things don’t seem to want to slow down much. I’m still TRYING to recuperate from all the stress and energy that went into making the party happen, and then of course, trying to come down from cloud nine after the fact. My family was in from out of town and that’s always a super busy time as well. But now, things are somewhat back to normal. Except, I STILL have to find time to catch up on laundry! Haha.

Me and management are strategizing where to go next with the CD. The feedback thus far has been AMAZING! Honestly, I am pleasantly surprised as to how well received this CD has been. When we went into the studio, we really weren’t aiming to please anyone but ourselves and fans that were already on board from what I’d done before. But now? I feel like we’ve just opened a flood gate of support and admiration from old fans, new fans, radio, industry, and so on! So BIG YAY! We are in talks about radio, distribution, showcasing some more for major labels, and bunches of other stuff! My “To-Do” list is getting longer and longer and longer.

And to wrap things up…I’m sure that dog obedience school tomorrow will bring me right back to earth. Haha. Oh, the joys of being a mother to two poochies. Hope everybody’s enjoyin their summer and keeping cool!

June 26, 2007

Hey Hey Hey! Thank you so much for coming back and checking out my brand new site! We’ve been hard at work for months trying to coordinate a launch of new Rachel Williams stuff and now it’s FINALLY HERE! My second and most recent CD, “Lonely At The Bottom” is now available for your purchasing and listening pleasure! Also, I get to unveil new photos as well as updated pages on the site, and on my ridiculous addiction, my MySpace page. Hehe!

I’d like to take this time to give a shout-out to those wonderful individuals that none of this would have happened without…My managers, Kim Copeland & Susan Tucker and my webmaster, Sue Manginelli—love you ladies!

I’m so excited for all of you to see this stuff! Like I said in the entry prior to this one, not being on the road as much in the past year has been hard on me. I never want to lose my connection with the fans I’ve already made, and I certainly don’t ever want to miss out on the opportunity to gain new fans! However, staying in town HAS had its benefits. I’m constantly working and writing and recording and I’ve had time to focus and give certain aspects of my artistry a “make-over,” as I call it. With this CD, I really got a chance to reveal a lot about myself as a person and as an artist. I couldn’t be more pleased and excited with the way all of the recordings came out and the photo shoot…well, you can see for yourself…it was INCREDIBLE! I feel grown-up, confident, and well-adjusted to where I am in my career today and I feel like this project really reflects that. I hope that you agree and enjoy!

My big CD release party is going to be Wednesday, July 18th at 3rd & Lindsley here in Nashville from 6 pm-9 pm. I’m going to have some VERY special friends play the show with me, so you won’t want to miss out! And also, it’ll be my first FULL BAND show since February! Can you believe it?!

Keep checking the site for new reviews that we get back from the CD. Also, be sure to check out the brand new Store items that I’m particularly proud of. We created a brand new 8 x 10 headshot and poster to help celebrate the release of my Lonely At The Bottom.

Okay, well, that’s about it. Hope everybody is enjoying their summer thus far! I’m headed off to Michigan this weekend for my little sister’s AND my cousin’s high school graduation. I feel so old… Bye for now!

June 12, 2007

*Attention: Official CD release of “Lonely At The Bottom” AND new website launch is coming JUNE 26TH!!! Yay!!*

Okay, well, let me just start this out by saying THANK YOU! I know that many of you are visiting my website after meeting me at this year’s CMA Music Festival (still Fan Fair to me though) and I couldn’t be more thrilled about it! I had the most INCREDIBLE experience this year and I was sad to see it end. But you can count on seeing me again next year, and this time, I promise to have more shows booked!! This was my first Fan Fair, ever. I had no idea what to expect but me and my managers couldn’t have been more pleased. I met so many people, signed SO many autographs, took a bazillion pictures with people, sold plenty of merchandise, and just got to actually TALK to all of you that were there. I met people from all across America (even fellow Michiganders!), as well as from Italy, France, Germany, Australia, and Canada! I signed anything from pictures and flyers, to cowboy hats and guitars, to alarm clocks and foot tubs! It was amazing!

I made sure to be at my booth pretty much all day, all four days. A lot of people couldn’t believe that I was sitting there so long b/c apparently most artists only appear one day, or if they come every day, it’s only for a couple of hours each day. But as an independent artist without a big hit out on the radio (yet!), I wanted to be sure that I met as many people as humanly possible! So sure, by the end of my days my hand was cramped and my cheeks were sore from smiling, but it was WELL WORTH IT! I met such a diverse crowd, from all ages and backgrounds, and it was so inspiring! Being in Nashville 24/7 and not being out on the road much in the past year has been tough for me. I mean, playing in town is GREAT but Fan Fair reminded me of why I love to get on the road, meeting people from other places, exposing my music and making new fans! This was such a great opportunity for me and I’m forever thankful for it!

Well, we made sure to take A LOT of pictures of the whole experience, so be sure to check back to the website on JUNE 26TH to see all the bazillion pictures that we post on my Photos page! Also, on the 26th you’ll be able to purchase my 2nd CD, “Lonely At The Bottom,” as well as enjoy updated pages, new layout, new photos/banners/icons, etc.!

I hope that you all had as much fun as I did this weekend and enjoy the rest of your June! We’ll be seeing you soon!!!

P.S. We have officially booked my CD release party for “Lonely At The Bottom” for Wednesday, July 18th at 3rd & Lindsley here in Nashville, so…MARK YOUR CALENDARS!!!! More details coming later this month!

May 1, 2007

Let's start this entry out with announcing the most exciting news of all...the release of my second CD, Lonely At The Bottom, will be coming to ya June 26th!! Can you wait that long?! Haha. If you can't wait til then and you want to be one of "the chosen few", then those of you that visit me at my booth during this year's CMA Music Festival (June 7th-10th) will be able to purchase it BEFORE it's release date!!! YAY!

We have all been bustin our butts the last few weeks trying to make all of this happen for you guys! Because honestly, what better time to make a CD available then during the most fan-oriented festival EVER?! It's a close deadline to make, but we are more than willing to put in the extra time and energy to do it! I'm SO pumped!!

We did a photo shoot last week and the pictures are GORGEOUS! I'm so excited for everybody to see them! It's pretty much completely KILLING me not to show you guys right now, but I guess I'll at least "try" to practice some patience and wait to release the new photos! I'm just so excited with the way everything's turning out. The photos are something that you've never seen from me before. Rachel done growed up!! ;)

I'm really happy to show my fans what I've been up to...how I've been feeling, what I've been writing, how I'm maturing as a vocalist, how I'm growing as an artist AND as a person. This CD reflects so much of where I've been, the place I've reached at 21 years old, and where I'm planning to go in the future. Everything is here. Influences from country/rock/pop/southern rock/blues. I'm going places that no one's heard me go before, unless of course, you've heard some of the new material at some of my shows this year. But those of you that haven't, expect something different than what you heard on my first record, First Day Of The Truth, or on the EP, Some Things Make Her Cry. I'm experimenting and broadening my musical horizons. For the first time, I feel like I'm doing a project and not necessarily aiming to please the higher powers that be. No one will be able to fit this CD into a box b/c there's something for EVERYBODY on it! Ahhh, the wait to have you hear it is unbearable!!! Haha.

I've got some upcoming shows where I'll be debuting some of the new stuff, so be sure to check out the Tour page! And also, I hope to be posting some of the new photos up on the website soon and definitely up on MySpace in the near future. So my advice to you? Just keep checking back...and back again...and back again...and....

March 25, 2007

So...I have a lot of things to cover. But first things first ;)

I'M GOING TO BE AT THE CMA MUSIC FESTIVAL THIS YEAR (FAN FAIR)!! I'm so freakin excited! I probably have no idea what I'm in for, but I'm incredibly honored to be given the opportunity to be there and able to meet with so many amazingly appreciative and enthusiastic country music fans! I'll have a booth in the convention center, along with all the bizillion other country artists and I'll be signing autographs, passing out pictures and other free giveaways for four days, June 7th-10th! There's word about a couple performances as well, and I'll be sure to announce it once they're confirmed! YAY!

Well, yesterday was my half-birthday. Haha. Yes, I'm being serious. I'm now officially 21 and a half years old. Isn't that crazy? I went home to Michigan to visit my family last weekend and it made me feel kinda old. Now, I know what you're probably thinking right now. You'd like to beat me in the head for thinking 21 and a half is old, but really now... Going home is always a rather surreal experience for me. Not much has changed, but it has. Does that makes sense? I wrote a song called "The Only Thing Harder Than Leaving" (I do it at my live shows) about just that. It's such a small town but not. Some of the kids I went to school with left it behind (like myself), and some didn't. It's weird to know people EVERYWHERE you go. It's not like that so much here in Nashville. It always takes me by surprise that when I show up for the $1.99 breakfast at 9AM in my PJ's with my mom back home, I'm probably going to run into the entire town that morning. Haha, PERFECT! It's good to be reminded of where you came from though. I drove by my old house (we moved when I was 8, my family is still in the same house) and you wouldn't even recognize the place. It was crazy to sit back and think about those early years of life, that house, those things that I can distinctly recall from my childhood... all of which helped form who I am today and the career that is on the brink of booming! And then there's Main Street, the church I grew up singing in, the high school, etc. My little sister graduates in May. The youngest sister is a freshman. It's all just too much sometimes. I can't believe it'll be 4 years this May since I, myself, graduated from high school. I go back home and I see what my life could've been if I'd chosen to go that way. Thankfully, I was much too crazy to stay and instead, decided to run in the opposite direction and chase after a dream that I knew I'd catch if I continued to want and work hard enough!

But enough of that... So my days have been crazy. As you can recall from my last entry, things are in a good place for me right now. Just when I think I've settled into feeling one way about something, an event/opportunity will come along that changes everything. I've been doing a lot of meetings and such lately. Lots of planning/strategizing. Lots of thinking. Lots of buying new clothes and gettin my hair and makeup done. Ha, it's been quite the time! The dream has never felt more real than it does right now. It's scary, makes ya nervous, makes ya anxious and ridiculously excited, makes it hard to fall asleep at night sometimes. I love it! I'm just keepin my fingers crossed and my prayers frequent. I love where I am today.

It's good to be home. This is definitely where I belong and where I'm "me." My adorable house, my dogs, my friends, my office, my car, this INCREDIBLE 70-degree weather we've been having...just everything. It feels just as it should.

February 27, 2007

My oh my, how things look up when you least expect it. If I've learned anything in this life thus far, it's that timing is EVERYTHING and even though it's hard to swallow, everything happens for a reason. This month has been quite the rollercoaster ride. It's seen it's ups and downs and flatlined right in the middle at times, but all in all, I'm in a great place right now.

The showcase was so much fun! I had an incredible band up on stage with me. We debuted some brand new songs that went over OH SO well! I had my bestest of friends there, my peers in the industry, my parents and Grandma who drove from Michigan. My outfit was TO DIE FOR! And I just felt like a rockstar through and through. It was a great night and I definitely enjoyed myself. We posted some pictures from the show on the Photo page as well as a live recording of one of my new songs, "On My Way To You", up on MySpace! We hope to have video footage from the show edited down and up in the next week or so!

My round at Bluebird the week before the showcase was also stellar! We played to a very appreciative, sold-out crowd and just had a blast! I was so blessed to be in such great company, alongside these very inspiring and
very big hit songwriters. I was definetely a bit nervous at the start of the show, since not only was it my first late night round, but also, my first time HOSTING! (For those that don't know, the 9pm writer's rounds at the Bluebird Cafe are very prestigious and are mostly reserved for the big-time hit songwriters to perform. Therefore, when someone, such as myself, hasn't had any big cuts with another artist and doesn't have a major record deal herself
yet, it's quite the accomplishment!)

Next up is another big late night round at the Bluebird on March 8th! My good friend, Stewart Harris ("No One Else On Earth", "I'm Gonna Be Somebody", etc.) called me up and invited me to join his round and perform alongside him,
Dave Gibson, and Jamie Lee Thurston. Can't wait!

Well, things have been crazy here. Aside from all the preparation for the big shows (that are now over), my family was also in town and that's always entertaining. Haha. My dad HATES driving in Nashville so it can be stressful
trying to get him 2 blocks from anywhere!! Hehe. Oh well. Them Michigan drivers... The weather's been rather confusing here in Nashville too. It can't seem to make up it's mind. It's freezing one day, and then I can go out in just a t-shirt and jeans the next. I'm ready for spring to officially begin!

I'm actually heading to Atlanta this weekend to visit my best friend who relocated there from Michigan. We are going to see Justin Timberlake in concert! Haha. I'm such a girl. LOVE IT!

Well, I'm gonna get to gettin. Talk to yall soon!

February 7, 2007

Well, January completely flew past me and I was thrown into February...one of the craziest months I've had in quite awhile. Things are busy and good. Getting used to this cold, cold weather. Oh, how fun the heating bill hasbeen the last two months. Ha.

Anyway, just catchin yall up. As you've read, the line-up for my Feb. 15th round has changed. We are lookin to reschedule Lisa, Bekka, Shelly, and me for later on in the Spring...so until then, you're gonna get me and my friend Rachel Proctor, Dave Berg, and the oh so fabulous, Kim Williams. It's going to be quite the show! I'm a little nervous since this will be my first time ever hosting a round at the Bluebird...hope I don't say anything stupid!! But if I do, hopefully yall will find it endearing. Haha. It'll also mark my FIRST late-night round at the Bluebird! Yay!

Also, as you can tell from our News announcement, we are having another industry showcase on Feb. 21st! I can't wait! The last showcase went over so well, I'm still riding high from it 3 months later. It definitely stirred things up once more and now, we're ready to rock their faces off again! My family will once again be making the drive from Michigan for the show, so I'm very very excited to see them!! It's gonna be a big one...so make sure you're there!

Just feels like I'm in a new place these days. I got a call a couple days before the Superbowl, asking me if I'd fill in for the performer that had backed out last minute from the Sunday Spotlight show at the Bluebird. So, without any preparation, we did a 45 minute show and it was amazing! And I've been getting calls left and right for last minute demo singing or writer's nights and it's just crazy. I go out to see friends perform these days and it seems I always know people there, or people know me. It's scary and exciting...and uh, scary, did I mention that? Haha. But it's what I've always wanted! I've been working for/dreaming of/and sacrificing everything for a shot..and this shot seems to be gettin closer and closer with each day. Its humbling and feels incredible.

I've been a writing fool lately too, which always makes me feel better about myself. My publishers are thoroughly impressed with the fact that I'm constantly turning in new songs, and not only that...but that they are REALLY GOOD!

Been writing with Karleen Watt, Rachel Proctor, Kim Tribble, Austin Cunningham, and the list goes on...

Life is good.
Nashville is too cold.
No more snow.
What is this, Michigan? ;)

P.S. Check out the new video we posted from my November showcase on my MySpace page!

January 8, 2007

Hello all and welcome to 2007. Can you believe it? A New Year already?! Like most of you, 2006 had it's ups and downs and some moments of unbelievable gratification but I was glad to see it go. I was talking with one of my friends the other night and I don't know what it is about a new year...but it's empowering. Nothing really changes. I'm still singing and writing. I still live in the same place. My family, my friends, my dogs...all still the same. But even still, for some reason 2007 just seems like 'THE YEAR'. It's like I got to say goodbye
and shut the door to anything that was holding me back last year. In some regards, it's a re-do. Granted, I ended 2006 on the highest of notes (new house, new doggie, kick-ass showcase) but I'm up for the challenge of making this year the best year yet! I'm ready to dominate this thing and take over in the '07, baby! It's ours for the taking ;)

I didn't really make any New Year's resolutions or anything. All the general resolutions that people make, I try to be conscious of anyway. (Example: work out, lose weight, eat healther, save money, GET A FREAKING RECORD DEAL! And so on... haha) I spent my New Year's at a 70's-themed show here in town. It was amazing! My friends and I dressed up totally disco-fabulous and danced the night away to local bands playing 70's covers.

Christmas was good. Went to Michigan with my two pups in tow to visit my family. My siblings are growing up so fast, it's scary! I'm the oldest of four and they all completely surpass me now in height. Ugh. How is it that I'm the shortest person ever in my family? Everybody swears that I'm shrinking! ;) I enjoy traveling to Michigan to spend time with the sibs though. They keep me up to date. My sisters and I have decided that our theme song is "Irreplaceable" by Beyonce. I swear, it's the anthem for all women! Why the hell didn't I write that song? Seriously. It was the perfect song to start my 2007-lol.

I've got a bunch of writing appointments set up this month and I've also been doing a lot of writing on my own. I love writing in my lil house! We head back into the studio at the very beginning of February to start recording on our NEW project! Followed by a photo shoot in the spring. We are hoping to book another showcase here in Nashville in late February or early March too! It's a re-launch of 'Rachel Williams'. YAY!

And as you can see from tour schedule or my MySpace page...I have a HUGE show coming up on February 15th at the Bluebird Cafe! It's my dream writer's round and I couldn't be more excited about it! Me, Bekka Bramlett, Lisa Carver, and Shelly Fairchild. These women are so inspiring to me. They are exactly the type of artists that I look up to for my own career---real, gutsy, SOULFUL, raw, original...I mean, it's SO refreshing to be amongst other ladies, that like myself, don't care to conform to whatever is the 'flavor of the month'. They don't care if it's commerical or if it offends somebody or if it makes them a million dollars... it's just good, honest, music. It was my writer's round to put together and I'm still in awe that they all agreed to do it with me! Seriously guys, I am beyond stoked for this show! So mark your calendars for Feb. 15th!

Other than that... I'm tired and I feel the urge to go home early and watch me some "Sex & the City". Haha. Hope everyone had a wonderful and safe holiday season. Now let's par-tay in the '07!!

December 8, 2006

Merry Christmas everybody! I'm in total disbelief that the holidays are already upon us. I don't know about you, but the year 2006 has just flown right by me. And since there's no controlling that, I can't wait to start over with a brand new year in 2007!

So much has happened since my last Diary entry. We moved into a new house!! Found a place very shortly after my showcase and we're already moved in and everything is fantastic! It's the most adorable little place and I'm
relishing in the fact that it's mine. I've been a shopaholic for furnishings and other household needs. I've been decorating my house for Christmas, singing along to the Rat Pack Christmas CD (which is scary b/c I'm normally not a fan of holiday music) and cleaning my house constantly. Haha, it's quite the sight to behold. Why, you ask? Because anyone who knows me, knows that I'm probably one of the most undomestic individuals you will ever meet. But being
in this new house is incredible, and though I'm sure the new-ness will wear off soon...I'm thoroughly enjoying it while it lasts. AND not only that but...

I got another dog! Oh yes, my little Deliah now has a sister. I adopted a rescue pup right before we moved into the new place. (I know, I'm freakin crazy, hehe.) Her name is Delaney and she's a golden retriever/sheltie mix, estimated to be between 6 and 9 months. She's ADORABLE! And since I already have a sheltie (and love the breed!) and I've always wanted a golden retriever (but never felt like I could do a big dog until I had a big house/big yard)...this dog is
perfect! She'll just be a mini retriever. She and Deliah are getting along great and it's just fabulous! If you want to see pictures, visit and read my latest blog on MySpace!

So...aside from that. The feedback on the showcase is still phenomeonal! I actually just sat down, finally, the other day and watched the DVD of the show. We might try'n post some clips from the showcase up here on the site soon too...Anyway... it was a great show and it just has me so excited! I feel like I'm there. I'm 110% ready. And I know that everyone thinks they are. Hell, I thought I was ready when I was 15. And I thought I was totally ready when I moved here, and when we were showcasing constantly last year. But this time, it's different. It feels different. It's scary and it's exciting and it's empowering and it's humbling. I feel like I can really sit here and say... Okay, bring it. I know it's coming, I just don't know exactly when, but I know it's soon.
It's good, it makes me impatient, it makes me nervous, but it makes me good.

So I'm going to continue into this month and next writing like crazy. I don't have any shows planned, but that'll change after the new year, hopefully. So just writing, writing, writing...christmas parties, being home with the doggies, and going back to Michigan to see my family for Christmas. It'll be a beautiful thing.

Also...we are starting work on a new project. I know, I can hardly contain myself either!! We are still in the very early stages. We are going through a lot of the stuff that I've written, that maybe you've heard demos on or heard live. We are picking our favorites and seeing if we can re-work them and breathe new life into them with a fresh recording. I'm also writing a lot...and we're listening to songs from other writers. I'm so excited! I'll keep you posted, but hopefully we'll be venturing into the studio come late January/February or so.

Once again, thanks for stopping by. Thank you for the support. I love and appreciate you guys oh-so very much! And I'd just like to extend a very Merry Christmas to you all as well. May you be close to those you love and have a very merry and blessed holiday season!

God bless and...

November 20, 2006

The Showcase. Wow.

That's pretty much all I can say. Last time I remember riding this high off of a show, it was when I opened for Wynonna back in 2004.

My showcase on Tuesday was, ahhh, INCREDIBLE!!! We completely packed the place... It was standing room only. In the middle of the show, I commented to the audience about how I'd seen a showcase there at 3rd & Lindsley right after I'd moved to town, and the balcony level up top was full, everywhere was full for that showcase. I remember turning to my managers then, two years ago, and saying "I want to do a show where it's packed like this... I want to pack the second level!"

And you know what? We did.

Thank you SO much to everyone who came out!!! You guys were the bestest, loudest, most fabulous audience EVER! (Yeah, and the standing ovation at the end wasn't too bad either, haha) Industry, friends, fans... You made it one of the most memorable nights of my life. All these weeks of practicing and being so nervous and promoting the hell out of the show (posting flyers all around Music Row, sending out massive emails, mailing postcards, posting bulletins, etc.)...it all paid off!!!

I'm extremely proud of myself. I haven't done a showcase in Nashville since September of last year, so it was a long time coming. And I feel like we came out with all guns blazin. There's not one single thing that I'd change about that show. I don't think it could've gone any better! Between my interaction with the audience, my vocal performance, the song selection, the band, my outfit/make-up/hair (it's a team effort, ha), and the amazing time I had... it was perfect. Everything was perfect!

My friends, you are incredible. Thank you all so much for being there to support me... My family (mom, daddy-o, the kids, and granny), who drove
550 miles THAT DAY from Michigan just to see my show... thank you guys so much. It meant the world to me to have you there... To my band, you rocked like no other! Thanks for makin me look so good. ;) ...To the ndustry/fans/other friends that were there. I love you guys and seriously, you have no idea what that night meant to me and I'm so glad you were there to see it... My managers, well, you already know I love ya. Thanks for all your hard work in helping make that night what I dreamed it could be... My "glam squad", mission accomplished!... Thanks to everyone who sent me messages/comments/emails/text messages and phone calls wishing me good luck, even if they couldn't make it. Your thoughts and prayers were very much appreciated... <3

So yeah... The feedback from the show has been wonderful. Everyone was really blown away and thoroughly impressed with the show. The buzz has officially started once again for me, and hopefully, it'll continue. We've got interest and we're going to continue to work our butts off to keep that interest going. This was such a HUGE step, no matter what the outcome... I proved to Nashville, and to myself... I'm ready... I'm oh-so-more than ready. So watch out because I'm takin over! ;)

If you missed it, shame on ya, you missed one hell of a show! But we'll be sure to catch ya again in 2007, guaranteed!

We've posted pictures from the show in the Live Shots section of the website here, and also on MySpace...so be sure to check 'em out!

P.S. Thanks again guys!

October 2, 2006

It's here, it's here! My new song, "World Famous" is now officially available for your listening/downloading pleasure and you can only get it HERE! Visit the Music page to listen to a snippit, get the lyrics, and read the story behind the song...

This song is unlike anything I've done before. I feel like I was fortunate enough to discover one of the best songs I've heard in a long time. It's like its my tears, my disappointments, my success, my passion, my motivation, my dreams... For all of you back there in Michigan, just know that I miss you and that every time I hear or perform this song out live, you're on my mind and on my heart. Always. I won't go into too much more detail about the song in the Diary, but there's more to read if you just visit the Music page!! We've sent it out to a few select radio stations to hear what they had to say, and the feedback thus far has been great!! We'll keep you updated on more.. I hope you enjoy!

Thanks to everyone who PACKED the Bluebird on the 24th. There wasn't one empty chair...it was standing room only andtrust me, there were plenty of you standing. It was quite a different show for us instrumentation-wise, but it turned out great and I had a BLAST! I had some people from out of town there and it was just soooo fun to be up there and playing my songs to a PACKED HOUSE at the Bluebird Cafe! It was really nice to meet a bunch of you and sign CD's for you after the performance too. That rarely happens when you play in town, so it was definitely a nice change of pace for me. Can't wait to come back! And we're definitely coming back...

October 6th I'm doing a round with two of my favorite chick saaaaaaanger/songwriters, Lisa Carver (cuts with Julie Roberts, Shelly Fairchild, Sugarland, etc) and Bonnie Baker (cuts with Reba McEntire, the Kinleys, Katrina Elam, SheDaisy, etc.) at Douglas Corner at 6pm! We are going to PAR-TAY! And then on October 19th, I'll be back at the legendary Bluebird Cafe playin in the round with Stewart Harris ("No One Else On Earth") and Wood Newton ("Riding with Private Malone"). Hell yeah!!

And again, I'll tell yall to mark your calendars for November 14th... the "mother of all showcases" will be taking place and you're gonna wanna be there! Trust me..

So, I celebrated my 21st birthday on September 22nd. Yeah... it rocked like no other. So now that I'm legal, yall better watch out! Just kidding, Mom. Well... haha. It was a great time and I just wanna thank everybody for all the messages/comments you left me on MySpace wishin me a happy 21st and to my friends and family for makin it SO awesome! So awesome...

Fall is here! YAAAAYYY!!!

September 7, 2006

It hasn't been quite a month since my last entry, but with the way my schedule is going... I might not have time to do another one for a bit!! Busy, busy!

Before our long drive to Maryland last weekend to open for Confederate Railroad, I had a MAGICAL and yes.. I mean MAGICAL day in the studio. We recorded a brand new song called "World Famous" and seriously... all I can say is "Wow." I am so blown away by how it turned out and excited for people
to hear this song!! This recording is better than I could have ever dreamed and anyone who's gotten a sneak peek listen to it is giving it rave reviews! I can't say for sure when it'll be officially posted for download, but definitely within a month's time. Make sure you check your email for our fanletter later this month to tell you the OFFICIAL RELEASE! This song means so much to me and I can't wait for yall to hear it, especially people back home in Michigan. You'll understand why once you hear listen. I love you guys back there in "da mitten" so much and miss you more than you know!

A big shout-out to everyone that I met at the Rachel Williams/Confederate Railroad show in Mt. Savage, MD last weekend! Yall were SO cool and so sweet to us. You could tell yall came to PAR-TAY and party we did, indeed! It was another very successful show and it just continues to motivate me to keep getting better and better. I really feel like we're takin our live band show to another level with each and every performance. I was so comfortable,
everything was so laid back and fun. I was talking and posing for pictures with the audience during my show and they loved it! A year ago, there's no way I could do the show I do now. It was just a real good time. Meeting everybody afterwards, signing autographs, posing for pictures with the kids (and the adults too, of course!) was great. So thank sooo much! Congrats to Landa Ranker who won our fanclub drawing! Check out the photo page (live shots) to see pictures from the show.

Everything's been going so great... We've had kick-ass shows in the last month. I'm meeting with industry people constantly these days. (They all can't believe I'm not signed yet. Glad someone else feels our frustration :) It'll happen. It's coming and I'm ready.) We're booking more shows around town. (We just secured my big industry showcase to be November 14th at 3rd
& Lindsley, so be there! It's going to be the "mother of all showcases" and I promise you, you WON'T want to miss it!)

I'm getting hooked up to write with some AMAZINGLY talented hit songwriters. I'm in the studio all the time. I'm picking up the guitar again! I'm trying to stay consistant with my work-outs (now, if I could just stay away from desserts... ahh!! Ha). Reading like a maniac. Taking my doggie for walks, enjoying this fantastic cooled-down weather here in Nashville. I'm so ready for fall. Fall fall fall. Life is so good, so good.

So check out the new photos. The new show dates we just added. Keep tuned to the website and looking for your fanletter that will be coming later this month to tell you when you can listen and download my BRAND NEW SONG,
"World Famous."

P.S. My birthday is Sept. 22nd, ow ow! And to celebrate, we're partying at my show at the Bluebird Cafe on Sunday, the 24th. Show starts at 6pm and there's no cover charge. Be there and celebrate with us!!!

August 23, 2006

Wow. SO much to say. Where to begin, where to begin... Well, let me start off by announcing that my newest recording, "How Does It Feel" is up and available for download! Listen, read about it, get the lyrics, and download it all on the Music page!!!

Secondly, I want to say THANK YOU to everybody that came out to the shows last weekend. First up was a great night at the French Quarter on Friday with Jeanne Richardson and Karleen Watt. They are extremely talented songwriters and great friends of mine, so we had an awesome time up there with each other! You can check 'em out on MySpace!

Thanks to those that braved the heat and came out to see me in Etowah, TN on Saturday!! What a freakin great night we had! The audience, the sound crew, the Chamber of Commerce, and everybody else helping out at the show were beyond fantastic to the band and I. I couldn't have asked for yall to have been any better. And despite the 200 degree temperature outside (it seriously felt THAT hot), it was such a fun show. See the new pictures we posted on the Photos page. We did about 20 songs, which is a lot, especially when I've been used to doing a lot of writer's shows and/or opening act slots lately. It was really nice to do some songs that we wouldn't normally do full band...more ballads, a few covers, etc. I did a lot of things that made me step out of my comfort zone at times and it totally paid off. And beides that, my band kicked MAJOR ass! Oh yes! Meeting everybody after the show was incredible! It was such a nice reminder that yes, this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. I don't care how many obstacles I have to overcome, how hard it gets or how frustrated I may be at times, this is what it's all about. You get up on that stage and you totally forget about everything that happened before, and you do what you were made to do. I still feel so touched and almost surprised when someone wants my autograph, or that little kids look up to me. Or the fact that I've made someone's night and will be the topic of conversation the next day just by simply taking a picture with them. I get so excited by the fact that the fans purchase my CD's, because I know that they are going to go home and listen to it and hopefully, love it the way that I do! So thank you!!!

CONGRATULATIONS TO CALLIE RICHESON for winning the fanclub drawing! We are going to start doing this at every road show we do. Fill out a slip signing you up for our free online fanclub at our merchandise table and be entered in a drawing to win a free CD, autographedf 8 x 10 photo, and a t-shirt with my mug shot on it. :)

This past weekend has made me SO pumped for upcoming shows! I'll be at Ga'Dang in Nashville on August 28th and opening for my friends Confederate Railroad once again in Maryland on September 2nd!

I'm heading into the studio on the 29th to record two brand new songs!!! I'll keep you posted as to when they'll be up and available for you to hear and download!

Other than that, just stayin busy writing, in the studio, and performing out. I hope to get some new promo shots taken here somewhat soon. You can check out the new photos from the shows to see my FABULOUS dark hair!! :) Oh, and it's exactly a month until my 21st birthday... be afraid... be very afraid... Haha!

July 26, 2006

So...where to begin, where to begin. Well, let me start out by saying that anyone that sees me this month or next will notice something considerably different about me. What is it? Maybe we could start out by the fact that my hair is now shorter and uh... blacker. Ha. Don't worry! It looks awesome and I love it! So please, don't fall over from a heart attack or anything, I know that everbody loves the red hair, so it'll be back.. I promise. I just wanted to try something new for the summer since we aren't doing a lot of road gigs. And yes, I know that most females go LIGHTER in the summer, but, well, I don't follow all too well :) It's cool and I'm rockin it for a lil while.

I have some writers shows coming up soon! Hip hip freakin hooray!!! So check me out on July 31st, August 7th, and August 18th. And no, its not a "seen one, you've seen them all" type of show. We like to mix it up, so plan to come to any and all upcoming performances! I've been going to a lot of writer's rounds lately, talking and hanging out with other songwriters... I've had some GREAT co-writes recently and exciting ones coming up too with some of my fav. writers such as Marcia Ramirez and Lisa Carver. It's a whole nother world outside of the whole "artist" thing and I really want to throw myself into it. I've always written songs, performed some of my originals at my shows, etc. But to really live and breathe it... commit and discipline myself... that's what I'm looking to do. I'd love to do an entire, full length/full band show consisting of songs by ME and me only. It's going to happen, no doubt. I'm totally up for the challenge! I live a crazy life. If it's not crazy professionally, then it always seems to be crazy personally too. I'm 20 years old, what do you expect? Ha. I have SO much to say, so much to express through music. I'm ready to put myself out there 200%. It's a scary thing, uh, a very scary thing but it's going to be INCREDIBLE! I'm inspired. I'm motivated to do more and totally change the way country music is thought of. I can feel a lot of changes taking place with me and it's only going to lead to bigger and better things!

So aside from my recent inspiration and my black hair and my upcoming shows... not too much to say. It's been ridiculously hot down here lately. I thought it would be a good idea to go sprinting at 8am this morning with my dog. Um.. not so much. I wouldn't recommend running of any kind when its hotter than hell outside. Hmm. Got new tires put on my car! YAY! No seriously, I was totally excited about it! Haha. I can't wait for my show on Monday. I'm going to be using a new guitar player for it. I'm a bit nervous about it, just because him and I haven't really played together much, but he's great so it'll be just fine. Okay, I'm rambling.

Have fun in the sun, use sunscreen (trust me, from recent personal experience...), and see you at the shows!

June 25, 2006

I'm now up on iTunes! FINALLY! So go check it out, and download the songs, ok?! Thanks :)

Listen to the rough mix of my new song, "How Does It Feel" on MySpace! We're only going to have it up for a little while longer, and then the final version will be available for download here on my site. Yay! I'm extremely proud of this song because it's one that I wrote all by my lonesome. So check it out, let me know what you think!

Everything is still looking extremely well on my end. I've got some new co-writers that I'm going to start writing with that I'm pretty much estatic about and we had some great shows earlier this month that the band and I THOROUGHLY enjoyed! It was great to meet all you out-of-towners here for Fan Fair. Thanks so much for coming out and rockin with us! We did some new songs and I'm pretty excited about future performances because we're only going to continue to grow/evolve/change the show around. I can't help but think about where I was and what I was doing a year ago from this weekend. The band and I were playing my first show back in Michigan since I had moved to Nashville! Seriously, it leaves me in awe.

The last year has just FLOWN by and we've done SO much, it's unreal! What a long way we've come...

I hope everyone's keeping cool in the sweltering heat that's been bestowed upon us lately. I've definitely been working on my tan, ha! Hope everyone has a safe 4th of July!

May 27, 2006

EXCITING NEWS HERE! But first... June. We are going into the month of June. I'm sorry, I know that I probably sound like a broken record, but seriously... time has flown by so fast, it feels surreal to me. I look back at where I was in June of last year and yeah, needless to say.. it's quite a difference. I've gone through more, experienced more in the last year... hell, even in the last five months... than I have ever in my 20 years of life. It gives me a lot to write about.

We had a great show at the Bluebird on May 18th! I just relished in the fact that I was in the round with such talented chicks that were cool as hell to hang out with for 2 hours. I swear, I probably looked like such a fan because I just absorbed every word that was comin out of their mouths as they sang. It was amazing and definitely the best time that I've ever had playing in a writer's show. Thanks to my "MAM" Kim Copeland, my soul sista Vickie Carrico, one of the most bad ass singer/songwriters I know, Lisa Carver, and of course... my saving grace and THE best guitar player in my world, Joe "Speeeeev" Spivey.

Okay, so for my exciting news... I HAVE THREE SHOWS COMING UP! Yay, yay, yay! I'm seriously just beside myself because the desire to play has been eating me alive lately, especially since we had such a great show the other week. So yeah, the band and I will be reunited to kick some major ass here in Nashville and I just CANNOT WAIT! I'm playing the Bluebird again on the 4th, but this time with the band. And yeah, I'll have some 'special' visitors from out of town for that one, as well as the show on the 7th at Mystic. I'm headlining that one, and a bit nervous b/c I want as many people there as humanely possible! We are pullin out all the stops and yeah, I'm just gonna be really busy promoting the hell out of these shows, no doubt! And then, I'm going to do what I said I'd never do... reach into the past and relive my "Nashville Star" days. I'll be joining other finalists from the past 3 seasons to do a show at Mystic on the 10th during Fan Fair. I just feel like, wow, that was a completely different world for me back then. I'm pretty excited to show everyone that would remember me from the show just how far I've come in the last two years. I'm a far cry from the flaming red-haired 18 year old still working at Cracker Barrel and trying to go to school. Ha. Memories...

So the moral of this entry: Thanks to those who came to my May 18th show, and for those of you that didn't (well, even those that didn't)... I'd better see you at these upcoming shows! You've got 3 chances, 3 different shows... all of them will be different than the other, so, heck, come to all three!

I love you guys. Ya'll rock and I couldn't do it without you. Thanks so much
for the support and hope to see you real soon!

May 5, 2006

Let me just start out by saying that my life is crazy. Completely and blissfully insane. Next topic of discussion?

Come to my show on May 18th because I'm am ridiculously excited about this one, ladies and gentlemen! I'll be performing in the round at the Bluebird Cafe at 6PM alongside three other ladies that I have the utmost respect and admiration for because basically, they rock my socks... Lisa Carver (wrote "Wake Up Older" for Julie Roberts, among others), the ever so soulful Vickie Carrico, and my favorite co-writer ever Kim Copeland.

The last two performances here in Nashville have been fabulous. The writer's round at Douglas earlier last month was SO fun, despite the incredibly horrific weather. It was so cool to just sit down and sing these songs with nothing but a guitar and me. It just makes it so much more personal and intimate. It's kinda scary to tell you the truth, because it's like reading your journal or diary aloud to everyone. But hey... I'm pretty much always an open book anyway. It's a blessing and a curse.

The show on Wednesday was a great change of pace for me. It's been awhile since I'd played a show with the FULL band... the fantastically KICKIN' ASS AND TAKIN NAMES band. Oh yes, and never ones to disappoint... they brought their game that night. Can't wait to do it again fellas... and uh, chickies. :)

I've done quite a few radio interviews over the last month as well. Good to know people other than myself are diggin' the music and requesting my single. Ha. I've talked via phone to radio DJ's anywhere from Missouri to New York. Very cool. Oh, and I'd like to give a SPECIAL SHOUT-OUT to my homies Roger McCoy and Scony at the Bull in Ashtabula, Ohio. Very entertaining to hang out with you guys down here the other week, thanks for all the support!

I'm also nominated for a Detroit Music Award this year. So thanks to all of you who voted and all that good stuff. Unfortunately I won't be able to attend this year due to the fact that the Bluebird show is on the same night, but I'm totally there in spirit. Or something like that. :)

Went into the studio last week to record a new song that I'd written. Might I add, this is a song that I wrote all by my lonesome. Which, for those who don't know me, that is a huge accomplishment. Why? B/c I co-write more than solo-write, and when I do write alone, it's rare that I let anyone actually hear it. But this one... people heard. And loved. So we recorded it and I'm pretty flippin excited about it. We'll post it up here on the website for download soon. At least, I hope it's soon. I'll keep ya updated.

Ummm... this is a really long Diary. Guess I have a lot going on, huh? I'd like to give a shout-out to my family back in Michigan because, well, they know why... I love you guys and I miss you oh-so very much.

Thanks to all of you who are reading this. I appreciate your interest in my music and your support. You know I love ya!!

April 3, 2006

The fact that we are four months into the new year is still sort of creeping me out. I don't THINK I've been that busy that I wouldn't have noticed the time fly by, but apparently I have been. And that's totally alright with me!

I've been in a really creative mood the last few days and I love it! I've been so inspired with this beautiful weather we've been having down here and of course, the ongoing craziness of my life. Needless to say, I'm thankful for it and enjoying it.

Another reason for this stirring of creativity is the fact that I've been SO moved with some of the music that I'm hearing these days. The other night I went to one of the last shows of Tin Pan South and saw one of my favorite singer/songwriters, Bekka Bramlett, perform in a round. Hearing her live again (she sang backgrounds in the studio on my newest songs, including the single) was incredible! I've seen many shows here in town lately and been exposed to new music, new ways of delivering, new ways of thinking... and I'm absorbing it like a sponge. I'm so happy that I live in Nashville. It is the perfect town for doing what I do and it is constantly giving me reasons to push aside some of the frustrations of this business, and get back to the heart of the matter... the music.

So, as you all already know, my single is still out to radio. "Some Things Make Her Cry" is getting played and we're still getting a great response from people that are hearing it! So I thank ya ever so much! You rock! And speaking of new music... I couldn't post a Diary entry without mentioning another great song that I feel so priviledged to be played alongside with on radio. The Dixie Chicks' newest single, "Not Ready To Make Nice" pretty much rocks my world right now. I know it might seem a bit strange that I'm raving about someone else's music on MY website, especially when I have my own single to promote. But let's be honest here, artists find inspiration in other artist's music. If we didn't, we wouldn't be doing what we do. So let me say for the record, it's good to have the Chicks back and this song kicks ass!

Had a good ol time playing for all you college kids (as if I'm actually older than any of you, ha) last week in Maryville! It was good to get back on the band mobile and play out again after hibernating for awhile. ;) I've got a lot of shows lined up here in town over the next few months, so be sure to check them out! Doing some writer's rounds, which I'm pretty excited about because I rarely do them. I've got new material and I want to showcase it, sooo... I'm gonna.

Keep requestin and listening for "Some Things Make Her Cry" and be sure to check my music out on MySpace!

March 4, 2006

I'm in disbelief that it's March already! The weather here in Nashville has been incredibly beautiful the last few days. I'm definitely taking advantage of it! A lot has gone on in the past month since my last entry. Let's see here...