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