For dog lovers only...

Disclaimer: This post has nothing to do with Southern Gospel.

Also a disclaimer: If you are a sucker for cuteness, look out!

My Mom called last Friday with only these words - "His name is Tyler!"

This summer, our family was heartbroken when we had to put down our family dog, Desi. It was hardest on my Mom as Desi was 'her' dog.

But she's a dog lover, so we knew it was only a matter of time...

Last week, she called every day saying, "There's this one puppy at the store, and when I get a dog, I want it to be like him."

And then I got the call.

We're now thrilled to welcome 3-pound, 9-and-a-half-week-old Tyler to the family. From what I hear, he's beautiful and adorable, and has brought tonnes of joy into my family's home.

Can't wait to get back to Toronto to meet him in person...

BCC Autumn Tea

A few months ago, a friend called asking to book me for the Bellevue Community Church Autumn Tea. BCC was one of the first churches we visited in Nashville. It's ginormous with a great music program, so of all the choices at their fingertips, I was honoured they'd ask me to sing.

The event was held this afternoon at Traveller's Rest Plantation and Museum. Sooo beautiful! The weather was stunning and the grounds and gardens are peaceful and gorgeous. We weren't in the historic house, but I think I read online that it's the oldest house open to the public in Tennessee. We were in an intimate building with high dormer ceilings and lots of windows.

And I have to start with this - the food was amazing! High tea complete with scones, jam and whipped cream (not clotted cream, but what're ya gonna do?), and the piece de resistance - a chocolate fountain! My word! I will take a chocolate fountain gig anytime!

Ladies in the church had each volunteered to decorate a table on a theme of their choosing, and the results were eclectic and beautiful. Everyone was very friendly, and our emcee, Anna, set a great tone for the event. (Anna was one of the first people we met in Nashville, so it was great to spend time with her today.)

I sang before the speaker, and I have to tell you, after all my Elijah training, the pressure was on today. I only had a 20 minute set, so I really wanted each minute to have an impact. I opened with "Neighbour", and that got a lot of smiles. Next, I did a short spoken segue into "Wedding at Cana". I rehearsed my segues and tried to be very purposeful with them. I drifted a bit from my script in small moments, but overall, I think my talking was much more focused than in my pre-Elijah days.

After "Wedding", I did my longest segue into "Abide With Me". I still kept the talking to only a minute, but I could tell it connected with people. I needed to come out of the deeply spiritual place of "Abide" to my fun ending of "Real Big Fan", so I tried a musical segue. As the "Abide" applause was dying down, I started with an acapella chorus of "How Great is Our God". BCC is a contemporary church, so I figured most people there would know it. People just listened the first time, so I sang it again, asking them to join me, and they did. It worked wonderfully! Singing as a group, even in a worshipful kind of way lifted the energy in the room, and prepared us all for a little fun. It also gave me a new kind of segue for "Real Big Fan". Instead of talking about Hollywood or my experiences with the film industry, I spoke about the greatness of God, and how important it is to focus our worship in the right place.

This was followed by guest speaker and BCC pastor's wife, Liz Perez. Liz spoke about making yourself new in Christ every day, and it was great. I think I even got a few new song ideas from it...

Overall, I couldn't be happier with the day. I sang really well, and the segues were good, and I got a great reaction from people. One of the BCC musicians not only complimented the music, but she also complimented my spoken parts as well! Yay! Several people visited the product table, and a few people asked about booking me at other events.

Can't complain about any of that!

ps - So far, I've booked 15 gigs for me and Gerald over the month of December. Whoo-hoo!

Joy FM Sharathon: Post-Blog + A Great Day

The interview was great! It was about 10 minutes long and they asked about working for Ben, Stamps-Baxter, and shape-notes. Then they asked me about "Do You Wanna Be My Neighbor in Gloryland", since that's my latest single, and I also got to plug Real Big Fan and my site. All very cool - all very good!

The rest of the day ended up being very productive as well. I'm continuing to book dates for Christmas - so far I'm up to 10, but I know we'll get more through our agent in Toronto. I also wrote my interview with Mark Bishop for SGM Radio.com. He sent me some great answers to my questions, so I think the article turned out well.

Oh, and this is very cool - I've booked a gig in Kitchener for late November, which means I'll be home for my birthday! It'll be the first time for a few years, so I'm very excited about it!

One more thing: Real Big Fan got another review! This one is very positive, and they even included a clip of "Neighbor". You can read it here.

And here's the heavy thing: We have just over a year left on our O1 Visa, which means it's time to look at renewing it. We don't know if it's best for us to renew the visa or just go ahead and get green cards, so we're meeting a lawyer next week. Getting our first visa was so much work and so very expensive, and I'm dreading doing it all over again. My stomach hurts just thinking about it. It's going to be a huge undertaking, both in finances and labour. Please pray for us, if you can.

Joy FM Sharathon: Pre-Blog

I've been invited to do an interview as part of the Joy FM Sharathon this morning at 9:05 am. We'll be doing the interview over the phone, and I've sent them some CDs for giveaways.

I don't know if they're going to stream it over the internet, but you can try listening here.

Very excited! Pray for me...

Elijah Conference - Day 4

The last few days have been amazing, both in how quickly they've flown and in how much we've learned.

We didn't have an evening session tonight, which meant we only had the day to finish all the work we'd started. The focus landed squarely on performance coaching. Every time I would start taking notes on some one's performance, the topic would always swing back around to segues - finding them, tweaking them, rehearsing them. It has definitely been the focus of the performance training part of the conference. Because we're all in active ministry, it's like we all took prerequisite courses before class - everyone here knows music, how to breathe properly, and the basics of putting on a show. The lessons here have been advanced and specific, and I think we've all felt stretched by it.

The conference has provided lunch each day, and it's been lovely to sit outside in the fall-ish weather and learn more about each other's lives and ministries. Today, I sat with a quartet singer who has a brilliant mind for marketing and for bringing Gospel music into nontraditional venues. I'm always excited about singing Gospel music in unexpected places, so I just drank in as much info as I could get. Definitely got some new ideas popping around in my brain...

Our one guest lecturer today was the always wonderful, Jack Clark. Jack was my theory teacher my first year at Stamps-Baxter, and he's just brilliant. He spoke to us about the Nashville Number System. I needed this. Lately, there are many times when we step into a church and the music director hands us a chart in 'numbers'. Saying, "We don't get that - we're Canadian." will only last for so long. The class was good, but the real test will be looking at some charts and seeing if my eyes cross.

We finished with more performance training, an impromptu quartet performance of "Hide Thou Me", and lots of prayer. The goodbyes were long and lingering. A group of us had dinner and chatted some more. Business cards and CDs were exchanged. Conversations starting with "we should do ____ together some time" flew between friends.

I'm tired and inspired...

Elijah Conference - Day 3

My in-laws arrived this afternoon, and the party's still going on out in the living room, so I'm seeking a quiet space to write tonight.

We're all realizing that the Elijah Conference is only the beginning. This is just a starting point, and the real work will begin on Monday when we need to look at ourselves, our art, our ministries and decide: How am I going to make all of this better and more effective for spreading the Gospel?

A few people had to leave early last night, so Allison decided to repeat her work with me to show them what we did. I started by singing the first half of "Real Big Fan" in the 'old' way. I was, of course, much less nervous this time, but much more self-conscious because I've now learned a better way to do the song. She stopped me after the first chorus and explained what we worked on, and then I did the second verse to the end in the 'new' style. Reworking physicality is so trying! You get used to singing with certain movements and gestures. Singing the song without them, or having to do something totally different, really throws you off your center. I am now totally confused about my right elbow. I'm not kidding. My right elbow and I have a lot of work to do.

The focus today was definitely on performance training. We've been doing work on segues all week, and this has been a lot of the work in performance training as well. People have great stories, and Allison has a real gift for distilling the essence of a story, matching it with an eternal and Biblical truth, and putting all that together in a way that leads right into a song.

One of our guest speakers was unable to come today, so Brian Speer gave an impromptu lesson on sound systems - what you need and how to use it. So much of it was over my head. I know how to hold a mic and I know when I hear what I like, but other than that, I just know nothing. I think I'll need to grab Brian sometime and say, "Please start from the beginning..."

Our second guest speaker was Rebecca Irwin who spoke about "Starting a Non-profit Ministry". The whole non-profit thing does interest me. Stamps-Baxter is non-profit, so I get to see some of the benefits firsthand there. But with the legal status of our visa, we're not allowed to form a business, so we wouldn't be able to start this until we got green cards (I think?). But Rebecca was very passionate and entertaining, and at least I have someone to talk to when and if we decide to go that way.

We had a surprise guest in Pastor Sam from Missouri (I'm sorry Pastor Sam - I can't remember your last name). He spoke about his ministry, and his thoughts on being a minister of the Gospel. Then he and Johnny Minick spoke about being "annointed" - what that means, how to best use it, how to keep yourself filled and ready to serve. Very inspiring...

There are incredible voices and talents here at the Conference. There are awesome hearts and generous spirits. There are great friends, and great friends-to-be. We ended the day with a talk on humour and planning a show, and ended up on stage for a group picture. There was so much laughing and good-natured joking that it should have been easy to get a beautiful happy picture.

One more good night's sleep ... one more long intense day ...

Elijah Conference - Day 2

It's late as I'm writing, and I need to find a way to calm my brain if I'm ever going to get a good night's sleep. Tomorrow starts early, and today's activities have left my imagination on fire.

Today was Minick Day at the Elijah Conference. Our first guest speaker was Johnny Minick, who spoke on "The Pastor's Perspective". His talk was so rich and dense that he easily could have go on all afternoon. I thought he would speak about the practicalities of working with pastors, but what he really focused on was the pastor's perspective on how to approach a music ministry. He has so much wisdom, and his words really expressed the need to take on the mantle of ministry with the proper intention, attitude, and authority.

This afternoon, Aaron Minick spoke about "Producing an Independent CD". Since Aaron did my project, I knew everything he said, but he still gave an awesome, detailed talk. It lead into a great discussion as well, which was cool. There are just so many different ways to make a record, and it was great to hear other people's approaches and ideas.

We continued with some of Allison's newer-style teaching today, but we also did a lot of performance training. We only have four days together, and I know Allison would really like to have everyone sing twice. Everyone in this group has a professional ministry which is either full or part-time. Most people have CDs, and most are touring. Because of all this, the level of performance training is much higher and much more focused than it can ever be at Stamps-Baxter. Allison is being tough on us, and it's awesome.

When 9pm hit tonight, most people wanted to keep going, so Allison, Brian, and all the staff stuck around for another hour ... and I volunteered to sing. I'd spent the day wishing I'd get picked and dreading getting picked, but at that point I was just too tired to be too nervous anymore. Besides, if I didn't go tonight, I feared I'd get picked first thing in the morning.

(Side note: Dante has curled up tight next to me and has fallen asleep with his little head tucked under my arm. Very cute, but very awkward for typing!)

I decided to go big and sing "Real Big Fan" for my critique. I was talking to Wess Adams today, and we both agreed that even though we perform a lot and we've both worked with Allison a lot, there's still a special kind of nervousness that happens in her class. Maybe it's because of all the talent in the room. Or maybe it's because you know you're about to placed in 'student' role, and that your precious, personal work is about to be critiqued. Either way, I had the nerves throughout my song. But I didn't fall off the stage, so that's always a good night.

When I finished singing, Allison walked up on stage and I said, "You can be tough with me". And I meant it. I'm not in this course to be babied and praised. I have people in my life who will tell me I'm beautiful and talented and ready to change the world, and I love them. But I'm at the Elijah Conference to stretch and grow, and that always involves a little pain.

She spent almost the next hour working on my voice and my physicality in very specific ways. It was very challenging, but amazing too. By the end, I actually felt a little out of sorts. We all have physical gestures we do at specific parts of a song, and certain vocal moments which become a part of our performance. In the critique, we adjusted several of these all at once. I shouldn't say 'several'. It was really just two or three changes all together, but they were significant and specific enough that they made a distinct difference in how I presented the song. It was great work to do, but it'll take a great deal of focused rehearsal before some of these things really start feeling natural. Allison was very positive about my music and my artistry, so that was very encouraging. I got great feedback from some of my peers, so that was also very affirming.

Today has just been awesome. The classes and training are so amazing, and in the gaps, we get to spend time laughing and joking and snacking and laughing again. Today, Johnny encouraged us to spend time with like-minded Gospel artists who will 'stir up' our excitement about ministry. I'm in the right place...

Elijah Conference - Day 1

My day started at 6:30 am, having to hit Smyrna by 8:00 am. What is it with Christians always starting things so early?

Today was the first day of the very intense Elijah Conference. I knew it would be a challenge, and I haven't been disappointed. We have a good group of artists, with a decent mix of soloists and groups. The core of the conference is Allison's teaching, but we also get a couple of guest lectures each day. Today, we had a great talk from Les Butler on radio and media, and another from Kathi Mathis on booking. Took lots of notes. Much to learn.

I've studied with Allison for a few years now. I've been on stage, singing for her and getting critiqued, and I've spent hours listening to her thoughts and theories on great performance skills, but this is something all together different. She's really raising the bar, and taking a whole new twist on how we present the Gospel. Implementing these concepts will require an entire reworking of life performances, booking, product, marketing ... everything. But I think if I can do some of these things, it's really going to be an awesome experience - for me and for my audiences.

Today was a bit of a shorter day - just 8am to 6pm. We broke for supper, and a group of us spent the hour laughing and eating and catching up (there are some Stamps-Baxter people here). Then, we wandered back to River of Life for a Wednesday night service, lead by Johnny Minick. (a much more enjoyable experience than my first visit to River of Life!)

I'm still doing a lot of booking for December, so I'm going to touch on that tonight, but I really need to spend some time processing the day. Brian asked me if I was enjoying it, and I really didn't know how to answer it. I'm enjoying seeing everyone and hearing people sing, but the work is hard and intense. I'm loving it, but I don't know if "enjoying" is the best word to use.

"Enjoying" is a cup of tea with a scone. This is a double espresso with an extra crunchy biscotti. You know what I mean?

Elijah starts tomorrow!

Sleep must be my priority right now, but I also need to write a quick bit to keep track of all that's happening right now.

Big priority: The Elijah Conference starts tomorrow! I've been practicing and prepping and doing my homework. Yes, my homework. We'll be working a lot on segues this week, so we've all been asked to prepare stories, jokes, and Bible references on different themes. I've packed my bag with a Bible, a concordance, CD tracks, extra pens, business cards, and energy drinks.

I finished my "Thinking as a Songwriter" course today. Definitely the most work-heavy course thus far, but very, very good.

I've been doing Christmas booking in the past week. So far, I have six church gigs booked, and I just found out we already have several bookings for seniors homes (these are done through an agent). It's going to be a busy season.

I've arranged an interview with singer-songwriter Mark Bishop for next month's SGM Radio article. Big fan!

In the 'quiet' moments, I've been trying to pay bills, update our SOCAN info, keep up on Shoutlife, book dates for January, work for Ben, have some quiet family time, and prep for a visit from the in-laws this Friday.

It's going to be an intense week. If you're praying kind, please raise one up for us.

And now, on to that sleep...

Elijah, Redeemer, and back to the Cafe Classroom...

I got a call last night from Brian Speer asking if I'd come in today to help them prepare for next week's Elijah Conference. I was up bright and early to head over to their house, and was greeted by a great pile of swag. Between the three of us (I made some phone calls last week), we've collected piles of free goodies for next week's artists. My job today was helping Allison type out her notes for her teaching. So basically, I spent four hours sitting across from Allison, hearing her theories on live performance and communicating the Gospel. Her teaching for the Elijah Conference will be based on her Stamps-Baxter teaching, but it's going to go so much further and so much deeper. She's really developed some theories and techniques that go far beyond anything I've studied in other performance coaching seminars. I'm kind of glad I got the preview, cause it's going to take a while to wrap my head around all this. It's real mind-shifting stuff. Next week is going to be great, but interesting...

Gerald and I have been booked to lead worship for the Redeemer Women's Retreat in November, so we met today with Jenna to go over some song ideas and get some charts. Jenna is not just a great worship leader, but she also has a great feel for what this congregation needs. Most of these songs are new for Gerald, so it was a great chance to him to hear them played well. We hammered out three great sets, played them through to make sure everything is cohesive, and got a bit of information about the sound set-up. I think it's going to be a great event, and I think we'll be in good shape for it.

Right after that meeting, Gerald had his mentoring session with Steve Leslie. Steve is an uber-accomplished writer, with cuts by Reba McEntire and George Straight. He and Gerald are meeting once a week to work towards Gerald getting a publishing deal. This is definitely an example of the right student finding the right teacher.

While that was going on, I headed over to the Green Hills Starbucks for a little more Cafe Classroom time. One of my Song U courses (Thinking Like a Songwriter) has a rather lengthy assignment that involves going to a cafe, observing a couple, making up a backstory for them, making up an issue for them to have to resolve, sketching out a song about it, and finally, writing the lyric. For some people, this might be fairly easy, but I never write songs about couples in crisis. It's a country style lyric, and I usually write happy-Southern-Gospel-heaven-praising-hymn-like kinds of songs.

I found my couple quickly, and with my background in theatre, writing characters and a backstory were easy, but I choked when it came time to write the lyric. I suddenly felt I had this huge moat to leap. I found my hook, and eventually came up with a fairly solid lyric, but it was definitely a challenge. I felt just outside my comfort zone. This has been the most work-heavy class I've taken, and probably because of this exercise, the most challenging one too.

When we got home tonight, Gerald took a look at my lyric and gave me some feedback and suggestions. He was gentle because he knew it was my first attempt at a storytelling, non-churchy kind of song, but he also gave me some good, solid feedback, which I appreciated. It's nice to have your own in-house song critique service...

Cafe Classroom

Gerald had a cowrite this afternoon with Rebekah Long. Rebekah's main claim to fame is that she works with me in Ben's office, but in addition, she and her twin, Lizzy, are killer bluegrass musicians. (They did that awesome show with Earl Scruggs and Little Roy Lewis at Stamps-Baxter this summer.) Gerald and Rebekah are working on a signature song for the act, so after dropping him off for the session, I settled into the warm funky atmosphere of an East Nashville cafe.

I spent several happy hours sipping on fluffy caffeinated beverages, tapping away on my pink laptop. I've really been enjoying all the time I've had lately for creative pursuits, including my Song U classes. They've been great for inspiring and encouraging my writing. In light of that, I'd decided to work towards their certification program. There's no extra cost, which is kind of nice. Basically, you can receive certificates in Lyrics or in Commercial Songs. Each has a list of required courses and accomplishments. When you complete these, the moderators will confirm everything and award you the certificate. In a small way, the certificate will be cool. But really, I know I work better when I have a clear goal in mind, so the promise of a certificate will help motivate me to be vigilant in my studies.

At the cafe, I completed two lessons. One was for my "Thinking as a Songwriter" class. I've been away from writing for a couple of months now, so I figured this would be a good choice for inspiring me. I knew it was the right class today when one of the exercises started with, "Visit a cafe and observe ... " My other current class is "Lyrical Contrast". It's starting simple, but I think it'll pick up.

After a few hours of latte bliss, Gerald and Rebekah called me to come over and hear the song. It's sounding really good, and I can't wait to hear it with the whole band.

I also got an email today that our SGM Radio articles are up. You can read my interview with Mitchel Jon here. I've been a fan of Mitchel's since Three Bridges, so it was really cool to learn more about him, his writing, and his influences.

Tomorrow, we're recording a worktape for another songwriter, and I also have to catch-up on my email. I'm horribly behind - I have at least 30 I need to answer. It's been great having some relaxing time lately though, and I refuse to punish myself for enjoying it!

Song U Feedback Class

I did it - I did my first Song U feedback class!

On Tuesday, Gerald and I recorded a worktape for "Point of the Song". We've performed this song several times, but we both feel it's not quite 'there' yet. We did a clean vocal/guitar recording in our 'upstairs studio.' Next, I posted the song on Song U. To keep with Song U's campus theme, each student has a 'locker' where you can keep mp3s and lyrics. To share your songs with teachers or other students, you load them into your 'backpack'. The backpack is private and can only be shared when you send someone the appropriate link. We all have a webpage too, and you can put songs from your locker on your page as well.

You can visit my page here. It has songs, current news, and an 'interview' about my songwriting loves and goals. (Wow, I seem uber quote-happy tonight!)

I was nervous about doing the online class, not because of the song, but because of the whole online thingy. I'm not very tech-savvy, and I had images of disconnecting myself just when my turn came up. I went online this afternoon just to view the 'classroom', and it looked so cool!

At ten to seven, I went back to the classroom for class. There's a space where you can type your comments, and another space where you read everyone's comments in a running dialogue. The main part of the screen shows everyone's backpacks. When you click on a backpack and then click on a song title, you can listen to the song while also reading the lyric and the backstory.

No one can see each other in the classroom (go to school in your pjs!), but there is a microphone. Sue would talk on the mic to give everyone feedback, and we would all post our comments as needed. Before the class, I shared the mic with another student so we could introduce ourselves. (Basically, you use the mic on your computer and take turns pressing a button that gives you the cyber conch.) He's a children's pastor in Knoxville and visits Nashville often, so we may all hook up some time.

We heard six songs all together. They were all very different, which made for an entertaining hour. Sue had very positive feedback on our song, and gave the constructive criticism we were hoping to hear.

It was all kind of exciting and cool. I will definitely do this class again, and when I get really brave, I'll move on to the Advanced Writers Class.

Recording on the Row

Today was a fantastic day for music. On Thursday, I'm doing an online course with Song U, but unlike the other courses I've taken with them, this course is live and interactive. It's limited to 10, preregistered students. Over the next day or so, we all need to load one song and lyric into our Song U 'backpack' (just a space online, but working with the campus metaphor...). Our instructor, Sue Smith, will listen to our songs, and then on Thursday, at the appointed time, everyone will gather online to listen to Sue give us feedback on our songs. We'll be able to listen to each other's songs, and respond through written comments. I haven't done this kind of class before, so I'm really excited about it.

My song for the class is a me and Gerald co-write called "The Point of the Song". We've performed it a fair bit and it gets really good response, but I know it's a step from being finished. Gerald and I spent the afternoon recording a worktape of the song (a worktape is like a simple demo, with just guitar and vocals). We did several takes, and managed to get a good one with no car alarms or dog barks in the background.

But tonight held the exciting stuff - I did my first vocal session on Music Row!

My friend, Jenna, music director at Redeemer, wanted to do some final touches on her album, and she asked me to join her in the studios to record some vocals. I was so excited and honoured to be asked. Jenna's music is primarily Praise and Worship, and the song we worked on was one of her originals.

I was a little nervous going in, only because I've never done any kind of session stuff before. I listened to Praise and Worship music in the car on the way there to get me in the mood. The studio is in the basement of Belmont Church on Music Row. The whole thing was very laid back, which was cool. In the end, the singing I needed to do was very simple. For me, it also helped that I'm very familiar with Jenna's voice. I've sung with her a lot in church, so I felt confident matching her style and phrasing.

This song was the final musical piece of Jenna's CD, so after the session, we went out for dinner to celebrate. We sat on a lovely patio enjoying the beautiful food and the change in the air. Ah, finally - Nashville is entering patio season!

Whitsitt Chapel & the SB Community

This morning, I drove out to the east side of Nashville to hear my friend, Brandon Andrews, sing at Whitsitt Chapel. I think it was still Nashville? It's out by Percy Priest Lake - so beautiful out there!

Brandon is a Stamps-Baxter alumnus, and I always like to see what our students are doing. This service was actually the church's Homecoming Sunday, so the place was packed. Brandon did one special song during the service, and then after the invitation, he did a mini-concert. I was afraid people might wander out to start enjoying the food and the sunshine, but everyone stayed for the great music.

Brandon is a young singer with a voice beyond his years. He sings a lot of great old songs, but once he starts recording newer stuff, I'd love to get a few of our songs in his hands.

Near the end of his concert, Brandon started his thank yous, and he introduced me! He pointed me out not just because of my school connection, but also as an artist with two radio singles! I felt so famous - and I'm pretty sure I blushed bright red! It was actually very cool, and I was just honoured that he would consider me worthy of mention.

After the service, we caught up, and also chatted with Brandon's friend Sondra, another SB alumnus. Sondra was the one to get the booking for Brandon, and it really got me thinking about our SB community. At the end of school this year, several students were teary-eyed. I reminded them that they weren't leaving school alone. They are now part of a community that lasts all year and crosses all state and national boundaries. Today, it was like seeing that community in action.

Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad!

40 years ago today, my parents stood in St. James Church - before family, friends, and God - and committed their lives to each other.

Congratulations, Mom and Dad, on 40 wonderful years of family, laughter, adventure, and love.

May we all be so blessed!

DIVAs in Nashville - again!

What a great night! I think this was the second largest DIVA gathering in Christian DIVA history. Beth, Leah, Tara, Rachanee and I were all in Nashville on the same day, so we gathered for Chinese food and ice cream. It would have been nice to do a show together, but there just wasn't time to make that happen.

There were lots of laughs, stories, and general silliness. Beth and Leah just finished a two-week tour, so we got lots of stories from that. Beth even gave us a tailgate concert, singing a song they wrote about their tour.

Lunch was also a nice musical time. We had a gathering of the Redeemer praise team to catch up on summer vacations and adventures. Jenna is taking a mission trip to Sri Lanka this fall, so I'm hoping to get a Sunday in while she's still here.

It was nice to have a fun day out. Things really haven't slowed down much since NQC. Mom and Dad were here til Wednesday, and I've worked a few days too. I'm still trying to play catch-up on all emails, phone calls, NQC thank yous, etc. We realized this week that we've basically been going non-stop since June, so it's actually nice to have a bit of a quiet schedule for the next few weeks.

NQC - Final Day

For the first time this week, my feet genuinely hurt. I'm taking it as a sign that it's time to go home. I had grand intentions of getting up early today to pack so I'd save time tomorrow morning, but we all know what happens to good intentions...

Instead, I left the hotel in the early afternoon to attend the Crabb Family showcase. I missed the opening songs, but arrived just as Aaron and Amanda Crabb were finishing a song. From there, the other three Crabb incarnations each took the stage for 2-song sets. Mike and Kelly Bowling sounded great with strong vocals. Next, Crabb Revival came on stage. I had sent them my demo when they were looking for a third singer. Seeing them today, I realized two things: One, I was not the singer for this group. Two, I am an instant fan of Crabb Revival! They were awesome! It was driving and rootsy and had lots of groove. Killer vocals and awesome instrumental parts made everything soulful and cool. Love them!

Jason Crabb was backed up by a five piece band, and he was just incredible. (No real surprise there.) There is nothing like Jason's voice, his phrasing, his choice of riffing notes. Always wonderful, always musical, always spiritual. After Jason's songs, the rest of the family joined him for the 'reunion' part of the showcase, but I had to leave early to hear my friend Wess Adams in the Regional Artist Showcase. Wess is a Stamps-Baxter friend, and I've heard him sing many times, but today was definitely his best performance that I've seen. The Dove Brothers were one of the guest artists on the showcase, and the audience nearly lost control when they sang "Get Away Jordan".

The exhibit hall was sheer madness for the first two hours tonight. NQC moved the Singing News Fan Awards to tonight, and I'm sure there must be a difference in attendance. Singing News had a songwriting contest this year, and part of the prize was a performance of the song on mainstage. Well, the quartet to sing the song was Allison Durham Speer, Johnny Minick, Aaron Minick (my fabulous producer!), and Mike Allen. They are still performing as an unnamed quartet, so tonight they announced their new contest called NameThatQuartet.com Actually, that was supposed to be announced, but the audio was out on Bill Gaither's taped piece that made the announcement. I watched their performance with Brian Speer, so I got the inside scoop.

After their performance, I got to spend some time with Allison and Brian and show them my banner and booth. Since they were part of the Banner Photo Selection Committee, it was great to be able to show them the gorgeous finished product. We also did some Elijah Conference chatting. I can't believe that's only a few weeks away!

Freedom Hall was packed again tonight, so Tara and I watched most of the awards from a live feed in the exhibit hall. Tara was getting a drive back to Nashville tonight, so she left just after the awards, taking her table and stools with her. Naturally, that pretty much dismantled the booth, but I was determined to keep my half of the booth going, so I left my banner up, and put the CD rack on the chair with a few artfully displayed business cards. Later, Wess gave me the flowers from his booth, so I placed them strategically and decoratively by the chair. Probably didn't bring me any business, but it all made me smile. I spent the next few hours visiting booths, saying hi to people, booking another SGM Radio interview (Mark Bishop!), and shopping for CDs. I also got to meet two more radio people, so that was cool.

My friends, the Stutzman Family, had comfy couches and a live feed in their booth, so near the end of the night, I just hung out with them, watching the final mainstage performances and eating their homemade cookies. Last year, Mark Lowrey and Lordsong were one of my favourite acts all week, and tonight's set kept the standard high. I guess, like a lot of people, I mostly know Mark through his Gaither appearances. Maybe I don't know enough about him, but I feel like he's found a new level of performing in the last few years. His voice is great and his patter is smooth and easy. He has you laughing hard, and then boom, he nails you with this serious, heartfelt thought. Lordsong sounded incredible, and the whole presentation was very professional and entertaining. I'm not quite ready for Mark's senior tour, but I'd be interested in seeing him in a solo performance.

Finally, it was time to break down the booth (or my half-booth, as I started calling it). As I was bringing stuff to the car, I started to think about the week. I know I'll spend more time with this as the week goes on, but for tonight, I think I'm really pleased with it. I think we came here with realistic goals, and overall, I think we met them. I learned a lot, I met lots of great people, I made some great connections, and I feel I performed well. Now, it's just about getting a good night's sleep and having a safe drive home tomorrow. Can't wait to see the puppies!

NQC - Day Five

Long day! After last night's midnight excursion, I was brave and bold enough to be up bright and early to attend this morning's Paradigm showcase. This is an industry, invite-only showcase, but I have a lot of friends on their label, so I got a ticket and took the opportunity to see a lot of friends at once. I got to hear my friend Darlene Chapman, who was wonderful. I also got to hear a number of female soloists I've heard of but never seen perform, like Cricket Lee, Tammy Kirkland, and Grace Bailey. It's always nice to see what other soloists are doing - a great chance to learn what audiences are seeing, and how other artists are approaching the solo stage. Jennifer Strickland just released an entirely self-written album, and her song was great, and the Shireys also did an original song written by their young female lead singer. Kim Hopper hosted the event, and just nailed a couple of solo numbers. Paradigm isn't a women-only label, but you'd hardly know it this morning.

Gerald and I had this afternoon reserved on our calendar for the songwriter's showcase. Last year, this showcase was the highlight of my week. It was one hour, and many songs were performed acoustically or by the writer. This year, it was a much bigger production. Phil Cross put together a 3 hour show to record for a DVD. (I missed the intro, so I think this is right.) Many songs were sung to tracks, and just a few were done acoustically. There were some definite highlights, though. There was a choir and an orchestra, and we all know how I feel about a good choir! Ronnie Hinson told the story behind his classic, "The Lighthouse", and Mosie Lister spoke about his song, "Where No One Stands Alone." The show ended with Kyla Rowland talking about "Holy Shore." I love this song, and the Perrys finished the whole show in great style.

It wasn't hard to tell the Gaithers were in the house today: You had to hunt for parking, and for the first few hours, while GVB and Signature Sound were having autograph sessions, you could hardly walk through the exhibit hall. It was great to have a lot of people there, because it also meant I got to see lots of Stamps-Baxter people.

Tara and I had a good day for radio. We gave out several CDs and press kits, and I did two interviews. One was with a DJ from Sarnia, Ontario, and the other was with Chuck Peters of Southern Gospel Reporter. (You can visit there to see my ad!) I thought I'd be nervous about doing the interviews, but I've felt very relaxed, so it's really just been fun. Thinking about it, I don't really know why I'd be nervous. I usually talk about music, Stamps-Baxter, Canada, Gerald, and the Gospel - why would I not love that?

After the second interview, Tara and I had supper with Tammy Norris. Tammy is in the process of putting together her first ever women's conference. She's hosting it at her home church, and has organized the whole thing herself. Tara and I have tossed about ideas about hosting or somehow getting involved in women's conferences, so it was fascinating to hear about Tammy's plans and experiences.

But after that conversation, we had to make our way to Freedom Hall for my second only mainstage performance this week: Signature Sound and Gaither Vocal Band. The hall was packed! Tara and I finally found empty seats way up on the second level, in a back corner somewhere. Luckily, two Stamps-Baxter students saw us and pointed out some empty seats. The ground level was packed, and people were standing and blocking up every entrance. Signature Sound was on fire! I know some people aren't into their style of music and performance, but what can I say? I'm a music theatre girl - I love singing and dancing and any kind of dynamic stagecraft. They sounded great, and they fed off the energy of the packed house. Gaither Vocal Band sounded fantastic! They did a mix of classics and new songs. Their blend was beautiful and the solo verses sounded great. It was a fantastic double set - well worth hunting for seats!

That sort of wrapped up the day. There are a number of things we want to do tomorrow, and I've already started wrapping my mind around packing up the booth and all our stuff at the hotel. I can't believe how quickly this week has passed by. I already have plans for next year...

NQC - Day Four

Awesome day! It is currently 2:00am Louisville time as I start to write this entry. A lot happened today, so I'll try to get down as much as I can:

I woke up feeling very relaxed, until I realized that this was Showcase and Single Release Day. Ugh - nervous knot in my stomach! Gerald made the espresso while I started the day with vocal warm-ups. (Yes, we brought our espresso maker to Louisville!) I went over to sign up for the showcase and have showcase orientation. My showcase today was the Regional Artist Showcase, which is basically the first level of showcases. They go up from here in prestige, the number of songs you can sing, etc. I think anyone with a booth gets to sing in this one, but frankly, I was just excited for the opportunity. It's organized by the Artist Initiative Committee, who were all present to welcome us this morning. Part of our showcase overlapped with the Gaither/Signature Sound showcase over in Freedom Hall, so the committee was also there to assure us that whether our crowd was five or five thousand, they were happy we were there and please have a great time. Phil Cross, songwriter extraordinaire and committee member, reminded us that "God will not bless you to be somebody else". Love that! After a quick chat from the sound guy, I headed back to the hotel for more rehearsal.

I really wanted to see the Gaither showcase, but I figured I had to give my own rehearsal priority. Gerald took me through a vocal warm-up (so nice to have a husband who sings), and we did some final rehearsing of the song. We then loaded up the car with all the Single Release stuff, and headed over.

I got to the showcase in time to hear about an hour's worth of other performers. The Hoppers did a song, and Kim and Dean also did a duet. I would love to tell you the names of some of the other regional artists, but to be honest, I was too nervous to keep track of the names. I'm fine if I have a whole show to do, but sometimes, it's just harder to sing one song. In a concert, you can warm up into it (not a good practice, but it happens sometimes), but with a single song, you have to be 'on' from that first note and make an impact in just a few minutes. I was the last on the program, which actually made me kind of happy. The Gaithers were over by that time, so we had a pretty good crowd of several hundred people. The moment I hit the stage, all my nerves disappeared and I just had a great time. I sang "Do You Wanna Be My Neighbour in Gloryland", and the crowd really seemed to like it. There was lots of clapping and smiles, and that just felt great.

Mark Bishop closed the showcase with two of his songs, and I'm always a fan of his. After the showcase, I got lots of great feedback, which felt wonderful, but the most powerful moment was from the man who told me he was blessed by the song. It's all worth it just for that...

Tara finally arrived in Louisville today, so after the showcase, we gathered at the booth to prepare for the Single Release Party. While getting ready, several people from Ontario stopped by to visit, so that was very cool. At 5:30, we got the party started. We played "Neighbour" and Tara's new single, "God's Got a Word", from my laptop. We passed out mini-chocolate bars, and stapled on each one was a slip of paper asking people to request our songs from their local radio stations. Because we were building on the "neighbour" theme, we also took prayer requests for neighbours. People could write down their requests on an index card and place it in a box, and we're going to pray for them tomorrow. And as a special "neighbour" gift for DJs, I had these neat little slate signs with "Welcome" or "Home" carved in them. All in all, I think the party was a great success! Again, we were up against the Gaither autograph session, but we had a good number of people come through and talk to us, make prayers requests, and eat our chocolate. Tara and I also got a joint interview out of it. A DJ from Ohio came by, and after chatting with us, asked if he could interview us together. We talked about our songs and about the Christian DIVAs, so it was all very cool!

After that, Tara and I decided we would try touring the aisles and visiting the different booths. Unfortunately/fortunately, we kept running into friends, so we never got very far. We did get over to America's Home Spun Gospel to record some liners, so that was cool.

At 8:32, however, I made sure I was in Freedom Hall for the one performer I've seen all week - Ben! He had a ten minute spot where he lead the whole audience in singing Gaither favourites. In true singing school style, he got everyone on their feet to sing Because He Lives, Something Beautiful, and He Touched Me. What a great sound! When he was finished, we left to go back to the booth, when the next group, The Dove Brothers, started to sing the Speer classic "Rain". Well of course, they pulled up Ben for the lead. It was awesome! He just nailed it, and the Doves sounded great, the crowd went nuts, and three encores later, Ben finally left the stage.

At 9:30, we all wandered over to the SGMRadio.com booth for a 'surprise' birthday party for Rob Patz. I say 'surprise' because he clearly knew about everything, but with a bit of singing and some great chocolate cake, it was a nice little party.

The rest of the night was socializing, networking, sharing CDs with radio people, and just trying to spend time with as many friends as possible. At midnight, we all wandered over to the Executive Suites for the midnight breakfast buffet. (I was actually a little overloaded on heavy foods, so I chose a midnight salad instead.) Tara, Gerald, and I shared a table with Judy Nelon and Sue Dodge, who were great ladies, and since Sue sang with the Speers, it was nice to hear some of her history as well.

And that, of course, is why I'm writing at this crazy night-time hour. My friends are singing in a showcase tomorrow morning, and I really want to see them, so I must go sleep for a few hours, and then start all over again. Now that I've sung my showcase, I don't care if I don't sleep til Sunday night!

Shot of the Day: Me and Tara in our first joint interview!

NQC - Day Three

So, we actually did leave early tonight! Tomorrow is going to be a long day that includes both my showcase and my Single Release Party, so a good night's sleep is pretty crucial.

Today was a great day. We spent the morning doing final preparations for tomorrow's party, and after a few phone calls to ask Tara to bring more supplies, I think we're in good shape.

I spent the afternoon at the SoGospelNews Showcase, which was off-site at one of the hotel ballrooms. I heard a trio called Calvary's Voice who were really good, but mostly I went to see friends. My friends Chad and Phillip sang and played in a quartet called Victorious, and they were great. And my buddy Brandon Andrews blew the roof off the place with his three songs. Such a great voice!

Our first guest at the booth today was a DJ from Ontario! I was happy to offer him some 'Canadian content', and he was one of the few people there who appreciated the MAPL symbol on the back of "Real Big Fan".

I did a lot of booth visiting today also. I visited my friend Darlene Chapman at the Paradigm booth, and got to meet a lot of people there. They gave me tickets to their invite-only showcase on Friday, so I'm excited about that. I gave my CD to the XM people, so that would be a cool place to hear my songs. Gerald and I also had great conversations with several people, including people with the Billy Graham Library. I would just love to visit there some day.

I also had a great chat with Ron from the Klondyke Gospel Music Center in Ozark, Alabama. I did a concert there this spring, and today he booked me again for a concert next March. Yay! If I can get a few more bookings this week, I'll be a very happy camper.

It's interesting talking to the different artists here and just trying to learn as much as we can about how this industry works. For all our time in the music industry in Canada, we're still newcomers to the world of Southern Gospel. We're taking lots of notes on things we like (and things we don't like). I'm happy with the way this week is progressing, and I know we'll be in even better shape for next year.

Gerald and I just did a quick rehearsal for tomorrow, and I know we'll take another crack at things in the morning. Time for that good night's sleep...