Musing: Feeling Fortunate
Music Meditation: ”be here now, no other place to be, this world keeps changing, come change with me, and be here now” – Mason Jennings

Waking up in the afternoon on a Saturday thinking about what a luxury this life is. I get to sleep in If I want to and to stay out and stay up as long as I like. My city has an amazing publicly funded program that provides basic health insurance for local musicians. I can get my teeth cleaned tomorrow and a doctors check up the next day and not wind up in debt. Amazingly fortunate. I am also feeling grateful for the community and friendship of other talented and supportive artists.
Jill said she’d barter filming a video for a spa day at my studio and Cecily said she’d barter shopping and styling for singing lessons. Raina said she would give almost anything for twelve hours of uninterrupted sleep. I just had nine myself, and I’m feeling pretty fortunate, so I messaged her and offered to give her an uninterrupted hour long massage. Raina blogs about being a touring musician and a new mom and her honest posts inspire me and make me feel like it’s worth it to work hard for your dreams and totally possible to creatively flourish in the process. I’m bartering massage for her continued inspiration. Bartering is the most fulfilling way I’ve found to support another artist. My aim is to cultivate a community of artists that keep each other creating, inspired, and motivated. I’m on this journey as an artist as well and I’ve found that trading talents services and skills we provide, other than music, somehow makes sharing music with each other that much more exhilarating, magical and meaningful.

Taylor  says sometimes when things work strangely just as she hoped they would, she feels like she controls the universe. I wished for all my friends who live out of town to be in the same place just for a night and last night my friends arrived in town for spring break and SXSW. Therefor I control the Universe. We went out dancing last night to the classic country cajun rock tunes of songcrafter Leo Rondeau. It was his CD release at the Whitehorse. Nearly every square inch of the place was filled with an electricity, rapidly beating hearts dancing and excited with music pumping through the veins. Jill grabbed my hand and we squished our way to the front in time to watch Brennen and Beth join the band of angels and we swayed to a slow song. It was a good night. It was a beautiful moment.

We have the day off! I don’t remember the last time we had a Saturday off, neither does Amos, so we are dedicating the day to him. There are so many dog friendly places in Austin, lots of parks, greenbelt trails, patios, and play areas. I asked Chris where he’d like to take Amos today, and he said “I like it better when he can run around in the park and be a free spirit instead of keeping him on the leash and on the trail.” This made me think about my own choice to live life as a free spirit in the park instead of on a leash on the trail. I made the decision to go off leash just shy of five years ago and have never felt more fortunate and free. Here’s to livin life off the leash

Really looking forward to opening tonight, with my duo Dawn & Hawkes, for one of my favorite singer-songwriters Jimmy LaFave. Rumor has it we’ll be playing Houston with him as well, at the Mucky Duck on the Saturday after Thanksgiving (11/24). Hope to see you at these special shows!

We’ve been having fun writing the weekly songs for Songwriterweekly.com. Here’s our new song for week two- co-written with Carleton Stone and using this week’s prompt line “I See You”

Video from Monday’s show at the Cactus Cafe. Here’s a rare performance of Chris’s song “Watch it Fall”.

Pretty awesome friday night. I sang with the talented songwriter and performer Charlie Mars, and also got to share the stage with Marty Maguire from the Dixie Chicks! Feeling grateful for a Bucketlist night.

I’m kind of really super excited about this: just got a show opening for Bonnie Bishop on the Rooftop (Uncle Billy’s) on the lake this Friday. I play at 8:30 and it’s an awesome place to start your weekend festivities- Swanky patio there’s BBQ and freshly brewed beer, AND my Dad’s playing mandolin with me! Yes. I’ve been a fan of Bonnie’s since I first saw her years ago. While she was out for her Bachelorette party, she jumped on stage with Seth Walker and sang “washing all my hands in sanctified waters”. I thought she was a girl just having a fun night out with her friends, then she began to sing like a holy blues singing angel and her voice blew me away. I was inspired, you will be too, promise. Come out and hear for yourself!