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Title: Blogging in the soggy bog...raining here again tod
Date:
I shouldn’t complain because the last four weeks this household has spent every spare minute in the yard, planting and trimming. We fired the landscape crew and took back our yard! woohoo! Forgot how MUCH work there is in the spring.
It all started when we realized that Ben’s scout troop was getting ready for the annual mulch sale and we needed to clear out some dead stuff from our drought last summer and be prepared for a 10 yd dropoff. Fortunately Ben is big enough to really help this year. Used to be as much work keeping him busy and cleaning up his creative messes as doing the lawn. He has really been a big help. I’ve been planting tons of perrennials. My eyes have been practicallly swollen shut for about 4 wks. Hmmmm, tree pollen.
Anyway, it’s looking good except for the small ponds from all the rain. OOps, I complained again. Shut mah mouth!
I’ve been out doing a few shows in between gardening and have had such fun audiences. Thanks all, for coming out to share some live music.
Have some news coming out in the next newsletter. Make sure your email is registered so you’ll get one.
I’ve been out to Napa, CA twice in the past few weeks. (could have something to do w/ swollen eyes too)I have been hanging out with my old friend Billy Dean and we have been dreaming up some some new trouble to get into. I have really missed him and it’s been fun to be with Stephanie again too. (We midwestern girls stick together )
School is almost out here and it’s so obvious that the kids are ready. It really takes me back to the feeling I used to get those first couple of weekday mornings that I wouldn’t have to get up. The weather would be nice and I would just lie there awake but not wanting to move. The whole day to do whatever. Mmmmmmm, I may have to go back to bed.
It’s raining anyway.....
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Title: Tennessee Snow
Date: Suzy
Hey its snowing in Franklin TN! I am loving this! There are so many people in this area that love snow. I am always happy when we get even the tiniest bit but when it actually covers the ground I am ecstatic.
I know some places have had too much snow this season and lots of folks are over it. At least it brightens up the gray.
Anyway, been running all over the map lately and having a ball.
The Prairie Home Companion show is always such a unique and wonderful time. I was so lucky to be up in St. Paul twice in the last few weeks and once with my buddy Sam Bush. He was seated with the band behind Garrison and I as I struggled to keep up and it was a bit like having the ornery kid in school sitting behind you making faces and funny sounds as you tried to give the right answer to the teacher. Gawd I love him though and i didnt love the ornery kid.
Got to go back to the UK. Love you folks and love it there. Gretchen and I were both in Newcastle on a night off and we were planning a wild night, but she got Diphtheria or something and ended up in the emergency room. Me, being the good friend I am, stayed away...so I wouldnt make her feel bad if I caught it. (Always thinking of my friends feelings). Fortunately, I had shows with both her and Matraca over Valentines, so I got a small fix of vixen. Oooh i like the sound of that.
Raul was the other act on the bill with the Orchestra Nashville and I had BIG FUN singing his signature duet Two To Tango I call it his signature because he has performed it with lots of gal pals...none of which have my distinctive dance moves. I actually think I scared him.
Cool though that I was with Raul and lots of buds only a few days later when we all got to be part of a very cool concert called The Outlaw Trail in Austin. It was taped by PBS and HDNET for release this summer. What a gas it was to be hanging out with LeRoy Parnell, Carlene Carter, Rodney Crowell, Raul and even Ray Benson was there. It was a couple of really long days but it made me remember the days when we all did TV frequently and I loved watching real pros do it and have fun with it. For goodness sakes I got to sing a duet with Jessie Colter. In the words af M and G....Do that ....Madonna The real fun was a late night guitar pull led by Russell Smith in one of the rooms. Gotta love that.
It was great being included with that bunch. I have always loved the whole outlaw vibe..except for the blood and now Ive been watching Westerns ever since I was down there. Im keeping the mood. I always felt so alive when I was driving around out west in my camper. Sometimes I felt like I would explode from bliss. There really is something about altitude for me too. Happy Happy Joy Joy!
Im off to Napa with some girlfriends this weekend. I am in great need of antioxidants. Woohoo!
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Title: Travelin’ Gal
Date: October 24, 2007
Hi Everybody
Sorry to be AWOL for a while now. I've been traveling a bunch and find that I'm asleep before I hit the pillow most nights.
I've had some amazing gigs the past six weeks! Thanks to all who partook. We will keep the secrets safe, right?
Had a "wild" thing happen last night at Camp Crider. We sort of live in the country, but with the drought in TN now, the critters are getting real familiar. I went to close the lid on the grill and there was a possum sitting there looking at me like.... "What?" One of the dogs got sprayed by a skunk a few weeks ago, then got in a fight with a coyote. Just a few small puncture wounds but I lost my voice for two days from the screaming of vernacular as I ran out there making myself look as Big and Scary as possible. The chipmunks are taking over, so the rabbits are ticked and the deer practically drink out of the pool.
I'll be on Prairie Home Companion this Sat. If you aren't familiar with it tune in for a treat. Its a flashback to the old radio shows wirth a cool twist. Garrison Kiellor is the host and he'll take you to his hometown of Lake Wobegon.
The CD has been doing pretty well. You might hear a track or two at Starbucks as they are playing some in the stores and on their XM station. I'm loving that!
Halloween is coming. Do you have your costume?
BYE
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Title: Moved
Date: October 20, 2007
I have spent the evening listening to Song of America. It is a project that I contributed to, but until I felt the sum of the givings, I did not fully understand the impact.
It is a project that begins with such beautiful innocent intentions and I cannot be anything but a person that delivers the "news" in this case.
I have always been intuitive as to which people and projects are directed by heart and not commerce. This is scarily the case here. 50 songs. Does anybody really give a "rat's you know what" about the songs that addressed the many trials, objectives, and social hurdles we've faced? I guess "YES!"
I grew up singing a bunch of these songs in school and I believe that our music teachers were trying to give us a history lesson along with the good time. The melodies are infectious, but the lesson is.......LISTEN.
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Title: Summer re-cap
Date: Ahhh, returning from a lovely week in the Northeast to find that everything is dead in Nashville. Sweet. We have been having the worst drought
Ahhh, returning from a lovely week in the Northeast to find that everything is dead in Nashville. Sweet. We have been having the worst drought I've ever experienced in 20 yrs of living here. Bummer. Good news. I missed the first week of 100+ temperatures so I guess I should SHUTUP.
Actual Ahhh.... Maine is amazing. We were there in July to play in Acadia park, but Ben didn't get to go 'cause he was at camp. We had two other bookings up there in Aug. so Ben came up with the idea to rent an RV and cruise around in ME for five days before the gigs. GREAT IDEA!
The first three days Doug, Ben and I all had a whole lobster every supper. Eventually we tried some other great seafood, and sampled chowders from umpteen places. I feel like Maine is one of the few places where local fare is really still that. I have always loved going to particular cities and enjoying their specific favorites. Seems like that's harder to find now. I wonder if it has to do with our infatuation with the cooking shows and all the competitive dining. It's kind of a shame I think.
My one big wish was to see blueberries growing. We went for a hike up Cadillac Mt. and after about 18 steps they were everywhere. It was a dream come true. I even randomly had a ziploc bag in my backpack so we had them on on cereal at the campsites every morning. Yay!
We took some sidetrips to some of the fishing ports and really got a feel for the lifestyle there. OK, I'm in love with it, but don't think I don't realize what it must take to make it through the winters.
Yikes!
Our shows up there were completely unique. What I mean is, they were very different from each other. That is actually one of the things I love about "live shows" in smaller venues. The audience really helps to direct the way a show goes. the Stone Mountain Arts Center is one of the BEST places I've ever performed. Carol Noonan conceived the concept and followed through with a pretty-much perfect music hall. It is lovely, acoustically awesome and they have nice people taking care of the listeners and the musicians. It is full of love. Not exaggerating.
Jonathan's was cool too. It was kind of a wild night with a lot of audience input. Kind of took me back to my old bar days. I had fun trying to keep things in line. Sometimes it felt like a press conference/request show... odd but fun.
Club Passim in Cambridge, MA was a true flashback. I hadn't played there since 1983 and it hasn't changed a lick. Nice new paint, simple but awesome acoustics and a group of people convened to listen to music and appreciating every nuance. A little intimidating but I was ready, because I played there 24 yrs. ago. Hats off to you fine folks out there who have continued to keep the doors open. We are starved for these sweet venues. You and I both. The support that we give them is good for all parties concerned... me thinks
I am counting down to the release day. I had a manicure the other day and when I was setting another appt. I realized that I had completely missed next week. I thought that next weekend was Labor Day already. I have so much to do and I was so relieved that I started happy hour at four o'clock. I mean, after all, I have seven bonus days! Woohoo!
Thank you all for being so patient with me as Doug and I learn how to be record company execs. It takes more time than making the music, but it's really been fun sharing the process with you. Hope you are liking the webisodes. I put on makeup on weekdays for those.(I give and I
give...)
I'd like to wind up with this poem:
"Summer" by Elizabeth Abigail McIntyre
Shit!
It's hot!
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Title: Suzy's Summer Updates
Date:
Well, I've been doing some fun traveling lately. Got to spend the fourth in Maine and before that experienced my first oyster orgy. Our friend Mutt, took us to his lab and showed us the miracle which is oyster sex. I now know why you eat them in the months with r(s). Trust me it's a good idea....I actually played some of my favs -that week. The Birchmere; the Rams Head and a really fun symphony show at St Mary's College. What a great campus. I would have flunked out being on the water like that. I would've majored in boys with boats.
Fri the 20th we were in the Shenadoah Valley. I am totally smitten with it. I thought I had seen Virginia, but this really gave me another perspective. Go to Orkney Springs and drink the water. You'll be saved.
We have a huge week ahead of us with the CD. Finally tomorrow i will see the completed package and some of the reviewers will receive theirs. I have high hopes that they will see fit to help me get it out to the world. Ant... rubbertree plant...watch me!
Excited about going back to Maine for a couple of shows. We are taking Ben on an RV trip for a few days ahead of the shows. I've hired Chevy Chase to be our guide. heehee We'll be in Brownfield on the 10th of Aug and Ogunquit on the11th. I will be buff and tan from long hikes and rock climbing. OK that's a stretch.
On the 12th I am making a return engagement to Club Passim. The last time I played there was 1983! I seriously can't wait. I am flooded by memories of that trip and will most likely be embellishing them brilliantly at the show. Truly DID open for Suzanne Vega and on the same trip, sat in with Shawn Colvin at The Living End in Greenwich Village. NAMEDROPPER! but really, none of us hit until years after that. Isn't it cool that we crossed paths back then. They might not remember cause I was still dressing like Laura from Little House On The Prairie. I had a nice Martin though, they might remember it.
So get your tickets, come celebrate summer with us on the East coast.
Woohoo!
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Title: UK TOUR- Wine, Women and Song
Date: June 2, 2007
Uk tour...Wine, Women and Song June 2, 2007
I realized lately that this journal is partly in present tense and partly in past tense. There might even be some subjunctive or some such thing. I apologize to all of you scholars.
Day one of the Uk tour...Wine, Women and Song:
I got in a day after M and G because i had a symphony date in Iowa on the Sat. before. Had to jump off the bus, empty my bags and start over with the cool weather clothes. Thank goodness I did, cuz it’s raining and about 52 dgrees. First stop in London, is tennis shoes!
Matraca and Gretchen and I took a late dinner to get our groove on and start the rockstar lifestyle. Went to the closest pub for the after party, but got smoked out. Guess we need time to get up to speed.
!5th. It was our first show and we taped an interview for Bob Harris EARLY in the morning.
He is such a lovely man and knows our s--- inside out. the show was in Bristol. It was a rainy day but the scenery was still inspiring. We were excited to get started.We played in an old church and barely needed any P.A. The acoustics were so live and present. Ahhh! Gretchen and I got up next day and went to a nearby 500 yr old church to check it out and had lunch (by the church ladies) in the basement. Cute! William Penn is buried there.
16th I went to Wales for the first time. We played a theater that night. It was well- attendced but not full. I think it seated over a thousand. We were all surprised at the quiet audience. They were definitely into it but I was expecting a raucous crowd. I need to go back and see what gives.
We were off the next couple of days and had a long drive to Manchester so we took our time and stopped in Oxford to see the beautiful buildings. It was very college vibey there. I love that feeling like people are just expanding themselves all around me. Whoa!
18th.. There will probably be a song about closing down the bistro in Manchester.
19th was the show in Manchester. Turned out to be a fun-loving audience and a sellout1 yay! This is where the roll got started.
We had a bit of a drive to Gateshead, but got in in time for the gals and i to have tapas at a cozy place in Newcastle. Sting joined us for after dinner drinks...OK maybe not.
21st Gateshead is the premiere venue! We all wanted to soundcheck for hours as the sound is impeccable and the feel of the stage is utopia. Our audience was packed and everyone seemed to be a part of the show. You can pratically reach out and touch everyone.Also have to mention that the folks working there obviously love their jobs and they filled our visit with hospitality and kindness. Did i suck up enough to get asked back?
Now comes the countryside that won my heart. I loved Leeds though we didn’t hav much time there. The next day we drove to Kendal and our little Brewery gig. On the way we took a chance on a country Inn for lunch and it was my favorite meal of the trip. (Can you tell the food is a hefty part of why I like to travel?) Anyway...fresh trout, tiny potatoes in bechamel sauce, asparagusI, homemade yorkshire pudding rolls mmmm. It was a Women’s festival and I believe we were the last night of it. The crowd there was in a tight room and it was warm. For some reason it turned on the comedy in our show and we had one of the most cutting up shows. That definitely was a very spontaneous part of every night. I know some of the folks followed us around and they honestly gor a new show each night. Different songs, stories and a fresh joke now and then.
Here’s a day that I thought I’d get to a computer to journal. I wrote it in my notebook instaed.
Today is the 11th day of the tour.I am sitting in the warm leather windowseat in the bar of the 200yr old hotel The Swan overlooking the river in Bedford England. Today is the first day i made it up for breakfast.Mostly we’ve been on rock and roll time ..bed at 3a.m...up at noon.Oddly i do well with that. I am a morning person at home.
I love it here. I’m all alone in the bar and I’m soaking up the smell of spilled beer and stale cigarette smoke. (the smells of my early years as a singer in bars). It sounds wierd, but when i started out i just loved the time when I was setting up my P.A. and the club was all musty and empty. I always felt happy to have a gig. i still love to look at my calendar when there are lots of bookings on it. Nights to come that are all unpredictable and fun yet to be had.
It was so different in the days of the large venues for me. ( 90’s) Nothing like I was used to.. The talks during AND after the shows were missing and I felt isolated. I like to gab with the audience, revel in their accolades and hear about who they’ve been to see lately. (especially my buds I don’t see that often) Not complaining about the mass audience, I love it, but it’s not my forte. I digress...
Matraca and Gretchen are lovely to travel with. Each is completely professional, no ege trips...gracious and flexible. AND OPEN TO FUN! woohoo!
Night after night their genius has amzed me. Every night is different and i like the audience have had new songs sprung on me that challenge my emtional control. There is plenty of laughter too. They both have a quick witt and make me comfortable with my habit of looking for a laugh.
All and all the show runs the gambit of feelings- The wine has been flowing but the days off-whew! are for rehab.
So that night in Bedford we had big fun playing in a school auditorium. There were lots of fun instruments around and we made fools out of ourselves with them. Whee! I especiallly had fun playing the cymbals...they didn’t have a gong:(
On toLondon. Yikes what a day. Bank holiday, so the traffic was apalling. It took us three hours to go 52 miles. Rainy, poopy and i am just starting to think i’m sick. Love love love the venue! It is a church that is as beautiful as it’s acoustics. We invited our opening act, Mad Violet to sit in for the encore and it made it so memorable. Great show...wonderful fans an di made it through with minimal squeaks. Yay! Not so lucky the next night. Wah!
We had so been looking forward to the Basingstoke show. Our biggest crowd, and our last blow out show of the tour. What a super drag when my voice went south at the soundcheck. We all just had to resign ourselves to it because we have all had laryngitis at one point. I believe I am corect that I have only lost my voice fully, in 25+ years of performing, three times. It’s a good record but doesn’t help much on those nights that you just have to deal with it. What luck to be with the girls to dazzle the audience as I tap dance my way around my handicap. I hope you folks from the Basingstoke show will give me another chance. I will be back!
In any case, bust or not I felt so elated by the tour that i came home with a great feeling of accomplishment. i have bee wanting to get back over there for some time and thanks to my friend Gretchen for lending us her booking (Nigel) and touring team (the wonderful Pauls), it made it a breeze and both Matraca and i are looking forward to our next visit. TBA
And thanks to all of you who came out to the shows and made us feel so wanted. Aw Shucks
Love Ya
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Title: BIG Doin's Last Night
Date: May 9, 2007
Big Doin's Last Night May 9, 2007
I had two gigs last night. Felt like the old days.
Played the Opry with Matraca Berg and Gretchen Peters. We thought it would be cool to kick off our Wine Women and Song tour at The Opry. It was actually Gretchen’s first time to perform there. It is such an honor to be on that stage, I think we all got a little weak in the knees. You know there are some pretty spooky vibes out there. You always want to do a good job and stay on their good sides. ooooh Anyway i think we did well cause I heard people clapping and some were even throwing babies in the air:) We are all leaving this Sun. for a two week tour(not to be confused with a three hour tour a three hour tour) in the UK. I hope to see a bunch of you there. Unique show.
Later in my crazy rock and roll life, I went to 12th and Porter to sit in with my good buddy, Brad Colerick on Bill Block’s Western Beat. Brad has an awesome folky/ country voice and some great songs. I felt bad cause he had an earlier slot on the show, but since he had to wait for me, he went on after the slammin’ southern rock group. Tadah! He surely prevailed though and folks were swayin’ and a-groovin’. You’ll hear more about Brad soon. I sang a duet with him on his new CD “Lines In The Dirt” due out in July. Stay tuned for a preview..woooooo
Anyway, havin’ the time of my life with all the collaborations I’m doing these days. There are so many incredibly talented folks out there. Sometimes I get to meet ‘em and be friends and make magic. Gosh.
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Title: HAPPY FREEZSTER
Date: April 8, 2007
Happy Freezter April 8, 2007
Happy Freezter! Sheesh! We couldn’t even do a morning Easter egg hunt cuz the frost was too thick. I have really been whining about the cold. Somehow it feels like we were given a great gift(Spring) and then it was taken away. I just feel pissed! My poor trees were totally fooled and now how black droopy leaves. Guess it’s supposed to be better tomorrow but still in the twenties tonight. vent much?
OK then. On to nicer stuff. Hope you have had a good day with family and/or friends. It is actually really pretty here(except for the dead flowers etc.) You may have seen Ben’s Easter Offering on You tube. Does this hamminess run in the family or what?
I wanted to try to catch up a bit from the last couple of months. The photo is from the cruise I took with my mom in Feb. It was hosted by WGNA in Albany NY and we had a great time. Stayed up til dawn with Collin Raye and my mom didn’t even get mad.She used to frown on that.
Matraca, Gretchen and I did a show for NSAI at Twelfth and Porter last weekend. We had a rockin’ audience and a standing O. So warm and fuzzy.
I have been doing more meetings than music lately. Trying to make some big decisions on how to release the upcoming CD. We have had some major revelations in the past few days. Stay tuned and we’ll connect with you more as we go through the process.
Maybe we’ll ALL learn something. Missing you.
Can’t wait til the Symphony Show in Iowa. Time to hide my own Easter eggs..man that’s fun.
Suzy
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Title: Going back a few
Date: April 3, 2007
Going back a couple of months... April 3, 2007
Well, it’s about time for a journal entry. Sorry it’s been so long. Things are really shakin’ around here.
I guess I’ll go back a bit to the fun time we had in Scotland and Sheffield England.
I went over with Matraca Berg and Gretchen Peters to premiere our Wine, Women and Song show. We took along my 11yr old son, Ben; Jeff Hannah(Nitty Gritty Dirt Band...Matraca’s hubby) and Barry Walsh, ( Gretchen’s significant...piano player/sleeps with the act.) The guys sat in on a couple of numbers but mostly the show is about three chick singer-songwriters who have known each other for a bunch of years. We actually sound good together as a bonus!
Both showswere big fun and since we had plenty of time we did a little site seeing. Ben especially liked the scarey parts of the castles and the old streets they call “the close”. We met our good buddy, Dean Owens there(he opened for us in Glasgow) and got a great tour from him and his 10 yr old daughter, Billie.
We had a fair share of late noights but one wonderful thing came of that. Since we were up until 3am most nights(UK time)...Ben never got off of his schedule. You see it’s a six hour difference there and at home he gets up at 6a.m. for school and goes to bed at 9p.m. We were up til 3 and slept until noon. Wasn’t that a nice coincidence?
Anyway, it was good to have Jeff along to croon Mr. Bojangles. Too bad the guys have to work on their own gigs while we are there in May. I’m sure we won’t get into any trouble......
More VERY soon. I have lots to tell you.
L and H
Suzy
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Title: Sunday Morning
Date: April 29, 2007
Sunday Morning coming down... April 29, 2007
Sunday Morning coming down...not really.
It is absolutely perfect outside. I think I will not spend much time indoors today. Maybe I’ll let the dogs drag me up the mountain this afternoon.
I hope that you got your newsletter yesterday. Big News, huh?
I plan to do those newsletters a lot more frequently as we count down to the release date. It makes me feel organized to put stuff into a sequence like that.
I am doing my photo session for the new album this week. Once we get new pictures start looking for the “long-promised” new website to appear! I had to go to Turks and Caicos for a few days to get some color. It’s all in my contract.
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Title: Back from the 1st Wine, Women and Song
Date: February 7, 2007
Back from the first Wine, Women and Song February 7, 2007
Yeay, we're home!
Had a great time. I really enjoyed doing the shows with the gals. They have written so many amazing songs and I get to sing along.
The tour for May is still revealing itself. I think it will be 11 shows all together between the 16th and the 28th. Whew, it's been a long time since I did that!
Booked some dates in the east with the St Mary's gig in June. Birch on the 28th and Ramshead the 30th. Don't know who I'l be bringing there just yet. Hope to have an album out by then. I may have some fun news here in a week or two. It will probably surprise you.
I need to get my Christmas songs off the myspace page, eh? Maybe tomorrow. Going to see John Prine tonight...woohoo!
Up to NewYork to tweak the Town and Country project. Hope to master it in a week or two.
Feeling very prolific right now...not pregnant.
Hugs
Suzy
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