A Day Off

a day off!!  so we shuffled off to Ocracoke for a walk with the dogs & a quick bite to eat... & off course some photo opps... the boys were ready to go!  Winston (the one with the grey beard) & Hogan love to travel so they are my roadies during my "off time"  If you live in the Outer Banks area, yes that's me walking them to the beach every morning unless it rains (Winston hates to walk in the rain, Hogan on the other hand is part duck)

Local Artist Zee Layne

   

  

As many of you know, in one of my past lives I was a restaurant owner/chef... yes the combination of cooking and singing turned into turning tables... the Horny Toad Cafe was a wonderfully intimate, colorful, southwest cuisine with music venue: appetizing food, yummy desserts, and an array of folks we still see occasionally at my gigs.  We met lots of locals and visitors who were artists in their own rights... one of those many was Zee Layne (& husband Bill) who painted some horny toads that we had hung on the walls of the restaurant.  When we sold the business, we kept the artwork and of course many of the friends.  Zee is now selling her art at one of our local venues The Lone Wolff Trading Co -  210 East Gallery Row - Nags Head - 252-449-5111.  These samples are some of her latest that she has shared with us...keep it up Zee! We love ya!!

life AFTER Labor Day

well to say this entry is over due would be an understatement since my last one was July 8...needless to say it was a busy season and though it technically ended w/Labor Day I'm still "gigging" locally and catching up on things that should have been done during the craziness of summer: oil changes, paper work, cleaning the garage...other than walking Winston to the beach and back in the morning, I don't get to the beach for enjoyment during the season so yesterday I actually walked alone to the beach, fell asleep, woke to watch the dolphins swim by (& wave!) went next door to Art's Place for a burger, beer and conversation...was a nice relaxing Sunday...tried it again today but the sun didn't cooperate...oh well...

Lots of radio play going on for Let the Door Swing Wide. If you're not on my email list, email me and I'll keep you posted on the stations w/emails as well as scheduling of venues...

If anyone has an area you'd like me to visit/blitz, supply me with some venues and/or churches to contact and I'll give it a shot!

No there are no new cds in the works...I'm taking a break from the studio for now...I love you Kenny but...

I'm still seeing lots of folks on the weekends coming to visit...you can always email or phone before or once you're here regarding venues I'm scheduled at...I'm always working on new ones... I'm available for singing at holiday parties ...and I'm booking weddings for 09 already.

Played in Columbia (NC just 1 hour west of OBX) a few weeks ago at Vineyards on the Scuppernug...beautifully done winery...if you're going through Columbia and you're a wine fan, (or if you're not you might be after stopping!) take time to stop...tell Grace and Jack I sent you!

Started Saturday eves at Beach Bread Company this past weekend...nice crowd, thanks for joining me...had some folks come in who heard At Last playing at the Wanchese Pottery in Manteo (thank you Bonnie & Bob) that afternoon and checked out the web site to find me! Marketing 101 DOES work! I'm also still at the Beach Bread Co and Bagels to Beef for lunch during the week...and Holy Redeemer & Holy Trinity for weekend masses.

My little birthday kitty, CJ, has doubled in size but she still has that little kitten face...adorable...and we have another new kitten as well...he was an orphan Winston and I brought home one earlier than usual morning from our walk...

his name is Toby (which means I'm told "God is good" ) and he is a beautiful snowball white with 3 Ash Wednesday smudges on his forehead where he was obviously touched by the angels! We should all be so blessed...

see ya on the road...

another day at the beach!

well today was filled with old and new friends...at both the Beach Bread Company and Miller's Waterfront...great to see all, thanks for coming!

all and all it was a beautiful day...even when the storm moved in the clouds were awesome...some lightning, some thunder, lots of wind, a little rain, a rainbow, an egret getting caught in some hung fishline (to keep the birds away...Brian!!) and then the rescue efforts by yours truly...got ole Lucky untangled but not before he practically bit my head off (somebody took pictures!)...but he did fly back around the deck honking (I've never heard an egret honk!)as he went by as if to say thanks...& then he caught a fish & swallowed it infront of us to say "I'm ok" after I said "his neck has a kink in it" and flew off into the sunset...literally...another night in the Outer Banks...it's 11pm so if you'll excuse me I have to wash the egret spit off my face...

New CD Release!

I'm exhausted already & it's only the 2nd week of June... Well, into the season, it's been great seeing old and new folks at my restaurant gigs and at church!...

"Let the Door Swing Wide" is due for arrival this Friday June 20 & will be available as soon as I can get them out of the box so I will have them at Miller's Waterfront that evening as well as at Holy Redeemer and Holy Trinity on Saturday & Sunday. My mother has already pinned her favorites & my Dad (who doesn't listen to Christian music) has given it "2 thumbs up". Anybody else for an endorsement? email your comments please!

As for our cardinals, they flew-the-coup literally when a snake attempted to rob the nest... we intervened but they moved anyway.


I have a new furry, four legged addition to the family (she is a birthday gift)... her name is CJ (calico-tabby mix) 9 weeks old, she is a joy and being accepted more each day by the pack. Winston (my big, brown dog and walking partner) is afraid of her.

Special thank yous to all who helped me celebrate "the big one" at the Beach Bread Company last week... great mix of friends and family (yes Mom, Dad & my youngest sister drove in from Fl as a surprise)... was fun, even if I did have to sing! ~K

we have babies!

Our cardinal family has hatched... can't tell how many but they were feeding Saturday when I arrived home... and yesterday I heard their first vocalization (how's that for a singer's description?!)

The season kicked in with weddings, masses, weekly bookings this weekend... I performed in Downtown Manteo at the waterfront stores this morning... beautiful day, nice crowd and good company... tonight I'm on my way to one of my favorite outdoor venues, Tale of the Whale Gazebo... gorgeous setting, good food, lots of wildlife... and fun folks! The Pearl Restaurant is another favorite spot right on the ocean: great food & beautiful scenery... I'm there Wednesdays and Saturdays.

After tonight's performance, I'm on the road back to Nashville to tweak the cd one last time before it goes to the next stage...all is going well but I feel like I need a vacation... Be sure to click on the link to see my music video for the title track to my CD, Let The Door Swing Wide.

see ya soon! ~k

What day is this??

I have lost count of what day in the studio this is.... driving back to OBX for weekend engagements has made this a looong process & tiresome BUT never the less an endurance test that is almost done yet just the prelude to my upcoming summer season! The blessing and gift column always out weighs the other side... last week (Friday) we had breakfast with a friend from the past, Lisa Chapman. In conversation Lisa mentioned she had a cabin on a lake she'd like us to stay at the next time we were coming to town. That time of course was this week so we are staying on 1500+ acres in a cabin on a lake in the middle of nowhere. I was in the boat & on the water within 10 minutes of unloading the car. I am in heaven, thank you GOD! (& thank you Lisa!) A pair of geese met us & literally gave us the grand tour of the lake... introducing us along the way to the bass, turtles and water fowl.... it is beyond beautiful.... ahhhh



Back to the studio: we finished all the back up vocals today. Again a wonderful experience being surrounded by in-spirit, talented & good humored sisters and brothers...what a high! It's exhilarating to say the least...

On the home front, 2-3 days before leaving for Nashville (the first week) I noticed a pair of cardinals outside my office window frantically flying in and around a tree. When I got home that weekend they had started gathering nesting materials. When I returned the nest was done and upon leaving Sunday mama was sitting on eggs. Now I didn't plan this cd project and I certainly didn't time it in sync with the nesting cycle of a pair of cardinals. Some would not pay any attention to this so called "coincidence" but I don't believe in coincidences and find it interesting that my new cd is going to "hatch" in conjunction with the eggs being incubated outside my office window.... I'm sure there is a deeper meaning to it all, but I'm so brain dead right now I haven't figured it out so if anyone who is reading this gets it, email me please.... thanks!

We'll be mixing for the next 3 days and then some. I'm back in OBX for Memorial Day weekend and then back in Nashville to finish up the project... see you at the beach! ~k

Day 4 in Nashville

I am ready to start Day 4! After rushing home for the weekend in the Outer Banks, we arrived back in Nashville Monday midnightish ...overslept Tuesday morning (thank goodness for cell phones which brought us to reality very quickly) & hit the studio by 10am ....got through my vocals on 5 songs! ...left around 9pm ....good deal ....back at it today ....I miss my morning walks with Winston

....on a local note, Mother's Day dinner at The Pearl restaurant was wonderful! Nice group of folks, everyone enjoyed! The atmosphere is very nice, comfortable, intimate ...the ocean view is gorgeous and the food is devine ...I'll be there most Wednesdays & Saturdays between Memorial Day & Labor Day (check my website schedule for specifics) so if you're in the OBX plan to join us at least one night. One of the chefs at The Pearl was my chef Jeremy at the Horny Toad & he is very talented!

Day 2 in Nashville

Wow! we finished all 10 instrumental tracks on Thursday...

12+ hours in the studio...great job guys!! We laughed, danced (thank you Pat!) and worked hard!

            

...exciting to be surrounded by such creative and talented 

“in-spirit” people...good vibes, warm fuzzies, good humor and great coffee (thanks Kenny!)...

            

Can’t think of a better way to spend a day in Nashville! 

      

Friday we visited with friends before getting to the studio to record my string section: John Catchings and David Davidson from the Nashville symphony...and Jim Hoke my flutist (Jim has played sax and harmonica on past projects for me). 

This is gonna be a gooood cd....stay tuned

peace ~k

on the road... again

It's the night before we hit the road to Nashville to start the recording process of "Let the Door Swing Wide"... I've made notes, I've listened & re-listened to material, I've picked the keys and most of all I've thanked God for the opportunity and for the blessings of this project, the time spent on it and all those lending their gifts of creativity to it... and THANK YOU for your emails, calls and prayers of support and encouragement... wow! 

Let the doors swing wide! ~k

Spring Has Sprung!

Well Happy Spring!

I've finally caught up on 2007 paperwork... January was time to recoup. In February we launched my singing telegrams for Valentines Day.

WAVY-TV 10 (from Portsmouth VA) came down to film the delivery... what a blast!! It was a wonderful way to spend the day - delivering music to homes, shipyards, Home Depot and restaurants. This has been added to my website and is available for birthdays, anniversaries, get well, whatever special occasions you might have!

I've done a few special performances at a few churches in this area and have been warmly received...music and conversation about personal journeys. It's great to share our stories.

Spring has now sprung in the Outer Banks & so has my schedule...I'll be back at 3 of the same venues I was at last year 2 nights a week at each venue: Tale of the Whale, Millers on the Waterfront, and The Pearl Restaurant (formally Ocean Front Trellis in the Sea Ranch Hotel). I will also be leading song at Holy Redeemer and Holy Trinity churches on the weekends (see my calendar for mass times). I'm still working on my afternoon schedule so keep an eye on my calendar. I have a good number of weddings, some solo, some w/other local musicians (Leslie Erickson-violin, Sue Waters-violin, Jason Evans-keyboard, Suzanne Blackstock-flute). Leslie and I lead music Sunday mornings at Holy Trinity in Nags Head.

Leslie Erickson and I will be at the Beach Bread Company this Saturday April 19 @ 7:30 for our joint restaurant debut.

Along with all the marketing, accounting and scheduling I had to finish in March, I've managed to squeeze (literally) time out of May to record a second Christian cd. We start May 8 and will be in and out of the Nashville studio ALL month! The title of the cd is my motto for 2008: “Let The Door Swing Wide” title song written my by most favorite female Christian singer-songwriter, Sarah Hart. The material on this cd is wonderful and I'm anxious to hear what my fellow studio musicians and back up vocalists create! My ever present God will have hands full with this project!

Look forward to seeing everyone in the coming months...if you stop by a venue, church or restaurant, please come say hello!

blessings ~k