the making of a CD: day 2 in Nashville

Well another long day in at 10am left about 8pm but got through 4 songs...still have 2 songs to record but they'll have to wait until tomorrow evening. We left Kenny (my producer) tweaking material so that when Dave (my vocalist/bass player) comes in tomorrow at 2pm, his material will be ready to roll. Hopefully when Dave finishes we'll have time for me to record How Great thou Art and Come to Jesus. Being out of the studio early means a real dinner other than a sandwich and/or soup so we've placed an order at the restaurant next door and I'm off to pick it up...I'm hungry! more tomorrow...

the making of a CD: Nashville day 1

We left Sunday afternoon 3pmish...it was cold in the Outer Banks but when we hit the mountains between NC and TN all was put into perspective: it went down to 6 degrees...our dogs, Hogan & Jackson were in the back of the truck almost frozen by the time we got to the hotel (3:30AM). They are resting peacefully in the hotel...

I got about 5 hours of sleep, we hit the studio Monday 2pm...thank you for your prayers Connie D. and all who are continuing to pray for this CD...we got 5 songs recorded by 9pm...that's awesome! I'm going for 6 today...trying to get all my vocals done BEFORE the back up vocalists come in Wed-Fri...so I'm balancing coffee & water, light foods and lots of positive energy! The title track has yet to be decided...we'll know by the end of the week...life is good...God is gooder!!

Wedding Expo:

Saturday was the wedding tour: part of the Outer Banks Wedding Association's Expo weekend. I'm a member of the association so I sang at a house in Nag Head from 10am-12noon visited by many brides-to-be as a potential rental house for their special day...1-3pm I was at the Good Life Gourmet where Susie & Steve Mace (owners) entertained brides-to-be regarding food & cakes, & Doug from Outer Banks Productions showed videos of his past work and offered package deals. That evening we were all at The Point Grill (Golf Club) in Powells Point for a mock wedding & reception: thank you to my fellow musician buds for making it a great evening - Leslie Buck (guitar & vocals) , Leslie Erickson (strings), Steve the Dream (DJ) & Mike from Outer Banks DJ and Sue Artz (violin). The bands were set up in the tent which I didn't even get to! The evening was well attended and our food vendors did a yummy job....love those crab cakes Scott (Coastal Provisions)!!

10AM I'm off to the studio....

SARAH HART CONCERT!!

We are thrilled to have Sarah Hart, national award winning songwriter come to Kitty Hawk on Sunday Jan 31 .

This family event is at 3pm at Holy Redeemer fellowship hall. If Sarah's name sounds familiar maybe it's because half of the material I've recorded on my CDs I'm Not Alone and Let the Door Swing Wide were penned by Sarah, including the title tracks. Come join us for a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon, bring the family! Tickets are available on this web site. Here is the press release:

Listening to the music of Sarah Hart is a transforming experience. Put any of her recordings on your player and you’re immediately hooked by her sweet, compelling voice. Follow the lyrics, and you become immersed in the spirituality and honesty of a seeker who helps us discover the God who walks with us in our daily lives. Sarah’s lively, contemporary blending of folk, pop and rock welcomes and delights listeners from every age and background.Sarah is currently a staff songwriter for EMI-CMG Music in Nashville, TN and Spirit And Song in Portland, OR. Her songs have been recorded by numerous artists such as: Robbie Seay, Matt Maher, 33 Miles, This Beautiful Republic, Sarah Reeves and Jaime Jamgochian. Her music has appeared in the television shows “Joan of Arcadia” and “Strong Medicine”, and most recently in the new film “Coyote County Loser”. Her songs can be found in print in almost every Catholic church in the U.S. Sarah has also penned music for two musicals, and works as a songwriter and voiceover artist with the Tom Tichenor Children’s Theater in Nashville, TN. She is the recipient of six Unity awards for her work.

At events, Sarah’s love for music and ministry intersect in amazing ways. As an artist with Spirit and Song, Sarah travels all over the United States and the world. Her special passion for women’s ministry has prompted her to write the first two of what will likely be several retreats for women, which she carries to parishes as a mission. She performs at such events as NCYC, LA Congress, and World Youth Day, as well as churches and colleges; and she loves performing at such small venues as The Bitter End and The Bluebird Café.

Sarah’s newest recording, “SaintSong”, highlights the texts and lives of twelve Saints; she studied the texts and wrote contemporary music to their brilliant thoughts. The enhanced CD includes a devotional book penned by Sarah.

Sarah’s favorite “job” is that of wife and mom to her two young daughters.

Merry Christmas!

I can see the light...sorta...tis a busy season...wishes for peace within your circle of friends and family this season. Thank you hugs to all who sent emails and cards...great to hear from everyone!

Bobbi & Ed Beckley volunteer for the Salvation Army every year and sent this with a note that they were dancing to my A Christmas to Remember CD while collecting. They win the "most creative way to use my music for the community" award! Thanks Bobbi & Ed for all you do!

With the in-stores, privates parties and masses behind me, I'm working on material for the new CD (release date April/May 2010). We were in Nashville a week before Christmas (who's in charge of scheduling!?) cutting instrumental tracks so I can practice before hitting the studio again Jan 11...so that's what I'm doing...in my "free" time (HA!) & in my sleep! This CD has some beautiful tunes on it and is really taking on a life of it's own.

Many have asked about the recording process - it is VERY different than a "live" performance. Singing to walls that don't give back any energy can be grueling but I have found that with the right attitude and energy of my own it is well worth it. I have been working with my producer, Kenny Royster and most of my studio musicians for 10+ years recording all of my projects with them. We have a 5 piece core band: drums, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, keyboard and bass. They put tracks down in 3 hours sessions, usually 10-1pm, 2-5pm and 6-9pm depending on how many songs and their complexity. That is done on Monday. Tuesday I usually have my auxilary crew in: acoustic guitar, keyboards and stand-up bass, cello, violin, harmonica, saxophone - not all in the same time frame ie guitar & keyboard, bass 10-12pm, cello & violin 12-2pm again depending on the songs and arrangements. Remember these musicians do this for their living: they read, eat and sleep music so laying down tracks to what sounds like a complicated song can take less than an hour for most songs. When I go back to do vocals, I'm in the studio 10am-10pm, singing, listening, drinking lots of coffee & water! and tweaking, tweaking and tweaking...when I'm done with my vocals I bring in my backup vocalists. On this project, I have my 4 who I've used on past projects: Kim, Vicki, Robert and Kim (Yes 2 Kims NOT including me) and I have my bassist, Dave Francis doing some vocal parts. Dave did some parts on my CD Moonlight (the first project I did with the gang). All of these musicians are AWESOME and I truly value their gifts and friendships. After the vocals are done, the mixing begins and THAT is tedious!! It is usually a week long process & could be longer...my ears are usually fried and I drive back to the beach in silence (13 hour drive from Nashville). It then goes through various manufacturing stages before getting to the customer: mastering, graphics, packaging, shipping. Every artist has their own process depending on financial resources and time, but this works for me. Yes a labor of love...so when people buy the new CD and then come back a month later and ask when the next one will be out I do have to laugh...it's like giving birth: do you really want to do that again in less than a year? Between researching material and the actual project, it really does take about a year or longer from start to finish.

New Years Eve will take me to Williamsburg for their First Night celebration this year...I'm excited to see old friends and meet some new folks! Beyond that I'm still at Bagels to Beef in Southern Shores when I'm in town (check the calendar) and Holy Redeemer and Holy Trinity...Florida the end of Feb where I'll be at The Villages (Church on the Square). I'm looking to book churches in the area so if you're interested please email or call.

Thank you for your emails, calls and notes...I love to sing, but I love singing for you!

Be safe, stay warm...see you in 2010

well thank God for the sun! The Outer Banks has had more than our share of H2O...there are still "ponds" all over with side streets closed and unaccessible...drove up to Wilmington DE on Friday and hit all I left in OBX on the way BUT the show was worth it. The jazz band from Tatnall High is excellent under the direction of Jonathan Whitney (Mr J) and my string ensemble and "Divas" choir really did their homework and added a wonderful flavor of warmth and depth to our theme song for the show "You Raise Me Up."

I was delayed in traffic/weather and got to the school for a 15 minute rehearsal...that's incredible!! Thank yous to Christina Von Duyke, string & vocal director, Jonathan Whitney & Wilson Somers, music directors...and Deb Piper from Nativity Prep and the Salesian High School Marching Band! :) I hope to be back in the area next year if not before. The school itself is beautiful with an awesome performing arts center. Thanks to the community for making the commitment to the arts!

This was sent to me via email...it's by Phillip Moffitt...Happy Thanksgiving:

Gratitude… the sweetest of all the practices… mindfulness of gratitude leads to a direct experience of being connected to life... to the realization that there is a larger context in which your personal story is unfolding.

Cultivating thankfulness for being part of life, blossoms into a feeling of being blessed… an appreciation for the interdependent nature of life… being consciously grateful to family, friends, teachers, benefactors and to all who have come before you who have made it possible for your existence to be comfortable, informed, and empowered.

Gratitude elicits feelings of generosity… creating further joy… softening a heart… building the capacity for forgiveness… meeting life with an open heart… in each moment as it arises.

Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving.

inquiring minds want to know...

Many, many! have been inquiring so I'm happy to announce 2010 will bring a new Christian CD to my offerings...I will be in the studio December and January between holidays with a release scheduled for May 2010. I am in the middle of music selection/rehearsal/arrangements...it's not titled yet but I'm sure that will change soon.

Thank you for your inquiries and support!

catch up

Well once again it has been too long since I've blogged...now that it's getting chilly, I realized the other day it is November so I've got some catching up to do! September and October are always busy wedding months...and if Mother Nature cooperates, gorgeous...& she did!

Taste of Edenton was a beautiful night on the water in downtown historic Edenten...great food!! and lots of folks who had a fun-filled evening...if you are in the area, put it on your calendar for next September. That same afternoon I was at the Christian Bookseller in downtown Edenten...wonderful store...I'll be there again Dec 18 Friday (time to be announced but most likely in the afternoon) for the holiday festivities.

Finding Your Passion workshop: Thank you to those who participated...it was a nice day, intimate, casual as we moved it to a home donated for the day on the beach road (thank you D!).

Thank you also to the community at large who were my sounding board before the workshop (Val & Marion!) & to those who were supportive in prayer even though they couldn't participate. I did get something out of it for my own personal use as well as left over pasta from lunch! Thank you Quianna Grace Frost for leading us through the day. A few of us celebrated at the Beach Bread Company that night after my set...was a fun day!

I have been asked by several people when the next workshop will be...I currently do not have any plans as I have a few other projects I'm working on...but we'll see where the spirit take me on this. I have been asked to do a workshop at the Women's Expo March 26 2010 at COA Manteo Campus sponsored by the Dare County Business & Professional Women's Chapter.

I'm also still booking Living Room Concerts especially for the holidays which may include a sing-a-long section...visit the link on the web site for more info.

Coming up in November the fund raiser for animal welfare organizations at the Aquarium in Manteo Friday Nov 20 6pm.

Next Friday Nov 13 I'll be in Wilmington, DE for a fundraiser concert for the Nativity Prep School (we did a fundraiser in May at Holy Redemeer for them). Tickets are still available. Joining me that night will be the Tatnall High School Jazz ensemble, womens chorus and string ensemble. Check my web site calendar for info.

I'll also be at Festival of Trees this year at the Pearl at the Sea Ranch Hotel in Kill Devil Hills Saturday Dec 5...an annual fundraiser for Hot Line...always a fun few days and for a great organization!

New Years Eve is just around the corner & I will be at First Night in Williamsburg, VA ...

and one item for next year: SARAH HART a wonderful singer/songwriter whose material you hear at church and on my Christian CDs will be joining us January 31st, Sunday 3pm at Holy Redeemer in Kitty Hawk. Tickets will be available on the web site or by calling me. For those of you who have enjoyed my music and CDs, this is a great opportunity to meet the writer and hear her versions and material from her other CDs (Christian and folk). Check out Sarah's web site for more info: www.sarahhartmusic.com...hope you can make it!

til we meet again - stay warm, take time out for friends & family...God bless!