Le Moyne Senior Week

WOW. Le Moyne College in Syracuse, NY KNOWS how to throw a party! It's senior week - they are the only ones left on campus, and they graduate this Sunday. Many were dragging for the afternoon party because of the pub crawl last night. ;) But they pulled themselves together for the prizes (ipods, flip cams, digital picture frames), bull riding, roping, games, BBQ, wine, and beer! (And of course the show).

David opened as usual (he played one of my favorites), and an audience of very well-dressed and excited cowboys and cowgirls were dancing, clapping, and keeping us entertained while we were entertaining :)

Look at how cute all these girls are!!! And the boys weren't hard to look at either ;)














We just arrived in Lima, Oh and it's a little after 3am. We left after the show in Syracuse around 5 tonight, so it really wasn't that bad of a drive!!! We are SOOO excited about the show tomorrow. We are making up the show we missed at OSU because of the Great Nashville Flood. Not only have they been rilin' us up by posting awesome pics of the marquee for tomorrow:


But also - They had gift bags in our rooms waiting on us when we got to the hotel! They are signed by the entire CAB staff AND there was chocolate!!!! Not gonna lie... already bit into my kit kat bar....

Can't wait for tomorrow. Gonna get a little shut eye now so my voice sounds pretty in the morning!

Peace. Love. Fiddle.
~natalie

The Great Nashville Flood of 2010

Today was one for the record books.

Nashville is completely under water. I've never seen anything like this before. The stories from friends and family don't seem real. James and I are so lucky where we live. We have had power and haven't had problems with flooding. But nearly everyone I know has had damage of some kind. Including our band.

This is just a few blocks from our condo


Downtown Nashville


This dude caught a fish on Edmunson Pike!




We were supposed to leave today to head to Ohio. But our band physically can't get to us. Squad cars are blocking the roads, because there's so much water over them. We keep hoping the water will recede enough for everyone to get out... we're waiting...

But I feel silly talking about THAT being our biggest complaint.


I have a friend who was picked up by a boat from the second story of her flooded house where she was trapped... She was dropped off at Kroger, and made way to a friend's. This was after she and her mother watched her car, her mother's car, and her sister's car all be swept away by the water. She and her mother are just 2 of the 600 who have been rescued from their homes so far this weekend. And 36,000 people are currently without power.

My brother has a friend who stood waist deep in water and watched his house burn to the ground because the fire trucks couldn't get to the hydrants... they were all under water. The irony of that is too much.

Thank goodness we haven't tried to leave yet because all 3 of the major interstates around Nashville have been shut down for most of the day - including the one we needed to get to Ohio. Check out this crazy video of a mobile classroom that was caught on tape floating down I-24 earlier today:

Here's the link for you facebookers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHuMn1AVRDg&feature=player_embedded#!

And here's the vid for the blog readers.



That video was just down the road from where our guitar player lives that can't get out of his house!!! We're just thankful he is ok.

Our prayers are with everyone who have lost their homes and been forced to evacuate to shelters. Currently over 400 people are in shelters. But as always, the churches and people around town have come together and been providing amazing support to everyone.

We're still working on it, but it's not looking like we're gonna make it to our show in Ohio tomorrow. We NEVER take canceling a show lightly, but I am sure they will understand.

It feels like I am watching news stories of other people, and then I look out my window and see that it is HERE. Thank you for all the kind words of support on facebook and twitter. Thank goodness the rain has finally STOPPED. Here's hoping the water recedes sooner than later so people can begin putting their lives back together.

Peace. Love. Fiddle.
~natalie

Shut It Down

We just had a GREAT show at Bowling Green State University, despite a meltdown of gear before soundcheck....

We've all battled so many gear-related issues lately! I mean, you know that upkeep is a part of being on the road... but this seems a little excessive! One of the problems tonight was actually pretty funny. I turned my amp on and a radio station was coming through it CLEAR as day. I tried moving it around, but that didn't help one bit. When the announcer came on and said something that I won't repeat... Time to SHUT IT DOWN.

So I ran my fiddle through a D.I.

Panther's Amp starting popping and cracking so badly, that HE had to SHUT IT DOWN.

So he ran though DAVID's D.I. and David had to play electric the whole set. And he had to use my D.I. for his acoustic during his opening set. Whew.

Anyway... we got around all the electrical problems in time to have an excellent show.

Tonight was an especially emotional night during "Angel". Miguel's Abuela (grandmother) passed away yesterday in Chile. He's doing well and our prayers are with his family. She was in the hospital for the last week and a half, and the doctors were amazed at her strength. I know she was looking down tonight and is SO proud of him. I had more chills than normal. I don't think that was a coincidence.

The UAO was SO great to us tonight. Our green room was filled with BGSU t-shirts, a sweatshirt, sweatpants, and other goodies. I am wearing my tee and sweatshirt already! :) And they got us dinner from this amazing local place. We were all drooling over how great our dinners were.

Thank you UAO Music Board!


















I LOVE my new BGSU Sweatshirt and tee!!! They are awesome.


I was really impressed by this mixer!!! Aunt Carol needs it for making mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving. She makes such a huge batch every year and this would really contribute to the cause! :)


Peace. Love. Fiddle.
~natalie

Great Article for and Awesome Video from Nino's

Hey y'all!!! We have had an awesome day of rest this Sunday in Springfield Illinois. This article came through the other online and I thought I would share! It's always fun when these show up online. :)

Here's the link if you would rather go to the actual article...

http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2010/03/nashvilles_natalie_stovall_mix.html


Nashville's Natalie Stovall mixes old country, pop
By Rebecca Bakken | Special to the Kalamazo...
March 25, 2010, 1:00PM


KALAMAZOO — Natalie Stovall began writing music when she was 11 years old, but didn’t tell anyone about it.

This spring, she will release her second record, and having opened for Gretchen Wilson, Little Big Town and The Doobie Brothers, she is well prepared for her upcoming concert at Western Michigan University’s Bernhard Center Wednesday.

“I always knew it was something I wanted to do,” Stovall said of songwriting during a phone interview while on the road with her band in Chicago.

Though she got her start as a child singing and playing the fiddle in the Opryland Kids Club at the Grand Ole Opry, she didn’t quite bloom as a creative artist until beginning school at Berklee College of Music in Boston. While there, she often drove back to Nashville, Tenn., to perform shows. It was the beginning of life on the road for Stovall.
“I really do write about my own life,” the 28-year-old singer said. “I write at my best when no one else is around. On trips back and forth to Nashville I wrote my first album.”

The Columbia, Tenn., native now resides in Nashville, where she knows she belongs after getting a taste of the East Coast.

She awaits the release of her second record, an EP titled “Standing My Ground,” a follow-up to her 2006 record, “Late Night Conversations.” Though she works well as a solo writer, Stovall worked with others on the new album and said it was a good experience to have other perspectives in the room.


“I really enjoy writing with other people because it gives you a sounding board,” Stovall said.

Stovall said she’s looking forward to using her Kalamazoo audience as a sounding board as well, because performing live is the best way to see which songs are popular and which ones need work.

“It’s really one of the best ways that I’ve been able to get out there and see how my music is resonating with people. It’s kind of an old school mentality,” Stovall said.

Her musical influences include country artists, such as Garth Brooks and Shania Twain, said the self-professed “radio girl.” At the WMU show, she’ll sing her version of “Devil Went Down to Georgia,” some originals and a cover medley with “everything from Zeppelin to Michael Jackson.”

Though country-influenced, her songs have a definite pop quality.

Her single “Whatever It Takes” tells a fairytale romance story with a strong female heroine. The strong female theme is driven home by her powerhouse voice during the chorus as she promises to save her love.

Her cover of “Devil Went Down to Georgia” is a regular at her shows, showcasing her fiddle talents in the Charlie Daniels classic.

IF YOU GO
When: Wednesday

Where: The East Ballroom of Western Michigan University’s Bernhard Center, 1903 W. Michigan Ave.

Time: 9 p.m.

Contact: (269) 387-2112

Cost: $1 for students; $2 general admission

And another surprise that has shown up online - a few videos from our Nino's show in Findlay Ohio!!! These are great vids from one of our favorite bars to play. Thank you to Brian Snyder and Reflections Films for taking the time to film and put up these videos!!

Here's a link to "Rip It Up"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xk0U1YB243Q

And here's the video for all that can see it!


Peace. Love. Fiddle.
~natalie

Farm Boy, Nino's, and Snow.

First of all...

Farm Boy. I love you and your way with words. I don't say it enough. I know I don't always respond, but I ALWAYS read your comments. It is still the first thing I do before I sit down to write my blog for the night... I look to see what my favorite Farm Boy Fan has said. (For those of you who get to the blog through facebook or other means... you don't see his comments. You have to actually got to the http://www.peacelovefiddle.com to see the comments. But believe me, they are worth it!)

On to TONIGHT. NINO'S!!! Our favorite bar in Findlay, Ohio! (And one of our favorites in the country). Nino, Rob, and the guys at Nino's are just so great to us!! they ordered in some of the best pizza for us :) And the crowd was awesome. DEFINITELY not a Thursday night crowd... more like a Saturday night crowd ON a Thursday. : )~

Umm... IT SNOWED on us. We drove 8 hours today... well... we left at 8am... lost an hour and arrived right at 7pm in Findlay. It rained on us the WHOLE trip... that is, until we crossed the border into Ohio. Then it started snowing and even accumulated on the car. The roads are like an ice skating rink.... We all were sliding around the parking lot. And Panther even bit it pretty bad outside the hotel. Poor thing :( But he's ok. He's the Panther. He can handle it :)

Mark and Janice came!!! They took off work tomorrow and drove 2 and 1/2 hours. I just love them. Seriously. Sweetest people in Ohio.


My Ohio Cowboy, Kyle, who I met when we played at the University of Findlay this time last year... then again the last time at Nino's and then tonight he brought tons of friends!


Having some fun with my new friends :)




Lindsey - what a sweetheart. Love her.


A late night jam session even broke out after the bar closed - Rob fell in love with my Night Hawk that David plays in the shows. :) He sat in with a guys on some Rolling Stones, Nivana, Van Halen, and Stevie Ray Vaughn... Oh Yeah.


Peace. Love. and More Snowy Fiddles!
~natalie

1st Time in Cleveland: SUCCESS!

Brother's Lounge. Awesome club. Great people. Mark, the sound man was great. Audience was attentive and listened and danced and sang along and bought cd's.

We had SO much fun playing tonight! And for anyone who's been following the blog... the manager of the club called the guy who wrote the infamous "Annoying na's na's" review and told him that he should have come to the show! He told him that he really needs to come to our next show before he writes another review. :) That was so sweet!!! And made me feel pretty awesome... I'm not gonna lie...

Our good friends, Mark and Janice came in from Akron. They are definitely the sweetest people in Ohio!


And Paul, too! He had something else to do and had to drive quite a ways to get there. But he came! And he had to bend down so far to get in this picture!


Meet Mayor David Bentkowski. He's the Mayor of Seven Hills Ohio and is the YOUNGEST Mayor in Ohio! ANd he came to MY show! Not only that, he brought copies of his book to the band! I can't wait to read it. I'll share my thoughts once I get done. :)


And this is David's Girlfriend, Nicole. What a sweetheart!


Rachel. The Dancing Queen of the evening. Thanks for that pineapple thingy you gave me. It was yummy.



Uh oh... My job is on the line...



The people in Cleveland tonight were SO sweet and gracious to us. They and the people at Brother's Lounge know how to make a lady and band's first time in a city a great one! We are looking forward to having a day off in Cleveland tomorrow! We're gonna go to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. RAWK.

Peace. Love. Fiddle.
~natalie

My First Negative Press :)

I've always hoped that someday my career would reach a point where I would be successful enough to start gathering negative press... It's an odd sign of success, but a sign none the less. And although I am definitely not "there" yet, I guess I can take this morning as a sign that I'm headed in the right direction. ; )

I've always tried to imagine what it would feel like so I could work on being mentally prepared... but I guess you really never know how you're gonna handle it until it happens. Well this morning, I got my first taste and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised.

It's actually pretty funny because this entire opinion about me seems to be drawn from a song that I haven't played in a couple of years... And my myspace bio, I guess... But hey! This is small potatoes.

I can only hope that I will be successful enough to have much worse things written about me in time. And although I'm sure it will never be fun, I'm glad I was able to wake up and smile a little this morning. It's what my friend Ben's dad likes to call Cadillac problems... ; )

You can go to the website here:
http://www.clevescene.com

In case you have trouble with the link, here's what it says:

3/20: Natalie Stovall at Brothers Lounge

Twentysomething country singer Natalie Stovall admits she’s a “Silly Kid” in one of her songs. That’s a fitting summation. Stovall has a powerhouse voice, but her childish material (“Silly Kid” is punctuated with a series of annoying “nah, nah, nahs”) makes Taylor Swift sound all grown-up. Stovall peppers her MySpace site with many trivial biographical details (her favorite flower is the gerbera daisy, her middle name is Patricia, she got her first gig when she was 10, etc.), designed to appeal more to tweens than adults. Still, Stovall has performed at a White House dinner, opened for Gretchen Wilson and has been selling out dates on her current tour, which stops at Brothers Lounge (11609 Detroit Ave., 216.226.2767) at 9:30 tonight. Tickets: $5 advance, $7 day of show. — Jeff Niesel



The show is 3.20 and will be our first time in Cleveland! Now we just have to go do our best to prove him wrong! : )

Too bad it's a bar and all my tweens won't be able to get in... ;)


Peace. Love. Fiddle.
~natalie

APCA Northeast

So, I have to share this. Mamma showed Granny the picture of Kaleigh's tattoo today, and Granny said that it made her feel like a celebrity! :) I though that was awesome.

We had another great conference today at APCA Northeast in Verona, NY. It was the first time we've played a showcase where the exhibit hall/marketplace (which is where all the agents' booths are) was in he same place as the showcase room.

Doing 15 minute showcases is always such a weird thing. At least for us artists. It's a lot of fun now that I feel like we have gotten more of a hang of it. After showcasing at different regions over the last 3 years, we have really started to get a better rhythm with it.

But you've only got 15 minutes to go out, impress impress impress, and then you're DONE. Well... and then you go stand in your booth and hope and pray for bookings. There's a LOT of hurry up and wait between soundcheck, the actual show, and then your time at the market place. Normally I get a HUGE adrenaline rush, and the whole thing is over before I know it. But for whatever reason today, I felt like I was in slow motion. Everything was moving at the same pace, but the whole atmosphere was different. You just never know!! That happens sometimes with regular shows, too. But it was a unique experience for me today. Miguel said he shared in that experience with me, today.

The booth was CRAZY today. I hope they don't ban me from giving out cookies. The carpet looked as though I had thrown cookies down on the floor and stomped on them. The booth was absolute chaos the entire marketplace. :) The way I like it!

We are staying in a crazy Comfort Inn in Mansfield, Ohio right now - It has "Splash Lagoon" in it. It's basically a really awesome indoor and outdoor pool with waterfalls and slides and stuff. The crazy thing? We've stayed here before. And last time we checked in really late and were just gonna have to get up and go in the morning. One day, I will go play in the Splash Lagoon!

Peace. Love. Fiddle.
~natalie

Nino's. Yes. I Met Him.

It's a good sign when you meet a bar owner and the first thing he says is "Wow that first set REALLY sucked." :) Cause when he's obviously happy... and in your first encounter, he's already comfortable with giving you a hard time... well, it makes me feel at home, actually. My agent, Ari, always says "Don't Suck" right before I go out on stage. Not that I am special. He says that to all of his artists.

Some people and their ways of showing love.

The guys at Nino's including Nino himself, were so awesome. After the bar closed down the karaoke machine came out!!! I helped myself to a little Salt N Peppa "Shoop" with Big Matt. :)

There was a magician at the show tonight doing card tricks. And someone came in dressed with "The Scream" mask on.... only it was goldish-orange and even creepier. Never had someone who looked like they were about to murder me dancing along to my music. Oh Halloween.

Peace. Love. Fiddle.
~natalie

Today. Shadow Puppets and Ugly Naked Guy

Today....

*I learned that the art of shadow puppetry is NOT lost.

It's alive and thriving in the Ohio Arts world.

*I saw a naked guy painting in a window while we were waiting to go on stage.

We were in the parking lot, and he was across the street on the third floor of an apartment building. Chris and Miguel saw him first, pointed him out to me, and then an entire parking lot of ballerinas saw him, too. His little kitty cat decided to rub all up against him... He was RIGHT THERE in the window. He had sheets of paper attached to the window that we assume he was painting on. Although, it would have been pretty awesome if he was just doing some spread sheets or taxes... you know, naked... IN THE WINDOW.

*I got my picture taken with this guy. Whatever he is.

Today we had a showcase for Performing Arts Centers in Ohio. I haven't been that flustered on stage in a long time. There were a number of reasons it was so difficult to get through. But I was told numerous times tonight "I couldn't hear what you were singing, but you sure have a lot of energy on stage! You were cute, and even though I couldn't hear you... I got the essence of what you are about." So I guess that is good????

Events with multiple acts are never easy. We do lots of them. But this one in particular is really frustrating. We PAY to get the privilege of playing at these things... we have to submit and hope to be selected. And especially after we've driven 27 hours to get here... it's more than a disappointment that no one could hear us because the sound was so bad. It was AWFUL on stage. But we always pull through no matter how bad or non-existent the sound is on stage. But when the audience can't hear you? Goodness. I mean, we are only allowed 10 minutes to play, so it's over before you start.

Ahh welll. You win some. You lose some. We've had a number of rough situations in a row, which just makes the driving and the "being away from home" and the no sleep and the "take-what-you-can-get food options" even harder.

And yet I still wouldn't trade it for the world.

Not for a minute.

Peace. Love. Fiddle.

~natalie

P.S. Watching James and Ari (my agent) try to reenact the art shadow puppets is about the funniest thing I have ever seen. It was definitely the best medicine one could have after an awful show. I really wish I had a video.

The Chileans Are Coming!!!

Dorky fact about me right now:
We played the University of Akron in Ohio yesterday, and we played this same event last year for them. Last night I wore my event t-shirt from yesterday. Tonight I unintentionally am wearing the t-shirt from this event LAST year.

At our show yesterday, I learned that the flowers in my hair are NOT a good idea when bees are looming! Even though they are fake... they seemed to attract the buzzy little creatures :) I mean, they were hanging around everyone and buzzing around the stage quite a bit, but they definitely liked my hair region... Although.... that's quite a LARGE region... it is kind of hard to miss...

Last year we had to drive OVERNIGHT from a show in Chicago. So this year, the flight and a half of stairs to load up was not NEARLY as daunting as it had seemed last year! :)

However... the rain seemed to follow us yet again to an outdoor event. :( We had a covered stage, so the rain wasn't an issue for us per say, but the poor audience was just getting soaked. I had to call a song that Chris could sing, actually because my cds and t-shirts were getting drenched. I ran and grabbed everything and threw it under the tent for safe-keeping.

Mark and Janice are some of our good friends that have just been incredibly supportive over the years. YOU KNOW they are supportive when they sit under umbrellas for half your show just to watch you play! Thanks, Mark for selling that cd and t-shirt for me ;)


We had some of the most wonderful and inspiring group show up for this show. Viola, was one of them. It was her birthday, and I first saw her burst out from behind the line of students waiting for t-shirts. She was very excitedly running toward the stage because she heard music. It wouldn't have mattered who or what type of music was playing. She began to dance with the most beautiful smile on her face. And she didn't stop until her class had to leave! Happy Birthday Viola! I am so glad you and your friends had such a good time! (Thanks for the pic, Mark!)


Our awesome sound crew - Greg and Tony! They were our sound guys last year, too. :) And they quized me on what my name means. Whew. Good thing I knew! "Born on Christmas Day" (But I wasn't)


We've had a car-full of Chileans following us for a week now!!! Miguel's Dad, 2 of his brothers, and his Dad's wife are all visiting from Chile. And they are getting a FULL experience of life on the road! They came to the Rathskeller in Indy, then took a road trip to Chicago, came to our shows in PA and OH, and now they are headed to Nebraska for a wedding! Ella is going to be a flower girl this weekend :)


Love this life on the road. And happy to be home with my puppy for a few days. We have FIVE DAYS OFF!!! MOST in a LOOOONG time!

Peace. Love. Fiddle.
~natalie

I Love The Interwebz

I had such an awesome surprise in my email tonight!

On the ferry ride back from Put-In-Bay the car in front of us said "Poodles" on the license plate. I got excited because I could see lots of doggies in the windows :) I got out and went to meet my friendly ferry neighbors. They had a toy poodle who was 2, a miniature poodle who was 9, and a standard poodle who was 6 months: Penelope, Prudence and Bernie
Penelope, the Standard Poodle was HUGE and she still has a lot of growing to do. But I loved how she acted as though she were a lap dog just like the other two. I'm used to thinking of poodles having the traditional "show-dog" hair cuts, and I did not realize how awesome their hair is just natural!!!! It was as massive as my own - which is probably why we bonded so well.

The couple and I talked a bit about our time on the island and I told them I had been performing at the Beer Barrel. Well... low and behold, they found me online and sent me the sweetest email tonight!!! They even attached a picture of "my newest fan" Penelope:


She's so fun! And I am so happy to have a picture of her, now!

Speaking of Penelope... I HIGHLY recommend the movie "Penelope" with Christina Ricci, Catherine O'Hara, and Reese Witherspoon. It was a smaller film, but was quickly added to my list of favorites after seeing it on my cruise to Alaska last year! I love Christina Ricci and Catherine O'Hara always does such a great job in the "psychotic mom" roles :) The scenery is beautiful - very storybook. It's just a good heart-warming film. Nothing mind-blowing. Just downright good.

Peace. Love. And Penelope (GO WATCH IT! NOW! I'll time you. Run)
~natalie

Monkey Of The Mountain

This is what Cinnamon does when I am gone...




I think maybe she thought if she climbed a high enough mountain of dirt... she could spot us in Put-In-Bay :)

I am happy to be home with my puppy. Even if it is only for a couple of days...

It's always a really weird feeling to think "Hmmm... I was shopping in a little store on an island on Lake Erie this morning. Right now, I am at my parents' house in Columbia, Tn."

Put-In-Bay

Before this gig I didn't even know that Ohio had an island.

But on Put-In-Bay, Ohio....

There's 400 people that live here in the winter... but on any given Saturday in the summer, there's 28,000.
Everyone rents and drives a golf cart on the island instead of cars.
The really crazy people drive their cars on the ice on the frozen Lake Erie in the winter time.

The Beer Barrel Saloon where we play...

Has the longest bar in the WORLD.
They have 3 bands a day EVERY day in the summer.
Are only open April -October

Tonight went WAAAAAY smoother!!! We had a chance to rehearse this afternoon. That made this little girl feel a lot better about everything that was going on.

I have already met so many fun people!


The sisters that were here last night and tonight


The Niagra Falls peeps! (Darren and Rita were celebrating 25 years together!)


These kids were getting DOWN!


Miguel and Leann are from Chicago and they are coming to our next show at the Ballydoyle!


My new sorority sisters that danced all night with me to Mustang Sally's set!


YAY!
Alright. I need to sleep now...

NIGHT NIGHT!
Peace. Love. Fiddle.
~natalie