It Don't Matter If You're Black Or White

James, Cinnamon, and I spent the day in the studio with the Sonic Fedora. We're so close to having this thing done. At least the sonic part of it. Everything's coming together. And I'm getting anxious! :)

Today is one of those days I will never forget. I will always remember exactly where I was when I heard the news that Michael Jackson had died. I just can't believe he is gone. He was such a huge influence on me. As a child, I was obsessed with his videos - especially the Making of Thriller and I'd learn the choreography to everything (but who didn't???) And I still cite him as a huge influence on my music, even though I usually get a laugh or a weird look when I do... especially since I'm a country girl. But I don't care!!! He was such an incredible artist.

I'm so glad he was in rehearsals for his "comeback" shows, and was at least gearing up to what he loved most in this world.

Peace. Love. Fiddle.
~natalie

YES!!!!

I would hire the Sonic Fedora for his wall decorations, alone.

That's a Pretty Site

We have been COMPLETELY OUT of cds for 2 weeks. That's ROUGH!! :) But we are fully re-stocked with 1,000 more to go. And pretty soon we'll have double that with NEW cd's. Ahhh I can't wait. Tomorrow, we go in for more mix time with the Sonic Fedora. And maybe a visit to the taco truck. Who knows? :)

Peace. Love. Fiddle.
~natalie

Last Day In the Studio!

Today was our last day in the studio for this record!!! Holy cow, y'all. Seriously? What a whirlwind. Ben opened up his calendar and suddenly realized that we only started this undertaking a mere week and a half (well, not even...) ago. WHAT!?!? It seems as though that is UNPOSSIBLE! (sorry kids. unpossible is not a word... yet ironically that seems to emphasize it's meaning... in my head...)

Miguel came in to record his awesome Chilean Rockstar parts today. Ella and I got some good "hang time" in while her Daddy was recording. We played outside the WHOLE time... with sticks... lots and lots of games with sticks... and Cinnamon... and earth worms... and a GIANT STICK that took BOTH of us to carry!

Yeah. Recording is fun. :)

Today is not only the last day of recording, but it is also the eve of the SUMMER TOUR!!! Again, WHAT?!?! How is that possible? I'm not sure, but I am so excited. You know what's funny? Going back out on the road actually feels like somewhat of a break! I never knew THAT would be the case. Due to our intense marathon week of recording, we have yet to design the slick and shiny version of the Summer Tour schedule, but it will be done for all to see VERY soon. So until then, just check the regular calendars here and on all my various websites!

Very appropriately, our summer tour starts off with a full weekend down in Panama City Beach, FL. at Spinnaker Beach Club. So here's to going back out on the road! (I'm holding up that imaginary Pina Colada... in my head...) And here's to big hair from the humidity... ala Monica from Friends... or the Frizz-ease commercials. :)

What in the world will Ben do without us tomorrow nagging him in the studio??

Peace. Love. Fiddle. Beaches.
~natalie

Potato Skins Are Just The Carriers

"The way I see it.... potato skins are just the carriers for the cheese and bacon. The same way that the vocal is just the carrier for the fiddle."

Ben Strano (friend, engineer, co-producer aka The Sonic Fedora) upon discussing the vocals for "Devil Went Down To Georgia".

Turns out there's a BIG difference in singing this one on stage and in the studio. I think we were all a bit aware that this would be the case. I'm pretty animated when I sing this song live. It's hard not to be. It is such a fun and energetic song. But again. Recording is a microscope. And if I tried to sing this on the record as hard and excited as I sing it live? Well, it would sound almost cartoon-like... theatrical, if you will. And even though it is a song about a fiddle contest between the devil and a good-ole Georgia boy.... the song is cool as well... (sorry but I gotta...) hell. (You know, Devil... Hell... I'm a dork!)

I've always noticed that rappers do that... everything is way more hyped live because it is harder to get energy across when you are speaking. Never knew I'd be drawing inspiration from Jay-Z or 50 Cent in the studio. Just call me a Southern Ghetto-Fabulous Belle.

The other thing that is so different about the studio... NOTHING sounds like it will once it is mixed. When Ben is done EQ-ing and compressing my voice and mixing the track... it will sound sound a million times better than it does as we listen back right now. And the EQ-ing automatically makes it sound like it has more energy. We were talking about this... And the way I described it to him was... it's like the different between a matte black and a really sharp, rich, glossy black. (I was thinking in color because one of the photo set-ups yesterday was in front of a matte black wall) Ben's mix will take my voice, put it right in your face and it will go from the flat, matte black to a beautiful rich glossy black.

If I've lost you in all this talk between mixes and potatoe skins and matte or glossy finish, I apologize. But you probably know me by now if you are reading this, and you know it is 4am :)

Miguel and Ella get home from Chile tomorrow morning!!! They are probably in our hemisphere by now :)

Peace. Love. Fiddle.
Southern Ghetto Fabulous Nat

Happy Fedorial Day!

Happy Birthday Fedora!! It's the Sonic Fedora's birthday, today. :) So we only worked a half day in the studio. But we were surprisingly productive for a half day! Wait... that sounds like I am surprised that we are productive.... But I mean.... surprised at how MUCH we got done in a short time... umm, eh, ok. Not important. :)

In honor of the Fedora's Birthday, I am putting up my favorite picture of us from recording the first record...


Awww... the Hat Factory II. I miss that place. :)

We listened down all the tracks. It's a LOT to take in. It doesn't seem real. It's been almost 3 years since I have recorded any new music. (Other than demos) It's great and crazy and ridiculous that it has been that long!

I am glad we've waited. I've written a lot since the first record, but not everything I write necessarily deserves a spot on an album, ya know? So I had to write, rewrite, and write some more. And now, I have a really solid EP going, and I already have a GREAT start on some music that I am excited about for the future as well. No more of this "playing catch up" thing.

With the first record I would write... we'd record 3 songs or so... and then I'd have to go write more music (and make more money) to go back into the studio. The first album took over a year and a half to record. This one? Probably going to take a week and a half for the whole thing. Granted, it's half the amount of songs.... but still!

Today, I got the vocals done on "Standing My Ground." It took, oh, a couple hours. With the first record? We'd spend DAYS on a song sometimes. I would punch in on the first half a word sometimes. :) It's amazing how much you learn and grow in 3 years. Plus, I've been singing these songs live for long enough that I know EXACTLY what I want on them. So that's cool.

James wasn't even allowed in the room when we were cutting vocals the first go 'round. I had completely forgotten about that! That's so funny to me now. But Ben and I were both SO SERIOUS about NO ONE ELSE being in the room when I was doing vocals. Now, I think it would be really really weird if James wasn't there.

It's a good thing we're getting this done quickly, though. I don't think I could wait that long to share it with everyone!

Peace. Love. Fiddle.

Recording My EP on Music Row

Today was bananas. In the BEST possible way.

Remember when you were a kid and you'd go swimming ALLL DAY long on a hot day with your friends? And at the end of the day you'd realize how exhausted you were, but it didn't matter because you had so much fun playing Marco Polo, Sharks and Minnows, and doing flips off the diving board?

That was today. Only the pool was the studio.

It was an entire day of eyes bugged from being so focused...
Heart racing from adrenaline pumping...
Ears buzzing from amps blazing...
And brain spinning from quick decision making...

I was "Mayering" all day. Definition of Mayering: Tweeting all day about recording an album. :) I liked that one. John Mayer has officially become a verb. :)

I knew today would be amazing. But I didn't REALLY know all at the same time.

This time I am coming from such a different perspective. We recorded the first record before we had a band and were playing out very much. So playing with the musicians was the first time I had heard the songs with a full band. But THIS time, we have been playing these songs for a while. I know them all so well. So hearing the new ideas and approaches the session players bring makes me feel like a kid in a candy store.

I can't wait to go in and listen to everything tomorrow.

You know what was crazy, though? The only cover song we did - "Devil Went Down To Georgia" was by far the hardest one of the day! That REALLY threw them (and me) for a loop! I wasn't expecting that at all. We have played that song for so long I almost forgot how tricky the form is. But it's not at all like the typical "verse, chorus, Verse, chorus" form. So you have to KNOW it to be able to play it. Michael Rhodes told me he was glad we did that because he had never had to play it before! And Gary said that he doesn't even think he has ever listened to the whole thing.
Everyone studying/ writing/ rewriting/ trying to understand their "Devil" charts


You know it's the REAL DEAL when 7 out of the 9 people involved in the session are wearing Chucks.


This was a puuuurty room:
Rhodes Basses & Audley's guitars


Gary's guitars - same room, other side... the one on the chair reminds me of a Vans Sneaker. Remember those?


Everybody! (Well, CJ, the studio manager, was taking the pic)
Left To Right:

James you know... Bavendam :), Audley Freed, Gary Burnette, ummm... me, Greg Morrow, Ben Strano, Scott Velazco, Michael Rhodes

The 1/8 note I found on the pavement in front of the back door of the studio :)


And just so you know... THIS is what you get when you pay for a high class studio on Music row:


I can't believe today just happened.

Peace, Love, Fiddle,
~natalie