Music To My Ears

I have been listening to so much great new music lately and it makes me HAPPY.

Recently I have bought:

Kings of Leon: Only By The Night
Miranda Lambert: Revolution
Carrie Underwood: Play On
John Mayer: Battle Studies
Norah Jones: The Fall

I draw so much inspiration from listening to music... so it's funny that I find myself NOT listening to music that often. I think it's just life on the road. (And part of it was the switching of computers... I kept putting off transferring all my music because it was such a pain... pitiful, right?) But I find that when I am listening to music, I am happier in general. I am more creative and more inspired. So that needs to happen more. I am making a conscious effort to listen to more music this year.

I was surprised at how much I LOVE the Kings of Leon cd. I love "Use Somebody" and it was hard not to hear that song everywhere you go for a while there. But I heard a lot of people talking about how "it's nothing like their old stuff" and kind of bad mouthing them for changing up their style a bit. I want to listen to their older stuff, too, but I LOVE their cd. It's different and the lead singer's voice is just awesome.

Miranda is just ridiculous. She's the all around package. And I love how she's so much more raucous and raw emotionally than other country girls. She's such a great writer and her lyrics always surprise me. And every time I see her on a show singing live, I am so impressed with how much she's grown as an artist.

Carrie's cd didn't hit me the way her last two have on the first listen through. I was surprised. And with someone like Carrie Underwood, her cd's are much more a "collection of great songs" rather than every song making sense with each other like some albums. It's just a different approach. (As say, from Kings of Leon) But I love both extremes. The cd is really growing on me, and I feel like she is really maturing as an artist... with her choice of songs. And even as a writer. She is co-writing a LOT more of her material than she ever has before, which is just cool.

John Mayer. Never get tired of him. Ever. His lyrics just kill me every time. He has such a beautiful way with words. And I love hearing what he is gonna do next. Sometimes I almost think he's too smart musically... there's about 3 moments on the cd where he goes a little too "Berklee" for me. But at the same time, that's why I love him. He's truly an artist, and is always gonna do what he feels is right... even if it wouldn't have been my choice. :)

Norah Jones: what a surprise!!! Her new cd has SUCH a different sound from her last 3. And I was not at all expecting it! This is the one I haven't REALLY listened to yet. I have heard it a couple of times, but not when I could pay attention like I wanted. But I can't wait to dive into this one. It's so fun and flirty and a little more rawkin than she's been before.

So I guess this turned into a mini "CD review" which was not my intention.

Before I sign off... I have to tell you... Cinnamon keeps scaring herself from eh em... "letting em rip" :) She keeps looking back at her butt... running away and then looking at me, like "What is happening to me??" It's been going on the entire time I have been writing this blog... Poor thing. I don't know what she ate. But it's pretty funny.

Peace. Love. Fiddle.
~natalie

Ft. Polk: Woo Woo!!!

Today we played at Ft. Polk in Louisiana and it felt like a hot summer day!!!

The last few weeks... every time we have played in the deep south... we have FROZEN OUR LITTLE TOUSHIES OFF! So today, I was all excited because I finally had a chance to wear the cute long sleeve shirts I ordered for the next time we played outside in the cold.

Didn't actually think to check the weather.

Smart. I know. BUT I had good reasoning! It's NOVEMBER. And consistently, every show we've played outside for the last month has been SO cold. So I wore a long sleeve shirt. Now, the top of my neck, my hands, and my forehead are red. But everything else was covered! :) Poor Tim only got burned on ONE side of his face.

It was like playing at the fair today! There were funnel cakes, LOTS of games and tents, rock wall climbing, typical fair stuff... but the one thing that was unique? Periodic firing of artillery. They were blanks... but still... you don't normally see a tank with people showing you how to operate it at the fair.

BOSS (Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers) and the band!


We had the sweetest kids hanging out at the show!!! They were an enthusiastic bunch that were dancing and living just to touch the front of the stage. I've seen a lot of unique names over the years, but today was the first time I ever signed a cd for a "Woo Woo" :) Which I thought was pretty adorable.

One soldier bought a cd, and then came back later to buy another. He asked me to make it out to his friend and wanted me to say "Sorry it didn't work out between us" :) Which again, I thought was pretty awesome. I asked if it was gonna get the guy in trouble, and he assured me it wouldn't. :)-

Soldier of the day:


Peace. Love. Fiddle.
~natalie

Whoa. I'm on a Milk Carton :)

As I sit here working on a song and realizing I only have 2 more days until we go out for our final leg of the tour (our longest venture yet - 6 weeks without coming home) I can't BELIEVE how long it has been since I have played at home. It is so weird when I think about how just 2 years ago I only played shows in Nashville and Columbia... and I didn't even own a Suburban....

Now I have gone through 3 Suburbans and living on the road is a way of life.

All of this was rubbed in this morning when I awoke to an email that had me laughing out loud.



OK! OK!!! :) I GET IT!!! I PROMISE we will play a show here at home very soon. And I promise to make it worth the wait. There are SO many good things in the works right now and I have a lot to process before the next big Nashville show. :)~

I do however, think that was the cleverest and sweetest way for a fan to get his point across :)

Just give us this 6 weeks out on the road... (which is 27 shows... I just counted... there's a few 2-a-days in there) And I promise to have lots of fun surprises when we're back. We'll do it up all country-rockin style and have a big party when we get to come home! There will be LOTS of reasons to celebrate.

Peace. Love. Fiddle.
~natalie