Keepin It Real

I love working in this biz. Every day is so different. And within the same day, you have to be a business exec, creative person, accountant, web promoter, and part of the "job" is going out to other people's shows :) Man. It's a rough life. :)

I had my first co-write with Emily Shackleton today. What a great way to start the day! She's a fellow Berklee girl, although she started the year after I graduated. Last year we did a song writer's round together for the Berklee trip that comes down for spring break every year, and that is when I fell in love with her music. She is an extremely gifted writer, singer, piano player. And we wrote a great song today called "I'll Be a Fool For You"

She was PUMPED this morning. Her husband who's been out of work for over a year just got offered a dream job this morning! AND yesterday she found out that one of her songs is getting cut by an Australian country artist named Stephanie Brownlee. And she's already shot the video for the song!

The song is called "Keep It Real" and it is adorable. Here's the video!


I am so excited for her! Emily works her tail off. And I am looking forward to writing with her again. First writes can be the most difficult, but you wouldn't know it from today. It was easy as pie! (What a strange expression... pie ain't all that easy).

Off to meditate on song ideas for tomorrow's write!

Peace. Love. Fiddle.
~natalie

Last Leg Of The Year!

We are getting ready to go out for our last trip of the year!!!

Wait. What?

What happened to this year!?!?! Is it really time to start thinking about purchasing Christmas presents and digging out the yeast roll recipe for Thanksgiving?

Wow. Craziness.

When we get back there will only be 4 days left until Thanksgiving!

I wasn't exactly prepared for this last trip. The time really has gotten away from all of us. NONE of us had packed warmly enough. I had to take my flip flops and short sleeve shirts out of my suitcase tonight and dig into my drawers to find some long sleeves! My show clothes stay the same... but socks and hoodies had to be found!

Tim Denbo is coming back out on the road with us for this final trip. It really is a great way to round out the year. :) We're glad to have him back!

Peace. Love. Fiddle.
~natalie

I Made It!!!

Whew. We've had ummm 15 or 17 shows in a row with no break... I can't remember right now and I don't have the energy to go count. This whole year I have seen this stretch of shows on the calendar and it was the leg of touring I was the most concerned about. If they were all college shows, it wouldn't have been a problem. But when the book ends (3 days on the front and 3 days at the end) are at some of our longest club nights... well, I just have to be extra careful with my voice.

But yay!!! I made it! I won't be speaking tomorrow at all on the drive home. Give my voice some rest. We won't sleep much tonight - it's already 6:15am and we need to be out of here by 11. But hey, at least I am not singing tomorrow!!! I can always handle little sleep. but when you pair little sleep with lots of singing... it can be rough.

I love Spinnaker. I really do. I went to the beach this afternoon before the show. And James and I just stood up on the balcony at Spinnaker before we packed up and took in one last look at the ocean.

It's been really fun having Justin back on this trip. He is an incredible singer and an extremely charismatic performer - he knows how to get an audience all riled up! I'm gonna miss him!

Heading to bed. And tomorrow I head to my own bed for a few nights! WOOO HOO!!!


Peace. Love. Fiddle.
~natalie