Did you see my InstaStory demonstrating my hurricane-filled car that I’ve now fully cleaned and vacuumed (this happens once a year tops)? Have you seen the large pumpkin pie and pecan pie combo that I’ve annihilated (this happens a lot)?
This is because I LOVE fresh slates. I love New Years and having an excuse to review and dream and evaluate the kind of life I’ve been living and how I’ll grow next. I love coming up with more ways to grow and don’t do the back-patting nearly enough as I should, so *drum roll please* here is your 2019 Recap!
-- Played 104 shows
-- first shows ever with a full band (Chad E. Mathis, Colin Robison, JJ Jones, Antonio Lopez, Pamela T. Machala, Kirsten Mathisen, Kari Clifton - you guys are amazing)
-- First SOLD OUT headlining show
-- 16 Weekly Wednesday FB live streams
-- My first merch! Fun, soft t-shirts!
-- Got drums, bass, and vocals tracked for my upcoming studio album
-- Studied a new songwriter every month for my Song Study Project
-- Had my highest paying gig of all time
-- 3 Tours: Europe, Connecticut, and DC area
-- Europe tour- 6 countries, 13 shows (Thanks Gregory Silvus for being the best travel buddy!)
-- Successfully fundraised for the Guatemalan service trip in February (thank you!)
-- 2 shows with one of my songwriting heroes, Steve Seskin
-- Really affirming performances at Song School and NESR
-- Showcased at Durango Songwriter's Expo w/ Tim Fagan and Caitlin Cannon
-- Reconnected with people I love and sang backup for James Lee Baker at Swrfa Swrfa
-- Snagged the sweetest mentor on the planet Laurie MacAllister
-- Invested hardcore into my guitar playing (Molly Miller and Spencer Handley
-- Wrote 22 new songs (Wanderlust, Puzzle, Jump!*, I Hope You Have a Great Day, Stagnant*, A Face Like Yours, Ooh bi da*, Punishment, Shitshow, Shelli, Highways on a Map, Jenga, When I’m Old*, Just Give Me a Minute, Bury the Truth*, You’re Gonna Break My Heart, Practice Room No. 8*, Goodbye to a Good Thing, Playing with Fire, Caroline*, A Fine Place to Be, Female Advantage)
-- Did my first studio session as a session vocalist at Blue Rock Studios in TX
-- won Honorable Mentions in the Folks Fest and Telluride Troubadour Song Contests
-- Curated 13 Women in Song shows
-- Played my first main stage festival slot at Black Bear Americana Fest and Casey Jones Music Fest
-- Built up my private teaching to be on my own schedule 5 days of the week
-- Started playing live music for CorePower Yoga
Other fun things:
-- My first big vacation with my best friends from childhood
-- First time camp counselor-ing at Camp Oonie Koonie Cha
-- Hosted my first student recitals
-- Became an aunt for the second time!
Superlatives:
Most Unique Gig: Serenading theoretical physicists at their convention (Imagine Mm thats hot but swapping out the dad line with “i like it if you look like youre real good at math”)
“Best” new song: I think my personal favorite is “A Face Like Yours”, inspired by JJ Jones
Favorite Show: The live album gig at Elephant Hall w/ Sister Neapolitan was pretty special
If I could do it from my music page, I would have tagged a million more people because my life would be nothing without the gobs of support I have from people like you that read and comment on my posts, respond to my newsletters, teach me a cool guitar lick, come to a show, tip me during my Weekly Wednesday streams, use their skills to make my music better, etc. etc. etc. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING.
* this song isn’t actually edited and/or memorized to the level of being performable yet so maybe it shouldn’t count