2020 WAS NOT THE WORST!
Let’s be honest here. Crappy things about 2020- global pandemic! I was GOING to tour Europe, open for Red Molly on an east coast tour, and release my debut record this year. Those things did NOT happen. Also I wasn’t super consistent on my monthly songwriter study. The world came to a halt. But luckily, I didn’t and neither did YOU guys reading this, and I think it’s worth reflecting on all the good that came out of 2020! THANK YOU FOR BEING A PART OF THIS JOURNEY WITH ME!
--Launched Patreon and now have 188 patrons on my team! Goal was 200 by the new year but HEY- 188 is still something to write home about!
--Song contests really worked out! Kerrville New Folk winner, Emerging Artist at Falcon Ridge, Great River Folk Fest winner, and got into Songwriter Serenade!
--Released live album!
--Played a sold-out birthday show at Swallow Hill!
--Developed a fun Fanna Pack merch pack!
--Don White and Christine Lavin totally believe in me and invited me to play at their NYE show
--Rich Warren invited me play Folkstage in Chicago in February
--Focused on YouTube and have released 62 YouTube videos (some were livestreams and soundchecks though), including EVERY Wednesday without fail since June 10
--Gained 780 YouTube subscribers and 2800 watch hours in the past year
--Performed many livestream shows for tips and connected with new people (Neal B, Ken, Trung, Suzanne and Al, Allen, Kerrville finalists to name a few)
--Folk Music Notebook listed my live album in their top 10 favorite albums alongside Tom Prasada Rao and Ellis Delaney and other people i love!
--Filmed a professional music video to Boomerang with Scott Wilson
--Did mini-tours in Florida, Utah, Texas (twice), the midwest (WI, KS, IL)
--Went to Guatemala and connected with Project Somos and Antje and 15 wonderful people
--Went to Folk Alliance in New Orleans and had breakfast with Steve Poltz. I love him.
--Got to be a guest on Ellis Paul’s stream, guests on Don and Christine’s zoom concerts
--Got to connect with Rod Abernathy and friends weekly- Kim Moberg, Suzie Vinnick, Kathy, Joel Simpson to name a few
--Got to play a song in front of Dar williams (via a songwriting class)
--Wrote 28 songs (some of which still need editing/memorizing): Honest, Naked, Whatcha Got to Say, Te Veo, Smoke under the Carpet, You are a Song, Wanna Go Out, Cry Happy, Guillotine, Treehouse, Red Lights, Boxing, Hand-Me-Down Human, Hindsight, Penmanship, Someday, Here Comes Autumn, In the Spaces, Toy with my Heart, Unlimited Time, Blindfold, Ticker-Tape Parade, Kool-aid, Christmas before Covid (w/ Neale Eckstein)
--Wrote and delivered 4 custom-written songs for people (Bruce, Joe, Trudy, Shanna) (not me- a girl named Shah-na. I don’t hire myself to write songs for me)
--Performed at South Florida Folk Fest, LoveBurn Miami
--Co-wrote with Tom Prasada-Rao
--Livestreamed with Alicia, Jan Seides, Grace, Aubryn, Faith & Daniel, Kim Moberg, had a number of guests on my stream (Alex Wong, Clint Alphin, Susan Cattaneo, Scott Hays, Aubryn)
--Got invited to do a virtual NERFA showcase for 2021
--Got invited to do On Your Radar radio show with John Platt
--Connected with Molli and Ken’s Texas community and met Bill that way, who made me a video!
--Got to hang with Sam Baker in Texas
--Connected with Karl’s community
--Got invited to do Real Women Real Songs 2021 (Terri Hendrix, Tracey Grammer, Ellis, Cary Cooper)
--Got invited to perform for the Cambridge Folk Club (a virtual international gig!)
--Gained a few songwriting/creativity students, which is my favorite thing to teach
Other fun things:
--Got to see my family for an extended visit and bond with my nieces!
--Bestie Julia moved back to the states!
--Connected a lot more with my college friends
--My girl Taylor dropping 2 albums that she wrote during lockdown cause she’s a boss
--Learned and still learning how to build an artist career when the heart of what you do and love (performing live) isn’t as available
Superlatives:
“Best” new song- I’m going to say either Wanna Go Out or Hand-Me-Down Human. Got a different vote?
Best trip- Guatemala, for sure. I want to lead a trip there next chance I get!
2021 is going to be ridiculous. I’m going to bike across the country and gather stories from all kinds of different people, write a song a WEEK due to the accountability of Real Women Real Songs, and then chase my dreams and move to Nashville in the fall! My hope is that if enough people join me on Patreon I’ll have enough financial support to make that really happen.
The goal was 200 FannaShannas by Dec 31, 2020 and I’m at 188 now so all in all- 2020 has NOT BEEN TOO SHABBY. Thank you immensely for actually taking the time to read this if you’ve gotten this far. I feel so ridiculously lucky to be living the creative life I do and I can’t wait to step up my game for you guys. MWAH MWAH MWAH AND to everyone with me on Patreon We'll be doing a December Zoom Party on TUESDAY DEC 29 at 5:30 MST/7:30 EST and I can't wait to see your lovely faces and thank you in "real life!" Come join us!
Love, Shanna in (it’s 27 degrees and snowing here in Boulder so I’m actually not wearing) a Dress