Confession: No you didn't miss it...for the first time since I began this newsletter I skipped a month! Too much going on to get it out... so this one's going to be a doozie (if there is such a thing!)
My songwriter round this week with my old friend and co-writer Jerry Foster, along withClinton Gregory and Jeff Batson will air on Musictogousa.com on Sunday, September 26th at 8:00pm (Central) . It was a truly memorable show; an honor to be playing with them. Side note... Jerry was given yet another lifetime achievement award at a Nashville songwriter's festival this June.
To my recurring vocal students... those training in person and by phone... I celebrate and applaud your dedication to your craft!
Thanks to Ken Allison, Pam Tillis, Lyndsey Highlander, Winfield's Locket, Dawn Nichols, Jessica Ford, Vinny Ribas, my webdesigner Jeff Jennette, Brody Taylor, Jay Vernali, Mike Moore, Clay Young & Dirk Johnson, for all for referrals.. and welcome to the new PPP students of July/August:
Sweetwater Rose made their LA debut! They played the House of Blues, Voodoo Room, on Sunset Blvd. I heard this awesome trio performed my song "Wings" in their set... YAY! You can hear it along with others at their MySpace page.
12 yr old Candace Adkins made it to the Colgate Country Showdown local finals- congrats, Candace!
Emil Bishaw joined entertainers Anna Margaret, Cupid, Trey Thomas & David St. Romain performing this month at Q93 Radio's"Back To School" concert in Alexandria, Louisiana. His aunt told me "
I
could hear him even above all the screaming girls. They sang along with
his songs, held up posters that read "I Love You Emil" and lined up until midnight to get his autograph and picture taken with
him. The concert sold 7000 tickets breaking Elvis's record from
1976."
Emil in concert
Emil's video of "Missing Child" aired on Nancy Grace! Part of it appeared on her HNN TV show. and the whole video is on the CNN website. I am grateful to Emil that this song I co-wrote with Michael Black is getting exposure. May God bless it to help get a missing child found.
Billy Devereaux has been performing all over the place, and has had two other especially significant events unfold. He wrote a song with veteran artist Sabastian Roberts and promptly got it cut by the famed band Sha Na Na. Then he topped that and got married to his sweet Tammy D! Congratulations! Sorry girls, he's off the menu:)
Singer/songwriter Cecilia Halsey performed a great outdoor show this month and is gearing up to do her new recording project soon.
Winfield's Locket performed at their album release party at The Rutledge in Nashville. Good luck with the launch, girls!
NOTE: Got a new release, special gig, award or other news you'd like to share? Let me know- this newsletter is for YOU! I'll include it next month.
"Getting The Most Out Of Your Vocals In The Studio''. It was videotaped and will be available to purchase after it is edited... I'll let you know when it's ready.
Performance:
I performed a hot (in more ways than one... air conditioning was out!) gig at Pucket's in Leiper's Fork, Tn with awesome vocalist/songwriters Leslie Ellis and Holland Marie, who just landed a major publishing deal (Go Holland!)!
I joined my friend MichaelBlack for background vocals with a truly great band on alive showcase at 3rd & Lindsley (Nashville) for country singer Coy Taylor, who did rock the house.
Coy, band, Me and Michael
I played two gigs with my brother Billy Devereaux, the first playing piano on a song we wrote for his performance at "The Beach".
Then my brother and I joined Richard Faganand Bobby Pizazzin a round at the Limelight as part of a huge charity concert put on by our dear friend Lonnie Layhew, Sr. to benefit homeless children.
I sang background vocals for most of the above, and also was booked by my dear friend, studio and live singing legend Jennifer O'Brien, for some studio work.
I especially enjoyed working this month in Blackbird Studio with attorney/singer/manager/creative entity Jim Wilkes, produced by Byron Gallimore, band/horn arrangements by Ron Oates, on a "70's" project that we'll be taking live to Las Vegas this winter. Too much fun was had by all.. and oh, my gosh can Nashville players do ANYTHING!
Songwriting:
Co-writers I wrote with in July/August included Australian star Shea Fisher, country singer Simon Balkey and his manager Ali Cambell, my brother Billy Devereaux, young country phenomenon Nichole Rain, Grammy award winner Leslie Ellis and Christian contemporary dynamo Christa DeJarnett. I also finished the 12th and last song with South African Christian minister John Farndell. for his project I'll be producing on him this winter.
I had several songs cut by producer Bob Angello on his artist Autumn Leed. YAY!!
I haven't had a day off in so long I can't remember. I'm not complaining, because I LOVE my work - all of it.
However, I've been made aware (most insistently by my husband and my dog) that I must figure out how to disconnect.
Even my chiropractor, Dr. Dwaine Allison, my business coach Mike Coleman and my personal trainer Ricky Harris, all of whom double as singers, songwriters and performers, tell me I am human and as a human, I have to turn off my brain from time to time or it will explode.
You know I'm always doing research for you, so here's what I've learned:
The world won't end if we disconnect from time to time, take a Sabbath, a chill pill. I thought it would when I missed the last newsletter, but here we are... still !
