It's been awhile.  I recently passed the one year anniversary of my breast cancer diagnosis.  I had a clean MRI result.  That's the best news ever.

In musiic news, my song, "Float Away" won Americana Song of the Year at the L.A. Music Awards in Hollywood last week.  The Laura Roppe Band performed at the show. Exciting!  My band is full of such accomplished, big hearted musicians.  They are so amazing to listen to, sometimes I feel like I'm going to forget to sing because I am so mesmerized by the band.

Second thing is that my video for "Float Away," which I filmed in England this summer, is finally edited and finalized.  It is going out to TV and media outlets in the UK and elsewhere in the next couple of weeks.  Awesome!  The video features my violinist, Jennifer Argenti.  She's really wonderful.  I am proud of the video.   It's on youtube if you'd like to see it!  And the song is on iTunes!


Third thing is that a behind the scenes video of the making of the "Float Away" video is on the homepage of my website www.lauraroppe.com.  Please check it out!

I am feeling good, writing tons of music.  I am gearing up to record my second album.  I am really excited about that!

And right now, I am writing this blog from my hotel in Hollywood, where I am at Rock N Roll Fantasy Camp, thanks to the philanthropy of the camp and Keep A Breast, a breast cancer awareness organization.  I am pinching myself that I get to experience this once in a lifetime, transformative, amazing thing!  The  world is full of really wonderful, generous people!!!!

Peace,
Laura

Yesterday morning, my song "Float Away" aired on Wake Up To Wogan, a very popular radio show on national radio in the UK (BBC Radio 2).  Later that day, I went to Liverpool to be interviewed on BBC Merseyside by legend Billy Butler.  Before I even left the studio, the phones were ringing with people calling in to say they loved the music and ask who I am.  Very exciting!!!  By the time I got on the train to go back to London from Liverpool, I was getting texts and calls telling me that Float Away was No. 7 on Amazon UK's charts and the full album was No. 10 on the country rock chart.  Incredible!  Just shows you the power of radio, doesn't it!  Thank you to everyone who heard the music and liked it enough to make it part of your music collection.  And for those who called the radio shows, thank you.  I am very grateful for the support. 

Much love to all!

Laura

I am having a great time here in the UK.  I shot my music video in England --  Brighton and Eastbourne (Dover).  Gorgeous!  The weather was glorious, and the video shoot went smoothly.  I am in very good hands with the director, Steve Graham, and his crew. 

I have been interviewed and performed on BBC Radio Bristol and BBC Radio Wales.  Both were excellent adventures.  En route to both locations, I drove through beautiful country, green hills, sheep . . . absolutely beautiful.  And the people have been exceptionally nice to me.  Starting tomorrow, lots more stops on the promotional and radio circuit.  I am having a great time, and so grateful for the warm reception.

Cheers!

Laura

I am here in London before I shoot my music video for "Float Away" early next week.  OMG I just had the best night EVER. I went to this karaoke piano bar called "Sopranos" in London and it was like nothing I've ever seen.  People are singing along en masse at the tops of their lungs, just letting it all go.  I sang "Waterfalls" by TLC and when I got to the rap in the middle the place went bananas.  Quite fun.  I have never had so many instant friends in all my life.  What a blast.  Ok, these Brits know how to have a good time! Lots and lots and lots of fun.  What a country!  If you are ever in London, I HIGHLY recommend this one-in-a-million place. XOXOXOXO Laura

What an incredible week for me.  On Tuesday May 26, the Laura Roppe Band played up in L.A. at a showcase where we accepted my nomination for country album of the year and country single of the year (for "Float Away") from the L.A. Music Awards.  The nom for single of the year was a big surprise.  We booked out of L.A. really late to get back to San Diego and get a few hours of sleep, and then Wednesday morning (May 27) we were on TV show San Diego Living where we performed "Float Away" and "Fly Fly Fly" live!  That was a blast!  Next night, Thursday May 28, it was the night of my life when the Laura Roppe Band played the "Laura Kicked Cancer's Ass" show at the Belly Up Tavern in San DIego (Solana Beach).  What an amazing night.  Beautiful, wonderful people filling the place to the rafters, lots of love, great music, such a feeling of triumph.  The energy in the room was something I've never felt before.  You could touch it!  Such positivity and joy!  And having Matt Embree, my cousin, play before me with Love You Moon (weren't he and Lauren Coleman fantastic?) -- and then having Matt play in my band!!!??? --that was a really special thing! Awesome, amazing, fantastic.  Truly one of the best nights of my life.   When I sang Little Daughter, the lyrics just really hit home and I almost could not get through it.  I looked out and saw numerous people literally sobbing in the audience, and then it somehow made me feel like I could do it.  Seeing that other people were connected so deeply to the emotion of the song made me feel really great, like I was getting a big hug.  Also, I must say singing "Woobie" to my husband Brad was a real highlight for me, too.  One other memory that I will have forever is turning around to see Matt back there on guitar and singing "Mama needs a girls night out" at the top of his lungs, what a surreal and fun time!  What a great night!

To continue my wonderful, crazy week, I rehearsed with my cover band CoolBandLuke on Friday night and then had a fun gig and the San Diego Convention Center for a private function on Saturday night.  Whew!  Tonight is Sunday.  I am exhausted but
sooo happy.

A great week. The beginning of the rest of my life.  Love to all!  Thank you for coming to the show and for supporting me and my music!

XO Laura

The Laura Roppe Band will perform "Float Away" on live TV on San Diego Living on the CW (San Diego Channel 6) on May 27, 2009 at 9:00 a.m.!  If you are in San Diego, set your DVR or watch us!  We are all pretty excited about this opportunity!  The next night is the big Belly Up show, celebrating my emergence from cancer treatment and the beginning of the rest of my life.  Yeeehaw! 

The love of my life just turned 40 today.  He's a good man.  It was a good day.

Laura

I just found out today that my album Girl Like This was nominated for Best Country Album by the Los Angeles Music Awards 2009.  I can't believe it.  This is a HUGE honor.  The awards show is in L.A. in November -- full red carpet, the whole shebang!  OMG!

The past seven months have been a strange and powerful learning experience for me.  I was diagnosed with cancer the same week I signed a deal with a record label in the UK.  I immediately had to undergo surgeries, chemo, and now I am in radiation (which will be completed on May 7).  All throughout, the support from family, friends, and fans has been overwhelming and beautiful.  I now understand the depth of compassion and kindness in this world. I also understand quite clearly that I have one life to live, that I am mortal (it's not if, it's when), and that I must pursue my passions and live the best life I can.  This includes pursuing my music without reservation.  On May 7, I will finally finish my last radiation treatment, and that will complete my cancer treatments.  That will be a great day. Two weeks later, on May 28, I will play my "Laura Kicked Cancer's Ass" show at the Belly Up Tavern (best place in San Diego!) to celebrate!  Love You Moon (my cousin Matthew Embree's solo project) will play, as well.  This will be a big night for me, since Matthew is very special to me.  He has been a tremendous support for me during chemo.  He is more like a brother to me than a cousin, actually.  It is a personal highlight of my life to share this special night with him. 
In other news, my album "Girl Like This" and the single "Float Away" were released in the UK last week.  Radio stations in the UK, including stations in London, Scotland and Wales have picked up the song for airplay.  I am going to be interviewed via telephone by several stations in the next few weeks.  Then, I will be going to the UK in June for a promotional tour and to shoot a music video for "Float Away."   Right before I was diagnosed with cancer late last year, I was scheduled to make this very same trip to the UK.  When I was diagnosed, in addition to worrying for my life and about my kids and husband, I also despaired that my dreams would be on permanent hold.  I am so happy that my label stuck with me through my health trials, and that I can just pick up right back where I left off.  I've come out the other side of my nightmare, and I am stronger, more compassionate, and . . . actually happier.  I am determined to live life as fully as I can, in every way.  And there's just no damned reason to hold back, ever.
Peace, love, joy to you,
Laura

I've spent so much time lately focusing on the release of "Float Away" as a single in Europe, sometimes I forget that "Mama Needs A Girls Night Out" is already out there, making its way around the world basically on its own through the magic of the internet and radio.  I've just heard that "Mama" is on the ECMA (European Country Music Association) charts at number 31 in the Netherlands and at number 39 on the ECMA chart in Denmark!  And Hot Country Radio selected "Mama" at number 9 on their list of the Top 50 Country Songs of 2008!  Very exciting!  I guess mamas around the world need a girls night out. :)

I just learned that my album "Girl Like This" and single "Float Away" will be released in April 2009 in the UK by my label Right Recordings Ltd.  And my label has struck a deal with the UK arm of Universal (Nova/Universal) -- the largest label and distributor in the world!!-- to distribute the artists on my label.  Wow, did I luck out.  If by some chance, we are able to generate interest in my music in the UK, we will most certainly have the muscle to distribute it whereever we desire!  Very exciting news!  Happy New Years!  XO Laura