Dear friends seen and unseen,

I have to admit, I've wanted to write this several times, but I wasn't sure how to put into words the things that have occurred during this latest season of life.

The main thing was struggling with the decision to confront my record label about my future there, knowing that the end result could end up as me being a free agent.

However, when you are in a situation that you know just isn't right, you can't let fear of the unknown stop you from doing what you know you should do. I needed answers and there was only one way to get them...ask. After numerous discussions with managers, publishers, and lawyers, nobody could give me any clear direction for the future of my career so I knew I had to go directly to the source, the president of my record label.

I had to just look him in the eye and ask "where is this going? Are we putting out another single? Is there a marketing plan for that single? When does the single drop? How do we break it at radio?" I needed to know these things because I just went through a year of having a single released that didn't even get on the charts, and in order for the next attempt to be successful, there had to be a plan.

I also knew it was risky. I know my sound is different. It's not something that can just be thrown out there without standing firm behind it, embracing the fact that it IS different and believing that's why it's going to be successful. I know "Funkabilly" has some serious edge to it, but you know so does "Save A Horse Ride a Cowboy," and that came off the very same record label. So I knew somewhere in this record label madness there was potential for success, but not if fear and confusion were involved. That seemed to be what I ran into every time I turned a corner.

Not just their fear, but my fear as well. Fear of standing up to the big machine and saying "what is going on here?" We didn't share the same fear because I wasn't scared of my music failing, I was frightened of what was coming next if my future wasn't with this record label. So I faced the inner struggle and my thoughts went something like this...but I've spent close to 5 years at this company. Please God, just turn it around, remove the fear and the doubt and bring clarity. Funkabilly is my sound, it's where I'm from and I've lived long enough to know the public wouldn't believe it if I tried to be something else. Can I just bring myself to step inside the box for one single and give these people what they need to break me? Then I can sing anything I want, right? I've cut 21 songs for these people and they can't pick a single from that. Do I cut more songs? That seems crazy right? What is life going to be like without a major record deal? But I know this is a big machine and they can do this. But it's not happening.

And that seemed to be the answer I got every time I prayed about it. IT'S NOT HAPPENING. Not here anyway. You gotta let go and move on to what's next. This is too much of a struggle and it's not supposed to be that way. It doesn't matter that I have great relationships there and I want SO badly for this to just work. I mean, so many people have put in so much time.

So I boldly laid it out there and told the president, hey I need honesty. PLEASE, if you don't know what to do, just tell me. If you want to put out another single, let's get a firm plan and do everything in our power to make it successful. I would love nothing better than that, but please don't act like you know what to do if you don't. Don't give me any more empty promises because this is my life and my career — not my manager's career, not my booking agent's career, not my publisher's career, my career. Sometimes even if the answer is ITS NOT HAPPENING, at least not this way, you have to be strong enough to accept that and lay it down and move on with the new.

And that's exactly where I am today. The answer was "we love you Joanna but we aren't sure what to do." Well thank God. I finally have some honesty. Was it the answer I wanted? Of course not. I wanted them to say "Joanna you are our priority and we are going to spend the money and apply all of our resources to make this happen."

But deep down I knew the answer. I've spent these last two months accepting that and figuring out how to move forward. There have been some sad days, but I have to trust that God has something else and He will get me where I am supposed to be. I do know that I can hold my head up high, knowing I did all I could do. I have a gift that the world can't change or take away, and somewhere there is a home for what I have to offer.

As I learn to let go, good things have been coming my way. I have been getting some major cuts as a songwriter. I am participating in the South By Southwest music festival in Austin, Texas, and my show will be filmed by Direct TV (I'll keep you posted on details of when it airs, etc.). Then I come back to Nashville and open up some shows for B.B. King.

So, life goes on...hope ya'll are doing well and getting on with the new beginnings 2008 is bringing to you.

Stay in touch.

Joanna