Dearest fans, family & friends,

Congratulations; you've done it again!  Another smashing success by the Kate Van Horn Band, if I do say so myself.  Thank you a million times over to Frank Hayhurst and KRSH 95.5/95.9 FM for promoting our show and playing our song on their weekly Face the Music program (listen live Fridays 8-9 AM PT at krsh.com)!  Special thanks to Jeffrey House and Sooz of Ace in the Hole for booking us and to Shasta, Tina, Jasmine, Jen, and the rest of the Ace staff for all your hard work and exceptional service.  Also, I want to personally thank Tim Sarter and Vic Carberry (bassist and drummer, respectively) for showing such support for my music.  I particularly want to thank the following people for being there; it was so exciting to see familiar faces: Dad, Rich, Mooka, Jeffrey, Hannah, Mark (audience participation Gold Flower Award winner), Dennis, Peter, Laurie, Tice, and Phil.  I was also pleased to meet new people as well: thank you Ron, Trevor, Michael Lindner, Maggie, Adam (audience participation Gold Star Award winner), Nicholas (I'll always remember you as my First Request), and the guy who sang "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" a capella (I LOVE that song! - but I can't remember your name, sorry!).  I had a great time, and I know Vic and Tim really enjoyed themselves, too!  So thanks to all of you for making it work!

After leaving the Ace, I briefly attended Blair Hardman's Birthday party at the Tradewinds, where I was able to thank Frank Hayhurst in person, once again (but no one will ever be able to truly thank Frank enough for what he has done and still does for Sonoma County's sonophiles).  It was also great to see Jim Corbett (Mr. Music, director of the Love Choir, host of the amazing Peace Revival and Love Celebration during which we were honored to perform on New Year's Eve), Wendy Nicholson of KRCB 91 FM (krcb.org) and Rick Cutler (another phenomenal drummer).  Providing smoking jazz/blues jams were Blair Hardman, Randy Kwon, Tim Haggerty, Rita (on sax - so awesome), and a superb drummer/singer whose name I can't remember (I'll get back to you with that).  I was also happy to meet Dwight (thanks for reminding me I'm not THAT old) and Val (the drummer for It's a Beautiful Day - one of Dad's favorite bands!).  It is humbling to see such a thriving community of local musicians and music-lovers, and I hope that I can continue to meet more and more of you!

There is an amazing short story by Flannery O'Connor entitled Everything That Rises Must Converge (1965) that poignantly illustrates how things can come together in this world - for better or worse.  For my purposes, I only care about the title, because it is such a great title, and its meaning so literal yet sublimely poetic and so relevant to yesterday's events, which have reminded me it is not presently a mistake to follow my dream of playing music for all you kind people.  When I play shows, all the things that stress me out - death, taxes, toxins, the voices in my head, etc. - suddenly seem totally manageable.  When I can play music with the full support of numerous individuals who help and encourage in all kinds of ways, life just seems painfully generous.  The reality is that I enjoy my life in direct proportion to how much music I'm writing/playing/performing.  So if you ever hear me whining, tell me to play a show.  Nothing I do seems to come together quite as well without them. 

If you ever feel things aren't coming together quite the way you want, I encourage you to read O'Connor's short story.  There's nothing like witnessing the pitfalls of another's complacency for inspiring the pursuit of your grandest visions.

I'm sending out beams of goodness.  Hope you're tuning in.

XOXO
Kate