Notes from Nashville Sept 2009
Wed 9/9/09
Well, just getting into Nashville. Flight only delayed 45 min. out of Philly direct to Music City! Struggled a bit as I was (as per usual) the smallest person with the most luggage at the airport!! Gate checked guitar, seems to have made it here in one piece! Tonite I’ll just set up the room and nest and write some music I think....

Thur 9/10/09
Waking up in Nashville and working on a new song! Going out for a bit to explore. Got back, the gym that I’m using while in town is sooo kool! Has a cardio cinema too, ... like a movie theatre with treadmills and stuff to run on! Tonite went to Billy Falcon’s Sowing Circle at The Blue Bar. I was invited to be a special guest. Performed Bebe Blues with the house band and Where You Are solo. Great audience. Awesome band! Billy and Rose Falcon who are always great and other great players including Brad Nelson and sax player, conga player and violinist. That part of town seemed to be hoppin’ for a Thursday nite. Titans and Steelers game on at the bar, backstage area. Last I saw it was tied..... Just made a call.... Steelers won in O.T.. I was on stage when that occurred! Off to bed now.

Fri 9/11/09
Firstly today, God Bless the U.S.A 9/11-'Let us Never Forget...' As for my day today..... Just got back from playing at the Commodore Grill. Great place. Singer/Songwriters in the round type thing, hosted by Rick Stewart. Got there and it turns out I was in the first round of writers on stage. Had to literally run to the restroom after the drive there (they waited for me ! haha), tune up and on stage I went! haha Each of us played a song and took turns doing so, and then played another for a set. The audience was made up of many people visiting Nashville as well as some locals. Met a lot of great musicians and writers. Hung around there for a while. Great nite and inspiring to my creativity!

Sat 9/12/09
Just got back from a writing session with John Prestia. We wrote a kool tune together! John is really talented and works with Tim McGraw and has for many years. He is a guitarist, singer and songwriter. Fun tune that we put together today at his studio! So my friend just got to town for a visit/vaca to Nashville. We’re goin’ out to hit the downtown area and see wassup for Sat. nite in Music City!

Sun 9/13/09
Had a great time out on the town last nite. Ate dinner at the Merchant, fried green tomatoes, crabcakes and crawfish ravioli, yum! .... and some cocktails! Bought some stuff including a Waylon Jennings biography in a downtown shop. We heard some kool street musicians, most country and rock guitarists and even a bit of improv hip hop that was pretty kool! My manager gets to town today. Off to meet him and then get ready to play at the Bluebird Café tonite. Chek in later!

LATER on Sun 9/13/09
OK, checkin’ in again late nite! Played tonite at the Bluebird Café. Legendary place. I was performing in a line up of some great songwriters tonite. It was a very enjoyable show! Very inspiring. I was happy that my set was so well received! Performed ‘Heaven On Credit’, ‘Where You Are’ and ‘Reinvent’, all in solo acoustic versions. I remember going to see a show at the Bluebird last time I was in town and really wanted to play there. When I got word from my manager that I was booked there I was very excited. It was really kool! Afterward, we hung out with some very interested people who are in the music industry and had some good conversation about business and art! Then passed by the Blue Bar, but things were wrappin’ up there fairly early.

Mon 9/14/09
Today was busy. Another song writing session, and then this evening had dinner and then checked out the show at the Station Inn with a songwriter friend, Sam Cooper who I will be writing with tomorrow. Sam was originally from the Jersey Shore scene... At the Station Inn, they had 12-piece country swing band... classic stuff. All top notch Grammy nominated musicians and such. Kool show, Just getting to the computer now! Off to crash soon ...

Tue 9/15/09
Ok, so today was BIG for writing! I wrote a kool song with Sam Cooper.. really different and it was a creative session over at a studio on music row. Just a totally different approach to writing than I've experienced. Seems like each team or partnership is a bit different and it is such a kool and intriguing process. I love what I do. Sam is really kool and creative! Then I went back over to John Prestia's studio. John had laid down the guitars for the song we wrote the other day and he had his friend lay down a bass track. I sang to it and now we have we we're calling a Better Than a Boom Box recording of the tune. It's a fun tune and I feel really good about it. My friend Bobcat scored tix for Montgomery Gentry at the Grand Ole Opry. Never been to the Opry. Gonna ride over there now and check it out for a bit. Well, time to shut down the laptop and head on back up north for a while. Peace, Luv & Music! Thanx for following my escapades! More to come soon, I'm sure! /Lisa :-)