Anne E.'s Journal May 7, 2008

ANNE E.'S JOURNAL -May 7, 2008

May 7, 2008
Hello hello to you all. No I have not been lost in the Tennessee hills, just in a bunch of boxes! Well, I?m finally settled in Nashville and have begun my work here. I was going to wait until after Thursday to write. I have a meeting with a publisher on Thursday and wanted to see how that all went and then share it with you. But it?s been too long so I decided to get back in the swing of the schedule I?ve been keeping in writing.

I hope all of you are doing well. Many of you have written to let me know how you are and what?s going on. I surely appreciate it. Lots of prayers being sent out to many of you as you face some huge challenges. I want you to know I am thinking of you and that you are in my prayers.

So far I?ve had one meeting with a publisher who was really helpful and has agreed to help me as I learn the ins and outs of the business here. I have also done a few songwriters nights and on open mike at the Bluebird Café. I plan on continuing that so that people get to know me and my music. You can actually be discovered at one of them. I?ve heard more than one story about that. That?s the beauty of being here. So I plan on keeping it up.

My meeting this Thursday is with a publisher who was at a workshop I attended here a few months ago. She liked Girls and Airplanes when it was played and contacted me shortly after the workshop. She asked me to send her more of my material. I did and then we set up this meeting. I?m looking forward to it. Another song writer who was also in the workshop met with the same publisher and recently signed a one-song publishing deal with her. So we shall see. I think it?s going to be good!

I?m also trying to meet other songwriters and to find some to co-write with. It?s something that is encouraged here. I will still write many on my own but it?s good to collaborate and have two of you shopping your material and someone to help bring a fresh perspective to a song.

I am also doing some re-writes to songs that I think I can make stronger. I spent last week working on "The Deal". It?s a song I have not played out much. But I love the melody and the idea of the song. I thought the lyrics were too unclear and that I needed to create more pictures with my lyrics. I think I've done it and now it will be a good one to pitch. It almost drove me crazy! I?ll be performing it at some open mikes this week. They are a good testing ground.

I met a great singer last Monday who I would like to sing a couple of some of my latest tunes. He's got a great country voice, very low and just perfect for a few I have in mind. So I'm going to lay down the songs on my new digital recorder (learning how to use it) and then present them to him and see what he thinks.

Other than that I continue to hang paintings and take boxes down to the basement. I went through all my fishing stuff on Saturday. Oh my. How many jigs can one person have? I need now to find a bait shop and talk to the guys there about good spots to try. I went to Old Hickory Lake this past weekend just to check it out but it's hard to find the places mentioned in one of my fishing books. The best thing is to get a map at a bait shop and talk to the people there. Tennessee is supposed to be great bass country. So we shall see. I understand the walleye are hitting like crazy back home.

I've also started running again. I don't run far, just 2-3 miles enough to get my heart going for a while. Without performing full-length shows 4 times a week, I'''m not getting any work out. So, I've got to do something. I'm pretty slow I must say but that'll change quickly. Usually doesn't take long. I'm sure I look like Olive Oyl (?as curvaceous as a toothpick?- http://www.popeye.com/) running down the street so the people here are getting a good laugh.

My new neighborhood in East Nashville is a great mix of people. There are kids on the street too and that makes me happy. I love having them around. The neighbors are really friendly. I went running with some of them Sunday evening. I'm close to lots of cool stuff and just 10 minutes from downtown.

Last week I met with Ryan Humbert. Many of you know Ryan and his music (www.ryanhumbert.com) from home. Some of you know him from WAPS The Summit where he worked for several years before going to music full time. He lives in Akron but is thinking of making the move down here. He?s been here in Nashville for a few months nowrecording his latest CD. He is actually doing it a block and a half away from my house!! We got together and had dinner last week, talked and listened to some rough cuts of his latest recording. He was wound up as usual. We had a nice visit and it was great to see him. I?m sure you'll be hearing about a release of Ryan's latest in the coming months.

So that's really it from here. I look forward to writing to you next week and letting you know how things are shaping up. Please send good thoughts! I miss you all and I miss home but I'm happy to be in a place of such opportunity and am blessed to have the chance to try it all out. Please stay in touch and take care.

Rock On!!!

Anne E.


	ANNE E.'S JOURNAL -May 7, 2008
		May 7, 2008 Hello hello to you all. No I have not been lost in the Tennessee hills, just in a bunch of boxes! Well, I?m finally settled in Nashville and have begun my work here. I was going to wait until after Thursday to write. I have a meeting with a publisher on Thursday and wanted to see how that all went and then share it with you. But it?s been too long so I decided to get back in the swing of the schedule I?ve been keeping in writing. I hope all of you are doing well. Many of you have written to let me know how you are and what?s going on. I surely appreciate it. Lots of prayers being sent out to many of you as you face some huge challenges. I want you to know I am thinking of you and that you are in my prayers. So far I?ve had one meeting with a publisher who was really helpful and has agreed to help me as I learn the ins and outs of the business here. I have also done a few songwriters nights and on open mike at the Bluebird Café. I plan on continuing that so that people get to know me and my music. You can actually be discovered at one of them. I?ve heard more than one story about that. That?s the beauty of being here. So I plan on keeping it up. My meeting this Thursday is with a publisher who was at a workshop I attended here a few months ago. She liked Girls and Airplanes when it was played and contacted me shortly after the workshop. She asked me to send her more of my material. I did and then we set up this meeting. I?m looking forward to it. Another song writer who was also in the workshop met with the same publisher and recently signed a one-song publishing deal with her. So we shall see. I think it?s going to be good! I?m also trying to meet other songwriters and to find some to co-write with. It?s something that is encouraged here. I will still write many on my own but it?s good to collaborate and have two of you shopping your material and someone to help bring a fresh perspective to a song. I am also doing some re-writes to songs that I think I can make stronger. I spent last week working on "The Deal". It?s a song I have not played out much. But I love the melody and the idea of the song. I thought the lyrics were too unclear and that I needed to create more pictures with my lyrics. I think I've done it and now it will be a good one to pitch. It almost drove me crazy! I?ll be performing it at some open mikes this week. They are a good testing ground. I met a great singer last Monday who I would like to sing a couple of some of my latest tunes. He's got a great country voice, very low and just perfect for a few I have in mind. So I'm going to lay down the songs on my new digital recorder (learning how to use it) and then present them to him and see what he thinks. Other than that I continue to hang paintings and take boxes down to the basement. I went through all my fishing stuff on Saturday. Oh my. How many jigs can one person have? I need now to find a bait shop and talk to the guys there about good spots to try. I went to Old Hickory Lake this past weekend just to check it out but it's hard to find the places mentioned in one of my fishing books. The best thing is to get a map at a bait shop and talk to the people there. Tennessee is supposed to be great bass country. So we shall see. I understand the walleye are hitting like crazy back home. I've also started running again. I don't run far, just 2-3 miles enough to get my heart going for a while. Without performing full-length shows 4 times a week, I'''m not getting any work out. So, I've got to do something. I'm pretty slow I must say but that'll change quickly. Usually doesn't take long. I'm sure I look like Olive Oyl (?as curvaceous as a toothpick?- http://www.popeye.com/) running down the street so the people here are getting a good laugh. My new neighborhood in East Nashville is a great mix of people. There are kids on the street too and that makes me happy. I love having them around. The neighbors are really friendly. I went running with some of them Sunday evening. I'm close to lots of cool stuff and just 10 minutes from downtown. Last week I met with Ryan Humbert. Many of you know Ryan and his music (www.ryanhumbert.com) from home. Some of you know him from WAPS The Summit where he worked for several years before going to music full time. He lives in Akron but is thinking of making the move down here. He?s been here in Nashville for a few months nowrecording his latest CD. He is actually doing it a block and a half away from my house!! We got together and had dinner last week, talked and listened to some rough cuts of his latest recording. He was wound up as usual. We had a nice visit and it was great to see him. I?m sure you'll be hearing about a release of Ryan's latest in the coming months. So that's really it from here. I look forward to writing to you next week and letting you know how things are shaping up. Please send good thoughts! I miss you all and I miss home but I'm happy to be in a place of such opportunity and am blessed to have the chance to try it all out. Please stay in touch and take care. Rock On!!! Anne E.