Unbelievable.

After two years of recording, months and months of mixing, mastering, designing, writing thank yous, planning my new website, planning my cd release... it's here.

I'm in bed after midnight the night before I digitally release my first album and I am so bloody proud. I am proud of my amazing musicians. I'm proud of my engineer and my mixer, I'm proud of my masterer.... I'm ridiculously proud of my graphic designer (web & cd cover). I'm proud of myself.

This has been a very long journey, and although this is only one part of the process (and I still have my intimate cd launch in a few weeks, then my big cd release show in the new year) I'm close to finishing the creating process and beginning the promoting process. This is serious business for me. I have always dreamt of having a full length record. A catalogue of my music. A diary of my thoughts and inspirations. Here it finally is. Her name is Prairie Belle and she is pretty darn beautiful if I do say so myself!

All ten songs were written by me and me alone. These songs chronicle major points in my life over the last ten years. Watching relationships either directly related to me, or close to me. Falling in love (myself and those around me). Fighting dark days and waiting (with hope) for the sun. Coming to terms with my surgery and the impact it has had on me. Watching my partner in life & crime work through anxiety and depression. Suffering through rejection and believing in better things. Expressing the love I have for my home. It really has it all.

I hope there are songs that will touch you and inspire you. I hope you see yourself in my song stories. I hope you get to know me if you don't already, and if you do already, I hope you get to know me better. I hope, I hope.... I hope.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this record in any way. I have a song called "Tree of Life" that isn't on this record, but that says "a longing fulfilled is a tree of life". It is true. This is finally a longing of mine that is being fulfilled and I believe it will be a tree of life that will grow branches of other musical and creative opportunities. I am so thankful and blessed and happy and hopeful.

Bless you! xo

masters in the mail!

BIG NEWS... so today I got the masters of my record in the mail. I had an amazing gentleman master my record, Joao Carvalho in Toronto. He has mastered the likes of Hannah Georgas, the Sheepdogs, Said the Whale, Sloan, Blue Rodeo, Sarah Harmer, City & Colour... the list goes on.

This means two things: 1 - that I will be able to have my digital release hopefully next week (to be available on itunes and cdbaby)! and 2 - that I can book & announce my intimate cd release show that will be taking place on October 29th. I plan on doing a bigger full band release in the new year, but for now I wanted to celebrate my first full length record in an intimate, acoustic and special setting. I will be chartering a street car that will take my lovely little crowd of 50 up onto the high level bridge and park while Jered, Brent, Ryan & I play some acoustic unplugged versions of the 10 songs on my record. There will be wine, there will be appies and there will be music!

The only downside to the streetcar capacity of 50 people is that a limited # of people will be able to attend. Ticket sales will be at a secret URL that is invite only. Everyone that buys a ticket will receive a copy of the new record. I am so excited to share the record with everyone but at the same time, nervous as to what everyone will think! It's taken way too much time and money for anyone to tell me they don't love it. So, if that's the case keep it to yourself and let me plead blissful ignorance. ;)

Two other bits of exciting news... I will be opening up for Chris Trapper on November 19th at the Blue Chair Cafe. The two of us were scheduled to play a show together in February in Calgary at the Ironwood Stage & Grill, however poor Chris came down with a horrible flu and had to cancel. I'm excited and crossing my fingers for good health for Chris this go around. That night will also mark the kick off for my first ever tour! Brent & I will be boarding a VIA RAIL train the morning after the Chris Trapper show to travel to Vancouver. Then we will travel from Vancouver - Winnipeg and back to Edmonton, playing shows along the way. VIA RAIL has an amazing on board entertainment program that I highly encourage any artist to apply for. In exchange for playing on board you get travel, accomodations on board AND meals. Brent & I are super stoked!

That's the latest update for now! Stay tuned for the digital release next week...

Cheers! <3

almost done!

So I'm thrilled to report that last night Jered, Brent & I got together at Randor's studio (Turnkey Studios) and finalized the mixing for the record. We made a few changes and just got to sit and listen to the final versions of all the songs. It was pretty magical for me! We sat down and crunched numbers and decided who we're going to approach for mastering and how much money I have left (well, how much credit I have left that is). I'm relieved to say that I'm most likely going to make it within my budget. I may be broke afterwards, but I will have a finished record that I am very proud of. I can't believe it's been almost 2 years since we started working on this project!!!

Some pictures from last night:

My notes as we went through each song.

Where the magic happens!

The boys giving their input.

Me having my final listen.

So after two years worth of blogging about this project, we're nearing the light at the end of the tunnel. The guy I want to master my record is in pretty high demand, but I want it done right. I'm hoping when I email him later today that the wait time won't be too outrageous.

Also after two years of dying to have this album done, here we are (almost) and last night I couldn't help but have a weird feeling of anxiety that it's over. All the time and effort we've spent is now wrapping up and I guess I was enjoying the creating process more than I thought because now it's over and the real work starts! Getting stations to play it, people to buy it and getting our songs out there. I do enjoy doing those things so it's all good but it's a lot of work and I want to do it right. Here's hoping!

So there's the update for now. Hopefully I'll have a finished product in my hands within the month!

memory box

*A new song I have started writing about loss. In progress.

verse
I keep your memories locked, inside of this box
When I want to revisit them I just open it up
I keep the key by my heart, I wear my heart on my lips
I use it everytime I speak the words to express

chorus
This loss, how can I cry I can barely even breathe
When I think of, everything that you meant to me

verse two
I put your picture away when I'm feeling blue,
The last thing I need is a reminder of you
But I bring it back out when I'm especially down
I like to pretend sometimes that you're still around

chorus
Because, I'm tired of crying I can barely even breathe
When I think of, everything that you meant to me

bridge
__________

chorus

music, music, music!

These last few months have been pretty jam packed with music. Working on my record, participating in a few fun musical projects and then of course music festivals in the festival city of Edmonton, Alberta!

A few weeks ago I was part of an amazing project called Edmonton The Musical. It was a love story based around relationships and dating in the capital city of Edmonton. It was a mash up of live music and theatre. I was one of the lucky 27 local artists/musicians/acts that got to participate in making the live soundtrack for the theatre production. The show ran from July 21 - 24 (five shows, 7pm everyday and 1pm & 7pm on Sunday the 24th). It was a really fun opportunity to interact with some great actors and artists. Cara Albo wrote, directed, produced and performed (among many other things) in the play. We all had a blast together and I definitely got exposed to the way a theatre production is run (who would have thought it was so different than a live music show?)

The very next weekend I went to Big Valley Jamboree with my friends Laura & Alissa. Jered was playing with Shane Yellowbird as part of the kick off party. We spent the weekend basking (and burning) in the sun, listening to music and dancing all night long. Not much sleep, some rain and chilly nights assisted me in catching a nasty little cold that I'm currently dealing with!

Which leads me to this week, I'm in the midst of a busy time at work working on an amazing event called Walk A Mile In Her Shoes - a fundraiser for the YWCA Violence Prevention Programs. Men strap on heels and strut their stuff around Churchill Square in the second week of September. I worked a golf tournament with the West Edmonton Business Association this week to spread the word and had a hilarious time (and a 5am wake up call that reminded me of my days working at the Derrick Golf & Country Club as a cart tart). Immediately following the tournament I started my first shift at the Edmonton Folk Music Festival. I am working security in the beer gardens (believe me I can be veryyy intimidating if need be) and will be working all weekend long, stealing away to catch as much music as possible.

Next weekend I'm going camping with some girlfriends, which leaves me with one weekend free before my girlfriend's stagette and wedding.

As for the record, we worked on tweaking some of the preliminary mixes and are currently having a serious listen to round 2. I have an AMAZING new web designer named Kasia with Code Word Media Design. She is fantastic and I'm so excited for you all to see the new website, which will actually incorporate this blog instead of being a separate entity! Yay! Which will of course mean more consistent blogging and a more esthetically pleasing visual for you to experience whilst reading. If anyone actual reads this blog of course. :)

Later this month I am playing the Open Sky Music Festival with a bunch of friends, and along with some amazing artists from out of town. I'm really excited to be a part of this festival. It's at the lovely Hawrelak Park Amphitheatre.

THEN in October I have been invited to open up for Dave McCann at the Northern Lights Folk Club! Far in advance I know, but I've been looking forward to playing there for some time now!

Well that's the latest folks!

Cheers!

Record update

Not sure if I mentioned this but I was in France for two weeks tagging along on a tour of four shows with Jered and the band. We had an amazing time... we travelled from Paris to Chinon (central France in the Loire Valley) to Tours to Berck (far north, on the English Channel) to Chavanod (far south almost in Switzerland) back up to the eastern central part in Dijon, back to Paris and home. We went to 9 wineries in 12 days, visited three Chateau's (castles) ate amazing food, drank amazing wine and stayed at some really cute little boutique hotels. The festivals were a ton of fun. Jered and I didn't really buy anything while we were there, except wine (17 bottles in our little backpacks!) needless to say I couldn't carry our luggage past that point.

Before I left I asked my engineer Randor to have the record mixed by the time I got back. I am happy to report that upon the day I returned I had all 10 songs waiting for me in my DropBox. Jered and I have been listening to them non stop. We have a bit of tweaking to do, and want to hear Brent's feedback as well... so once we get that sorted it will be on to mastering.

Also upon my return I got my photos back from my photographer Lillian, and sent them to my web designer. So hopefully in a few weeks I will at least have my website re-vamped and ready for the digital release, then all I'm waiting on is the actual music (obviously the most important part of all!).

Baby steps I know, but steps closer to a finished record. Once the digital release is said and done, then I'll start working on getting the physical cds manufactured. Once I have those cds in my hot little hands, then I can actually nail down a cd release date and perhaps a mini fall tour? Patience is key I tell ya. I have been dying to be done this for quite some time now. I'm really excited about the finished product!!!!

That's the latest for now. Stay tuned!

little life

*a new song I wrote for my sister Brooke who recently had a miscarriage. It definitely brought a new perspective on losing a little life, and searching for meaning and hope in the process. Love you Brooke!


verse
yesterday, I had a little life inside of me
but today, that little life is gone and I feel empty

that little life had only one request
that I just do my best to keep it growing

I know that I did the best I could
and you know I would do anything

chorus
and I know, everything happens for a reason
and I know, I'm going to be just fine

I know there is a hope that's worth believing
I'm just having a hard time
letting go, of this little life

verse
who was I, when I was on the other side
I couldn't relate, couldn't appreciate the loss in their eyes

now that I can see, beyond just me
I know the path I'm on is worn and waiting

for someone to come and claim,
to just release the blame in everything

chorus
and I know, everything happens for a reason
and I know, that I'm going to be just fine

I know there is a hope that's worth believing
I'm just having a hard time
letting go of this little life

bridge
it almost feels as though, it was never really mine
but by letting go, I'm never leaving it behind

chorus

Jesse Peters Trio

There is this amazing jazz, funk, soul, r&b artist here in Edmonton named Jesse Peters (aka Paramedic) and he just released a new album called Facetime. He had a little cd release show / benefit concert for the RF Staples Music Program in Westlock last week and graciously asked if I'd join him on stage for a few songs. Here's one of them:




Thanks for having me Jesse!

prairie belles

So this weekend was a big weekend for the Prairie Belles Podcast! On Friday we were invited to the Shell Theatre 2011 - 2012 Season Launch. Daneel & I headed out to Fort Saskatchewan for a little luncheon/concert/press party launch all put on by the lovely and very talented Elizabeth Budd. The Shell Theatre is the first official sponsor of the podcast, supporting our U22 Revue Segment. We are so excited to partner with the Shell Theatre to further the arts in Edmonton & surrounding areas.
We had so much fun. A few weeks back Elizabeth came to my office at the YWCA and asked me a few questions about the Prairie Belles, U22, the greater Edmonton arts community & more. I got to be a part of the season promotional video. Check it out!




Also this weekend Daneel & I drove to Canmore to be a part of the Rocky Mountain Soap Co. 12K women's run. Not only did we run 12K in 1 hr & 22mins (13 mins better than our usual 12K time) I also got to sing two days in a row to a bunch of very special and inspirational women, in the midst of the rocky mountains no less! I'll be uploading a video very soon.

A very exhausted lil' ol' me is heading to bed. Cheers!

balconytv edmonton

Hey friends. So a few weeks ago I met up with Sean & Cheryl from BalconyTV Edmonton - a sweet "franchise" if you will in cities all over the world, that includes performances & interviews with artists of all genres on balconies overlooking the downtown core in the corresponding city. An amazing concept I think. I sang one of my songs Heavy Heart that will be on the upcoming record.

Here's the vid:



It was really fun to do, and if you listen carefully at the end of the song you can hear icicles falling from the balcony above us. I love unique arts projects like this! There are some great local and Canadian artists on the website so check it out.

This coming Tuesday I have a photo shoot with an old friend from high school that has become an amazing photographer, Lillian Patz (Visible Echo Photography) for the record graphics. I am stoked to work with Lillian since we go way back and because I think her photography is fantastic. I'm also working with the graphic artist/web designer that built my original website to do a full overhaul, to line up with my digital release next month. I'm planning on having a new website to go with the new record. We'll be using the photos from this shoot on Tuesday as a basis for the re-branding. I'm really excited to see what we come up with.

Also, this coming Monday I'll be joining the fantastic Jesse Peters Trio in Westlock on a few songs for the release of his new record FACETIME along with a benefit for the arts program at the Westlock highs school. Could a show get any cooler? Don't think so.

I'm also going into the studio this week to fix up some harmonies on one song, and then my portion of the record will be officially FINISHED. Woohoo! The editing, mixing & mastering comes next. I can't believe this album is almost finished.

On a non-music related note, next week I am going to Canmore to run a 12K race I have been training for, with my Prairie Belles cohort Daneel Irons. It's going to be tough going from running through the fairly flat prairies to a mountainous town with a different altitude but I believe in us! I'll be sure to let you all know how it goes.

That's the latest!

Cheers.

recording update...

So it's been a few weeks since my last update on the recording progress. The boys and I spent an evening in the studio with Terry Tran recording a live off the floor version of my song "Someday". A lot of people have been asking me why I decided to do a live off the floor song when every other song on my album is being tracked. I guess I just decided that since I probably won't get the chance to do another full length professional recording for quite some time (since I'll most likely be broke after this one) I wanted to experience a live off the floor recording and throw in something completely different on the record.

We did 11 takes and took the 11th take. Every time we recorded the song it just felt better and better. To be honest I wasn't really expecting to take my live off the floor vocal, I thought maybe I'd record a final vocal at a later date but I was pretty happy with how things went and will be using my vocal from the live recording as well. My dad came to visit us while we were in the studio and took some pictures of the action.

  

 After recording Terry also interviewed for me his blog.

 

So there's the latest news on our progress. We have three sessions booked over the next two weeks, and I am hoping to be done by the end of April. That gives us May to edit, mix and master and hopefully we will have a digital release for you in June! I'm planning on doing my official cd release in September. Looking very forward to having a finished product to sell! :)

Hallelujah

We took a fun little break from recording my record @ Turnkey Studios last weekend and recorded a little rendition of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah with Sandra Sperounes from the Edmonton Journal. Have a listen!

your legacy

*a new song I started around Christmas when my 91 year old grandpa had just had a stroke and our whole family was pretty shook up and devastated. I just finished it this weekend. This song is obviously very close to my heart.


verse
once there was a father
and he chose to teach his daughter
about life and love and honesty

time passed and then that daughter
well she soon became a mother
and she passed those lessons onto me

pre chorus
every piece of me from my head down to my toes
is a part of you that's contuining to grow

chorus
and when the time comes for you to leave me
all that I've done and everything I've ever hoped to be
comes down to one main responsibility
your legacy
your legacy

verse two
once there was a woman
with warm blue eyes & soft hands
and she raised three babies to believe

that family is a treasure
and there's really nothing better
than spending time together
making memories

pre chorus
everything I am begins& ends with you
you're the seed & I'm the tree about to bloom

chorus

bridge
when I make my own traditions
and when I start my family
you'll be the one that I'll be missing
wishing you were here to share it all with me

chorus
and when the time comes for you to leave me
all that I've done and everything I've ever hoped to be
comes down to one main responsibility
your legacy
your legacy

two days!

So the boys have gotten much more done in fewer days than we had originally anticipated and they say they have enough time for me to come in & start on vocals! I put in a last minute request for two vacation days at work and was approved, so that means I get a four day weekend! AND two amazing days in the studio to record some actual vocals (I am so tired of hearing my scratch vocal tracks I tell ya!) It's all very exciting. I had an insane day of overwhelmingness & stress at work, but now that I know I get two days off to focus on my music things are seriously looking up. So stoked!

renewed

*Here's a new song I've been working on, and I think I finished it officially last night.


verse
she wonders where she belongs
she wonders who, she belongs to
she feels so lost and alone
if only she knew, to look to you


chorus
she would find her worth
is not determined by another
she would find a love
more intimate than any other
she would finally find
the missing link from deep within her
she would find herself renewed


verse two
she struggles day after day
to follow her heart
to find her place
she gets a little lost along the way
if only she could see
beyond what people say


chorus
she would find her worth
is not determined by another
she would find a love
more intimate than any other
she would finally find
the missing link from deep within her
she would find herself renewed


bridge
she looks for constant comfort
in things that fade away
she longs for what
only you can offer
if she'd just make a change


chorus
she would find her worth
is not determined by another
she would find a love
more intimate than any other
she would finally find
the missing link from deep within her
she would find herself
she would find herself
she would find herself
renewed

headway!

I just got back from a little lunchbreak where I took subs to the boys who are officially in the studio all week from 9 - 5 working very hard on my record. Today Brent was working on organ and it sounds killer! I listened to a few of the tracks they'd been working on and I was shocked to hear it sounding like a full band professional record. Each track has such a full sound and has some really great musical ideas going on behind the vocals. I was also equally stoked to see they were already on their third track of the day, which gives me hope that they will get a lot done this week! Progress! Yippie!

what a weekend!

So my lovely music packed weekend started last thursday. I had a show booked to open for Chris Trapper at the Ironwood in Calgary. Luckily my day job is fairly flexible since I mostly only report to myself, so I took a half day off Thursday afternoon to drive down to Calgary, and a half day off Friday morning to drive back home.


Brent, my fantastically talented and supportive brother in law came to play with me so he did the same with his work. Thank heavens for that! Jered (husband) and Alissa (friend) also tagged along - I felt like I had a lovely little entourage! We got to Calgary around 3pm, Jered's dad got us a free hotel room at a really nice place with points since he's a fancy club member so we checked into the room and got changed, then went for a drink. Soon after we were on the road to the Ironwood, I never have a clue where I'm going in Calgary so I was happy to have the human map - Brent - AND the mapquest app to get us to the Ironwood safely and efficiently!


About an hour before the show we the got very sad news that poor Chris had flown through the night, had a million cancelled flights and upon finally arriving in Calgary his body just crashed & he was pretty sick. So the owner came over to let me know that Chris wasn't coming. I was a wee bit devastated initially, but then we decided to roll with it and play a 90 minute set instead of our initially planned 30 minute set. I had a good crowd of friends and family from the Calgary area that haven't ever really gotten to see me play live so that was a real treat. Thanks to everyone who came out I really felt the love!


The next day on our drive home I got an email from Chris apologizing for missing the show the night before and inviting me to sing with him at his Edmonton gig the following night. I over enthusiastically accepted, being the calm, cool & collected female I am (ha).


Friday afternoon we arrived back to work for the afternoon, and then headed to the Winspear Centre for Martin Sexton. That. Guy. Is. A. Freak. He is honestly an overflowing cauldron of genious musical talent. He puts on an amazing show, gets the crowd involved and so absolutely loves what he's doing that you can't help but have a big goofy grin on your face for the whole show. Chris came out and sang a song with Martin (Glorybound - killer!) so that was good to see him feeling better.


Saturday morning we had a 2 hour long rehearsal for our church cd release show next Saturday night. I am happy to say I wrote and sing a song on the C3Metro Come Alive EP that is available now on iTunes (search C3Metro). I had a baby shower that afternoon (ok, not so musical) and then that evening I took two girlfriends to the Northern Lights Folk Club for Chloe Albert & Chris Trapper.


What a night! Chloe was as lovely as ever (even though she admitted to being fairly sick - you'd never know) and Chris played two full sets. He invited me up in the second set to sing his most recent song "Into The Bright Lights" the title track of his most recent digital EP release (http://www.christrapper.com/) My videographically talented girlfriend Alissa happily obliged me and filmed the following:





After the show, the girls & I went out to a seedy country bar and listened to yet even MORE live music and danced our hearts out. Sunday was church (more singing) and the superbowl (snore). I almost rounded the weekend out with a monday night songwriter's circle, but after a work trip to Camrose that had me up at 5am I was DONE. I curled up on the couch with my dog, read, had a bubble bath & went to bed early. My heart is full today!

progress

As I write this, Jered (husband & drummer) and my friend Peter (guitarist) are in the studio with my engineer Randor working away on two of my songs, Drifting & This Scar for my album. It has been a while since I blogged about my recording process. That's mostly because there wasn't much to blog about, it's definitely been a little popcorn process, a bit of recording popping up here and there. BUT I am excited to report that we've booked a solid week at the end of February where Jered & Brent are going to take off work (we'll be paying Brent what he usually gets paid at work) to get all the last bits & pieces HOPEFULLY finished.
I even have a lovely dobro player in Nashville working away today on two of my songs, Too Easy & Prairie Belle (the title track of the record). So although at one point it felt like my record would never be finished, I may ACTUALLY be seeing a slight flicker of the light at the end of the tunnel.

It would be really fantastic for this album to come out by the spring (and my 28th birthday). I have been nominated for a 2011 Edmonton Music Award (the first ever!) for "Artist to Watch in 2011". I want to earn that nomination and perhaps that award by actually having something to show this year and release this record!!!

Along with progress on the record,  I have been very inspired lately and have been writing and concocting songs in my head. I always feel so productive when I'm in the midst of a creative process. That is the tricky nature of the beast though, because once the song is finished then I have this weird feeling of being stumped. To have a continuous creative flow would be such a blessing... alas, work & life sometimes get in the way!

Anyways I just had to write and burn off this little excited steam I have today because I can't wait for things to be finished. Wait for it though folks, I'm sure once the album is done I'll be whining and crying for the days when we were in the midst of the project. What can I say, I'm hard to please!

Thanks for reading. xo