Thank You, 2016!
I sure had a wild ride of musical adventures in 2016. I’m very grateful that I retired in 2015. It has given me a lot more time to do what I love. Here’s how the year unfolded, month by month.
JANUARY
- Wrote Bless the Journey Now, a new song to celebrate the turning of a new year/Created live video of song and posted on YouTube channel
- Attended a Noah Project community gathering in Berkeley with friends
- Attended Sacramento Singing Circle with Dena
- Attended Sac Valley Music Business seminar in West Sacramento/ met and chatted with Michael T. Solomon (former interim president of Tower Records)
- Began editing 2015 House Concert videos
FEBRUARY
- Continued editing 2015 House Concert videos
MARCH
- Attended ChantDance workshop in Berkeley
- Spring Sing with Noah Project in Berkeley
- Completed editing 2015 House Concert videos
- Contacted Kim Stafford about getting permission to use part of William Stafford’s poem in my song, Thread of Love, to allow copyright and record for next album
APRIL
- Began recording In a Circle album in studio
- Received permission to use William Stafford poem for Thread of Love song copyright and recording
MAY
- Continued recording In a Circle studio album
- Recorded song videos with Dena and Joe E. Franklin
- Wrote Sequoia Dreamtime song after trip to Sequoia National Park
JUNE
JUNE- Began publishing Notes from the Meadow e-newsletter on monthly basis
- Began writing and posting music blog posts on weekly basis
- Began posting 2015 House Concert videos on YouTube channel
- Continued recording In a Circle album in studio
- Co-wrote song for our friend, Karene, with Joe E. Franklin & sang it at community gathering
- Began contacting local musicians & inviting them to record album tracks in studio
- Had first Notes from the Meadow subscriber prize drawing
- Heard Justin Hayward of Moody Blues in concert at Crest Theater
JULY
- Began recording studio tracks with local musicians for In a Circle album
- Took on the Producer “hat” for recording my studio album, In This Circle
- Visited Garden of Saints at Vedanta Society of Sacramento & shot Beauty Rises Forth video
AUGUST
- Played music with Sierra High band at Feathers of Freedom family camp
- Continued recording In a Circle album in studio
SEPTEMBER
- Meadowlark Tunes t-shirt takes a special trip to Burning Man event in Nevada
- Hear Iris Dement in concert and inspired to write new song, Let Go
- Began performing solo at Center for Spiritual Living, Sacramento
- Continued recording In a Circle album in studio
OCTOBER
- Meadowlark Tunes t-shirt takes a trip to the new Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op location
- Completed recording studio tracks with local musicians for In a Circle album
- Hear Carrie Newcomer at Freight & Salvage in Berkeley/ inspired to begin exploring use of partial capos
NOVEMBER
- Completed writing Shift Happens song
- Began editing process for In a Circle studio album
- Attended Sac Valley Music Business seminar in West Sacramento/ heard Sid Page (from Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks) play violin
DECEMBER
- Attended Winter Solstice Noah Project retreat with Dena (lots of group singing in sacred space!)
- Continued edit process for In a Circle studio album
- Enjoyed first holiday season living room concert with Dena and our grandkids
- Joined with other musicians for informal Christmas Day jam
- Purchased Liberty flip capos and began amazing journey into the universe of partial capos
That’s a wrap. I’m very curious to see what new musical adventures await me in 2017. Happy New Year everyone!
