Phil and the gang 
.... Just wanted to chime in on MAB's take on the recent shows Alice Bargeron, Shelagh Brown, MAB and myself were participating in. I echo MAB's words to the tee, and want to add that it is surreal for me to have sung in front of over 2500 people, on a huge stage, dressed in glamour gowns with the best sound and lighting and FRESH blood every performance (both mine and the patrons), as my audience was literally held captive as they were aboard a ship! 
I got spoiled by that, AND ... UGH ... it was over 20 years ago!! :O Oh how we relish our glory days, eh? Getting PAID too! What a concept here in NashVegas. Anyway, my point is ... I was a nervous wreck in a little bar with no more than 50 people max, with no chance of losing a paying gig for lack of stellar performance, and no pressure whatsoever. Basically, it was, and was suppose to be, a dress rehearsal for my upcoming 'coming out' party, lol, in November at the Commodore here in Nashville. THAT show is what I'm gearing up for and really want to be sure I put my best everything out there for. I use to do writer's nights when I first moved here 18 years ago, and as I've said before, bla bla bla bla excuses and finally got my inspiration back thanks to (drumroll here, sincerely), Marc-Alan!! Just because I've been around this business for 18 years doesn't mean I actually learned much :O I'm learning now though, and no matter how discouraging the biz side reality is, I won't let it steal my joy of writing and performing. Not any more. Not when I have Marc-Alan to teach me, patiently I might add, to fish (so to say) so I can feed myself! I hope to work with Marc ongoing for the rest of my life, but I'm excited he is teaching me the tools to be able to attract other writers to WANT to write with me, and to scout out other new artists to write with and to NETWORK my ass off!! I promise to get some of my new stuff up as soon as I can figure out how, and have good working versions at least. I'm hoping that every writer gets to take one of his Nashville Tours and get to write a song with him through that, and benefit from all he teaches and the musical relationships he creates and helps writers create! MAB bragged on us girls in his tread, but let's talk about HIS performances for a minute Even on his tiredest, worn-out day (and who wouldn't have those after listening to as much, hmmm, non-ear candy performance as he has do). He kicks the butts of all the rest of us on stage. He doesn't REALIZE that on those days, but it's true. He knows how to sell a song, and he writes songs that are hits (whether some of them have been picked up by industry yet or not)!! I'm nagging him to play some of his older songs as well as new, because I'm telling you, he continues to blow my away with his quality of catalog!! He did "The Heart Still Knows" (I got to sing back-up, woo hoo!) and "Can't Blame Nobody But Me" and the crowd eats him up!!! He always brings peeps, is quiet while others are performing, orders food and drinks to support the venue AND plays for several of us, helps Alice with sound, fills in if someone no-shows and never complains about it! He is a true professional. He has his beautiful love,Tina, to keep him inspired, and a great bunch of friends that love his music and him personally. That's the goal, I'd say! We can bring it! We just gotta keep plugging along, AND if any of you know people thinking of moving to Nashville or just wanting to write killer songs for their town 'til they're so big they have a demand here ... MAB's the one to send 'em to. I'm hoping for their sake, they get MAB'd first, before they spend any unnecessary $$ and get misinformed by know-it-alls that don't So, Marc, THANK YOU for everything you bring, do, teach, all the crazy humor you inject into every part of the process!! You are pricelesss!! Okay, getting typers-cramp so on to domestic goddess chores for now, lol!