9 towns. 9 songs. 30 days. 3565 miles. | The Adventure begins January 18, 2022
Have you ever had a crazy idea?
This year, my partner got accepted into a prestigious writing residency in Florida. When we got the news, I went around and around about what I wanted to do during this time. Did I want to stay put in our house in Nashville where we’ve been quarantined for two years? A place that, unlike my partner, I haven’t really had a lot of success writing in? Did I want to go to one of my usual writing spots in the desert? I searched my soul. I made digital vision boards. Then, I made physical vision boards. I thought about the five-year plan I’d come up with in 2019. I thought hard about the goals I set for myself:
Create and release a live, mostly acoustic record to mark how far I’ve come as a performer (The Congress House Sessions - recorded in 2020, released in 2021)
Write and record a collection of the best possible songs I can write. Songs with absolutely no leaks. Songs that push me to grow as a songwriter in every way. Get a certain guy to be my publicist (he said yes), get a certain label services company to release the record (they said yes), and get a kickass team of visual artists to help tell the story (they’ve all said yes). Boomerang Town will be released in January 2023.
Write and record a collection of songs where I really push myself as a vocalist. Revisit some songs that I’ve abandoned and mine them for their great, catchy melodies.
Historically, I’ve shied away from writing melodies in my own songs that showcase my voice. It makes me feel self-conscious and weird. But, it’s a side of me that I’d like to explore. I realized I’ve written most of my catchiest, most sing-a-long-able melodies behind the wheel. So, I’m setting out on a songwriting road trip.
For 30 days, I’ll be traveling from Nashville, TN all the way down to Key West, FL, and back in search of great stories and exciting melodies. This will be an experiment in seeing how different settings inspire different kinds of songs. I’ll be documenting the process by recording demos along the way and working with local photographers in each town to help tell the story visually.
Now, there’s no guarantee that this is going to “work” — whatever that means. But I am up for the challenge! The muse will guide me and I will follow its lead… even if it leads me to another batch of ballads. I truly have no clue what is going to happen. My experience with writing so far in my life does influence my belief that each song will appear in one form and evolve into another through the editing process. I’ll be sharing the whole adventure/experience/experiment exclusively with my Folk N’ Roll Fan Club Patreon community.
Why am I doing this now? For one, this window of time is a great, rare opportunity for me. Also, if Boomerang Town does well (fingers crossed) I need to have another batch of songs ready to go!
So, I’m gonna lean into this crazy idea and see where it takes me. I’d love to take you with me.
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