2014; Touring again; ..and The Ryman Project!!

Welcome to 2014!  ----    Shouldn't our world look like this by now??

Man, I don't know about you, but I'm sure glad it doesn't look like that.   I'm struggling with the high-tech stuff that we DO have introduced into our lives.  I'm not sure I could figure out how to drive one of those flying cars.  And I'm certain I would program the Robot Maid incorrectly so that she burns dinner and bleaches out the darks instead of the whites.  AND, I'm scared of heights, so I would hate living in one of those houses perched on a pole!!

Anyway.... my goal for 2014 (notice I said "goal", NOT "resolution") is to SIMPLIFY.  I've just got too many things pulling me this way and that way and I feel I don't get anything done in an efficient manner because I'm too distracted.  Do I really need THREE calendars?  Trying to sync up 3 calendars has taken up way too much of my time, so....i'm saying good-bye to one of those calendars and I feel good about it!    I'm cleaning out closets.... and getting rid of anything that I haven't worn in 3 years.  I WILL say good-bye to those jeans I used to love but are 2 sizes too small now.  It's ok.  They'll find a new home and be happy... right?    ---SIMPLIFY.  I'm ON it.  :-)

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My BIG 2014 news is that I will be hitting the road again (finally!).  I have enjoyed staying home the last few years, concentrating on sessions, being a wife, raising Sam, and helping with my parents.  But after talking it over with the family, they have all agreed that they think it's time for me to go back to doing what I love to do, which is performing.    So PLEASE check my calendar on my Official Site and if I'm at a venue near you, PLEASE come see me!  One of the best things about touring is getting to see friends and family while I'm on the road!!  There is nothing better than getting to have lunch with a familiar face while being in an unfamiliar city!

I'm starting the year by performing with the QUEEN, Miss Patty Loveless on a country music cruise in the Caribbean this month.... then flying out to California to meet up with the AWESOME Christopher Cross and his band to do a couple of shows out there.  I'm super-blessed to be working with such amazing artists!  Gonna be FUN!

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One more thing... Many of you have been following the story of our friend Ryman Little and her parents, Jeremy and Brandy.  And many of you have asked how you can help.... Well, here is a WONDERFUL video to check out.  Warning:  Get ready to have a warm, warm heart after watching this!!!  Her little smile is infectious!!   Please feel free to share this video and help spread the word!!  What a great way to raise awareness about organ donation!    Here is "The Ryman Project":

July 4th, 2009

July 4, 2009

What a crazy day…. We were in Freeport, ME for the L.L. Bean Summer Concert Series Festival. LOVED the cooler weather, but when the thunderstorms suddenly rolled in early afternoon, we started worrying that the show might have to be cancelled. I had been SO excited about the opportunity to open for Miss Patty Loveless and was really bummed about the weather possibly interrupting that chance!! However, I told Patty that she must have a little “Moses” in her, because close to showtime the storms just parted north and south of us and left us with perfect weather for the concert!!

The biggest damper of the day was hearing the sad news about Steve McNair, our beloved former Tennessee Titans Quarterback, who was tragically shot to death in Nashville earlier in the day. We all spent most of the afternoon being glued to the tv on the bus, going back and forth from ESPN coverage about McNair to The Weather Channel so we could find out if we were actually going to be playing a concert that night.

When the storms parted, I finally took the stage around 7:15pm with my friends Garry Murray and Matt McKenzie. They so sweetly offered to help out during my set, playing mando and bass with me! It was SO fun! The crowd was amazing and attentive and it is always a joy to hear what Garry and Matt bring to the musical table…. My friends, Kat and Monica had brought me “Peace and Relaxation” gifts earlier during the day AND they had a cool poster which read “NY and NJ loves Marcia” which they held up during my set!! THANKS GIRLS!! You make me smile….

Also got to see friends and PL supporters, Bob and Barbara, Richard and Patti, and Nicole Spaller who runs the biggest PL fan based website out there. If you are a true Patty fan, you need to check out her site…www.patty-loveless.net

Patty came out for her set around 8pm and did an amazing job as usual. That woman is simply one of the most gifted voices God ever made…. And a wonderful person on top of that!! I have thoroughly enjoyed working with her and her amazing band! This was my last show with that group for awhile and I will miss them…..

Thanks again to all the folks behind the scenes at the L.L. Bean Summer Concert Series for taking such great care of us and making such a wonderful place for music to be enjoyed!! Thanks to PL and the band for allowing me to be a part of such an amazing group of musicians and individuals…. And thanks to the fans, who are the heart and soul of the concert experience!! Love you all……

Friday July 3rd, 2009

Today we played the Stone Mtn. Arts Center in Brownfield, ME. As we were pulling up to the venue, we found out that there was no cell service and no internet. When we all realized that we might be faced with no contact with the outside world, it was horrifying. “You mean, we might have to actually TALK to EACH OTHER?!?!”, was Pete Finney’s comment at the news. It was sobering. What would we all do?!?! I’m happy to report that it was wonderful! The landscape around the venue was beautiful. The folks there at the SMAC were amazing. The food they fed us was awesome. There IS something “freeing” about being out in such gorgeous nature and not feeling the need to check emails, phone messages etc……

OK….I’m sitting in my bunk typing this and Deanie walks by…. She says “Oh! Are you blogging? Can you blog about me spilling tomato on my breasts and having to wipe it off and making more of a mess on my shirt?” There ya go, Deano…. It’s now documented for everyone to see.

Back to my story… SO…. If any of you live around the Brownfield, ME area, you should really go check out a show at the Stone Mtn. Arts Center. It’s just lovely. The dinner will be amazing and I’m sure you will want to come back again and again. I sure would if I lived up here. The thought actually crossed my mind several times today. “Gee, I wonder if we could MOVE here?!?!” It’s THAT gorgeous!!

Tomorrow…. The L.L. Bean Festival in Freeport, ME…. I kick-off the show at 7:30pm, then Patty Loveless at 8:00pm… ya’ll come see us!!

NY to KY

Well, we had a wonderful trip this week. First New York City, then Louisville, KY. Here are a few of my favorite shots from the trip.

The top pic is in The Palace Theatre in Louisville, KY where we performed as a part of the "Prairie Home Companion" show with Garrison Keillor. It was one of the most unusual shows I've ever been a part of. All the skits, monologues, music.. all going down in front of a live audience. He had them all singing "My Old Kentucky Home" at one point and it sounded like a choir of angels. Mike told me that there is a movie about Garrison and his show. Now I want to find it and watch it. Fascinating.

The next pic is our monitor man, Jon standing on the stage at The Allen Room in NY. It was a gorgeous room with a stunning view of Columbus Circle and Central Park right behind us. It was hard not to keep turning around during the show and looking behind us!! We had a great show there and the NY Times did a fantastic review on Patty and the show. She really is singing/performing better than ever IMO.

The next pic is Jimmy Johnson goofing around in the Hair/Make-up Dept. on the "Conan O'Brien" set. I just LOVE Jimmy! That man needs to seriously write a book! He has worked with so many amazing artists and has wonderful stories about his travels and musical adventures. I could sit and listen to him for hours.....

Next is me and Deanie getting our hair/make-up done before the Conan show. I like getting to have my hair and make-up done, but I don't think it's Deanie's favorite thing to do. As soon as we get back to the hotel she's like, "Gimme a washcloth!! I gotta get this sh-- off me!!" LOL I LOVE that girl!! She's an awesome roomie out on the road.... She will be touring with The Chieftans during Feb./March. We are so proud of her!! She's gonna ROCK that gig!!

Last, that's me in front of the skating rink at Rockefeller Center. I'm so glad it snowed a bit while we were there. It was magical. Deanie and I went to sleep the first night, knowing that the forecast was for snow the next day, so we were both excited. I woke up first wanting SO badly to see if it was snowing, but I was tip-toeing around the room in the dark, trying not to wake Deanie when suddenly she woke out of what I thought was a deep sleep saying, "Open the CURTAIN! Let's see if it's SNOWING!" (She loves snow like I do!) I ran to the window and grabbed the curtain....... YES!! It was SNOWING!! We were both SO happy!!

It was a beautiful trip. Thanks to you guys for following us on our little journey..... We are home for awhile. That is good. Mike is leaving today for a few days in LA. He will be on "The Tonight Show w/Jay Leno" tomorrow night. He'll be performing with Lee Ann Womack.... (That's Monday night, the 19th). Ya'll tune in and catch my handsome hubby!!

Now, I'm plopped down in my chair waiting on some football games today. It's going to be a lazy Sunday, but I'm glad. I need one of those.... how about you?

New York

It's been a pretty cool trip to NY so far. Great food. Nice hotel. A Starbucks right around the corner. Met Conan O'Brien. Got to walk around the set of SNL. Actually, i'll post a pic later of me standing on the SNL set where the hosts usually do their opening monologue. It was surreal! I got up there and did my little bit..."Thank you, thank you! It's always been my DREAM to host Sat. Night Live.. and here I am!" Of course, there was no audience, but does that REALLY matter? Really?? -grin


We woke up to a beautiful snow falling here in the city. Deanie, Garry, Clay and I found a cool little diner where we had a cozy breakfast and watched the falling snow. I am lucky to get to travel with people that I love. I have some friends who travel with some other bands (no way, I'm NOT naming names!) that remind me how blessed I am. They don't have the same "road friendships" that we have in our little PL group. It's lonely out on the road when you are away from your family and loved ones at home. However, when you truly love the people you are traveling with, it sure makes it a WHOLE lot easier to be away! PL has definitely gathered good people to travel with, which makes our experiences out here very special.

Ok... we are about to run over to soundcheck at The Lincoln Center. We are playing the Allen Room there... it's supposed to be a gorgeous room with a glass backdrop over-looking the city from 5 floors up. Yes, of course... i'll get pictures!! -grin

Heading to The Big Apple...

It is 2am. I can't sleep. My brain is too full. Too full of lists. Lists of things that I must get done before I leave for NY. The weirdest thing is, instead of the list getting shorter as I get closer to my trip, it seems to somehow be getting longer. So tonight, although I went to bed at 11pm, i woke up at 1am with my brain going over and over all the things I need to do tomorrow before we leave on Tues. morning. I just decided to get up, have a bowl of cereal, and type up the list of things to do, so maybe my brain wouldn't be so full anymore and I could sleep.

The list is done. But here I am, still awake. SO, I'm blogging. Blogging about not being able to sleep. Maybe one of my sleep issues is stress. I always stress out before I have to fly anywhere. The whole experience of flying is SOOOOOOO stressful to me. Starting with making sure you have packed correctly, so that the airlines won't:

A. Break something
B. Make you leave something behind because it's not packed correctly
C. Ruin something
D. Lose something
E. All of the above

Then after the packing issues, I always feel like I'm going to over-sleep and not get to the airport on time. THEN, just being in a airplane for a claustrophobic like me is hard to deal with. So, until I land in NY on Tues. afternoon, I will be a mess. And I probably won't be sleeping much either... Give me a comfy tour bus ANY day over flying. Unless, of course it's a west coast run... -grin

OH! Just in case you are wondering what I am doing in NY..... I will be on the "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" show on Jan. 14th with Patty Loveless. It airs at 10:30pm CST on NBC. You may not SEE me on the show, as just being in the band certainly does NOT necessarily give you any airtime, but if you are up, tune in and watch us anyway!! On Jan. 15th, we will be playing the Allen Room at The Lincoln Center. I will, of course, try to update this little blogspot with pictures and interesting tidbits of our trip along the way. It's never dull with the PL gang... someone's always doing something silly in that bunch!! LOL

Ok... i'm going to put on one of my hubby's History Channel shows. That should put me right to sleep. "Civil War Journal" is my Ambien.

Hope you all have a great week!!!!