Oh What a Year!
Earlier this month marked the anniversary of the date the Kickstarter campaign was successfully funded. With the help of 112 backers (and the MN State Arts Board) I successfully raised the funds to complete my debut solo album – What the Music Says Do.
I cannot believe that’s it’s only been a year since I was in the studio recording the album. And I am astonished at how quickly the time since the CD release event in August has gone. Speaking of …
We had SO MUCH FUN(!) at my CD release party! I wasn’t sure I could begin to describe what it was like to get all gussied up, load up my CDs, head out to the Dunsmore Room and sing an evening’s worth of my own songs with so many of the truly amazing singers and players with whom I was blessed to co-create on this project.
So I decided to show you. *smile*
The night was young, (the skies were clear,) the room was packed full of family and friends … and the band looked great (if I do say so myself) and sounded amazing!
The band – Steven Hobert (piano), me, Dean Magraw (guitar), Anthony Cox (bass) and Nathan Greer (drums)
During my vacation a week before the show, my family helped me figure out how to present my CDs at the show.
My CD “store”
Speaking of family … my brother and sister were there. (So were my parents. *smile*)
My brother Nate on drums
My sister came from Massachusetts with her husband and my niece. You may recall that I wrote a song – “If Only You Knew” – for my nieces and included it on the album. Singing that song to my niece in front of my siblings and parents was a special moment for me.
“I’m not crying; you’re crying!” (My sister with my niece)
Another highlight was a guest appearance by my sisters in song – the Give Get Sistet. They sang on the album and came to help me close out the first set.
with the Give Get Sistet (Mankwe Ndosi, Jayanthi Kyle & Alicia Steele)
Massive thanks to my family for ALL of their support and the efforts they made to travel and be there for my “really big shoe.” (Especially my mom who stayed up late – or was it early? *grin* – helping me package all those Kickstarter rewards.)
And a special thank you to my shutterbugs – family, friends and videographer Guy Wagner – without whom I would have no pictures of this event.
