2nd Blue Rock Session, DAY 7

Encouraging morning! The guys killed it on "Little Blue Bird." For a song with as many emotional facets as it has, it turned out to be easy for the guys to play.

They kept it small, simple. Confident but contained. Left plenty of room for the vocal and the constant mouthful of lyrics.

We didn't overthink it. The one-take wonders gave it just a few passes and called it a day.

Daran was the only one with a difficult assignment for "Little Blue Bird." We asked him to give the song a modern feel with his instrument to keep it from being overwhelmingly Nashville. Just enough Nashville to remember that this is an homage to the Bluebird Cafe.  Daran pulled it off, successfully integrating this song into our canon.

...

"Lighthouse": Played the scratch vocal and guitar for the guys a few times and gave them an emotional layout of the land. What the verses do, how the dynamics tell the story as much as (more than?) the lyrics. Sensitivity on the part of the guys to the emotional narrative is paramount. This song has so many verses and no bridge, so it runs the risk of becoming monotonous unless the instrumentation can divide each emotion from its neighbors.

Well, they got "Lighthouse" right too. Months spent figuring out how to sing that song and they figured it out in minutes.

Makes me want to write something for a choir of didgeridoos in 5 different keys and time signatures - just to give them something that's a challenge. :-)

Lunch was leftover heaven. Everything we ate this week- buffet style.

Today was the first really nice day since winter started. Warm and sunny enough to eat lunch outside. It felt like a perfect summer day. Birds chirping, fluffy clouds in bright blue skies, a hint of a breeze whispering in the trees and sunlight. Was a treat for me after cold drizzly days in New York.

Sitting outside on the deck, with Hill Country splendor in every direction, warm sun on my back, eating Chris M.'s birthday cake from yesterday, I thought to myself- This must be the most perfect moment in human existence.

2nd Blue Rock Session, DAY 6

Started off the day the way I usually do- 8AM groggy shuffle into the warm kitchen where Dodee's already up and has a fresh pot of coffee waiting. Grab coffee and say hi to Chris M., who's surprisingly a morning person (he gets up and makes himself an omelet every morning).

Back to the bathroom, where I call my Cris with Google Talk, answer the one or two really pressing emails, take a shower, get dressed, do something with my massive wad of hair.

Then back to the kitchen for a quick bowl of Lucky Charms before we get started.

We spent the morning working on "Moving On," a train song that I co-wrote with none other than the undeniable Miss Megan Burtt.

It's incredible how well the guys are getting this song. Before Billy plays each scratch guitar and vocal for the guys for the first time, and hands out the charts, he asks "Grace, do you want to say anything about this one?" I usually say no- not because I don't have anything to say, but because I think usually the song says it better (that's why I write songs) and also because I want these guys' pure, unfiltered first impressions and ideas.

Billy and I didn't just bring them in to be players- like those hot shots in Nashville who crack their knuckles, assemble your songs into 1s, 4s, and 5s and proceed to lay down the expertly executed and expected.

Nope. Not at Blue Rock. We don't just want these guys for their skills- we want their ideas. Every one of them has creativity coming out of his ears.

Kevin reminds me of my brother George. And by that, I mean he reminds me of every man in the Pettis family, to the nth degree. He's a ball of fire! So many, many ideas rolling through his head like a river. The hard part is knowing which one to pick, grooming it, giving it room to take root. I love every single thing he plays.

Chris M. is steady but soulful. He never overplays. Every note is needed. Every one is vital. I don't what else to say. It's that simple and awesome. Like a heartbeat.

Rick's a machine. Sometimes I think I could just listen to his drums groove for hours. He's 100% in the pocket, 100% of the time. You can just fall into those grooves and stay there all day. And you have the feeling that if the song didn't have an ending, he'd just go on and on indefinitely.

And he's funny! Good Lord. This morning he relayed a road trip anecdote from his travels with Slaid Cleaves to Daran and me. The Scottish tour manager wants them to take the highway but Slaid has a GPS. He insists on taking the seemingly quicker route, through the winding backroads. They do, and soon come across a herd of sheep stretched out leisurely across the road. They can't get through and they can't turn around. All the sudden, it gets worse. It's some kind of harvest fest or something similar and the local men (probably sheep herders) come out of a nearby building, completely blitzed. The herd of herders swarms the van like something out of a zombie movie, eyes glazed, skin sweaty, unintelligible sounds issuing from drooling lips. (That's what I pictured when Rick was telling this story.) They're trying to get in to the van but the band's keeping seatbelts on, doors locked.

The route via highway and main roads have taken 1 and 1/2 hours. "How long did the backroads route end up taking?" asked Daran. "4 and 1/2 hours," says Rick. And then when they got to the venue, the promoter was standing by the door, tapping his watch. Promoter says indignantly to the Scottish tour manager: "What happened to you guys?" Scottish tour manager: "Yank had a GPS."

Hilarious. Rick should really start writing this stuff down, so the rest of us don't have to. It's way better when he tells it.

Got waylaid from my original intention for this entry - little character sketches of each of the guys. Onward-

Daran: Daran's so articulate on his instrument. Every line song's like a melody, like a voice. Even if it's not really bringing attention to itself. I'm really glad Daran's playing on this album. We're going for a pop sound in so many of these tracks, but not a cliche pop sound. We need an electric guitar player that does something slightly out of the ordinary with the instrument because it's a sound that's so familiar. Daran does that. He rocks hard, or wails, or grooves, but never becomes a cartoon of himself. Always something original.

Billy and Bradley man the control room. Bradley's got a knack for hearing little details that turn out to be vitally important. Billy's got the ears for the big picture. He knows who should be playing the groove and who should be adding the personality- whether it's sweetness, meanness, sadness, or whimsy. He gets me, gets the song, gets the feeling that the vocal implies and knows how to meet its needs with the other instruments, with the tempo, the dynamics, etc. He knows what the songs need before I do, usually.

They relate all that stuff to each other in a funny language of ism, acronyms, letters and numbers. "Goose necks," "figure 8s," "echo boy," etc. They rattle off names of mics and other gadgets - they sound like the names of automatic weapons.

I feel as if I'm in a country with a language I only have a limited proficiency in. I hang back, listening, wanting to participate and communicate, but not willing to show off my obvious ignorance to do it.

...

"Murder of Crows": This may be the best song we've recorded so far. The arrangement is perfect. I'm really happy with it.

You won't be shocked to hear that it's another Team Burpettis song. Something about writing with Megan Burtt brings out a brashness in my writing that I don't seem to be able or willing to explore on my own. It's so fun writing with Megan.

Singing this song is fun too. I get to be another person for three and 1/2 minutes.

The band is sounding amazing. Everyone knows just what to play, where to put it and when. They've given this song an incredible groove, mood, feel, whatever you want to call it. Makes me wonder if I'm going to like playing these songs alone anymore. I am addicted to having a band.

Billy says, "You play all the gigs between here and the sold out stadium by yourself and we'll meet you there."

Yep. Makes me bound and determined to get better at this - to get heard. I want to play with a band that's this good.

I only get them for 3 days this time. I've got to earn the privilege of playing with guys like this more often than that.

Did I mention that I love everything about the way "Murder of Crows" is sounding? Too many things I like to list them all but especially - the chords of the bridge w/ all the instruments.

One idea for an intro: Those chords played just in the high register of the keys. Sounds like an Edward Gorey cartoon looks (creepy as all get out) and leaves the listener completely unprepared when the first verse comes sauntering in.

I'm trying to use my voice to this song's advantage. It's really written for a gruff, whiskey and gravel kind of guy (at least in my head, it is). I've got these sweet, clear tones to work with instead. So we're trying to juxtapose that with the grittiness and badassness of the other instruments. If I can keep the vocal breathy, even, indifferent sounding, it's almost creepier than a harsh vocal. It's like the difference between how a shark attack is scary and how a sociopath is scary. I can't make my voice do shark, but I can make it sound sociopathic. Weird to go there. But getting in character is really important when it comes to telling the story. And I have to admit - it's a lot of fun being someone else for a song.

...

We just recorded "Here in My Heart," which is in critical need of a new title. I don't even say the title line that way anymore. I leave out the 1st word - "here" - and without that word it's an insipid title ("In My Heart"). Can you say, painfully cliche? Maybe I should just call it that. :-)

The problem is, without the context of the cool intricate lyrics in the verses, the chorus is nothing but cliche. So, no phrases from the chorus really work as titles. I don't know what to do about it. Billy says he has some ideas... [This song was eventually retitled- "Love You Staked Your Claim." I never was totally happy with any title we came up with.]

Anyway, back to recording. This one really surprised us all by how uniquely beautiful it became. I was thinking it was going to sound like just your average run-of-the-mill love song.

Switching gears from "Murder of Crows" turned out to be easy as pie for the guys, who instantly went into delicate, sweet, pretty mode. LIke they changed into their Sunday bests. I couldn't believe the same instruments could sound so different.

The real gem happened when Daran and Kevin found a beautiful descending melodic line. The keys and electric guitar both playing in a high register, similar long, warm resonating tones so they melded together into one thing. It was liquid lovely - sounded to me like drops of gold making ripples. (I know that metaphor is beyond cheesy. Yes, I do put words on paper for a living. I mean, geez. I apologize. But it's the only thing I can think of to describe the sound. I guess this is why you really need to hear it.)

I think I'll dedicate this one to Cris on the album, since he was so much in my mind when I was writing it. It's also a lot about Jesus, actually. (Funny how those two loves sort of become one feeling in me.)

Had a nightmare last night, speaking of The Boy. I somehow got separated from him in vast, underground mall in Germany or Austria or somewhere similar. I was frantically begging teenage shoppers for their cell phones so that I could call him and find out where he was. But everyone was mean to me - no one would give me a cell phone. Finally, someone relented. I was able to reach him and find out where he was.

Looking at the "You Are Here" map mounted on the hallway wall, I realized that I was miles away from him. I would have to walk. In a security video monitor on the wall that showed different parts of the mall, I could see a video feed of Cris slumped against the wall, crying. It was heartbreaking.

I walked miles and miles until I did manage to get to him. (Glad I made it before I woke up) "Did you think I'd stand you up?" I asked him when we'd reunited, because all the sudden it was our wedding day. "No," he said, and smiled. "I knew you'd never do that to me."

17 days until I get to see my Boy.

(I'm pretty sure this dream is a manifestation of separation anxiety and guilt.)

...

Last song of the evening - "Halley's Comet." This song almost didn't make the cut. Not because we don't love it.

But it's so intensely personal that Billy and I were initially afraid that there wouldn't be room for any creative modifications. After spending twenty odd years writing and rewriting this song until it said exactly what I wanted it to say, exactly the way I need to say it, I wasn't prepared for any major modifications.

But eventually, Billy and I both decided that we needed to record it. It's one of the best songs I've ever written: seems to be consistently universal in ways that surprise me, given how personal it is.

So we decided it was worth diving into. High maintenance as it is, it feels essential.

...

I should mention- day was Chris M.'s birthday! Dodee made him a cake and we all sang "Happy Birthday." But I don't need to describe it to you. I've got it all on video. Chris got a birthday boy sized portion, which hopefully won't make him lethargic for the rest of the night. :-)

Dodee's dark chocolate cake with almond cream cheese frosting = deadly for late night recording sessions. But worth it. Totally worth it.

...

Update: The guys have totally figured out "Halley's Comet." Billy had the genius idea of getting rid of my jangly guitar part and replacing it with an elegant, soft, dark, spare acoustic piano part. Suddenly, the whole song has opened up. So much room now for the vocal to soar.

So much room now for the vocal to soar, if you'll pardon the metaphor.  Pun unintended.  The guys are currently "painting the night sky," as Billy puts it.  A little twinkly high notes here and there, like stars.  A whole lot of dark grey blue twilight with moody, brooding chords.  And space- endless space.  Celestial comet noises from Daran's guitar. 

I love the ending they've put together - soft understated chords fall steady into the groove of the progression, getting louder/stronger.  Comet noises sail over it all and then the whole thing dissapates into the Comet's tail, trailing off and ending the song.

2nd Blue Rock Session, DAY 5

Well, the guys are here and I'm an idiot for being intimidated. First of all, I know two of them- Chris Maresh and Rick Richards- from my 1st album. It's been about two and a half years since I saw them, and I'd completely forgotten how nice they both are. Pros, yes. Badasses, yes. But completely nice.

In addition, we've got Bradley engineering (who I forgot meeting in Dallas this year at a Billy/Grace/Dirje show), Austin assisting in the studio, Kevin Lovejoy on keys and Daran DeShazo on guitar.

We started off the day with "Reason to Fall," a new song that's decidedly pop - albeit with a little Americana twang to it for good measure. We're taking a Paul Simon approach to these songs- tight, clear arrangements. Lots going on and yet somehow, nothing that overwhelms or overworks the vocal. Somehow always the feeling of plenty of room.

The drums are tight and crisp. Almost little, but still strong. Not much resonance. Bass similar. Kevin's playing a Wurly on this.

...

We just got finished tracking "You Are the Cowboy," which rocked. Every single one of these instruments could be the soloist on the track. The first take absolutely blew me away. But then Billy began reining everyone in.

The groove became clearer, eventually hypnotic. Easygoing and tight at the same time. Understated. The feel of this song reminds me of a bad boy action anti-hero, ambling in a macho way towards the camera as a building explodes behind him. :-)

Then, we added some flavors- some pure, clear piano- aching lines. And some wailing electric guitar- sad and dirty. Just a tiny bit mean.

Amazing, amazing takes from everyone. So completely floored by how good they make this sound.

...

Having a little more trouble with this one- "Edge of the World." It doesn't help that the song itself is a little emotionally ambiguous. It's somewhat fun, upbeat, enjoying the ride and the thrill of it all. It's also somewhat terrified, fragile, dark-rimmed. Sounds like a contradiction but it isn't really. It's just kind of hard to pin down musically.

It's the feeling of being on a roller coaster that's just a little too old- from the days when they used rickety wood to build them. A little less safe than it should be, maybe, but that adds to the thrill.

I think maybe the path will be a clear, tight frame- drums and bass that are sincere and pop oriented. But on top, the electric guitar (or whatever lead instrument we need) has just a little more guile.

Maybe if the guitar plays a few dirty, dissonant notes here and there, a few weird lines, it will be enough to cue the listener into the fact that there's a little irony to this thing. It's not as fun and lighthearted as you'd think at first- it's a little tongue in cheek.

Just a thought...Tricky getting this one right.

This is the last take before we all break for a good night's sleep.

On a side note, I would be remiss if I didn't mention how well Dodee's been taking care of us all: Texas pie (bacon, eggs, peppers, cheese quiche-like creation) for lunch with broccoli soup made from very local veggies and cream. Dinner was turkey lasagna with portobello mushrooms, with a mandarin oranges salad with candied walnuts, fresh onions, crumbled cheese and a homemade peach and chili pepper dressing. Peach tea. And don't forget a constant supply of homemade chocolate chip cookies and really good, fresh coffee.

Yum.

I'm the luckiest person in the world. Got to be.

2nd Blue Rock Session, DAY 4

I didn't write anything yesterday except the names of the guys in the band. And I don't want to share those yet anyway.

Part of me really wants to share every little detail. But another part of me is this strong protective instinct. It's almost motherly.

When you write things in that quiet, fluid, soft place where everything's malleable - still being knitted together, it's private. If people are watching, it's hard not to be self-conscious, and that ruins it. It's got to be the opposite of self-conscious. Song conscious.

Performance is different - performance is a conversation. The ears are just as important (if not more important) than the voice. Without an audience, and the interchange of emotions and the "vibe" in the room (which has to be that "new person" created when 2 or more people gather/come together) it's not a performance.

So far, recording seems like it's part conversation and part secretive.

It's weird doing it this way - with this blog and the audience so much a part of it all. But it's cool too.

Today, some of the band gets here. These guys are all pros; really cool guys who play with other cool guys.

It's easy for me to feel insignificant and undeserving of all the talent we're bringing in. Every songwriter wants to feel like the "real deal," and I want to feel that way. Sometimes I do.

But sometimes I worry tat I'm more a pedigree princess than the real deal. I don't want to be just a last name and a nice guitar.

So I have to fight those voices that tell me maybe I'm not good enough for the cool studio, the cool players, the cool producer. It's hard to feel like I'm worth it.

But I always feel like the songs are worth it. That's my saving grace. Maybe it's vanity but I don't think so. The songs feel so separate and distinct from me (most of them, anyway) that I don't feel like I can take credit for them even. In some ways I can. But in a lot of ways, I can't.

They demand to be their own thing and I'm happy with that arrangement. It's a buffer against vanity - taking credit - and also against insecurities - taking blame. If it's not about me than I'm safe.

And then I can say to those voices (that tell me I'm not good enough) to shut the hell up.

Shut the hell up, voices. We've got a good day of good work ahead of us.

On a completely different subject, I have a story to relate. It sounds sort of cheesy, but it really happened:

Last night there was a big thunderstorm. It woke me up at 3 in the morning. There were a couple of lights on and they flickered off. Big scary booming thunder. And I was half asleep and kind of afraid but then I had this sense of peace that washed over me.

I realized where I was- safe and utterly comfortable in the nicest bed ever, in the safest place I can think of. And then I felt like I was on this little island, in the eye of the storm.

And I thought it was God talking to me- telling me that I'm taken care of, that I'm safe. It was nice to hear, because I'd had a long conversation with Cris before bed. One of those conversations where you talk about everything that scares the both of you: about your shortcomings as a person, as a marriage. About everything that could go wrong, everything that threatens our dearly loved little life. And we both felt like it was all so precarious and that the odds are so stacked against us. But before we said goodnight, we decided to trust God and to tell each other again, how much we love each other. How much we need each other and how much we wouldn't have it any other way- if that meant not having each other in our life.

And I felt like I heard God answering me in the thunderstorm. It could have just been that I was half asleep and half dreaming. But that's what I thought I heard.

2nd Blue Rock Session, DAY 2

We've demo-ed two songs so far today, and it's almost dinnertime. We'd hoped to get to a few more than that, I guess, but all things considered, we're making great strides, since a lot of these "demos," meant to be guides for the band, are actually yielding keeper takes of both guitar and vocal.

The morning started out with a brand new song called "Don't You Worry None," written at Blue Rock in about five minutes the last time I was here.

The idea came to me all of the sudden and out of the blue and then the song proceeded to write itself. It's in a genre and style I've never written or played in before.

It's one of those "standard" type songs- and can be completely reinterpreted by anyone, its meaning dependent of the character of the voice that sings it. That's a different kind of song than I'm used to writing. We experimented with a couple different voicing and personalities for it, before settling on a vocal rendition that was flirtatious, sexy, coy. Now the song has a definite wink to it.

We moved on to the next song - "Lighthouse" - which is one that's pretty familiar to Billy and me. We know its emotional landscape like the back of our hands but we mapped it out on paper just the same.

Getting it right took elongating the tempo for one small section of the click track, multiple vocal takes and bottles of water as my vocal chords stretched and eventually yielded to the difficulties of the melody, and then several stunning guitar tracks from Mr. Crockett.

Finally, we got it just right. The guitar and vocal swell and recede together in this glorious tandem.

This has been one of those magic moments for me. It's a similar rush to the feeling of having just written a song you can be proud of.

So- good day today. :-)

I'm really excited about this album.

The band's coming in on Saturday - Chris Maresh, Rick Richards, Kevin Lovejoy, and Daran DeShazo.

Can't wait.

Everything is amazing and right with the world.

But I do want to hear my husband's voice. That's going to be the cherry on the top of this long day.

Miles to go till then.

grace

2nd Blue Rock Session, DAY 1

I'm pretty sure we won't get to record anything tonight- I won't get to the studio until 9pm at the earliest.

I left on a plane from LaGuardia airport this morning at 11am. With a 2 hour layover in Baltimore and then another stop in Atlanta before the plane starts heading to Austin, I've got a long day of traveling ahead of me.

I'm currently in the air, on route to Atlanta. I'm excited and stressed, pumped up and exhausted, all at the same time. I can't wait to get started on this next session, but I know it will take me a few days to settle into the Blue Rock routine.

That's usually how it goes. My life is crazy- a different city every couple of days, always work to be done, wherever I can do it - airport waiting areas, McDonald's wifi hotspots, passenger seats, rest stops - and the adrenaline rush of getting to the gig on time, parking in the right place, loading in gear, suitcases, soundchecking, don't forget to eat - but not too close to showtime! Don't want to sound like dinner. Don't forget to call Cris - you've got an hour. Play show, sell CDs, pack CDs, guitar. Shake hands. Smile. Really try to listen to them, would you? Each person deserves your full attention. Get paid, do some late-night fuzzy headed math. Midnight McDonald's meal. Drive to host's house. Lug suitcase up stairs. Collapse onto daybed/sofa/futon. Rinse. Repeat.

No wonder Dad talks to himself. So much to remember and one little mistake amounts to all the cogs in the machine breaking down.

Then I get to Blue Rock. For a few days, my body and mind is still on autopilot, which for me is frenzy mode.

But after a day or two, I settle into the privacy and luxury of a good bed, door with a lock, shower heads and handles that don't confuse and have no "tricks." Books and dvds on the walls. A constant supply of coffee. Just nature outside; no traffic noises. No cell phone reception.

And then, I just sort of sink into it and my head opens up. It's wonderful.

I do a lot of writing at Blue Rock. I also write a lot when I'm on tour, but mostly that's because of the long, long stretches of highway. Highways unlock the same part of my brain that Blue Rock unlocks.

Don't get me wrong. I love touring. I love meeting new people, hearing their stories. I love it when the music moves me, and when I know it's been moving for someone else. I love new cities, and the thrill that comes with being a stranger.

I think being on the road makes me appreciate being off it. And vice versa.

Last night was the last date on a short tour with my dad. We played on New York's WFUV, and then at a cool venue called The Living Room, for John Platt's series: "On Your Radar."

It was my 1st time playing in NYC, so it already would have been cool. But the radio stop was great, and so was the show. We were treated really well and I ate this amazing spinach/cheese/dough concoction for dinner that can only be described as the lovechild of a calzone and garlic knot.

So being in NYC was particularly great.

Some friends came out to the show- Karyn Oliver and Anthony DaCosta. Karyn apparently walked way too many blocks to get there and Anthony had a show that night but came anyway. :-) Good friends- good people. Made me feel all warm and fuzzy to see them there.

And I love getting to play with my dad- it's a childhood dream come true.

But I'm ready to get to Texas- my favorite place in the universe.

Something about the feel of Texas- its independent streak and all its "wide open spaces" (in the immortal words of the Chicks) really appeals to me. I love a lot of places across America but I have to admit - I still miss living in Texas. Four years was not enough.

g

About Day 4...

This is grace in real time now: I didn't write anything in my little journal on Day 4.

But, rest assured, we recorded a LOT more songs. The list of 12 songs that we whittled in December has expanded again, and we spent Day 4 getting through as many songs on the list as possible, so that Billy and I could listen back before our next recording session and make some decisions together.

Another great thing that happened: I got to see Dodee Crockett, Billy's wife. Dodee works insanely hard and is very good at what she does. So, she's not around all the time. But, when she can escape to Blue Rock, she fills up all the corners with her goodness. Couldn't ask for a more welcome addition, except maybe The Boy.

Wish he could come with me to these recording days. I'm headed back out to Blue Rock for Round 2 of Recording- day after tomorrow. And what with all the touring and recording, I will be away from Cris for a whole month this time.

Cris was with me a lot when I made my first record. I guess some artists prefer to be away from family when they're recording. Maybe it's because we were dating at the time, but I loved having Cris around at the end of a long hard day in the studio.

Being in the studio is amazing, but it's exhausting too. I try to fully invest myself emotionally for every song I sing and play, and that's hard work. By the end of the day, my body's sore and my mind is tired. So, it would be nice to be able to come home to Cris- to come back down to earth a little. And to earthiness. Do you know what I mean?

When I don't keep my crazy artist self in check, I find myself feeling like nothing but a head. It's like I forget I have a body. Funny how having a husband will remind you immediately that you have a body. :-)

Missing The Boy this Valentine's Day weekend.

grace

ps. Here are the rest of the photos we took at Blue Rock during our first week of recording. And bonus- a video that Sam Baker helped me make, thanking you guys for your ongoing, above and beyond the call of duty support.

Days 2 and 3

So, I didn't write anything yesterday. That's my confession.

I meant to, but we ran out of time and I was exhausted. I thought about fudging this journal a little bit - inserting a one or two paragraph entry today with yesterday's date on it - but I decided to be honest instead.

But I can still catch you guys up: We spent a lot of time yesterday setting up chairs, guitar stands, mics, levels. We've been using a mic made by a company called "Wunder" a lot.

It's amazing how many vocal nuances I can hear and control when I'm singing into a really great mic. It's like having an upgraded pair of ears.

Being back in the studio laying down tracks brought back a lot of memories. Last time I was here recording, I was 21. I didn't know anything about how to sing into a mic or pick songs for an album. I'd only headlined one or two gigs - had never been on the road. (Should clarify here- I did a LOT of traveling as a kid, but I'd never toured when I made my first record).

Things have changed a lot since then. I'm now flying across the country and renting a car in between tours, instead of driving out to the hill country from Austin, after my shift at Office Depot.

And, I now know how to sing. I'm a better writer, and a better player. I've got about twice as many songs on the table to consider as I need - twice as many as I had to consider for my first rodeo. Funny. After we made that first album, I didn't think I'd ever write that many good songs again. But I have the opposite problem - way, way too many!

So, yesterday we set up, got comfortable and recorded "You Are the Cowboy" and "Moving On." Both came out great.

This week, we're just recording my guitar tracks and vocals - to give our rhythm section something decent to play to when they come.

But, judging from the quality of the stuff we've been getting, we may end up using a lot of these "scratch" vocals.

Another surprise- Billy and I are really liking the sound of my Gallagher on pretty much everything.  It's been played a lot, and has opened up since it first fell into my hands at the Wildflower contest in 2010. I'm not shocked by how great it sounds- I loved it the first time I heard it (maybe before then?) but with so many beautiful instruments of his own to play, I wasn't expecting Billy to reach for the Gallagher as frequently as I do.  So that's been cool.

Today, we've recorded "Reason to Fall," "Little Blue Bird," "Murder of Crows," and "Edge of the World," and we've got miles to go before we sleep. There're about 14 songs I'd love to get to and 12 we really need to get to. We're working 10 hour days with only 2 breaks - lunch and dinner.

Sam Baker came over today and graced us with his loveliness and with a new song. It takes its chorus from an Emily Dickinson poem. Sam's song is one of those iconic tunes that somebody like Emmylou should cover. Maybe I'll cover it someday, not that I could do it justice. But i hope it sees the light of day.

Today appropriately (for the 1st day of February) felt like spring. It was perfect weather - we all had lunch outside.

Today was also Billy's birthday and he's put in long, hard hours all day long. He insists that this is the way he'd prefer to spend it, but I still wish we had a cake or something.

I also wish I hadn't forgotten his birthday. I did bring cupcakes, but only by accident. But Sam, Philip, and I put a candle in one them anyway and sang "Happy Birthday." [Philip McWhorter, also known as Phil, is an engineer at Blue Rock. fyi.]

We are all immensely glad that Billy is on the planet.

grace

Here are some photos from Billy's birthday with Sam.