So far this tour rocks!! having a great time. Working on the music for the show and on my own stuff. This is what being a musician is all about…. I have decided to get myself together and write, practice, do what I have been meant to do, but have not always had the time.

Got to tell you also about the blog that this kid on the tour is doing. It is awesome. Go to AndrewKeenanBolger.com and check out how he is documenting this tour. It’s halarious!

 Maybe I’ll add some video footage to this blog. First, Ill have to figure that out, but I am sure that I can come up with some funny little anecdotes to tell you about. My first little anecdote that I would like to write about is how cool it is that our rental cars are DELIVERED to out hotels. Yeeah, man I am living in style.

Now got to go learn to spell……. what should I spell?

One very important thing that I have learned from touring is self-assurance. I am alone so much .. and although I am lonely..I am happy. I know that sounds odd… But it is difficult to let people in your life when so many are so hurtful. I have never been as protective as I am now, and that is probably a good lesson that I have learned. Especially before I move.

So I am not going to count on anyone. If someone will be there for me, that is great, and I will appreciate it. But I will not have any expectations. I have met people that like to ruin any sort of expectation. And leaving myself open to that sort of person has been my mistake. Most people are running on fear.  I am also guilty of this.If I can surround myself with people who do not do that, I will be very successful.

Hey all! So now I am on this new National Tour “Jesus Christ Superstar”. I have met some really cool songwriters. They write completely different than I and that is awesome. I like learning from new people. Especially, different styles. I am writing with this woman. Her name is Margaret Spirito, and we wrote a song called “Strong Woman”. She is putting it on her myspace page in the future. Currently, I am also putting together a myspace music page.

 I  am getting ready to finish this tour. I will miss a lot of these people.  Especially the band that I play with. Paul Hannah, drums, John Toney, bass, Nick Dickerson, guitar, and Mikey Mitchell, music director and keyboardist. They are so talented and fun to be with. I feel like I really clicked with them, which made my decision not to return to the tour next year very hard. They are very secure in what they do. They are great musicians and they never vibed me when I made a mistake. They just laughed and had a good time and always made me feel like I belonged. I am so glad that I had this experience.

 But this summer, instead of going back out on tour, I am going to move to New York. I am going to try this. It is something that I have always wanted to do, and I think that its time. I am going to check out open mics and and work on a performing career, and possibly a writing career. Hopefully, I will work with some of these songwriters that I have met on this tour…Johnathon Walsh, Nick Algier, Margaret Spirito, Darrel Whitney… they are amazing talents and good spirits. I am glad I met those of you that I have mentioned. Even though this tour is ending, I will carry this experience with me always.

 Also, Corey and TED YOU ROCK!!!!!!!

Yesterday, I attended an audition for the Sacramento Music Circus. I was hoping to get a job for their summer season as a performer. It is kind of funny how things evolve in your life; I was a teacher and I left teaching to become a performer….like a singer/actress type of person.I used to be a high school choir director.

What I found though, was that I wasn’t quite ready or experienenced or savvy to be a performer..So I became a musical director. I have to say that I found myself being a bit resentful that I wasn’ t able to perform.. So I started writing.. I also started writing because I really liked it and felt that it was the best way for me to express myself.

I wrote songs that would fit my voice. I wrote songs that I understood. Just so I would get a chance to sing…

 Anyway, I am bringing this up because I had this audition yesterday in which at some point I may get some work. I guess in the future, Sacramento is building a Cabaret much like the one in Pittsburgh.

 I never thought when I quit my job that I would be getting a chance to perform, but in such a way that is specialized…Cabaret work. I think that is the way to go for me. But who knows…once I think I know what I am going to do when I grow up… something changes. But that’s life!

It’s great to be on break from tour. I have been travelling the country with the “National Tour of Annie”. I play the keyboard mostly and conduct one show most weeks. That is a thrill…getting to conduct some of the US’s best musicians.

 However, as always, it is great to have a little break from work; to come home, regroup, and decide what is best for the future.

Last night, I performed my Cd release party at Cefalos in Carnegie, PA. Jay Weaver, RJ Heid, Tony Dapolis, and Laura Arledge played. Chris Smedley opened the evening and sang his original tunes as well.

 I sang all the songs on my CD and sold lots of CDs. I had a really great time and enjoyed the evening so much.

Cefalo’s is a great place to perform and I think a lot of people enjoyed the music, food, and drink.

Karen had her Cd party last night at Cefalo’s. It was a success. The Cd sounds great!