I’m currently pretty focused on my work here in Los Angeles – writing more songs and planning collaborations as well as playing local shows. I’ve got a couple coming up in September, including Hollowbody LA Presents: Acoustic Cordiale at Cafe Cordiale on September 22nd. Dinner and a show (and no cover)! I hope you’ll join me. For those of you elsewhere in the country, I’m sorry to say that I’m having to keep my focus local at the moment, and touring plans are currently shelved – but not put away forever! I love being on the road, and I will make it happen one of these days…stay tuned.

Here’s a link to my own little guitar version of “Ice Cream.” I hope you’ll enjoy, and that it might inspire your own trips down memory lane as well.

If you’re in the LA area, just over a week left ’til Hear NoHo! Make sure to get your tickets now and take advantage of the 2-for-1 deal.

In the meantime, I’m blogging up a storm this week about Lilith Fair. Click here or just go to “Blog” above, enjoy, agree, disagree, comment!

In part, I think it’s because I do still feel like women are a little under-represented out there in the pop music world, and I think we do need programming dedicated to women to balance it out. But I’ve been thinking about whether this under-representation is actual or in my head quite a lot recently, as debates regarding the return of Lilith Fair and its “relevance” swirl through the media. This coming week, I will actually be blogging every day re: Lilith Fair, women in music, etc. A bit of a “how far we’ve come and how far we have yet to go,” story, I think, told through my own – admittedly limited! – perspective and my own personal experience with Lilith Fair and its performers over the years. Staaaay tuned!

I read that the fantastic Southern-fried folk/rock Zac Brown Band – having won a 2004 Battle of the Band contest for The Rock Boat and played a number of cruises since then – is inviting a songwriter to join him and some amazing other artists on this fall’s cruise, “Sailing Southern Ground.” So, of course, I entered! Lo and behold, I found out yesterday that I’d made it to the semifinals. Hurray! If I make it to the top 25, the band will check me out and then…who knows?

The contest is being run by American Songwriter, and you can check out my American Songspace page here. I hope you’ll keep your fingers crossed, and kindly send your good, country-cruising vibes my way! :)

But on the news front, “Into the Quiet” keeps chugging along, with Portland, Maine’s WMPG as the newest station to add it (thanks!). That’s two Maine stations now…I think I need to visit! And while summer laziness is tempting, I feel like I’m moving at full-speed, putting together tours for this fall throughout the Midwest, Northeast, Texas, Northwest, and right here in Southern CA. The one stop that I have cemented is Grand Rapids, Michigan, where I lived for a while and always loved/love to play. I’ll be there in October for sure, and more details on where and when exactly will be coming your way soon!

I have to admit, I always find it very flattering when people ask my opinion about pretty much anything, although I find it incredibly hard to narrow down my answers to questions pertaining to what I love about music – there is so much, it would fill many “War and Peace”-sized novels. But hey, it’s Friday, so go read my snappy answers and enjoy your weekends!

I also am very happy that Houston’s KPFT is playing songs from the album – they gave some love to my last album, too. I think it’s about time I start planning the Texas tour! Some of the other stations include: KSCR, WSIN, WMFO, KHSU, KSAU, and WMHB….so if any of those are your local stations, call to request your favorite song!

We’ve been sending out more CDs to more stations, and hopefully we’ll be able to post a bigger list soon. While college and community radio are the best formats for my music, everywhere I’ve lived, they tend to be my favorite stations anyway, and I’m happy to support them however I can. I love that, if my music gets played, it’s for no other reason than because someone at the station loves it…which is, it seems to me, the way radio should be!

Also many thanks to those of you who have not only purchased the album on iTunes but also given me reviews – keep ‘em coming!