I spent yesterday doing some recording and adding finishing touches on a song. My friend Ruchelle was in town from Vegas and put down some background vocal tracks. Listening back today, I think it sounds pretty nice. I think it adds a nice touch that’s subtle and yet different from anything else I’ve done.

This Wednesday, the guys and I are back in the rehearsal studio gearing up to record a few more songs. I’m starting to see the Finish Line to this damn CD. There’s a small part of me that’s afraid to finish though- hard to explain.

I miss performing live but I really want to get this CD done before I do any more shows(unless of course something big comes up again, like that Heart/Bangles show or The Pretenders). Hard to pass those up when they come

Oh! I forgot to mention… and this might be a little funny….
We played a private show not too long ago for Kevin’s music school (my guitar player). It was a benefit that was quite successful. Strangely, I was nervous as hell. The most I’ve ever been actually! It’s weird because I’ve long since passed the point of getting nervous when performing… TV shows, playing in front of large groups, live radio..etc… None of that ever bothers me… BUT…to play for a smaller group of kids(from ages 4 to 16) and their parents?? It really scared the shit out of me! I think I managed to pull it off, but inside I was having a hard time.

The kids seemed to like us, which was nice, but I kept flashing back to grade school and having that fear of being the last kid picked for the kickball team. The band guys found it somewhat amusing. The show was also tricky since I was so worried about what I said between songs. Not that I’m X-Rated on stage or anything… it was just that I wasn’t used to playing for that young of an audience I guess. Maybe I found a little extra pressure since I realized that this show would be the very 1st concert for many of these kids… who knows.

One of Kevin’s students played guitar on a few songs with us…the young man SMOKED on guitar! I sure wish I could play like that at his age. Hell, I wish I could play that well at MY age.

Window Media Promo

For the next 2 weeks, Windows Media will be promoting my music! SWEET! There’s a bunch of advertisements and all that. Here’s the Windows Media Guide Promo (I’m in the bottom right corner and will be there for a few weeks). The promo is also listed on the front page of Reverb Nation.com as a link.

The exposure is quite dandy! Even if people aren’t downloading the track(which they continue to do so), they’re at least seeing the name and maybe even listening to it. Thanks to the NEW people who have joined my mailing list…as well as the older folks for sticking by and helping me along!

Other promos:

• The 268,245 Fans of Windows on Facebook
• The ba-zillion MySpace Windows Friends

Not too shabby for only a week of pestering friends and fans to download a track. Thanks guys!

Thanks to everyone who helped out and download my track for that Microsoft Playlist 7. Thanks to you, I landed 4th (but all I needed was to be in the top 7 to get featured-and paid).

I suppose it wasn’t too painful. Unlike that last NBC show that went on for WEEKS AND WEEKS, I only had to pester you all for 7 days. Thanks for putting up with me and helping me win.

If you missed being able to vote, you can still get the track for a little while at  Playlist 7 but the voting has stopped. For those who helped out, you still have 6 more downloads for free. I highly recommend giving a listen to “Day Dreamer” by  Cheryl B. Engelhardt. Her song is actually my favorite track out of the 50 that were posted. Hell, I like it better than my own.

So now that it’s all over, I think this promo goes on for other groups [now they'll have 7 days to pester their friends and fans- I feel for them]. In the weeks to come, our 7 songs get featured. So, the exposure should be nice…the money is nice. It was a “win, win” for all.

Now I can go back to posting useless things in my facebook and twitter updates. =P

Off subject… the band will be performing this Sunday in Orange County. It’s a benefit for my guitar player’s music school. I would normally be trying to promote the concert but the show is Sold Out. There might be room for an extra 1 or 2 people but I can’t give the info to the masses.

I’m a little worried about playing in front of the kids.. I feel so out of touch with what’s “cool” these days. I just hope they don’t mind letting the old guys play for them.

Yes, I know. I’ve been in other online music contests before….but this one is easy and should only take 30 seconds of your time.

I was picked to part of Microsoft Windows “Playlist Seven.” I’m 1 of only 50 artists chosen to be part of this program.

I’m ONLY a few downloads away from being the top downloaded artist… but I need your help still.

If you haven’t downloaded the track already, I’m hoping you will now.

The top 7 artists get a little change in our pockets from Microsoft and we get featured next week to the public.

• Just click this link http://www.reverbnation.com/playlist7?artist_id=317447 and then click DOWNLOAD under my song- “The Easy Way”
• It asks you to Fan/Friend Windows on MySpace, Twitter or Facebook.
• Once you fan or friend Windows you are able to download the track. You’ll see, it’s quick and easy.

The good news is… you don’t have to register and give your information to anyone like the last contest I did(that was a nightmare).

If you know anyone on Facebook, MySpace or Twitter who is willing to download the track…that would be dandy!!!

Some personal thoughts on this:

First of all, THANK YOU to anyone helping!

I groaned at the thought of asking people for votes when this 1st started up but I was hoping that it would be quick and easy… and a chance to get some exposure. Plus, you get a free track so it didn’t feel that painful.

Most importantly (and I’m sure the other groups involved in this are feeling some of the same things), I hope I’m not becoming a pest. I just get so competitive and end up letting these things consume me. Silly, I know.

So, thanks! Worse case? A bunch of people get to hear the music–and that’s not so bad eh?

Another thought…

I’m going to run for office soon. With all this campaigning, I should be used it

So I deleted the last 4 years of my journal with the intent to only write random little blurbs relating to music stuff only…and leave the personal stuff out of the google searches. But It looks like I’m not going to be able to do that with this entry.

Yesterday was a sad day for me. I learned that my friend Kevin Pruett had passed away. Kevin was a dear friend, fellow musician/singer/songwriter who I’d known for almost 20 years. In 2007 he was diagnosed with cancer and lost the battle just before midnight on Thanksgiving Eve.

When I last heard from him, he sounded very upbeat.

“This past Ash Wednesday(coincidece?), the Dr called my home to inform me that after all the recent testing(echo-cardiograms, ekgs, blood work and bone scans, there was no trace of disease in my Body!”

He spoke of coming to Los Angeles to visit. By his message, it sounded like he’d actually beaten cancer. He said he just needed to get some of his strength back and then he could get on with his life. I found out a few days ago that things had taken a turn for the worse. There were messages waiting for me regarding his death late Wednesday night.

It was the saddest Thanksgiving I’ve ever had. I was pretty devastated. I can’t even imagine how his wife and 2 boys felt.

Today, I’m focusing on the joy Kevin brought to my life and I’m thankful and proud that he was my friend. I have so many good memories I’ll cherish for years to come.

Kevin used to call me Doogie since he thought I looked like Doogie Howser. It’s probably the last time I’ll be called that. Funny, at the time I was annoyed as hell to have that nickname…but I’d give anything to hear him say it again.

I’ve posted some links below If you’d like to learn more about Kevin, hear his music, or drop a comment on his Remember Me page:

• www.kevinpruett.com
• www.detroitcity.com/kevinpruett
• www.myspace.com/kevinpruettmusic

Also:

• Remember Kevin on Facebook
• Kevin’s Remember Me Page (please leave a comment).

Miss you Kev!

The band will be performing in Orange County, CA on December 13th. It’s a benefit for our guitar player’s music school [Kevin teaches the boys and girls to grow their hair long and do that crazy Rock 'n Roll stuff].

It should be fun.

I’m told the kids will be performing as well. One student will even be doing a song with us.

I used to live in Newport Beach when I first moved to California but I moved up to Los Angeles years ago. It’s not often I get down there.

Going back down to OC? I just might have to get my passport stamped.

I just deleted the last 5 years of my journal. It was time.

I feel really clean now.