For those who know me well, I’m known for filling my days and evenings with plans, plans, and more plans. I love to spend time with my husband, family, friends, fellow singer/songwriters and rarely spend much time by myself. Originally when I got my grant to attend the conference, Jered thought maybe he would tag along and we’d make a trip out of it. Being that we recently bought a catering company, and are in the new baby business stages we decided he would stay behind and cook instead. Besides I was planning on taking in every second of the conference, and while yes Jered is a passionate musician and would love to attend the conference WITH me,  he didn’t get a scholarship like I did to cover the registration costs and what was a free trip for me would not be a free trip for him.

So here I am, attending alone, knowing not a soul in Memphis and now also performing at a private showcase. Although these are not all firsts, they are things I don’t do often. Don’t get me wrong, I am SUPER excited to go and be inspired and have only my own schedule and whims to answer to, but I am still a wee bit nervous. Will I be able to hack it by myself? Will I start to go squirelly spending so much time WITH myself? We will see! )

I will definitely blog while I’m there, given the fact I will have so much time to myself. Time for my “can’t help but be friendly and polite” Canadian gal side to shine through and make some new friends! I was happy and surprised to notice today that the same evening of my showcase I have three fellow Albertans sharing the “stage” – these showcases are in hotel rooms so perhaps stage isn’t the right descriptor. Doing the podcast has acquainted me with their music, and yet I have never met them. Here’s my chance!

Cheers!
-LNG

So I haven’t gotten to song diary entry # 6 (but it’s on it’s way I swear) for my song “Better Things” but here’s the scoop. This is a song I wrote two years ago when I got my most recent grant application rejection letter. I had been applying for grants for years at this point (ok ok – I realize I’m ruining my future song diary entry) and one more rejection just sent me into a bit of a funk. I wrote the song about shaking off the disappointment, and giving up on waiting for funds from a grant. I just decided to do my album on my own, and to plunge into the necessary debt with gusto, believing for “Better Things”.

Fast forward to the beginning of this past November after I had just released that very album, I applied for my first grant since writing “Better Things”. I wanted to attend the Folk Alliance International Conference in Memphis, TN in February and I applied for a ‘songwriting development grant’ from FACTOR (Funding Assisting Canadian Talent on Recording) for funds to get there. A few weeks after I applied, my husband Jered called me at work to tell me I had gotten a letter from FACTOR in the mail. I replied “oh yeah yeah, I applied for a grant a few weeks ago, probably a rejection letter?”. Oh how quickly I reverted to my old wounds of rejection! “Actually….” Jered said “you got it.” I freaked! I was in the car with my boss at the moment and I literally shrieked. What a happy day.

In addition to the FACTOR grant, I applied for and was awarded a scholarship from the Folk Alliance International Association as well to cover the registration costs of the conference. Last week I booked my flights (while humming my own little rendition of “Walking In Memphis”) and in three weeks I am off to Memphis. IN ADDITION to even all that, I got an email this week to say I’d been accepted for a private showcase (albeit at 1:30am – here’s hoping I don’t fall asleep in the midst of it) while I’m there. Exciting stuff all around.

Secondly back in November literally the day after I came back from my VIA RAIL tour across BC, AB, SK & MB, I was lucky enough to do a little interview with TELUS TV’s local community chapter. The lovely and charming Kari Skelton (from up! 99.3FM) came and filmed me singing some songs and talking about my new record “Prairie Belle”.  If you haven’t had a chance to watch it, check it out here:

Telus TV – Prairie Belle

**UPDATE** So after writing this blog yesterday, I found out that I have just been nominated for the 2012 Edmonton Music Awards “Pop Album Of the Year”. Whoa. Where did that come from? Colleen Brown, Doug Hoyer, Se7ensided & Radio for Help are also nominated. Quite the group to be associated with I must say! Stoked to say the least. For more info check the EMA website.

So that’s all my exciting news. Do you feel substantially informed about the musical happenings in my life now? Oh good, I hoped as much. Now there’s a very exciting audition in my very near future, but that will just have to wait for another blog!

Cheers! xo

So although I originally intended to write a song diary entry every week, it’s turned out to be more like every month… or so (I love how all inclusive “or so” can be!). After another whirlwind couple of weeks – my husband and I bought a new house and business, moved into our new house, catered during the crazy Christmas season, and my sister had her twins 3 months premature on Boxing Day – here I am ready to write another entry about the fourth song on my new album, the title track infact called “Prairie Belle”…

Everytime I sit down to write one of these song diary entries, I have such an overwhelming sense of love and ownership for each one of the songs on my album (and every song I write for that matter). I’m sure every songwriter feels that way about their songs, although some are obviously better than others, each one has a special place in my heart. Each song reminds me of where I was when I wrote it, what I was going through, what it means to me.

“Prairie Belle” is a very special song to me (I feel like I always say that, but it is definitely just as true as ever). I love telling the story of how I wrote it when I play it live, because it has so many meanings and so many applications in my life. My friend Ryan Jacobson who I cherish VERY very much, proudly announced the birth of his new niece one day when we were either rehearsing, or playing a show, or possibly even just hanging out (I can’t quite remember the exact details). He told me her name was “Prairie Belle”. Although as I mentioned I can’t remember the exact details of the moment, I do remember being whole heartedly affected by that name.

Prairie Belle? I felt like I immediately connected to the meaning. Prairie – I grew up in the prairies in Alberta and have always had a fierce, fierce love for my home province and city of Edmonton. Belle – although I grew up in the prairies, I am a city girl through and through. What a perfect combination of words to identify with. I immediately began writing verses in my head. I had the first verse “In my daddy’s backyard there’s a sky stretching out just as far as I can see…” written for months and months before I came up with the pre chorus, chorus and bridge. This song was not one of those “written in 30 minutes” cases. This was a labor of love. Sometimes when I have a hard time finishing a song, I just let go of it and think perhaps it’s not meant to be a finished work. Not this song. I didn’t give up! I knew I wanted to write this story, and that when I finally finished it I would have something that seriously represented me as a person.

I decided to name the album after this track, because I really feel like this song and it’s content truly represent me as a person, a songwriter, a sister, a daughter, a friend, a wife.  I am a Prairie Belle through, and through.

Here’s to another song entry coming to you soon. Cheers!

I wrote Clearer Day during my time in Nova Scotia. I went to St. Francis Xavier University to complete my Bachelor’s Degree of Music in Honours as a jazz performance vocal major. I live there for two years. What a beautiful part of the country, and what an amazing opportunity to put my entire focus on music. I can confidently say those were the two most musical years of my life. Everyday I lived, breathed, ate, slept and dreamed music, music, music! When I wasn’t in class I was tucked away in a practise room. When I was finished my jazz studies, I was writing. I was experimenting outside the jazz realm with my own songs, melodies, and lyrics. Oh how many songs I wrote in those two condensed years! I definitely took that time for granted, as now most of my writing happens when I’m driving, or when I’m laying in bed trying to fall asleep. I am sure I will never have a time in my life again when everything I do revolves around music as it did during my time in the maritimes.

Clearer Day is one of my songs that I actually wrote for myself. A lot of my songs are written about or for others, but this one was definitely for me. This may sound slightly ridiculous to some of you but this song was actually inspired by my struggle with acne. When I was living in the maritimes, the climate was so vastly different from my dry as a bone home in the prairies, and my skin suffered. Now for those of you who have never had skin problems, I don’t really expect you to understand. But for me, my face was what I presented to the world as a singer, and a performer. I had pretty severe cystic acne when I was at school. It was probably a combination of stress, hormones and the environment but it wasn’t pretty. There were days when I didn’t even want to leave my dorm, or days when I wore a toque or hat all day long just so I could hide under it. I felt ugly. Sometimes I would get seriously dark and depressed about the situation. This song was a letter I wrote to myself about what I was going through.

Thankfully I had great friends and a boyfriend who didn’t care about my skin. They loved me unconditionally and when I was the hardest on myself they usually brought me out of my funk some way or another. I’m 28 now and still suffer with skin issues now and then, but whenever I do I just try and remember the lines of the chorus “I’m alright, and I’m sure I’ll be ok, I’ll just close my eyes and pray for a clearer day.” This song reminds me not to focus on the outward appearance, that everyone has their insecurities and that I am beautiful on the inside, and that is what counts.

Thanks for reading. I will continue the song diary in the weeks to come.

Cheers.

Track two is called “Heavy Heart”. Some songs I write a little fragment here, and then write a little fragment there and then although I can remember the initial inspiration, I can’t always remember where I was when I started the song, or where I was when I finished it. This song is an exception. I can remember the day I wrote this song very clearly. I can remember all the events of the day leading up to writing this song, and I can remember how I felt when I wrote this song… The majority of my songs are written for or about other people. This song was definitely written about, and for myself. As the title suggests, I had a very “Heavy Heart”.

 It was a typical Alberta winter day. I was still working at St. Joe’s (a catholic hospital foundation where I worked for almost 4 years – currently I work at the YWCA Edmonton as their Special Events Coordinator). My dad used to play saxophone in a jazz ensemble at the Grant MacEwan Arts Campus on Wednesday evenings. The band director was an important figure in the music community in Edmonton, and also worked for one of Alberta’s largest arts funding initiatives. As my dad tends to be my biggest fan and promoter (love you dad), he had casually mentioned to the director that I would be happy to come and sing with the jazz band for an upcoming performance.

Being a slight keener and having recently graduated with my Bachelors Degree of Music in Jazz, I decided I would transcribe a big band arrangement of Carmen McRae’s “Comes Love”. I have never had the greatest ears musically, but I did it and I was feeling pretty proud of myself. I had also written an arrangement of “Is You Is Or Is You Ain’t My Baby” (my favorite version sung by Dinah Washington.) These were two among the 4 or 5 songs I ended up singing with the band.

Sidenote – It’s entertaining for me to recount this day, as these were what I affectionately call my “jazz days”. I haven’t transcribed, arranged or sung jazz in a while but it still holds a special place in my heart and quite often I find myself humming a jazz standard or scat solo when I’m alone at home in the shower, or walking my dog Otis.

Anyways, back to the story. My first rehearsal with the big band was after an especially hectic and frustrating day at work. What exactly was frustrating and hectic I can’t quite remember, but I wasn’t in the greatest mental state heading off to rehearsal. Some mundane additional details – my parents were away on holiday and I was house sitting for them, which meant my dad wasn’t going to be joining me at rehearsal.

I had to go back to Grant MacEwan for the rehearsal and I hadn’t been there much since I had been a student myself. For some reason I always feel extra awkward going back to old colleges and schools. Perhaps I feel like I haven’t added up to what I had dreamt for myself back then? Anyhow to get to the point of this story the rehearsal went poorly. At least from my view of the world it did. There were a few notes I had transcribed wrong, perhaps because of nerves my voice wasn’t feeling at its best, and overall I felt I didn’t make a very good impression on the other musicians or the director. I was embarassed and felt like I was a poor excuse for a jazz grad. (I later learned that these feelings were entirely in my own head, and that the band and the director thought I had done a great job in rehearsal).

On my way home I stopped at McDonalds and had a nice little emotional eating binge on fries & chicken nuggets (this credits the especially horrible mood I must have been in because I rarely do this). Then I headed home.

It was -30 out, I was in quite the pity party mood and Jered (the husband) was working late. I came home, made myself some tea and sat down at the piano.  The song wrote itself pretty quickly. I think it was a combination of things that had caused me to feel like I had a heavy heart. Work, the weather, the rehearsal, going back to my old stomping grounds… anyways as always, after I wrote the song I felt a great sense of release and relief. If you listen to the lyrics, the chorus says “and I’m just trying to find, my own piece of mind” and in the last pre chorus it says “looking for the light, when I see a spark that’s been burning all along”. It is really a song about feeling hopeless, but searching until you find that spark in yourself. Starting with a heavy heart, but ending with a lighter heart and a greater sense of hope.

Well that was a novel. If you made it all the way to the end, thanks for reading… another song diary entry coming soon.

cheers!

I started writing “Too Easy” after I had met up with a friend with whom I had lost contact with for a number of years. I had moved out to Nova Scotia for school. She had moved multiple times and changed her numbers and email address so when I moved back to Alberta, I couldn’t find her. When we finally reconnected she told me a catalogue of stories where she fell in love with a guy, sacrificed everything in her world to be with him, ended up heart broken and alone, lather, rinse, repeat. The five or so years since we had last seen eachother were spent having her heart broken and putting it back together. She admitted to me that maybe she didn’t play hard enough to get, that she didn’t want to hold her feelings back, that she just wanted to be loved, to be happy. She said most of the time these men that she gave her heart to, took her for granted. She said, maybe she was giving herself away too easily.

After our evening together I realized I knew a lot of girls with a similar story. I felt sad and disappointed for her, for them. As usual when I am overcome with a certain emotion, I poured my thoughts and feelings into a song and “Too Easy” was written. To this day, this song is one that most people (mostly ladies, but not all) tell me they can really relate to. Now, I’m not encouraging girls to play games and play too hard to get and send mixed messages in order to get men to respect them and appreciate them. I mostly just want people to recognize their worth. To know they deserve to be treasured, and that they don’t have to settle to be loved. That when they stand up for what they want and believe and deserve, that the other party in a relationship can better deliver those expectations.

So how have I grown since writing this song? Well I was already a wife when I wrote it, but I am also now an auntie. I see the world through more maternal eyes. I want to see my niece and nephew making good choices when they are old enough to give their hearts to someone special.

Too Easy – Track 1 on Prairie Belle

Verse
She doesn’t want to hold them back
All of these feelings she has
She wants to give them all away
She’s never played too hard to get
She’s always taken for granted
She just wants to be happy

Chorus
She’s making it way too easy
Giving herself away for free
Treating her heart so carelessly
I want her to slow down
Take a good long look around
And consider listening

Verse two
It was a few short years ago
These pretty girls I used to know
Were holding tight to their roots
But they grew up and they moved on
Trying so hard just to belong
I think they lost sight of the truth

Chorus
They’re making it way too easy
Giving themselves away for free
Treating their heart so carelessly
I want them to slow down
Take a good long look around
And consider listening

Bridge
But I know sometimes it’s hard, and sometimes it hurts
It’s easier to just give in then to stand up for what you’re worth
I want you to stand up for what you’re worth

Chorus
You’re making it way too easy
Giving yourself away for free
Treating your heart so carelessly
I want you to slow down
Take a good long look around
And consider listening
To me
——————————————–

So there is the first song diary entry. Stay tuned for more in the next week or so. Thank you so much for reading and for your support.

Cheers!
lisa nicole grace

I’m in bed after midnight the night before I digitally release my first album and I am so bloody proud. I am proud of my amazing musicians. I’m proud of my engineer and my mixer, I’m proud of my masterer…. I’m ridiculously proud of my graphic designer (web & cd cover). I’m proud of myself.

This has been a very long journey, and although this is only one part of the process (and I still have my intimate cd launch in a few weeks, then my big cd release show in the new year) I’m close to finishing the creating process and beginning the promoting process. This is serious business for me. I have always dreamt of having a full length record. A catalogue of my music. A diary of my thoughts and inspirations. Here it finally is. Her name is Prairie Belle and she is pretty darn beautiful if I do say so myself!

All ten songs were written by me and me alone. These songs chronicle major points in my life over the last ten years. Watching relationships either directly related to me, or close to me. Falling in love (myself and those around me). Fighting dark days and waiting (with hope) for the sun. Coming to terms with my surgery and the impact it has had on me. Watching my partner in life & crime work through anxiety and depression. Suffering through rejection and believing in better things. Expressing the love I have for my home. It really has it all.

I hope there are songs that will touch you and inspire you. I hope you see yourself in my song stories. I hope you get to know me if you don’t already, and if you do already, I hope you get to know me better. I hope, I hope…. I hope.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this record in any way. I have a song called “Tree of Life” that isn’t on this record, but that says “a longing fulfilled is a tree of life”. It is true. This is finally a longing of mine that is being fulfilled and I believe it will be a tree of life that will grow branches of other musical and creative opportunities. I am so thankful and blessed and happy and hopeful.

Bless you! xo

This means two things: 1 – that I will be able to have my digital release hopefully next week (to be available on itunes and cdbaby)! and 2 – that I can book & announce my intimate cd release show that will be taking place on October 29th. I plan on doing a bigger full band release in the new year, but for now I wanted to celebrate my first full length record in an intimate, acoustic and special setting. I will be chartering a street car that will take my lovely little crowd of 50 up onto the high level bridge and park while Jered, Brent, Ryan & I play some acoustic unplugged versions of the 10 songs on my record. There will be wine, there will be appies and there will be music!

The only downside to the streetcar capacity of 50 people is that a limited # of people will be able to attend. Ticket sales will be at a secret URL that is invite only. Everyone that buys a ticket will receive a copy of the new record. I am so excited to share the record with everyone but at the same time, nervous as to what everyone will think! It’s taken way too much time and money for anyone to tell me they don’t love it. So, if that’s the case keep it to yourself and let me plead blissful ignorance.

Two other bits of exciting news… I will be opening up for Chris Trapper on November 19th at the Blue Chair Cafe. The two of us were scheduled to play a show together in February in Calgary at the Ironwood Stage & Grill, however poor Chris came down with a horrible flu and had to cancel. I’m excited and crossing my fingers for good health for Chris this go around. That night will also mark the kick off for my first ever tour! Brent & I will be boarding a VIA RAIL train the morning after the Chris Trapper show to travel to Vancouver. Then we will travel from Vancouver – Winnipeg and back to Edmonton, playing shows along the way. VIA RAIL has an amazing on board entertainment program that I highly encourage any artist to apply for. In exchange for playing on board you get travel, accomodations on board AND meals. Brent & I are super stoked!

That’s the latest update for now! Stay tuned for the digital release next week…

Cheers! ♥

Some pictures from last night:

Mixing notes.

Where the magic happens!

The boys giving their input.

Me having my final listen.

So after two years worth of blogging about this project, we’re nearing the light at the end of the tunnel. The guy I want to master my record is in pretty high demand, but I want it done right. I’m hoping when I email him later today that the wait time won’t be too outrageous.

Also after two years of dying to have this album done, here we are (almost) and last night I couldn’t help but have a weird feeling of anxiety that it’s over. All the time and effort we’ve spent is now wrapping up and I guess I was enjoying the creating process more than I thought because now it’s over and the real work starts! Getting stations to play it, people to buy it and getting our songs out there. I do enjoy doing those things so it’s all good but it’s a lot of work and I want to do it right. Here’s hoping!

So there’s the update for now. Hopefully I’ll have a finished product in my hands within the month!

verse
I keep your memories locked, inside of this box
When I want to revisit them I just open it up
I keep the key by my heart, I wear my heart on my lips
I use it everytime I speak the words to express

chorus
This loss, how can I cry I can barely even breathe
When I think of, everything that you meant to me

verse two
I put your picture away when I’m feeling blue,
The last thing I need is a reminder of you
But I bring it back out when I’m especially down
I like to pretend sometimes that you’re still around

chorus
Because, I’m tired of crying I can barely even breathe
When I think of, everything that you meant to me

bridge
__________

chorus