Photo of CARI RAY

CARI RAY's Blog

CARI RAY Radio

  • That Train Keeps a Rollin'...

    Took me a few days to come down from Saturday’s release concert. I was thinking yesterday about how you only get one debut CD release show and with the help of my great band and a great crowd I can’t imagine a better one. Regardless of the outcome I can tell you that we would have worked just as hard to prepare for the show, but the amazing response from those of you who were there made it all the more worth it!


    For those of you who missed the show, I’d like to introduce you to my compadres. Let’s see, there’s Jenn Edds...she’s my swiss army knife...electric guitar, acoustic, mandolin, dobro, uke...you name it, she can play it...and does with style and the sort of cat-that-ate-the canary grin that you can’t help but catch. Then there’s Scott Herider...a bass player that you can guarantee always has a lock on the groove...doesn’t say much but when he does, pay attention. I’m thrilled to have Steve Brunner holding it all down on drums...and he just looks like such a happy guy when he’s doing it. On lead guitar I have Bryan Headrick whose life work is making quick work of killer lead parts. And last but certainly not least, Rita Keith joins in with some sweet harmonies on backing vocals.


    I’m also learning that this business...especially as you are getting started...is full of “next.” Like, oh...how cool, we got some nice press. Next. Or, wow...we got airplay on Hank FM and folks really liked it. Next. And, amazing...what an awesome CD release show. NEXT! There’s always much to do and momentum is a very important component around here so I am learning to celebrate on the fly. It’s taking some getting used to but I think I’m getting the hang of it.


    7:37 PM

  • The Closer I get to the Spotlight

    The release show is rapidly approaching and I’m getting more excited by the minute! It’s funny though, I must really need to learn a lesson about embracing uncertainty because this journey continues to be fraught with it.


    I’ve been a solo acoustic performer for so long that it is quite an adjustment bringing the sort of trust required to stand in front of a band and sing. I mean I surely have done my share of singing and playing with others...but they weren’t my songs. I was having a conversation with my drummer earlier this week and likened this experience to that game we used to play in PE class. You know, the one where you fall back and trust the other person to catch you. Yeah, it’s a little like that...you stand there with a group of people behind you...open your mouth...belt something out...and trust they’ll be there to catch you. And miraculously, they are.


    I’ve been pretty good at going it alone. I’m maverick-y like that. I cannot, however, see Russia from my house (thank goodness). But if raising a child takes a village then launching a music career takes a county and I’m getting more opportunities to learn to ask for help than you can shake a stick at. And no, letting go doesn’t hurt a bit...okay, that’s a lie...but it’s less painful than I thought it might be...





    1:31 AM

  • Trusting the Flow

    The day we did most of the guitar tracking this is how it looked in the studio...there were instruments everywhere! I am often ribbed by friends for my (relatively small, I might add) collection of guitars. But this was unlike anything I have seen. Once the back of the van opened I realized that perhaps I had made a mistake in offering to help “carry some gear.” When said and done there were some 15 instruments that paraded their way into the building. Everything from Baritone guitar to dobro to mandolin…even a uke.
     

    FYI-dobros are heavy. Check out the pics page at www.cariray.com for more studio shots.


    At first I was a little skeptical...I like simple music and was worried that we were headed for a sonic train wreck. Then each one made its way beautifully onto a track or two. This is just on of many instances in the process of making this record where suspending my judgement long enough to see what unfolds has served up a beautiful result. It has been my first attempt to truly collaborate and co-create music that is so personal to me and I am amazed and honored by the passion and care that each musician brought to the project.


    Today we had a final listening session at the studio to make any last tweaks before creating the master copy for duplication. Tomorrow I will have it in hand. So I guess I am feeling a little reflective now that this part of the journey is complete. Having some of those “glad it’s done and sorry it’s over” sort of feelings again. But there is much to do now. The last details are being hashed out for the release concert and I will have some related announcements soon...

    2:22 AM

  • Please Release Me

    Please Release Me

     

    Been listening to the first mastered tracks this week...what a world of difference after listening to rough mixes for so long! I continue to be in awe of the sheer, blissful geeky-ness of Greg & Bob. Greg you know…Bob is his partner in crime…he’s doing most of the mastering…I like to call him the Master Blaster (but don’t tell him that). We’re getting so close I can almost taste it.


    Speaking of getting close, we now have a lock on not only the date of the CD release but also the much-anticipated (speaking for myself, anyway) release concert…and we’re doing it up big. The show will be on October 17 so mark your calendar. I have some other juicy details as well but will hang on to them until a little later. Watch for tickets to go on sale starting September 1st. I’m so dang excited.


    There are strange phenomena occurring around all of this as well. First of all, doors continue to open for me just when I think they might not. And then when I start looking around my life, folks around me are beginning to pursue their own passions. So cool. It continues to be utterly amazing and positively frightening to walk this path...

    10:43 PM

Login

Forgot password?

Need an account? Sign up