FACTS..some random...some not so random...

Happy Monday...(those two words don't usually go together, but today they do!)

So, the last weekend/week was spent tracking my new record at FortyOneFifteen in Nashville!!!!!!

Words just can't express my excitement right now. We started with drums, bass, guitar, and keys. I am so thankful to have such talented musicians and a producer that knows exactly what I want working with me on this EP. Everyone went above and beyond and I think we are all pretty pumped with how it is sounding. 

Elvis..(my monkey mask that has been part of my life for the past three years) was able to make an appearance. (Fact 1..I love monkeys) haha..He was nicknamed Helvis by my producer..because when Elvis is in the building, he likes to raise some hell..and that is exactly what he did...pics below...

Random Fact 2...I LOVE PERCUSSION...Drums and percussion get me so excited, and some of my new songs are going to be pretty percussion heavy.YAY...So one of the best parts of my weekend was getting to play BASS DRUM on one of my songs...Elvis had a turn too.

Random Fact 3...I love little..things?..well..a mini version of anything that is typically big...
Im trying to be PC here...haha..

That being said....I had a mini piano as a child that I used to play and sing while pretending I was in a band. I made my brother use our big red lego buckets as drums (we also wore them on our heads..we totally should have kept that band together..haha)...
Well..it turns out that Dewey (my producer) has a mini piano at the studio..and it seemed completely necessary to feature the mini piano on the new album..so we did..HOW AWESOME IS THAT!!! 

Random Fact 4...I like unicorns...My friend Leah found me a cool lost unicorn shirt (I won a young authors contest in first grade for a book I wrote called "The Lost Unicorn"..pretty random) Anyways the shirt is awesome and talks about glitter poop and other magical things, so I wore it for good luck on tracking day 3...

So...now you all know 4 interesting facts about me...I love monkeys and Elvis has been a part of my life for 3 years now...I love little "things." (Ill expand on this more in the future).I love me some good percussion, and I love unicorns...but who doesn't...

Well, I am heading back to the studio today to start recording vocals for my song #longwayfromhome

So excited!!! 

Stay tuned...

Jennell 

#onestepcloser

Here is ELVIS (HELVIS) 

Elvis on the mini piano

Elvis playing guitar 

More PICS

Playing Bass Drum 

Chris Benelli playing drums

Dewey and Jesse Isley 

Mini Piano by Dewey 

Micah Snow on keys 

Me focusing...and loving what Im  hearing

Best shirt EVER

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY NASHVILLE

Hello world,
I have missed you!!
So, it has been 1 year!! HAPPY ANNIVERSARY NASHVILLE!! I made it!! I can't believe I have been in this magical town for an entire year.
Where in the world has the time gone?
As some of you may have noticed...I stopped blogging...I wasn't really doing much to write about, so I didn't want to waste your time by making you read the same old same old...
It has been a pretty difficult 6 months. I feel like things started off really well here in Nashville, and then I decided to change directions which threw a kink in things. I  have really had to sit back and figure out exactly how I was going to approach the business from here on out..
My family had several unfortunate life circumstances starting in October..I lost my grandpa/one of my most favorite people in the world!! It practically killed me.. We also lost some really close family friends, and had some family illnesses, etc...It seemed as though a dark cloud was just hanging out over our family for several months..I really wasn't much in the mood for pursuing anything. I just wanted to be home with my family.

2015 the dark clouds started to part and we could finally see the light. I started off the year going on another work trip to Australia..Those trips are always challenging, but very refreshing. It was great to be able to help someone else, when I felt completely helpless in my families misfortunes. It was also nice to get out of the cold weather and enjoy some sunshine. I felt recharged and energized and ready to move forward once I got back to Nashville.
Since my return, I have been very busy writing, co-writing, and starting preproduction for my new record. We will start tracking drums, bass, guitar and piano this coming weekend at FortyOneFifteen Studios...I am so freaking excited. Ill tell you more about it soon.
The blog is officially back...but probably not EVERY week...because lets be real....that is exhausting!! So probably monthly, unless I have something exciting to tell you!!

Me and Grandpa

Grandpa and Grandma came to visit me in Nashville, 1 week before he passed away.

The little cuties I worked with in Australia 

Preproduction for my new record at FortyOneFifteen Studios 

Jennell
#onestepcloser

August...Where has the time gone..

Hello world..Last time I wrote to you was at the end of July..An entire month has passed. Not sure where all the time has gone, but summer is coming to end..I wish I could make it stop. I haven't lived in a place with all 4 seasons in 7-8 years, and I am not sure I am ready for it...eeeeek

Anyways..here is a little update on the past month..
I competed in the Pepsi Southern Original down in Montgomery AL. It was a really fun show to play. Everyone there loved my originals, and the judges pulled me aside and said that I scored really high and that they loved me...Well..then music politics came into play. I had to wait 2 weeks to find out the results. I had a really good feeling that I had won my region and would be competing Labor Day weekend. The results were finally in...and my name wasn't on the list. A different band (whom I happen to be friends with) won..I am happy for them as my friends, but when I found out why/how they won..I was pretty disappointed..Come to find out...their manager is head of the entire competition...They are a good band, but I wouldn't have even placed them in the top 3.. There were 2 other bands that were awesome... I wasn't mad that I didn't win, I was mad that it cost me several hundred dollars..and for what..Why did we even "compete" if they weren't actually judging the bands. For those of you that don't know how it works..As an unsigned artist..anytime I play a show, it costs me/the artist money. I have to pay rehearsal fees, travel expenses..not to mention, I have to pay each band member per gig. So my 2 song show/competition in Alabama cost me close to 700 dollars. Some bands might not have to do that..They might all just be friends playing for fun..That isn't the case for me..If you want the best guitar players, drummers etc, and you want them to take the time to learn your music and do an awesome job..then you have to pay them.. So I sure wish it would have been a fair competition based on the scoring criteria rather than "all in who you know" kinda deal....Whew..glad I got that off my chest..

For my Bday I was feeling kinda homesick..I missed my friends, and my family..So I proceeded to drink for basically my entire bday week...The few friends I have in Nashville showed me a good time! I was appreciative of that...but I don't think my liver was.

The next week I was an extra on the show Nashville for Season 3 Ep 1. I swore to myself I would never do extra work again ( I did it in LA a few times and hated it)..I doubt you will even be able to see me in the background..but I did get paid, and met a new friend who also just moved here from California..So I suppose it was worth it.

That following weekend I went to Dallas to see SL "ALL MY EX's LIVE IN TEXAS"....I had never been to Texas before. We had a pretty good time. He showed me all around Dallas, went line dancing,  to a gun range, ate some good food, had a good visit, etc etc. Glad to know we can still be friends. :-)

Back at it in Nashville. I got signed to a talent agency (BNA talent group)..So that was exciting..I had an audition for a Jerrod Neiman music video..However, when I realized what the role would entail I didn't really want the gig. hahah but....I just found out today that I have an audition for a Toyota commercial on wednesday so keep your fingers crossed. I sure could use that paycheck..

Speaking of paycheck...I FINALLY GOT MY OT LICENSE for Tennessee (it took FOREVER), and I finally got a job that I will be starting next week/ part time/ doing in home therapy..Not my favorite..but its really flexible so that is what is important to me right now.

Been doing a lot of writing sessions with various people..I really like where its all going...I haven't been playing shows around town recently. I am trying to totally revamp and refresh everything and get a new and improved sound for my next album release. Lots of awesome and exciting changes!!! So I am laying low, just writing for now, because I don't really want to promote my old stuff.

Hmmm what else..My BFF from LA came to visit the other weekend. I showed her how we party in the south..I had a great time..and I think/hope she had fun too. We went to cummins falls which is AMAZING..and I took her honky tonkin..(when in Nashville) Unfortunately I wasn't successful and getting her to move here. SAD!! HAHA but my other BFF is coming to visit me this weekend...Hopefully I can convince her.