"The Elephant Diet" Day # 138 This Elephant Now Has A Name!

The music is mixed

took the best of the picks

and now we are ready 

to name this sweet baby

It could have been "Miracles"

that would have been spiritual

or "Ride in the Sleigh"

for a wintery day

How about "One Small Box"

or even just "MOPs"

"Back To The Heart"

would have been a nice start

"Joy To The World"

would bring joy unfurled

"What If" is neat

or just "You With Me"

"Christmas In Black and White"

will certainly bring you delight

and "Take Another Look"

is a very nice hook

"Song of Joy"

about a sweet little boy

but none of these fit

we just had to admit

It's been quite a journey

and the elephant's stirring

we've picked out a name

she is happy to say

Tonight is the night

it shall be 

"PORTRAITS OF WHITE"

"The Elephant Diet" Day # 137 It's Beautiful

Today I heard the first round of mixes for the Christmas project.  That means all the instruments and vocals are treated with special treatment and mixed all together highlighting various aspects of each song.

I made some notations and suggestions and sent them on to my producer for his consideration.

It is going to be beautiful.

"The Elephant Diet" Day # 136 Staying focused

A friend of mine recently told me that after doing her exercise routine, she had determined that she would go home and eat cottage cheese and some fresh fruit.  She, like me, is trying to lose some weight and make healthier food choices.

The whole group of us erupted in laughter when she said one moment she was thinking about cottage cheese and the next moment she found herself at Wendy's ordering a bacon cheeseburger.  

I guess we laughed so hard because we could all relate.

How is it that our brain so easily gives in to our old habits and routines even when we are trying to establish new ones?

Well, I'm trying desperately to stay focused.  Each morning I get up at 5:00 and spend some time in quiet prayer and study, then catch up on emails and work on music stuff until it's time to exercise.  I HAVE to keep my mind on track or next thing I know I'll be checking Facebook, cleaning the bathroom or anything to avoid staying on track.

Right now - I am trying hard to get these Christmas song files in the right configuration for Ronnie the engineer.  I had to re-do them yet AGAIN.   After that, my computer is sitting with about 7 songs that have been mixed and are awaiting my approval.

That's on my to do list for tomorrow.  Stay focused girl!!!

Here's a link to a podcast that is really helping me do this called "The 5 A.M. Miracle".

"The Elephant Diet" Day 135 Always Learning!

Sunday turned out to be a great day at the Mercersburg Mennonite Church for "Biker Sunday".  I could have worn jeans and leather if I would have thought about asking.  I wasn't prepared for all the bikers to show up dressed to ride!  It just goes to show that you should never assume anything.

Concert at Mercersburg Mennonite Church

I wasn't able to ride because I had music equipment to take and CDs to sell, but my heart went with them as they all pulled out of the parking lot after my concert and quick lunch.

Days like that remind me of why I love to do what I do.  There is so much work behind the scenes to get the music ready for a CD and share it at concerts, but the payoff comes when I stand up in front of the audience of people eager to be touched and encouraged in some way and see them respond through laughter and reflection.

Yesterday I hired a sound tech for the first time (for a smaller venue) and it was a wonderful experience.  It has me thinking about how I can increase my revenue so that I can afford him more often.  I didn't have to load up my van (except for keyboard, guitar and CDs), unload it all again at the venue, get ready for the concert, pour my heart out for an hour or so in music, sell CDs, take down the equipment, load it all up, get home and unload it all again.  As you can see, it was such a treat to have someone have everything set up and take it all down.  I'm hooked.  Thanks Brian Gayman!

Bikes just waiting to ride on Biker Sunday at Mercersburg Mennonite Church

Saturday I spent some of the day getting song files ready for Nashville AGAIN for Song of Joy.  The files I sent apparently weren't in the right format, so I had to try it again.  If I have it right this time, I need to re-do the files for Portraits of White too (both Enya type tunes). This tech stuff is a challenge to me constantly, but I just keep plugging away, learning all that I can.  

 Ronnie Brookshire also mixed my "Inside Things" project.

Fortunately, Ronnie Brookshire is so easy to deal with and after another phone conversation with him, I learned a little bit more.  He could use some prayer as he works on this project.  His mother lives 300 miles away from him in TN and she is in the hospital and has been for a couple of weeks.  He has to go and help care for her and I know it's putting a strain on the things he needs to get done, let alone the strain it is on your heart when you are caring for you mother.

Praying for you Ronnie!

A special announcement: "The Payoff"

I started studying the life of David (from the book of Psalms) in 2010.

I began writing songs from the lessons I was learning.

I recorded my ideas behind the songs and recorded my first ideas for the song "Nobody Sees" on May 21, 2010.

I spent a co-writing session with Darwin Moody (Embassy Music) in Nashville, TN and walked out with a completed song that I really liked.

I began sharing it with audiences and getting positive feedback.

In 2012 Eric Copeland and Phil Naish decided to collaborate together and come up with a compilation project of Creative Soul Record artists called "We Are Creative Soul".

I submitted "Nobody Sees" as a possibility for one of the songs I would record (out of 3) and they chose "Nobody Sees".

Phil and Frances January 2013

In January 2013 we gathered in Nashville, TN to work on the project.

On August 29, 2013 I received the artwork for the single - the sign of a finished song.

Hours of studying, praying, recording and re-writing have paid off.

Yesterday the song was released on iTunes. (September 5, 20130).

This only fuels my determination and excitement to see the Christmas project through to "The Payoff" - one bite at a time.

Links of interest:

Listen to the story (podcast) behind the song and a conversation with Grammy award-winning producer Phil Naish

Buy song (iTunes)

Embassy Music (Darwin Moody) Co-writer of "Nobody Sees"

"The Elephant Diet" Day # 134 Busy Bee!

I have been a very busy bee.  Buzzing here and there, working hard on a special announcement. It's been driving the elephants nuts.  Such a small insect.

According to sciencemag.org, elephants don't like bees:

"East Africa’s elephants face few threats in their savanna home, aside from humans and lions. But the behemoths are terrified of African bees, and with good reason. An angry swarm can sting elephants around their eyes and inside their trunks and pierce the skin of young calves. Now, a new study shows that the pachyderms utter a distinctive rumble in response to the sound of bees, the first time an alarm call has been identified in elephants." 

I know the buzzing will pay off soon. There will be sweet honey to enjoy!  But alas, those elephants will be back to haunt me with more 'to do' lists so I can't get stuck in the honey very long.  (I think I hear Winnie The Pooh saying 'oh bother').

Here's another "oh bother". A decision has been made about the song with the children, that's not so sweet.  As much as I loved having them sing last week and as wonderful as they did, my team and I have decided not to have a children's choir on the Song of Joy at all.

It has been a difficult decision but the whole point of a producer is to help make these tough decisions.  It is not a reflection on the children.  It is a reflection on what fits the song the best.  Either we had to hire a professional children's choir or let it go.  Phil didn't feel the song was the right type of song for a children's choir and that using children wouldn't 'make or break' the song.

I did learn through this process that there are trained children's choirs in Nashville that work with a coach on diction, pitch, rhythm and other things!  We considered hiring someone like that, but in the end felt that the song had to be the final decision maker and no one felt the song called for their sweet voices enough to go to that expense.

The fun part of this is that the children last week got a great experience in recording that not many children will ever have AND they get their own personal recording of what they did so they can listen as much as they like.  I even created a video for them of their day in the studio so they can enjoy the memories for years to come.

Now back to my beehive.  I have a concert on Sunday to finish rehearsing for.  It's 'biker' Sunday at a Mennonite church and I've been invited to 'ride' with them.  Not sure if I'm creating a beehive or hornet's nest?

Either way - I must get back to the elephants soon!  They won't be dissuaded forever.

"The Elephant Diet" Day 133 Kiddos

Rehearsing the song before we record

What a fantastic day!

The Pontius children (may I mention that there are 6 of them total) all arrived with their mom and grandma to spend the day in my studio working on the last song of the project "Song of Joy".

Can anyone say "EXCITEMENT".  I'm not sure who was most excited.  The children, the mom or me, but it doesn't really matter.

Aidan working hard on solos!

I even got to take them to the local Newville diner (we don't have much else here) and I have to say I'm not sure I ever remember having so many children to eat lunch with in one sitting, while their mom went shopping at the local BB's (crash and dent store as we know it).  People don't know where Newville is but everyone seems to know about BB's.

After a lively lunch, we walked to the fountain and got spritzed by water and then on to the library.  They went home with a ton of books and I took a few myself.

Thank you Pontius children!  You were awesome to work with and you sang great too.

Enjoying a break at the Newville Fountain