It's a hot sticky morning here in St Croix. Sarah Peacock and I have been on tour down here for the past seven weeks. We return home next week where we continue the run of dates to Atlanta and Greenville before heading in separate directions. It has been a true pleasure working with Sarah for the past year. I have learned many things from her and consider her to be one of my best friends. I am excited to see what is going to happen in her future and to continue working with her from afar.

March 19th @ Bellissima, Atlanta, GA March 20th @ Mojo's Lounge, Greenville, SC - see tour page for more information.

As many of you know, Sarah is helping me produce my newest project, "A Little Bit Of You", which is a seven song EP and will be released in late March, early April (2010). We are both extremely excited about this project and are already working on the full length record that we hope to release by the end of the summer. Touring together has allowed us time to write songs that we are both really excited about, and although the touring is coming to an end, Sarah and I will continue working together in what we call "behind the scenes" work. And of course, there will be periodic shows together... including a return performance at Eddie's Attic, June 20th, to celebrate the release of my "Live @ Eddie's Attic" Cd. We are both really excited about that show - we will let you know when tickets go on sale.

After the final shows with Sarah, I will head up north to Wisconsin, where I will spend the summer playing solo shows as well as working with Beth Kille on our duo project, "Dirt & Sunshine". We started the duo last summer and we are working this summer on writing and recording a full length project together! There will be surprise appearances from each of us at each others solo shows, until we release the Cd and throw a big ole party where we will feature the songs we have been collaborating on. I'm super excited to continue working with Beth and getting back to my home base and connecting again with my fans and friends! So, while I work on all of that, Sarah Peacock will begin a new and (very) exciting adventure this summer... I dont want to reveal anything, so I'll just say... check her website, buy her Cd's and watch how far that girl is about to go: www.sarahpeacockmusic.com

One thing that few, if any, of you know... is that I am working on an addtional project, completely separate from music. I absolutely love creating things & have decided that I'm going to explore my options outside of music. I will always play music and write and release projects, but I am really excited about the possibility of pulling back on the touring and putting my energy into another passion (or two) in an effort to take the pressure off of my musical dreams and allow them to breathe for a while. My true love, when it comes to music, is writing. Being on the road as much as I am, playing as many shows as I do, it's really taken it's toll on my writing. Sure, Sarah and I have written a bunch of songs that we are both excited about, but it's been really hard to get to that point of creation. Quite frankly, the last thing I want to do is pick up my guitar these days, which is so sad to me. I want to fall in love with music again, try new things, find the love that I once had and try to re-ignite that fire. Basically, I'm burnt out. Hard to admit? Yes. Artists aren't supposed to tell people the realities of this business, but... I don't much care about all that. I want to find my passion for writing again and I feel like taking a step back is what needs to happen in order to do that. YES, I will still be touring. YES, the shows will go on, YES new music will be released... and NO, you probably wont even notice the pull back for a while, as it's going to take me a minute or two to get things worked out. My summer will be busy with shows and this new "secret project" I have going. I know, you're just dying to know what it is, huh? lol! Well... I promise that you'll find out soon enough... and if you come to my shows, you'll get to see it up close and personal. Be patient though, it's still in the beginning stages.

Oh.. and here's another thing y'all probably don't know... I quit drinking. Yup. It's true. The "Hallar & the Swaller" has taken it's toll on me and I have made the decision to delete alcohol from my life. It's far too easy to drink too much when you're playing shows and everyone wants to buy you a drink. I've known it was too much for me to handle appropriately and it was affecting my career and personal goals. I am absolutely LOVING sobriety, by the way. I'm reaching my fitness goals with ease (who knew it'd be so damn easy as soon as you take the alcohol out?!), my head is clear and my energy level isnt bogged down with a hangover. Yay me!!!

On that note... I think there's enough "revelations" in this journal entry for today... I'm about to hit the gym and work off the bowl of ice cream I ate last night. hahahaha! Sarah and I have four shows left on this island... of which we are both incredibly grateful for. St Croix is like a second home to both of us now... we spent 3 months here total... everyone knows us, from the gym to the grocery store, walking down the street and at shows... as much as we are eager to get back home, we are both going to miss this beautiful island and the people here.

And a special thanks to John and Erin Cantrell for taking Sarah and I in for seven weeks and letting us live comfortably with them and their air conditioning. Sure beats the last trip we were here. Whew.... THANK YOU John and Erin!!!!

The word is spreading about the mission to sell 1000 Cd's and earn a "Venice" tat for me. Some of y'all are confused as you're just getting bits and pieces of this "mission"... Basically, it's like this...

"A Little Bit Of You" was used during episode 5 of "Venice The Series" and on a whim, I threw out the challenge... If I sell 1000 Cd's due to this Venice placement, I will go get a tattoo in honor of Venice. It's a bit confusing to the fans that have been around a while and don't know anything about Venice. I wasn't able to announce anything about the show until it aired, which was two days before I left for a 7 week tour with Sarah Peacock to the island of St Croix (the beach is beautiful, by the way).

So... all you Venice fans... if you wanna see me get a tattoo of Venice, y'all gotta spread the word and buy Cd's off the website. www.jessilynn.com

Sadly, I can't count the itunes album downloads as that's a completely separate thing and honestly... as much as I love iTunes, they aren't exactly fair to their artists, so I prefer it if you downloaded off the website (those full album downloads DO count if you buy from my website).

Because the "3 song signed Cd burned straight from my hard drive" was/is selling like it is, I went ahead and signed a bunch more and left them with my team of peeps filling all of the orders before I jumped on the plane to take me to St Croix. I also signed a bunch of full-length Cd's for those of you who are still ordering. Hopefully you'll be one of the ones that gets the signed ones. If we run out of signed ones.. no worries... we'll work it out once I'm back from the tour of St Croix in March.

Also... with all this Venice stuff going on, somehow the release of my latest Cd "live @ Eddie's Attic" has been neglected. The Cd was released on the very day that my song was aired in episode 5 of Venice. So... for all the Venice fans... and for all the JLynn fans... don't forget to pick up your copy. I have made this disk a Limited Edition and all of the money earned goes to a very special cause, of which I cannot tell until we reach our goal. It would compromise the cause if it were to get out. So, just know that every Cd sold is a very big thing for me.... and is very dear to my heart.

Once I return from the Virgin Islands... there will be many more surprises to come (some are so big I can hardly contain myself right now!). However, I do have to focus on this tour right now and put on kick ass, high energy shows to the people of St Croix. I absolutely love this island and the people here. If you ever get a chance to go, DO IT!! Please forgive my lack of tweeting (for you tweeters) as I am doing the best I can...

Now... go to the shop and buy a Cd or two... I promise that I will get the Venice tattoo as soon as we reach 1000 Cd's sold. And for those who are dying to know the count.. believe me when I say... when we get close, I will let you know! All of my tattoo's have to mean something big... I have set that 1k goal as a personal goal and will be a tattoo that I will be so very proud of wearing. I hope that Venice fans will help me reach that incredible goal. It's been a while since I set a goal that big (believe me when I say 1k cd's sold is big for a girl who sells them one at a time out of the truck of her car).... let's do this together!!

On that note... I have to go running... in the cold Nashville weather, I didn't realize how much weight I had packed on... lol... funny how bikini's will put you in check really fast. lol.

Oh... and... every Cd that you order puts your name in the drawing for the signed DVD (giving away three copies) that is with the full band and goes along with "Capturing A Moment - Live", the Cd. It was recorded the same night. There's also a bunch of interviews of the bandmates and myself...  Give away happens this Friday... Jan 22nd.

Love and Peace my newest and oldest fans... I am truly blessed for this placementin Venice. I absolutely love that they are including independent artists... you have no idea how many times us indie artists are passed up for opportunities like this. Thank you Kimmy... CC... and to Jen Foster who hooked me up with those ladies and ultimately, with all of you.

jessi

Next week is Christmas? What? Where did the season go? Yikes. I haven't stepped foot in a mall, nor have I bought my annual Christmas card... oh... wait... I don't do that any year... lol.. I just always SAY I'm gonna, but then I run out of time. I swear, being busy is a lot of fun, but I am way behind in pretty much everything. Take my taxes for example. lol. I have been behind for years... literally... I just FINALLY sent all my info in to my tax guy. Thank God for him. So, now I am current on all my taxes (except maybe one year that I swear is missing, but I have no proof of what so ever).

So... this next year is a year for progress. I have been so incredibly busy for so many years that I have let so many necessary things slide, which has only been adding weight to my shoulders. That's no good. So my new year's resolution, or new life resolution, is to catch up, organize my life and figure out the most efficient way to keep up and actually get somewhere. The roller coaster of my career has kept me busy, for sure...  but it's time to... uh... maybe.. ask for help? Ghasp!!!!!! I know, I know... I don't ask for help for anything. It's terrible.

I love the Holiday's... the Christmas lights and the egg nog!! I love love love it! It makes my heart happy and makes me smile from the inside. My sister and I pulled out all her Christmas decorations and popped in a cheesy Christmas movie (don't ask) and decorated her house... it was so fun! Hot Cocoa... Christmas candles... and then... shutting off the cheesy movie and listening to Christmas tunes and decorating the tree... awwwww... it was a really great night.

On that note... I better hang up here and set my sail for the day. Clean up the tax mess and tuck it away in a closet for seven years. lol.

Happy Holidays my sweet friends...

I didn't want to get up and take the puppies out at 5am, but they insisted. After driving ten hours to get to Dallas, Sarah and I were exhausted and with it raining and slushing around, we just wanted to sleep. I woke up Sarah to go with me since there are safety in numbers, Lord knows, you gotta be safe, right? We put the leashes on the pup's and headed for the door.

Well... just as I was reaching for the handle to NOT let it close, my sweet little dog yanked on her leash and... the door slammed behind me . Locked out. 5am. It's raining. I have no shoes on and both Sarah and I are in our pj's. My heart sank to my feet as I realized what kind of a situation I had just gotten us into. We are staying at a venue, an art gallery in the industrial part of town. There's nowhere to go, nowhere to walk to and damn it.. I'm barefoot and it's pouring down rain.

We see there are a lot of vehicles arriving at one of the buildings down the road, so we walk down that way. I try flagging a few trucks down, but... they drove by us. I mean, two girls in the middle of the industrial part of town at 5am in there pj's? Ummm... yeah... they probably thought we were hookers or something. Well, I finally approach this guy who is walking from one truck to another truck, but he keeps walking.. and I keep talking... I just asked him to call the police for us and he told me nope. It was a company phone and that he wasn't allowed to. Nice, huh? Then he told me to go inside the plant and that they would help us.

They did.

I stood outside with the dogs while Sarah went in and called the police, who called the ADT alarm people, who called someone else who called someone else..... and two hours later... sopping wet... freezing... and huddled in the corner of the building, we were rescued by "Jimmy". The owner's father.

So, the lesson I learned... yeah... no need to say it... I got it.

I have tried to think of a way to address the rumors around Madison about the demise of my band, but honestly, I just don’t have the energy or desire to fire back at the rumor mill. Firing people sucks. I hate it, but it has to be done. Sadly, the friendship is probably not recoverable at this point, which is the saddest part. I have since decided that I will no longer be playing as The Jessi Lynn Band. Don’t be surprised if I show up with another band and maybe some of the same players, but you wont see The Jessi Lynn Band again.

And to address the amount of errors that were printed in the Isthmus article. Please don’t think that the story they printed was factual. Yes, they got bits and pieces, but they made a lot of mistakes in facts , the biggest one is that my parents aren’t together. They ARE together and have been married for thirty four years (separated once, yes, but for a short time). I realize my story is incredibly difficult to follow, but damn.

I’m also very sorry that they never mentioned my band in the article. Seeing as though I come up here every summer to play with them, I think it was a huge mistake to bypass that part of my career. I can’t tell them what to write, but I will say… I was shocked and irritated that they weren’t mentioned. I guess because of the amount of errors, I didn’t zone in on that one in particular until I saw the uproar in my band. I get it. I should have apologized to them for lack of mention in the article, for that, I am sorry.

It’s time to move onward. Believe whatever it is that you want to, just remember to consider the source of the rumor mill… seems like it always leads back to someone I fired. It’s business. This is my career. No hard feelings… just progress…

Hey friends!

It has been insanely busy for me lately. I cannot seem to keep up with everything that needs to be kept up with, especially the website and mailing list and bloging... whew...

First, take a look at my gig schedule, seriously busy. I've been playing a bunch of new places in Wisconsin and trying to get my name back out there and leave it on the tip of everyone's tongues again. It's been a while since I've really been playing Wisconsin, so this summer is extremely important to re-establish myself in my home state. And let's face it, I'm having a damn blast playing these places, and playing new songs (A LOT of new songs in the solo show).

I played this past weekend at a new place in Mauston, WI. Right on Castle Rock Lake, Amazing place. It's called "South Shore" and they managed to open the place in 20 days, so they are really trying to get a handle on last minute everything. I played Saturday & Sunday, both amazing!! Super super laid back, people coming in off the boats and chillin' with good food and drinks out on the patio with me. I was amazed that there were so many people who knew me, or who had seen me years ago and remembered me. That's a good thing!! If I'm remembered after years.. well that's just plain cool.

So... Yeah... I'm playing South Shore again... July 3rd, 4th and 5th... which I was going to keep that weekend opened for myself to hang out with family and friends and just relax... but I had such an amazing time that I couldn't say no. I played almost six hours on Sunday, just because I felt like it. My fingers hurt and I sound like I gargled with razor blades, but... I absolutely loved it.

Then there's the new addition to my team, SandMan Music!! Michael Alexander and I are working together now, he is doing a lot of booking for me as well as helping me re-vamp "Jessi Lynn". We have a photo shoot set up to update my look and attitude, making a detailed plan of what direction I need to go in with my songs, shows, image, band, etc. We are focusing more on solo shows (and A LOT of them) and taking the band out of the clubs and putting us on bigger stages and bigger events. We will still play clubs, but it will be rare. Speaking of... the full band plays at Club Tavern on August 8th. And we play SUMMERFEST this coming Saturday, June 27th at 2pm on the Harley Davidson Stage!!! Those are the kind of events we are going to steer towards, hopefully by next summer we will be on the Country Jam, Hodag, Country Thunder and all them other huge festivals with the national acts.

There are many many other things going on, but you'll have to keep up with the website or mailing list to see all the different layers of which are changing for me. Since bringing so many new songs to my solo shows, people are getting excited again about the music, as am I. It's hard to bring 14 new songs to a show, especially when people want to hear the old stuff... but let me tell you... it's been absolutely amazing for me to share my new songs with you. The comments and compliments from the audience and people noticing the "growth" in my songwriting and my performances... well.... let's just say... the changes are good for everyone involved. It's been a rough couple of years and thank God I am finally seeing the point of it all... lessons that I needed to learn... all wrapped up in growing pains and ultimately... a bigger dream... funny how my life motto is "dream bigger" and sometimes I forget how to do that.

All things in time.

I have been so incredibly busy as of lately that I haven’t done much with the website or interacting with my friends, fans or family. Sheesh… I love being busy, but at the same time… I miss people!!

If you have been paying attention to facebook and myspace, then you know I had a good friend of mine sharing the stage with me for the past week of shows. She is an amazing artist, right out of Nashville, TN and is on Maze Records. Her name… Sarah Peacock. She is truly amazing and I highly recommend that you look her up and buy her debut Cd “Straight For Your Heart”. She and I have been collaborating on a bunch of songs and are excited to share them with you at each of our individual shows as well as the shows we will book together in the future. We both hope there will be more opportunities to share the stage again this summer. If I can get her back up to Wisconsin, that would be awesome!

www.sarahpeacockmusic.com
www.myspace.com/sarahpeacock


Sarah left this morning and is headed to NYC, while I am stickin’ around Wisconsin and continuing the string of shows that I have booked this summer. Oh… and I should tell you all that I am now working with SandMan Music (Michael Alexander) as my booking agent and other business adventures that we are currently working on that we can talk about later *wink*. Now that we are working together, my schedule should fill up tighter than a tick! I know, awesome, right?!

So… here are the rest of the shows I have coming up for the month of June. Be sure to keep checking back to the website for updates. Every day there are new additions and I have had a lot of really last minute gigs lately, so there isn’t much time to promote all of the shows when they are so last minute (such as this weekend for example I just added two shows).

6.17.09 ***Star Country 96.3fm Radio Interview - 9am
6.19.09 The Brink Lounge - 9pm (Madison, WI) - Listening Party with brand new songs that I need your opinions on whether to add them or delete them from my set list.
6.20.09 Strawberry Festival - 10am (Sun Praire, WI)
6.20.09 South Shore - 6pm (Mauston, WI)
6.21.09 South Shore - 11:30am (Mauston, WI)
6.25.09 Baja’s - 8pm (Wis Dells, WI)
6.27.09 Summerfest - 2pm Harley Davidson Stage (Milwaukee, WI)

**check the website for more information on each show**

Also, if you haven’t checked the myspace blog on “Dirt & Sunshine”, please go check it out! Beth Kille (from Clear Blue Betty) and I have teamed up to form a new duo! It’s a side project for both of us and we are bringing new songs that she and I have written and will write together along the way. Beth and I are incredibly excited about this new adventure and will be putting on limited shows every year, so if you get a chance to come see “Dirt & Sunshine”, don’t miss it!

Whew… and on that note, I have to get in the car and head to band practice. The boys and I are playing SUMMERFEST on June 27th at 2pm on the Harley Stage!!! We are also working on new songs that we, as a band, are writing together. We hope that there will be enough additions to our co-writes to showcase a night of them near the end of the summer (before I head south again). This summer is turning out to be amazing. And to think… I was about to get myself a real job. Duh!

If you could help me out a little bit and forward this email to your friends, that would be so helpful. I really want to branch out and meet new people and I would love to meet YOUR friends since you obviously think highly enough of them to call them friends. I have a few free downloads on my website and of course, there are Cd’s, ball caps and (new) T-shirts for sale.

Happy Summer my friends… I look forward to seeing you at a show or two.. Or three.. Or all of them, if you dare! Muhahahahahaha… ;-)

Off to see my boys!

Jessi Lynn
Be Original. Create Yourself.
Dream Bigger.
www.jessilynn.com

So, I have this white board. It haunts me in the night. The list of things that need to be done, whew... as soon as I erase one thing, I have at least two more to add. "Blogging" is one of the things that is NOT on the white board today, but.. here I sit... blogging. Yay Me!

It seems that my email isn't working today, so I figured blogging was okay on this rainy Wisconsin morning. I need to go running so that I get SOME sort of exercise today, which reminds me... I need to put "call NASM for extension on my test:" Darn it. lol. Serves me right for not studying, I forgot to write that on the white board. It's my personal training certification that I need to study for. You know, just in case this whole music thing is a bust. hahahaha... I only get one extension, so I really better find my books.. hmmmm... I wonder where I put them....

Alrighty, this blog is really just me babbling and really has no significance to my career and it's really not helping me get my white board cleared... dang. My assistant is late today... but she just walked in the door... yay Neena... Okay people, here's to a day filled with more erasing than writing... on the white board that is...

Life is an adventure for sure, especially if you're me. lol... I have had the funniest week EVER. Okay, maybe not EVER, but ever (small caps), lol. I can't seem to leave well enough alone, or consult a professional once I've gone a little "too far". The story of my life and now... my hair is orange. It's not the intentional "cool" orange... it's "holy crap, what did I do?" orange. Well that's not exactly true... some of it is very clearly white... platnium maybe? Probably the only platnium I'll ever have in my life... lol... and it's on my head. Super.

Thank God my sister made it obvious that under no circumstances would I be able to pretend that nothing happened and no one would notice. Nope. I felt like a little kid when she looked at me, gasped and said "what did you do?" and then demanded that I take off my hat and show her the damage. Whoops. My brother in law slapped some money on the counter and said "here's my contribution".... so... yeah... thank God for honesty that's only found in family. lol.  Believe me, this isn't something I need to learn again... there's a reason I'm not a hair stylist or colorist or whatever... there's a reason we pay them to sit in their chairs and let them handle it, right? As I sit here with mayo on my hair praying that it doesn't fall off, I have officially learned my lesson and have an appointment tomorrow at 1pm.

Sigh... life as a rock star... clearly I am just a "wanna be"... a real rock star would probably have done it right the first time.

I have been staring at this computer for four solid days. I've barely eaten, showered once and have been outside only to let my dog out. Why? Because that's what "rock stars" do when they want to be "rock stars". haha... I've been working! (Gasp!) Booking is the most difficult thing for me to do, because I absolutely hate it. Finding the venues in the cities that you are passing through at certain times and then doing your best to be honest with the clubs in saying "hey, I probably wont draw all that well because I've never played your city before, but I'm really gonna bust my ass in an effort to put asses in your seats, money in your till and make you love me by the end of the night". It's exhausting, I must admit.

The thing is... It's HARD to get people to show up to all of your shows. People have lives, responsibilities, kids, OTHER PLANS! So, although you bust your ass and try like hell to get the word out, you spend money on promotion and stare at a computer trying to meet people in new cities, sometimes, you end up playing to the bartender and sleeping in the car cuz you didn't make enough money to even pay your bar tab, let alone for a hotel.

I don't mind sleeping in the car, but it really breaks my heart to play in a new place and no one shows up. It's not like I didn't try to get people there, but how on earth do you get people to go from "yeah, I'll be there" to actually getting their asses showered and ready, put them in the car, drive them there and then get them through the doors?

So, on that note... I just want to ask you guys for some help... if you see that I'm coming to your city, can you help me promote by telling your friends? Hanging a poster? Maybe... come to the show and bring someone with you? If you have any ideas for promotion that you want to try out, or if you wanna dance like a monkey on the corner of the busy streets and shout "Come see Jessi Lynn at __________", I welcome your enthusiasm (but don't send me loads of suggestions that just add to my pile of things to do, I can't be on every street corner, oooh... that could be a whole other career, lol).

I'm not "too good" to admit that I can't do this all by myself, I don't want pity, I just want help!

Being a "rock star" is really not all that "cool" until you step foot on stage, but the rest of the "uncool" stuff is what it takes to get you to that stage.

And that.. is all my bitching for today. Oh... and Happy St Patty's Day... I just realized that today is a Holiday. Damn. I need a green beer.

Hallar!