summer festivals!

This may have been one of the craziest weeks of my life.

The last seven days have included:
(june decorating the uhaul)

-MOVING to Salt Lake City, and all the
packing-cleaning-heavy lifting-and sticker
removal that goes with it. We will be here for
three years for my husband's job.

-DRIVING from:
Boise ---->SLC (unpack truck)
SLC--->Boise (Play Alive After 5)
Boise--->SLC (back to house o boxes)
SLC--->Cedar City (rocking Groovefest)
Cedar City---> SLC (back to house o boxes)


-MUSIC MAKING
The best part of the week was making music.
I got to play the Alive After 5 summer concert series in
Boise with The Brothers Comotose. Thank you GO*LISTEN*BOISE

(photo by Jess Haskell Norton)
Next was the Utah Arts Fest with the full band. I have wanted to play
the Arts Fest for years and it was so lovely. We had a full crowd,
and playing music with Dylan, Ryan, & Pat always
boosts my happiness level to new heights. Thank you
Arts Fest for having us, and thanks to
Dan Nailen at City Weekly for the including us in your write up!

I saw my friend Paul Jacobsen open for Sheryl Crow
at Red Butte Gardens. He killed and the scenery up there is stunning.

(photo by James McDonald)
And I got to finish my weekend off by playing Groovefest down in Cedar City.
What a cool festival, the feeling there is really welcoming and relaxed. Big Thanks to Tim and Lisa for having me. I loved it!

NEXT UP:
ROOFTOP CONCERT SERIES ON FRIDAY JULY 1ST at 8pm!
FREE IN PROVO! An incredible band has been pieced together to faithfully re-create the Beatles "Abbey Road" album. I will be starting the night off.

My inspiration tip this week: Listen to Tift Merritt interview Josh Ritter on The Spark.

xo
sarah

30 Years. Let's Play a Game!

(baby sarah with grandma. nice hair grandma.)

Today I turn 30 years old.

In celebration I feel like playing a game.
The game is: 5 truths and 1 lie about my life so far.
( I may or may not love games and gambling.)

Ready? Ok, you guess the lie.

1. I have escaped a forest fire.

2. I once broke two bones in one day. Separately.

3. I hate eggs.

4. I've attended 4 rainbow gatherings. You may or
may not want to know more depending on how
comfortable you feel with nudity, camping, and trade circles.

5. I was the fastest girl in my grade school class.
Even won the 'annual turkey trot.'

6. Had a guinea pig once that ran away.
Came back a month later missing an eye.

Your guess is......

Anyone who leaves the right guess in the comments
gets a free download of any of my albums seen here.

xoxoxo
sarah

finding a bit of joy

I had a moment of clarity on Sunday.
The thought came to me that I needed to
LET GO.
Surrender something over
to let something else in.

I am choosing to surrender worry right now.
I am choosing to let a quiet joy enter my heart.

I realized quiet clearly that I spend
a generous amount of time thinking about me
and what I want and what I don't have.
Not that I think I shouldn't be clear on what
I want. But I think that worrying about what I
want is a waste of space and time. Especially
when so much of the life I want is in front of me daily.

Frankly, there are so many other people and events
that deserve a spot of 'generous thinking' in my mind and heart.

Now it is only tuesday...BUT I have eaten good food.
I have been playing the piano and writing a new song.
We had some of our favorite friends over for Sunday dinner.
I have gone on a hike with my daughter and
bowling with my husband.
I have my family.


(family photo attempt while in Kerrville TX)

I have enough and I am enough.
I am happy.

xo
s

what are a few ways that you practice feeling gratitude and letting go?

Happy Birthday June!

Three years ago today I endured a long hard labor
ending in a c-section to birth my beautiful daughter
June!
I had crossed the divide from one life to the next.
I no longer was responsible just for myself. I had
created life and my life would never look the same.

I remember feeling fearful about changes that would come with
bringing a baby into the world. And what is interesting
is that most of those fears never saw the surface. And those
things I feared that did show up, paled in comparison
to the bounteous love that was overflowing for the little
peapod named June.

I remember one night on my birthday, June was just
a month and a half old. I had felt left behind all day,
the celebratory dinner was a bust, I was an emotional wreck
from sleeping 2.3 hours a night since she was born. I felt
like all the people and places that I normally found comfort
in were a wash. Instead, I remember turning to June in my arms
for comfort. In fact, she was the only one who could
give it that night. Maybe it was because the love
I had for her was so pure and untainted that
she echoed that in every breath and glance? Or
perhaps her sweet small spirit radiated something
way beyond her 10 pound frame could contain?
Regardless, in my sorrow I found love---a pure love from my child.
It was a great lesson to me. June has continually taught me
truths in the last 3 years. She is my lucky star.
I have often found myself spontaneously laughing
or smiling while watching June live her life.
I will be forever grateful that this sweet girl
calls me "mom."

Happy Birthday June. May all your princess and fairy wishes come true!

ps. I remember my friend Dom a few years ago asked if June had entered the "princess" phase. I replied no, and remember thinking, "I don't think she will go through that"- WRONG.

pss. Me- June, what do you want for your birthday?
June- CAKE CAKE CAKE!
life. is. good.

xo
s

TRUE FANS

How is it possible I haven't posted in a MONTH!?

Sorry.

So I've been thinking of late about the concept of "audience" and "fans."
I remember once as a kid watching a Michael Jackson concert on TV.
The screen revealed women crying and basically going into seizures at the
chance to touch his gloved hand.
I've watched the dedication of jamband followers, who literally
drive from concert to concert making each new venue a home.

I've been in crowds of Josh Ritter fans or Swells Season fans who
sing every word and are an integral part of the show.
I've watched a town pick a band to stand behind and every
show becomes the hip scene that you would be drastically
insane to miss.

So my question today....How does that happen?
What separates, in your opinion, music that you find enjoyable
from music that you would tell your friends about, or make sure
you waited in line to see the show?
Is it the songs? Is there something about the live show? Is it because
someone you trust told you, you must check out their tunes? Do your
favorite performers give back to their audiences?

Being around music as much as I am, I still feel at a loss sometimes
of pinpointing what is working and what is not. I know of many talented
musicians who I believe are deserving of a larger fan base, but how does
that connection happen?

I would love to hear your thoughts on this. Who are your
favorite bands? What about them makes you want to be
involved?

xo
sarah

PS. HAPPY RECORD STORE DAY! Especially to my own Boise Record Exchange and SLC Slowtrain Records. I was in SLC this weekend for shows and I saw some mighty fine bands play this afternoon. Worthy in my mind of your listening ears :)

12 years old

can we all agree this picture is pure awesomeness?

I just found it and laughed out loud.
a few things to notice...

a. my sweet yamaha guitar passed down from
my mom's high school drama years

b. my sweet tie dye. if you didn't know me in
grade school--I will fill you in. There were many
tie dyes, batiks, fimo bead necklaces, leather
peace sign necklaces, troll earrings,
and the occasional taco bell fanny pack.

c. don't worry, the phone is the size of my head.
dear technology...you have come a long way.

d. the sweet previa van. this is also the van in which
i once ran over my brother. it's cool. don't worry, he is fine.

e. I love this photo, because starting very early in my life
I had a love for music and a desire to learn
how to write songs. I think I could learn a few things
from the 12 year old version of myself
about having the right intention and heart about life.

xo
s

Folk Alliance

Last weekend I was in Memphis for the national Folk Alliance. The conference brings together musicians and music industry folks (radio, festivals, promoters, record companies etc). A few thousand people spend part of a week doing everything related to music. Three floors of the hotel are used as showcases floors, and every room magically transforms into a small listening venue. Musicians run from room to room performing original songs for all to hear. It is a bit insane, and really wonderful as well. It is great to connect with friends and house concert hosts and see musicians you have heard about but not yet witnessed. I left exhausted and yet so full of hope that so many musicians are finding a way to make a living doing what they love.


A few favorite moments:

1. Having the best roomies: Edie Carey & Mai Bloomfield. They both played incredible showcases and we all had a pretty ridiculous time singing together.

2. The Rendezvous: famous ribs. good friends. trolley ride...what more could you want?

3. Cover your friends round at the Market Monkeys room. On the last night after the last showcase, a group of musicians got together with the intent to play songs your friends wrote. It was pretty emotional. To have a friend sing your words and melody, strum your chords all with a new perspective...I could have stayed in that room for days. Friends covered friends like Natalia Zuckerman, Garrison Starr, Matt The Electrician, Edie Carey, Nels Andrews, Robby Hect, Rose Cousins...

4. Darrell Scott, Ron Sexsmith, Mary Gauthier, Eliza Gilkenson...yeah, they played and were so inspiring. Esp when Mary G. pulled out her guitar chord and walked into the audience to play her show due to sound problems. Mary--you are rad.













(mai, edie, justin, and ed on the trolley)

4. Open your ears!
My heart was opened again and again by incredible songwriters. Check them out if you haven't already...
Edie Carey- is such a pro, she is one of my favorite songwriters. She has a beautiful new album out...and you will LOOOVE it
Mai Bloomfield- mai was such a solid performer all weekend I was impressed again and again
Rose Cousins- that voice!!! Rose has collaborated with the best and is a true talent from Canada!
Ed Romanoff- Ed lives in NY, check out the song he wrote with Mary Gauthier called 'Orphan King'
Amy Speace- I heard a new song by amy that was dynamite, the title was something about "our love song" she has a new album coming out this spring, so be on the lookout!
Matt The Electrician- my first memories of Matt are when I saw him in Austin playing a show with the Weepies at Flipnotics. He was so good then...now he is pretty unreal.
Andy Gullahorn- such a great songwriter. the ability to make me laugh and then cry in the same song...don't know how you do that. LOVE his album "Law of Gravity"
Justin Roth- justin has a new album out that he recorded himself...great guitar player and beautiful voice
Ana Egge- I have heard Anna's name for years, but she played a showcases that had me in awe. The Steel Wheels backed her up and I wanted it to last longer...
Storyhill- such good people, good songs, and their harmonies are so dialed in...
Natalia Zukerman & Garrison Starr- so great together. I love when women rock at guitar.
Cary Cooper/ TPR--they have been writing songs a long time and you can tell in the best way....
Amber Rubarth- amber's is another name I have been hearing, her showcase was genuine and beautiful.
Ellis- opening hearts as usual!

The list could go on and on. I missed so many musicians I wanted to catch, maybe next year.
Thank you to Louis and everyone at FA for a great week!

xo
s

PS: want to join the mailing list? ok. just mosey over to the right side of the page...