Hey folks!
I have TWO very cool things to share with you!
First, I was nominated for an Upstate Music Award! The 864 Award goes to a local musician or music supporter each year who demonstrates outstanding character, philanthropy, and compassion for the upstate music scene. I was/am so incredibly honored to have been nominated, as I feel like I am making only very small ripples in our local songwriter community. My hope since 2020 when we started our Greenville NSAI chapter has been to make our local songwriters more visible in our communities. We have such incredible storytellers, musicians, and song wizards all around us in the upstate, and it’s been a joy to connect with so many!
I would love your vote! You can vote every day until February 10th, and all you need to do to get started is create an account with an email address - and don’t worry, they do not spam you! Click here to go vote, and also check out the incredible musicians nominated in other categories while you’re there!
OK now the next very cool thing!
A little background story first.
During the pandemic, I saw a call for songwriters from the Barbershop Harmony Society. They wanted to pair a songwriter with a high school choir, who would then write 3 new songs that would eventually be made into a barbershop arrangement for the choir. Cool stuff, right? I submitted my materials, but was not matched with anyone.
Oh well!
Then early last year I received an email asking me if I was still interested in participating in the program since I was not previously matched. I re-submitted my materials and days later received an email saying this:
“We have paired you with Wade Hampton High School in Greenville, SC.”
UM WHAT?!
They did not know that 1) I live in Greenville, 2) That I work in the same school district (and the schools are literally 15 minutes from each other) and 3) That I know the director and have worked with her before.
Such a crazy coincidence, and it was actually a pretty magical experience. Since I was local, I got to go to their choir class and talk with students to get inspiration for the songs I would write for them. It was such a fun process, and a songwriting experience I had never had before. Writing for other people, deadlines, keeping the barbershop genre in mind…it was a challenge and made me stretch as a songwriter. I loved it.
The songs were then arranged by the INCREDIBLE Melody Hine, and in August the Wade Hampton Singers began rehearsing! They will be debuting these songs at the Midwinter Convention in Florida next month, AND after their performance the SHEET MUSIC WILL BE FOR SALE!!! I’m freaking out with how cool that is. Once I have the online links to share with how to purchase it, I’ll be sure to update you. ;)
Now, I’m starting to record the songs to release on a little EP later this year. ProTools and I have a lot of catching up to do!
So those are my exciting things. I hope you think they are exciting. I’d be excited if they were your things.
Until next time!
Lindsay
PS - If you aren’t subscribed to my updates, make sure you put your email address in at the top of my homepage! You’ll get updates straight to your inbox, and I’ll never spam you, because spamming is lame!