I’ve always wanted to go to music school.  It was a dream of mine.  I auditioned for lots of them as a senior in high school, but life took me down a different road to get where I am now.  I became an Occupational Therapist- guiding adults, children and even infants towards goals that seemed impossible for them.  Teaching them to do their “jobs” (crawling, getting dressed, holding crayons, all sorts of things) despite physical problems, premature birth, illness, strokes, head injuries, etc.

Now I’m a full-time musician, which was my ultimate goal, and I’m trying to lead myself toward goals that sometimes feel too big to handle.  It’s ironic that my training in O.T. is what is now helping me take myself to music school.  That’s my gift to myself this year.  Music School.  Right here at home, at my little red desk with a 3-ring binder, metronome, ipod, some blank TAB and staff paper, pencils, and a big sheet of star stickers that my sister gave me.

I’m starting with a week of cover songs.  I’m learning a song per day, arranging it for solo Dobro and voice, recording it, listening to it over and over and analyzing the structure, melody, guitar licks, rhymes…  getting all of that in my bones.  It’s only day two of this project and I’m learning way more than I ever thought I would.  I started with one of my favorites, Bonnie Raitt’s version of “I Feel The Same.”  I could spend a week analyzing just the guitar licks in this recording (and I might!).  But today I’m moving on to Justin Townes Earle’s song “Momma’s Eyes.”  A simple, beautiful song with no licks to speak of.  I’ll focus on the melody, the rhyme, the simplicity.

Later this month, after I fill my ears and hands with all this great music, I’m planning to do a week-long project of writing a song per day.  And, of course, I will earn shiny little star stickers for every little step I take.

Saturday’s show in State College is still on- hope to see you there!

I’ve also got a duo show with Anthony da Costa this month, out in State College, PA.  A beautiful room with no need for amplification or microphones.  I’m really looking forward to doing some of the new songs we’ve worked up, including the Tennessee Waltz.  Here’s a youtube clip of us doing it for the first time back in December.

And in other news… Red Molly’s latest CD, JAMES, comes out this month!  WAHOO!  I can’t wait for everyone to hear it!

Abbie

The new Red Molly CD “James” is being duplicated and I can’t wait to share it with the world.  My Dad, Herb Gardner, is our special guest piano player and I’ve got a couple originals on the record that I’m really happy with.  Getting our friends involved is always a thrill for me, this time we recorded one of Anthony da Costa’s songs (The Last Call) and have Fred Gillen, Jr. singing a duet (Gulf Coast Highway).  Lots of other great surprises, stay tuned for the release!

So excited to announce that my song “The Mind of a Soldier” (Grand prize winning song in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest) will be played on Lufthansa airlines in January and February on all their international flights!  The song is literally “taking off!”  Let me know if you hear it!

This month, Pat Wictor releases his new CD “Livin’ Ever Lovin’ LIVE” featuring a jazzy little duet that we co-wrote, called “A Little Love is Gonna Do.”  We’ll play it live at John Platt’s Sunday Breakfast on January 10th, so listen for the live performance and interview online or at 90.7 FM in the NYC area.  We’ll do a bunch of songs live together at the Living Room on January 12th at the Under The Radar Series.  Also on the bill is Dala- a lovely female duo from Canada.

I’m happy to announce that the Christmas duet I wrote and recorded with Anthony da Costa has made it to the #5 slot on the Folk DJ charts for December!  It’s called “We Need a Little Christmas” and was included on the Hudson Harding sampler.  Available on iTunes as a download, along with my grumpy song “Burn Down the Christmas Tree.”

Happy New Year!

Abbie

Abbie

Pre-orders just opened up for the new Red Molly CD.” We’re putting the finishing touches on it and have some fancy photos for the cover, too. Sort of non-folky, considering we’re wearing floor-length gowns, but we had fun with it.

October’s Slide Session with Brooks Williams was the last at Googie’s Lounge. It was a great place to get my little project started over the past year. Now I’m re-thinking the series and hoping to take it to a whole other level! But first I have to go pack up my Dobro, load my iPod with Jerry Douglas tracks, and get ready for Nashville! When I come back I’ve got my first solo gig of the season at Columbia University’s Postcrypt Coffeehouse (11/14).