Live From The Bluebird Cafe!

Hey, everybody! Saturday, we went to Nashville to The Bluebird Cafe where our friend, Jim Parker, was booked to sing with Janet McLaughlin, Casey Kelly and Leslie Ellis, all published songwriters.
A few weeks ago at Jim's Showcase, Janet had mentioned that I should come up to Nashville and sing with them at The Bluebird Cafe...I wasn't sure she was really serious...but.....we thought it would be fun to go, anyway, and see what all goes on at the Bluebird, as we have not been before, and cheer on our friends, Jim and Janet.

Johnny Okwu, the producer of my CD tracks (soon to be my guitar teacher) was in Nashville buying recording equipment so he said he would drop in also!

Since the show was sold out (meaning tables) and the benches are first-come-first-served, we got to the Cafe an hour early to get in line. We were lucky to be near the front of the line and when the doors opened we were able to get seats in a "park bench"...yep...a park bench...Mom, Grandmother and I had to sit sort of sideways to fit, but we were close to the performers. Jim came in and started moving around the room speaking to people. He gives a big hug to all his friends...we sort of look forward to those hugs! There were a few other people from Huntsville there. The other songwriters arrived and Janet saw us, waved and came over to "our bench." She bent over and whispered to me...I almost stopped breathing.

The most awesome thing happened...(watch this video)...

I'm a member of the Nashville Songwriters Association, International (NSAI) and have entered a couple of songwriting competitions and was honored to win first place two years in a row. But this event was awesome! You have to audition to sing at The Bluebird Cafe. This was a dream come true! I do plan to go to an audition when they advertise the next one. Janet had asked me if I would like to sing acapella since they don't allow tapes or CDs there. I told her that our friend, Johnny, was there and would play if he could borrow a guitar. She said okay. Later Janet told the audience, that when I said I had a friend that could play, she thought it would be someone that sort of strummed along. Everone was impressed with Johnny's playing. I'm excited that he will be my guitar teacher.

Jim, MaryJustice, Janet, Leslie, Casey....their show was terrific!

Me with Janet and Johnny.

Jim, me, Johnny, The Bluebird Cafe!

I am so very, very blessed to have friends like Jim and the opportunity to meet people like Janet!

Thank you, Jesus! You are so "Beautiful"......