A good friend and fellow songwriter Aaron Ivey started a songwriters group exercise that he calls 7 in 7. Last year was the first year and I was unable to participate because I was on vacation.... but I heard some of the songs that came out of it and I was determined not to miss it this year.
Basically "7 in 7" is a songwriting challenge to write 7 songs in 7 days.... which seems nearly impossible but I am going to give it a try. I know that I will write some very horrible songs.... I will get some good ideas for others and I may come out it of with one or two keepers. I promise that I will share the keepers with you!
It starts today and I am already procrastinating by writing this blog entry..... so I had better get to work :) Wish me luck!
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Miranda Dodson | "They Will Write A Book" Live @Momo's ATX
This weekend we had the honor of opening up for Seth Walker at Momo's here in Austin, TX. We took the opportunity to debut a new song called "They Will Write A Book" I will be heading in to the studio in the next two months to record this new tune and we are aiming to have it out in to your hands by early next year.... for now.... I hope that you enjoy this preview...
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Flipnotics 10/9
The Show last night @ Flipnotics was great.... just one of those moments when you are so grateful to get to make music alongside some of the most talented up-and-coming singer/songwriters in ATX....who also happen to be your friends. If you are unaware of these folks... you need to check them out!
Monday, September 20, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
The Ghost Room 9/10 & KGSR
The Ghost Room Show on Friday night w/ Erin Ivey, Matt the Electrician & Collar Bones (Danny Malone) was memorable indeed.
It was a great night of awesome austin music, turning a friday night Austin bar in to a great listening room. One of my favorite shows that I have been able to play...the sound was great, the line-up was outstanding! Please check out these artists & support their music!
...As I loaded up to head home at about midnight.... I surprised myself by being on the radio! Something that I have always wanted to happen. Thanks to Roger Allen & his show Lone Star State of Mind over at KGSR, that dream was realized on friday when he played "King"... what a treat :) Thanks so much Roger!
It was a great night of awesome austin music, turning a friday night Austin bar in to a great listening room. One of my favorite shows that I have been able to play...the sound was great, the line-up was outstanding! Please check out these artists & support their music!
Saturday, September 4, 2010
ND Show 9/3 | Photos By Daniel Davis
A chance encounter with Austin Photographer Daniel Davis just before the ND show on Thursday night resulted in some magical photos. Special Thanks to Daniel for making these happen on very short notice. If you are in need of some high quality photos don't hesitate to use this guy... simply amazing!
Check out Daniel's blog
Sunday, August 22, 2010
'63 Gibson J45 -- Her name is "Redd"
So I have decided to name my new guitar "Redd".... I think that it is fitting & a little sassy!
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Music is a Responsibility...
Music is a responsibility... at least that is what I believe. I am sure that there are smarter folks & relativists that will argue with me.... but they seem to argue with everybody, so people don't much like them in the first place. They don't count.
Everyone has certain things that they are better at than others, "talents" if you will... and some people are really good at those things... so good that other people celebrate them for it. They want to watch them do their thing, hear them, meet them... and in some cases be them. The highest level of this is easily seen in our celebrity culture.
MOST celebrities are miserable narcissistic a-holes...give them enough time, money & attention and they will go all "Britney" on us. Truth is...if we really knew them we probably would not like them, nor would we want to support them and certainly we would not want to be them. However, there are a few celebrities that see their talents not only as a way to live comfortably & get boost their ego... but they also feel a sense of responsibility to better the world. To name a few...Bill Gates, Bono, Angelina Jolie...even Dog the Bounty Hunter! You know... after Dog cusses the fugitive out...and threatens them with a giant can of pepper-spray with a trigger on it?!?! ... he always gives them a cig... and lets them use his cellphone to call and cry on the phone to their mom about how sorry they are... but not before giving them his personal testimony about his life of crime and encouraging them to give up their evil ways.
Even Dog knows that there is more to life than being an ass-kicking celebrity with a reality show. All these these "good" celebrities are more than likely still narcissistic a-holes (how could you not be with an awesome mullet like that?!)... but at least they are trying to use their gifts to make the world a better place. At least on the surface, they seem to know that it isn't all about them.
I don't condone everything that these celebrities do... but I do think that they are on to something here... I mean, what if we ALL used our gifts and talents for GOOD and not just for selfish gain? People with "ordinary" gifts do it everyday... folks at SafePlace working to end domestic violence & the folks at Austin Children's Shelter rescuing children out of life-threatening situations, providing shelter and counseling. Or my friend Jenn who supervises 8-10 teenage girls in a group therapy home here in Austin, helping them learn to heal from their past and cope with the disappointments of everyday life with out resorting to abuse or violence. -- these folks are my heros. Seems to me like we all have a responsibility here...somehow musicians get let off the hook. We are so in love with their talents... we give them a free pass to be self-consumed.
If the folks at SafePlace & Austin Children's Shelter can do it... I think that musicians should do it. That is why I am apart of organizations like Music For The City... a local non-profit that allows Austin musicians to use their gifts to benefit Austin charities. Last year, myself along with 13 other Austin artists including: Alpha Rev, Band of Heathens, Quiet Company, The Soldier Thread... donated a song to the Music For The City Vol. 1 compilation, all proceeds go directly to benefit SafePlace & Austin Children's Shelter. You can pick up your copy today at Waterloo Records or order directly HERE.
I also have the opportunity to play some music for the folks over at Blue Dog Rescue who are celebrating their 10 year anniversary with a benefit on October 3rd @ the Ghost Room. I hear that there are going to be loads of musical artists including Teri Hendrix, Graham Wilkinson, Lloyd Maines as well as an artisan market to help them raise money to continue to help animals in need. Come out and support this great organization!
Music is a gift that we tend to hijack for selfish gain.... Music is something that makes our city one of the best cities in the world...Music is also a responsibility to leave this world in better shape than when we found it. I may not live this out perfectly, but God knows I am trying.
Everyone has certain things that they are better at than others, "talents" if you will... and some people are really good at those things... so good that other people celebrate them for it. They want to watch them do their thing, hear them, meet them... and in some cases be them. The highest level of this is easily seen in our celebrity culture.
"...give them enough time, money & attention and they will all go "Britney"
MOST celebrities are miserable narcissistic a-holes...give them enough time, money & attention and they will go all "Britney" on us. Truth is...if we really knew them we probably would not like them, nor would we want to support them and certainly we would not want to be them. However, there are a few celebrities that see their talents not only as a way to live comfortably & get boost their ego... but they also feel a sense of responsibility to better the world. To name a few...Bill Gates, Bono, Angelina Jolie...even Dog the Bounty Hunter! You know... after Dog cusses the fugitive out...and threatens them with a giant can of pepper-spray with a trigger on it?!?! ... he always gives them a cig... and lets them use his cellphone to call and cry on the phone to their mom about how sorry they are... but not before giving them his personal testimony about his life of crime and encouraging them to give up their evil ways.
"Even Dog knows that there is more to life than being an ass-kicking celebrity with a reality show."
Even Dog knows that there is more to life than being an ass-kicking celebrity with a reality show. All these these "good" celebrities are more than likely still narcissistic a-holes (how could you not be with an awesome mullet like that?!)... but at least they are trying to use their gifts to make the world a better place. At least on the surface, they seem to know that it isn't all about them.
I don't condone everything that these celebrities do... but I do think that they are on to something here... I mean, what if we ALL used our gifts and talents for GOOD and not just for selfish gain? People with "ordinary" gifts do it everyday... folks at SafePlace working to end domestic violence & the folks at Austin Children's Shelter rescuing children out of life-threatening situations, providing shelter and counseling. Or my friend Jenn who supervises 8-10 teenage girls in a group therapy home here in Austin, helping them learn to heal from their past and cope with the disappointments of everyday life with out resorting to abuse or violence. -- these folks are my heros. Seems to me like we all have a responsibility here...somehow musicians get let off the hook. We are so in love with their talents... we give them a free pass to be self-consumed.
"Seems to me like we all have a responsibility here..."
I also have the opportunity to play some music for the folks over at Blue Dog Rescue who are celebrating their 10 year anniversary with a benefit on October 3rd @ the Ghost Room. I hear that there are going to be loads of musical artists including Teri Hendrix, Graham Wilkinson, Lloyd Maines as well as an artisan market to help them raise money to continue to help animals in need. Come out and support this great organization!
Music is a gift that we tend to hijack for selfish gain.... Music is something that makes our city one of the best cities in the world...Music is also a responsibility to leave this world in better shape than when we found it. I may not live this out perfectly, but God knows I am trying.
Monday, August 16, 2010
#13 on Waterloo Charts | #5 in Texas Releases
Just wanted to celebrate with you all... and say thanks for helping "Change A Thing" to be come #13 on the Waterloo Charts this week and #5 on the Texas Release Chart!!
Help us stay there by picking up your copy TODAY at Waterloo Records for only $6.99!
Help us stay there by picking up your copy TODAY at Waterloo Records for only $6.99!
Friday, August 13, 2010
New/Old Guitars Make Me Happy...
So, I have been in the market for a while now for a 50's-60's Gibson J45. Paste Magazine did a great article on this American classic that I thoroughly enjoyed (read it online HERE). These are great guitars... and the trouble is.... everyone knows it. Finally, after a year of going in to Austin Vintage Guitar shop, reading, researching, pricing, playing & dreaming.... this week.... I found her, and she is beautiful!
1963 Gibson J45 -- a couple of scars help tell me a story about this guitars life. I know that it was bought at the Kerville Folk Festival many years ago, and the owner before me said that it came with these scars so he didn't know how they happened, but they don't effect the tone, which is most important thing. The crappy adjustable bridge has been replace by master luthier John Allison of Allison Guitars. This thing has some tone! I am not one for having pet names for my guitars... but this NEEDS one.
It is a pretty little thing... so I am saying that she is a girl... I look at those hips! And she is old so I am thinking it needs to be an older name... like "Gerturde" or "Ethal"... but those just don't fit. I need to live with her a bit... write some stories and songs. She will reveal her name in due time. Till then, if you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them :)
xoxo,
m-
It is a pretty little thing... so I am saying that she is a girl... I look at those hips! And she is old so I am thinking it needs to be an older name... like "Gerturde" or "Ethal"... but those just don't fit. I need to live with her a bit... write some stories and songs. She will reveal her name in due time. Till then, if you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them :)
xoxo,
m-
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
KUT Song of the Day TODAY!
"Too Late"off of the new Album "Change A Thing", is going to be featured on NPR's local Austin Station KUT 90.5 today at 1:30.
You can download "Too Late" for FREE on KUT's Texas Music Matters website HERE.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Texas Music Matters | KUT Interview
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Miranda's iPhone APP... FREE!!
So ...turns out I have an iPhone APP :D
It is really kind of cool... photos, music, tour dates.... hey!! we can even chat!! Supposedly there is an update coming soon that will also integrate videos, twitter & facebook.
BUY it HERE for $0.99
To get the APP for FREE all you have to do is purchase your tickets to the release show in advance through frontgate tickets HERE. then forward your email confirmation to fans@mirandadodson.com. We will then email you your free app.
You're welcome :)
It is really kind of cool... photos, music, tour dates.... hey!! we can even chat!! Supposedly there is an update coming soon that will also integrate videos, twitter & facebook.
To get the APP for FREE all you have to do is purchase your tickets to the release show in advance through frontgate tickets HERE. then forward your email confirmation to fans@mirandadodson.com. We will then email you your free app.
You're welcome :)
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Miranda Dodson - "King" @ La Zona Rosa 5/8/2010
On Saturday I had the privilege of getting to open Music For The City VOL 1 release show at La Zona Rosa. It was a really great night of music and raising money for two of Austin's best charities: SafePlace & Austin Chidren's Shelter. My new single "Too Late" was selected to be on this compilation of 14 Local Austin bands including: Alpha Rev, Band of Heathens, The Soldier Thread, Quiet Company & more!
Check out this video of "King" which is a new song that will be on my upcoming album "Change A Thing" out June 15th!!
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Loving Austin | Music For The City
Today I partnered with Music For The City's "Art of Giving" program to bring some music, smiles and love to some kids on Austin's East side.
Austin has the oldest housing project in the nation...yes the oldest. Single story apartments arranged neatly in rows of dull gray brick with sea-foam green trim. Each apartment had its own large antenna-like clothesline outside each front door... some things must be done the old fashioned way. Aside from an occasional drying towel, t-shirt or cheap-plastic chair nothing about the outside of the apartments distinguished one from the other. It was 3:15 in the afternoon and signs of life were minimal.
The children aged 6-12 years old were equal in numbers of boys and girls... all either African American or Hispanic (though I know that other races live in the complex). This is an after school program...similar to the kind that I went to in elementary school. Sometimes there are 5 kids and sometimes there are 30 kids... today we had about 8. The two teachers help the kids with their homework, they do crafts and eat dinner. My first assignment was to help an 11-year-old girl with her homework, looking up definitions to 15 words and writing them in a spiral notebook... F-U-N (insert sarcasm here). She couldn't have been less interested in the definition to "refill"or in this hipster white-girl trying to help make it seem like fun... it took some encouraging and some team work... but we managed to get some work done.
Next we sat in a circle and talked a little about their favorite kind of music - "Rap" and "Taylor Swift" (which evidently is now a genre). I sang portions to a couple of my new songs off my upcoming album, "Prodigal" & "Too Late", even did a little of Patty Griffin's MLK tribute song "Up To The Mountain"... which they all really liked a lot. They sat attentively and piped in with song requests like "Smooth Criminal" which caused me to pull out the big guns... BEAT-BOXING...and I must say... I'm pretty legit. At this point my homework assistant was pretty interested in the white-girl with the guitar :) If the beat-boxing & singing didn't win them over... my next trick was going to make me go down in East-side After-school program HISTORY... thank you Michael Jackson for... the MOON-walk... when I pulled out "The Golden Ticket"... you would have thought that I was the King of Pop incarnate!
It was 45 mins of my day, a few party tricks and a sharing of the gift I have been given. These kids are worth this and so much more. Lets be honest... the odds and many other things are against them.
For more information about Music For The City and the "Art of Giving" program go to www.musicforthecity.org
Austin has the oldest housing project in the nation...yes the oldest. Single story apartments arranged neatly in rows of dull gray brick with sea-foam green trim. Each apartment had its own large antenna-like clothesline outside each front door... some things must be done the old fashioned way. Aside from an occasional drying towel, t-shirt or cheap-plastic chair nothing about the outside of the apartments distinguished one from the other. It was 3:15 in the afternoon and signs of life were minimal.
The children aged 6-12 years old were equal in numbers of boys and girls... all either African American or Hispanic (though I know that other races live in the complex). This is an after school program...similar to the kind that I went to in elementary school. Sometimes there are 5 kids and sometimes there are 30 kids... today we had about 8. The two teachers help the kids with their homework, they do crafts and eat dinner. My first assignment was to help an 11-year-old girl with her homework, looking up definitions to 15 words and writing them in a spiral notebook... F-U-N (insert sarcasm here). She couldn't have been less interested in the definition to "refill"or in this hipster white-girl trying to help make it seem like fun... it took some encouraging and some team work... but we managed to get some work done.
It was 45 mins of my day, a few party tricks and a sharing of the gift I have been given. These kids are worth this and so much more. Lets be honest... the odds and many other things are against them.
For more information about Music For The City and the "Art of Giving" program go to www.musicforthecity.org
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Patty Griffin | Austin CIty Limits
I have this friend... who really only calls me for one reason... to tell me that he has spare tickets to Austin City Limits tapings. On Monday at 6:26PM my phone rang.... it was Daniel:
me: Hello!?!?
daniel: Hey... what are you doing in the next two hours?
me: nothing (which wasn't exactly true...I had a meeting)
daniel: well...Patty??
me: NO
daniel: YES
me: NNNOOOO
daniel: YYYEESSS!!... but you have got to get here to get the tickets in the next 30 mins!
me: I will make it happen!! Let me call you back...
click.
I hang up...cancel my meeting.... instruct my husband (who has our only car) to drive like heck to get over to Daniel for the tickets (across town)... come back across town to the house, pick me up.... get back over to the studio, park... and be in line to be let in at 7:40PM.
We cut it close but... we made it...and it was UNBELIEVABLE!!!
Here is a pic of Buddy Miller...Patty Griffin...Emmy Lou Harris....Shawn Colvin... what a treat :)
me: Hello!?!?
daniel: Hey... what are you doing in the next two hours?
me: nothing (which wasn't exactly true...I had a meeting)
daniel: well...Patty??
me: NO
daniel: YES
me: NNNOOOO
daniel: YYYEESSS!!... but you have got to get here to get the tickets in the next 30 mins!
me: I will make it happen!! Let me call you back...
click.
I hang up...cancel my meeting.... instruct my husband (who has our only car) to drive like heck to get over to Daniel for the tickets (across town)... come back across town to the house, pick me up.... get back over to the studio, park... and be in line to be let in at 7:40PM.
We cut it close but... we made it...and it was UNBELIEVABLE!!!
Here is a pic of Buddy Miller...Patty Griffin...Emmy Lou Harris....Shawn Colvin... what a treat :)
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
"Too Late" (single) | Released TODAY!
Buy it on Amazon.com or...
Get it for FREE HERE. (just name your own price as $0)
Friday, April 16, 2010
"Too Late" (single) | Releasing 4/20
Miranda Dodson's single "Too Late" will release on April 20th.Stream it now and become a fan on Facebook...
or...
Join her newsletter and get an advanced copy FREE!!
Monday, April 12, 2010
Brandi Carlile | Austin City Limits
I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to get to see the Austin City Limits taping of Rosanne Cash & Brandi Carlile (thanks Daniel!).
It was easily the best live show experience I have ever had. I came to the show a Brandi Carlile fan... and left a believer. Sitting 20 feet from her with little to no visual interruption (exception being the occasional camera flying through)... she had all of us eating out of the palm of her hand. She is undeniably excellent at her craft & compelling as an entertainer. If you haven't hear her new album "Give Up The Ghost" you should pick up today.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Upcoming Release...
Team Miranda is gearing up for the upcoming release of Miranda Dodson's debut album "Change A Thing".
Follow Miranda on Twitter and Facebook
Also be sure to sign up for the email list to be in on free music giveaways and more!
Follow Miranda on Twitter and Facebook
Also be sure to sign up for the email list to be in on free music giveaways and more!
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