I'm not good at keeping up with this, am I?

Lots has been going down. I have 26 1/2 songs completely written by 100% me, which is pretty nifty. Also, Dad got a new Mac, so I've discovered the beauty of Garage Band. I've mixed some of my songs and made them slightly snazzy. Some of the instruments featured include: a basket, a ruler, my ukulele, a spoon, a violin, and mad whistling skills.

Let's see...the last show I did was at the CCC Trail Winery. It was a Songwriter's Round with Brittany Taylor, Stephen Salyers, and Bronson Bush, with Trista Mabry as a special guest. It was heaps of fun, despite my keyboard malfunctions.

I'm preparing to head off to college! I'm so excited, but nervous, too. I'm afraid something is going to go wrong with my financial aid to keep me from going. Haha. Pray that doesn't happen.

Well, I'm going to bed. Goodnight, all.

Ciao!

-Staci

Hillbilly Days

Good evening, all. Quite a bit has been going on in the life of myself. I've been such a busy bee.

This past weekend, an historic annual event occurred. This event is embedded into the hearts of each and every Eastern Kentuckian alive. We look upon these days with tenderness and fervor.

What occurred is what we all know and love as Hillbilly Days.

A day to honor all the stereotypes that are placed upon us. To embrace our redneck heritage. To freely use words not found in the proper English language like "ain't", "holler" (referring to a backroad, not a manner of yelling), "waller", and "warsh." A day where you can see these guys:


I adore Hillbilly Days and all it represents.

Really.

I had the best barbeque in the world. Like, no other barbeque can top this. There was an abundance of it. And also gyros. They seem to be extremely popular in Hillbilly culture nowadays.

Anyways, I had the opportunity of performing at Hillbilly Days not once, but twice. The first time was fun. I performed fiddle tunes with the family and then brought out the keyboard for some original stuff. The wind was extreme. It almost blew my hat from off the top of my head.

Then, Brittany Taylor and Tumbleweed (veryyy talented country artists. Go check them out! http://www.myspace.com/brittanytaylormusic, http://www.myspace.com/booktumbleweed) invited me to fill in for their fiddle player who couldn't make it to the festivities. It was quite an experience. One of my first times playing in a country band where I pretty much knew none of the songs. But it was jolly grand fun.

Next week I'm headed back to Nashville. I've been looking at Middle Tennessee for school. :)

Ciao!

-Staci

P.S. I'm currently obsessing over The Arcade Fire. Check them out!

Singer/Songwriter Showcase

Hello, all. I'm pretty pumped about my showcase tomorrow at the Country Music Highway Museum in Paintsville, KY. I'll be performing alongside Bronson Bush, Stephen Salyers, and Brittany Taylor, all of which are extremely talented songwriters, musicians, and performers! I'm very fortunate to be sharing a stage with them. :)

Here's our official poster:
(click to enlarge)


At the show, I shall be singing and playing a BRAND NEW, NEVER BEFORE HEARD OR RECORDED SONG. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, folks. Okay, so it's really not that big of a deal. Still. It's my favorite song I've ever written to date.

So come watch! I love you guys.

Ciao!

-Staci

P.S. I'm going to try to get some stuff on youtube. Watch out for it. :)

Musical Update

Hello, all. Just dropping by to give an update on what's happening musically in my life.

The CD Release party that I had on the 15th was fantastic! I just realized I didn't blog about it, so I need to say right now that I simply love each and every one of you. You helped to make that night nothing short of magical for me. I hope it was as enjoyable for you as it was for me. We had a great turnout, the decorations were rad (thanks Jamie and Michelle, loads and bunches), and I didn't completely screw up on stage. I call that a success!

Our trip to Nashville was also pretty amazing. I talked to a guy from BMI and he said I was a good songwriter, after claiming to be one of the toughest critics around. Hm, so somebody in the industry thinks I'm talented. Now if juuuust the right people can get that mindset, I'll be good to go. It was good hearing that from someone other than friends or family, though. I have a feeling you guys could be a little biased. ;)

I have a songwriter's showcase in Nashville on the 10th of this month. If you happen to be in Tennessee around that time, come support!

Songwriters Showcase
The Commodore Grill
2613 West End Ave. Nashville, TN.
615-327-4707

Emcee: Chris Tatum
Host: Bronson Bush
Hostess: Mackenzie Morgan

Featured Artist:
Taylor McLain
Mackenzie Morgan

Songwriters: Staci Marie Carriere, Krysta Nick, Bonner Black, Forrest Arnold,
Sarina Joi, Haley Butler, Holly Cormier, Courtney Dickinson
Guest Songwriter: Glenn Douglas Tubb
www.myspace.com/glenndouglastubbmusic

Showcase: Bronson Bush

After the show there will be an open mic for those that would like to sing…
To be on STAR’S of the Future contact Audrey at talentcoordinatorruth@yahoo.com
www.myspace.com/littlefeather7677

I'm still writing! I've got loads and loads of new material. I could make a second, or even third, CD. It's great fun to me. I feel as though I'm finally discovering myself as an artist and really finding music that embodies me. It's so exciting, once you realized you're not just writing songs, but you're creating a reflection of yourself and what you'd like to be portrayed as. I think the new stuff is a lot more "me", because now I've had time to develop myself and my artistry! I'm so pumped for everyone to hear what I've got up my sleeve now. :)

Ciao!

-Staci

My Life's Soundtrack

So, I was sitting here thinking. You know how you hear some songs and just think they'd be perfect in a movie? Or maybe when a song comes on the radio, your iPod, or blaring from your speakers at home and you just think "Wow, this feels like such a movie moment!" I decided to compile a list of tracks that would definitely be on the soundtrack of my life. Yeah, I stole the idea from those dumb myspace survey iPod shuffle quiz things. But this way is much cooler. Because you get to choose the song. :)

I'm even including the song so you can listen to it! This is going to be a very long blog post. haha.

The Opening Credits Song:

Come On! Feel the Illinoise! - Sufjan Stevens

(he has the GREATEST happy songs on the planet.)

Waking up and being awesome song:

Love Today - Mika

(I used to listen to this song every morning while getting ready for school. It got me so pumped!)

Meeting a cool new person song:

We Are Going to Be Friends - The White Stripes

(One of the single most adorable songs on the planet.)

Randomly walking down the street song:

Safety Dance - Men Without Hats

(Because it had to be in here somewhere. The greatest music video ever, by the way.)

Embarking on a fabulous journey song:

The Underdog - Spoon

(the driving guitar at the beginning and the brass section in the middle make me smile. :D)

When things are going great and I feel amazing song:

Sly - The Cat Empire
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtFxo4mpiKg
(This song just makes me feel like I'm on top of the world.)

Something made me sad and I'm driving alone in the rain song:

Suddenly - Bishop Allen

(Everytime I hear this song I think of driving alone sadly in the rain. A montage. Of sad people. Yet with a touch of optimism.)

I'm going to get over this sad portion of my life no matter what song:

Everybody Knows You Cried Last Night - The Fratellis

(Love The Fratellis. Love them.)

Uh oh, here comes love against my better judgement song:

All of Me - Jon Schmidt

(I use this for my wedding videography videos. Ha. ha. It's a personal joke.)

Why, I'm just downright giddy song:

Lighting Myself on Fire - Jukebox the Ghost


Well that didn't work out, did it? song:

I'll Never Fall in Love Again - Splitsville

(One of my all-time favorite songs. This is my favorite cover.)

The heartbreak made me go bonkers song:

Ramalama (Bang Bang) - Rosin Murphey



I notice the world isn't quite right song:

Little Boxes - The Decemberists cover
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txE-ZRfB_4s

Going into the city song:

Straight Lines - Silverchair

(This is the song I listen to when I enter NYC. Every time.)

I have a dream song:

Dreamer - Supertramp

(I like to be obvious sometimes.)

I know what I need to do to achieve my dream and I'm going for it song:

Caravan Girl - Goldfrapp

(The chorus just fills me with happiness)

Looks like my dream may not come true and it makes me sad song:

Hero - Regina Spektor

(This song just touches my heart. No lie.)

Well lookie there! I did achieve the dream after all song:

Let's Dance To Joy Division - The Wombats

(This song just makes me feel triumphant.)

However, I'm pining for the meanie that broke my heart because I'm pathetic song:

They Weren't There - Missy Higgins

(Her songs are fantaaastic.)

Corny sequence where two people are just basically awesome together song:

You're My Best Friend - Queen


I have an important decision to make song:

Fuel - Marit Larsen

(Marit is one of my favorite female artists. Ever.)

Confused about things song:

Paranoia in Bb Major - The Avett Brothers


Some old, wise man gives me great life-changing advice song:

Blackbird - The Beatles


Someone's dying song:

One Last Drink - Enter the Haggis

(Best song about death. Ever. Optimism is always appreciated in this world.)

Standing on the top of a cliff with wind blowing in my hair song:

Fooling Yourself - Styx


I slay the jabberwocky and there is much rejoicing song(s):

Call of the Champions - John Williams (as sung by the MoTab)


and/or

M79 - Vampire Weekend


Romping in the forest with the Wild Things song:

Wake Up - The Arcade Fire



Everything's peachy keen song:

Mr. Blue Sky - ELO

(Oh how I just adore ELO. And their big hair.)

My journey's only just beginning, even though it's pretty much the end of the movie song:

To Travels and Trunks - Hey Marseilles

(This is the best movie song. I just imagine the camera sweeping over beautiful landscapes. Gosh, I'm weird. haha)

Closing Credits song(s):

Can't Go Back Now - The Weepies


Coming Home - The 88


My Way - Frank Sinatra


And that's that! Anyone reading this should also make one. I had too much fun and stayed up too late getting this finished.

Ciao!

-Staci

I Haven't Died

Good day, my darlings.

It's been almost a month now since I've last written in this blog of mine. Oh, dear, dear, that cannot do. Suppose you, my faithful readers in InternetLand, thought me dead. That would be terribly unfortunate. Perhaps then it would circulate around Google that I have passed on, since I have not written in my blog of exactly two posts, in about a month...and everyone would be in a frenzy. Perhaps then, I would have Internet Fame. It would be like a missing person search. And then, miraculously along comes this lovely post of mine, and the world is at ease once more.

It's good to know I have now eased the minds of the entire world. I am alive and well. I'm sure they were devastated I haven't posted in such a long time.

On to business, then. I continue to write music. It's blessed, truly it is. The only thing I want to do is sit at my piano and write. Just recently I have concocted the lyrics to a most interesting song. It's about our tendency to lay blame upon the blameless, when really we are the ones at fault. In my lyrics, I pin the blame on things such as the seasons and time (things that are consistent and cannot let us down) to further demonstrate my point. Fun stuff.

Also, I get to go back into the studio this Wednesday! This time I'm working with a certain Dave Kazee. We're going to make tracks to some of my new material so that I can perform them live. And THEN this Friday I'm working with a certain Buffy Lawson, and we're collaborating. This is my first collaboration session, and I'm a little nervous. But I think it's going to be oodles of fun. She's a pretty cool lady.

All in all, this week is going to be QUITE promising.

Oooh, some more interesting news. I got accepted into Brigham Young University, in Utah. I may be headed into MormonLand, folks. This excites me. I truly hope I get to attend. It would bring me barrels of joy indeed.

Have you been watching American Idol? I think Tyler Grady looks like Mika:


They're TWINS.

Okay, so that's all for now. I'll try to not take a month to post another.

Ciao!

-Staci

P.S. If you don't know who Mika is, shame on you! Actually, he's not very popular in the US, at least not around here. So I shall now enlighten you:




Mika's music provides me with happiness.

Dad sings Blue Eyes all the time. Haha.

Look, Another One

Hello my dearests. I come to you today bearing good tidings of great joy: I wrote another song!

Now, before I continue, I must get this out of the way: I am really weird.

I am probably the happiest, most upbeat person you will ever encounter. However, when writing songs, I delve into a sort of hidden part of me that most people never see. My lyrics are a little more profound than "Good golly Miss Molly/Today was jolly/I smile at the sun/A wonderous day's begun!" I like to be a bit more poetic. I guess my aesthetic would be something along the lines of "Angsty (I hate that word), but with a quirky upbeat feel and a silver lining." Or "Deep, thoughtful lyrics cloaked by a whimsical melody." I like that description better.

Also, I hate love songs.

HOWEVER. Today I beat the odds. I conquered myself and wrote a completely, 100% upbeat song about just being happy. And there was also a little love story in it! Give me a pat on the back! Go on, pat it! I'm thrilled at this accomplishment. Sure, the lyrics aren't the most profound in the world, but must they always be? It's cute, it's happy, and I'm glad to report it's a thousand per cent me. So what more can be said?

Owl City concert tomorrow! Oh frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!

LOOK! I won this at GattiLand with my large amount of hard-earned tickets! (I just played DDR and one slot game. I got, like, 5 tickets from Deal or No Deal. Robbed.)

I named him Jaques! He only fits on my thumb (my fingers are anorexically smallish). Is he not a glorious sight to behold?

Okay, that's enough chitty chatting for now, lads.

Have a good night, and be aweome.

Ciao!

-Staci