I was going to share with you my task list for today but it got too long.  The short story is that I’m juggling my various roles in life, my priority being my family, and I always get a little stressed right before I leave for tour.   While I’m confirming hotels, car, advancing shows, renting gear, etc…., I’m also arranging for child care, making sure that the fridge is full of healthy options (which will go mostly untouched, but at least I can say I tried), reminding my husband to feed the cat unless he wants to be mauled in the middle of the night, and pounding Vitamin C since everyone around me is sick.  I’m incredibly grateful to my husband and children for allowing me to be Me, and to Chip for covering the role of Mr. Mom when I skip town.  I am a better Mom and Wife because I don’t deny my passion.  Without music, I get very depressed.  My energy and fuel comes from the creative firestorm that I allow myself to walk in and out of on a regular basis.  It took a long time to get to this place of completely honoring myself as an Artist, and rather than living in a very delicate balance, it’s more like climbing to the high part of the tipped scale to breathe and stretch a little in order to maintain my sanity.  I express this in order to reach some of you who may think that “living a dream” is easy, or that getting there is hard.  It’s not easy.  But the CHOICE is.  When life gets too stressful, when love hurts, when I feel physical pain, whenever I need to work something through to the point of clarity, Music comes to my rescue. It always has.  And the beauty of it all, is that the music is within me.  I hope that my children will find the gift that comes not from another person, but from within ~ a “super power” of sorts that assures them they can get through ANYTHING.  Could be a sense of humor, could be the commitment to love relentlessly.  Some people may call it Faith.  Music and Faith to me are intertwined, for I see Creativity as a gift from a higher power.  Not sure why I got so heavy with this post, but I do need to go write the last song for my new CD “Deep Waters” and a song about the stoner ex boyfriend who left me at 7-11 like a scene out of Waiting for Guffman is not gonna cut it tonight.   But I’ll write that one later 😉

Thanks for reading & hope to see you on tour soon!  Reach out if you have a venue in mind or would like to host a house concert (“Home Invasion”).  Although I’m on the best indie label imaginable, I’m still a DIY Girl at heart and most of my tours are to locations recommended by my fans. 

Happy Spring!
Love,
Cindy aka “P-nut”

I’ve never sung so low before. Seriously. Wait til you hear “Deep Waters”. I’ve been hard at work with producer and co-writer Colin Devlin on my new cd for Blue Élan Records.  At first, “Deep Waters” was to be a 5-song EP, but at our listening party a couple weeks ago, I guess they liked what they heard because we were told to “go finish the record.” So, I’ve been feverishly writing and trying to get 5 more songs to record in between tour stops. All the while, I’ve been responsible for selling over $1,000 worth of Girl Scout Cookies.  Email me if you would like some – Perry and Jette still have a few boxes of Thin Mints and Samoas. Yes, I live a dual life. (more…)

RINSE – REUSE- RECYCLE.  I was just thinking that it’s kind of like that with life too, not just our trash. I reach this time of year and I start thinking back on what worked/ what didn’t/ what I need to improve, and I forgive myself. I rinse the muck that only weighs me down. I decide to reuse the gifts and inspiration that I’ve been blessed with, refine them, and recycle in the sense that I’m gonna throw them back into the universe to be picked up by some unsuspecting soul for whom my music may someday resonate. OK, so maybe it’s far fetched… but I woke up this morning with those 3 words in my head. Probably because my six year old twins berated me for forgetting my reusable shopping bags at the market yesterday.

Speaking of my kids… my daughter Jette appears on the new Blue Élan Christmas compilation with her debut performance of “Santa on Vacation.” You can check it out HERE (https://soundcloud.com/cindyalexander-me/santa-on-vacation-featuring-6-year-old-jette-betrue) . The 17 song cd benefits The Alliance for Children’s Rights, a 5 star charity which protects the rights of impoverished and abused children so that they have safe, stable homes, healthcare and the education they need to thrive. 100% of label profits go to the charity. ‪#NoBrainer‬. Please consider purchasing here: www.blueelan.com/store. Features great songs by Janiva Magness, Rusty Young (Poco), Jack Tempchin (Eagles songwriter), Rita Wilson, Colin Devlin, Janey Street, me and many more. I hope you get a chance to add these tunes to your holiday collection.

I just got back from my last Home Invasion concert of the year in Texas. Ali Handal and I had a blast. If you care to follow our antics, please “like” my music page on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/cindyalexander.music).  I post a lot of videos when I am on the road. My “Traffic Jams” with Ali have become quite popular! Please email me if you’d like to schedule a Home Invasion (private house concert) for yourself! They are super fun and affordable. I’m trying to keep my tour schedule up to date at Bands In Town – it’s a good way to track me and see if I’m in your area.

Before I head off to my new imitation/ poor man’s Temperpedic Bed (my latest obsession…it really did cure my back ache!), I wanted to send you my very best for the Holidays. I hope you continue to find beauty and magic throughout the New Year, and may your life be blessed with health, happiness, love, laughter and beautiful music.

Peace out, p-nut (aka Cindy Alexander)

“Let me be clear
It’s a Happy New Year
What’s broken is still in our hands
You’ve got the pieces I’m missing
And I’ve got the plan…”

~ From “For Auld Lang Syne” available on A Blue Élan Christmas or Christmas is Here (EP)