Asking random Canadian celebrities to play on my album isn't creepy, right? RIGHT?!?!?!

Remember that time I sent an email asking Canadian music sensation/slash/guitar virtuoso/slash/killer singer/slash/what-I-can-only-assume-is-a-great-guy Matthew Andersen if he would like to sing back ups on my album??

YOU DON'T REMEMBER?!?!?! 

Oh right.  That's because I didn't tell you.

Well... HERE GOES!!!

Let's start off by making sure you all know who Matt Andersen is (because if you don't know how amazing he is, your life is a legitimate joke and you should re-evaluate your life choices).  Just watch this video of him performing live at the 2011 Maple Blues Awards and you will see exactly why we are meant to be together - er, I mean sing together...

Let's take it back a few weeks to when I was balled up in my living room, working away on my computer, listening to Mr. Andersen's live album, Life From The Phoenix Theatre.  I was singing along to one of my favorite songs of his, when I thought "how great would it be if Matt Andersen sang with me on my album?!?! Wait - why can't I ask Matt Andersen to sing backups on my album?!??!"  So that is what I did.  I emailed Mr. Matt Andersen and asked him outright to sing on my album. 

Want to know what I wrote?  Who doesn't.  Here it is:

Hi Matt,

Now I don't know if you actually read the hundreds of emails I bet you
get in a day (or if this email I am sending will even make it past
your spam bin), but I thought I'd fire off an email to you.  What is
there to lose, right?

I am sending you this to 1) tell you how much I enjoy what you do and
2) ask a crazy request.  So here goes.

1) I really enjoy what you do.  I am so glad I have had the
opportunity to see you live (you played the Edmonton Folk Fest last
year and pretty much stopped everyone dead in their tracks with your
amazing music).  More recently I sat in my car for the entire time CBC
played your concert on Radio 2.  Thank the good lord for the CBC.

2) So... I am currently recording a debut EP here in lovely Edmonton,
and I have been trying to find someone to sing some killer backups to
the songs I wrote (kind of bluesy-ish rockin tunes - think Joan
Osborne circa 1994 if that could even be used as a reference...) and I
think that (in my own humble opinion) our voices together would not
only sound great, but could quite possibly stop a few wars (in a good
way).  I will definitely pay you for your services, so hopefully you
would want to trek out to the prairies and record a bit?  I don't know
what your schedule is like, but I also work at a great music venue in
Edmonton too if you wanted to make it a stop as well (but hell, I am
sure you have tons of people that can book those things for you...)
But seriously, I completely understand if you don't want to be
involved in something like this... even as I am writing this to you I
feel kind of silly. But if we could make it work somehow, well heck.
I could cross off "singing with Matt Andersen" off my bucket list.

I won't include links to my website etc. etc. because I thought I
would just send a simple email to see what you think.

Thank you so much for your time Matt, and I hope you are well.

Cheers,

Lindsey Walker

So there you have it.  I emailed him.  I don't regret my choice, and neither should he.  Mind you, he hasn't emailed me back.  Yet.  I have no doubt he will, mainly because he is Canadian (and has good Canadian manners), but more so because he will be haunted by guilt for the rest of his very successful career.  (What?  Is that a threat? Don't think I am capable of sowing the seeds of guilt in an email??  Just ask any of my exes.)

I will be sure to let the world know when (positive vibes here, people) Mr. Andersen responds to my email.  It will be great.  I promise.  Now that I finished emailing Canadian celebrities about performing on my CD, you may be asking yourself  "What is next for that beautiful, talented, lovely, generous, NOT crazy in any way girl?"  Well, I have been thinking about mailing a letter to the Queen of England inviting her to my CD release party.  But we will see. 

Until next time I decide to send random letters to my idols,

That girl who should stop* sending emails. 

*but won't

 

Taking the plunge...NOT the Nestea plunge.

I am taking the plunge, you guys.

I am plunging (that doesn't sound great, now does it?) into the world of recording. 

From the beginning of 2012 until now, I have been extremely focused on my career as a musician.  I started a funding campaign (what??? You didn't hear about it through my incessant social media onslaught??  Well!  Even though the campaign is over, you can still check out my funding page here.) for my debut CD which was shockingly successful.  Since then I have been planning, planning, planning for recording and touring in the near future.

I love planning.

I ACTUALLY REALLY LOVE PLANNING.

Anyone who knows me well knows that I love to plan every part of my life and if a plan gets cancelled I am personally offended (don't think that's a trait I possess? Fine then.  Plan to go for coffee with me then cancel.  THEN YOU WILL SEE MY FURY UNLEASHED).

I also love planning because I love to imagine what my life will be like in the future.  I can dream.  And boy oh boy, do I ever dream.

The scary thing about planning is when it comes time to turn all that planning into practice.

GOOD GRAVY.

That's when all the fears and doubts start rearing their ugly heads.  What if I rush into things foolhardily? What if I make a mistake? What if I fail and cry and my cats run away and I never have the opportunity to be this happy ever again and I become    WHAT IF EVERYTHING I HAVE PLANNED DOESN'T TURN OUT???

Seriously, Lindsey.  Stop friggin worrying so much. 

The funny thing is that it will be okay.  It will all work out.  No matter what.  (Well, unless I set myself on fire and scream obscenities into the night sky, which has been known to happen before...).  I know it can be frightening to go for the things we love and feel most passionate about.  The fear of failing at what we love can prevent us from actually going for (and end up doing) what we love.  Don't get me wrong, I am doing a lot of what I love.  I play my own music, have many supportive friends and family, have fans that don't know me personally yet still love my music.  People sing along to my songs when I play live. I am really blessed with my life as a musician.  It was okay all this time, and it will be okay from here on in.    

I will be heading into the studio to record in the next day or two.  I have been planning for this for a looooong while, but I have to let you in on a secret: I still feel unprepared. And nervous.  I have no reason to feel unprepared, because of all this planning I've done.  I shouldn't feel nervous because I fell confident about the songs I have written because they come from a place of honesty in my heart and soul. So all I can do is keep telling myself that I will do my best and the outcome will be great.    

I am going to begin recording tomorrow.

TOMORROW, you guys.

!!!!!!

I am excited.  And nervous.  And happy, proud, blessed.  It will be an amazing adventure, as everything along this path has been so far. I will be sure to write more posts as I get started and start recording, I promise!

Until next time when I can start calling myself "recording artist Lindsey Walker",

The girl who should plan to not be nervous.