We all have a chance to be Santa's Elves

This week Stuart and I had a chance to help lead Christmas Carols at a local orphanage.  It was a beautiful party complete with Santa and presents for every boy and girl.

It was so wonderful to share the excitement of the holiday season with these beautiful young people!  It served as a meaningful reminder that we all are connected and can make a difference in each others lives.  As we become "grown ups" we lose the mystery of Santa, one thing that is so neat is gaining the chance to work in St. Nick's spirit as a mere mortal elf of sorts.

A lot of us are blessed to have those we are related to by blood, which is not without it's own importance, but we are also all related by love.  This holiday season our family has two empty places at the table.  One for my spirited Grandma Niecy, and one for Stuart's mom Bunny Adamson.  

While their places are empty at the table, their places are full in our hearts.

This holiday season Stuart and find ourselves pausing a lot to speak to those spirits we have lost and sharing the simple moments with them.  What a gift to make new young friends at a time when our hearts are aching for those we have lost.

I am sure Grandma Niecy has found the Martini Bar up there in heaven, and is getting the perfect amount of "dirty"!  Bunny is surely making a quilt of love up above and sending down her hugs and kisses too. 

I guess for now, our focus is to find those places we can spend that love that was so freely given to us by those we miss so much.  

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and don't be afraid to spread the love!

FAR West Folk Alliance 2008

We had a wonderful time out in Phoenix at the FAR West Folk Alliance!

This is a great event where performing acts and venues get together to exchange information and share a love of songwriting and performance.  It is a chance to connect with like minded people, and to get a helping hand in moving your career forward.

Thank you to everyone who came out to see all of our showcases.  We can't wait to come out your way on tour this next June.  We had a great time at our Official Showcase and the Guerrilla Showcases were a blast as well.  It was a high energy weekend full of great music and new friends.  We loved our time at Slugger's with Dalis and Paul.  Can't beat their happy hour!

It was exciting to meet and see so many wonderful people and music.

South West Folk Alliance, here we come!!!!

South West Regional Folk Alliance 2008

WE HAVE OFFICIAL SHOWCASE!!!!

We couldn't be MORE THRILLED!  Stuart and I got our start touring the state of Texas through several of the friends we met through South West Regional Folk Alliance just a few short years ago.  These past two years, we had gotten so busy that we have only been able to pop in and out.  This year, with our focus on writing and reconnecting with our roots, we had set aside time to attend one of our favorite conferences...and we are thrilled to be among those selected for the Official Showcase line up.

We have grown soooo much since those first days finding our sound and learning the ropes of this madness they call "the music business"...but it is "our madness" now for sure.

I'm mad about the music business (in a good way)!

 Where else can you sit under an oak tree,

 sip on a cool beverage and sing your heart out to old friends while making a whole slew of new friends?  

Man I love our job!!!

Thank you to all of our friends along the way who have supported us, held us up when we were down, and gave us strength to push forward when we needed it most.  

Crazy for Texas!!!

Stuart and I LOVED our tours this past summer. It is up there with the top ten best things we've ever done. We had a BLAST jamin', meeting new friends, old friends, family, seeing the beautiful southwest, midwest, northmiddlewest, southeast, and all the in between spots!

Now we find ourselves adjusting back to that Texas Twang, and enjoying the Texas heat.  That's right, you heard it...enjoying the Texas heat.  We have to admit it isn't really fair, our neighbors and friends here at home had the hottest summer on record since 1912 (that's a guess), but it doesn't feel like summer until you walk outside at 7:00 in the morning and feel your face start melting off!  Once you experience that, summer feels real. 

We have high hopes for the next few months.  We will play some of our favorite hometown shows, and settle into the writing phase for that next record we've promised to deliver.

Send the creative vibes our way y'all!  

A quick stop in Chattanooga

We only wish we could have spent more time out in Chattanooga!  Charles and Myrtle's Coffee House was a wonderful stop on our tour.  Andrew, thank you for the wonderful sound, conversation and cookies!  We finished the show feeling like we should re-work our tour to spend a few more days in this great city...while time was short, smiles were long!  We also enjoyed a chance to share our music at the Sunday service at Unity Church and really enjoyed the chance to experience the service.  It was a breath of fresh air and sent us to our next destination really thinking about our approach to life and relationships.

Blacksburg Mania!

Blacksburg, Virginia is on our top 10 lists of places to move if we get kicked out of Texas!  We played 4 shows there and a special thank you goes out to Sandy and Tom for setting it all up.  We drove into town both excited and exhausted...and left 4 days later rejuvenated and ready for the final stretch of our tour.  

The Shadow Lake community is one of the most wonderful communities we have experienced.  From all of the wonderful people, to the peaceful surroundings, it is a place that is hard to describe in words.  We enjoyed the beautiful scenery, the sound of the frogs from the ponds, and hiking through the forest by moonlight.  

Gillies vegetarian restaurant was a tasty show, and the food was even tastier!  We had a blast doing the radio show at WUVT with Jim...who knew you could have sooo much fun at 8:00 in the morning!   Jim had me at "I hear you have a new dog named Conway?"  

The Peace Thru The Arts house concert was a FULL OUT BLAST!  The crowd was almost as loud as we are.  They energy was high, the food was wonderful, and the friends we made were especially wonderful.  This house concert knows what they are doing...it was a class act from top to bottom.  

We look forward to a chance to come through again in '09!

Chicago, Chicago...living the high life!!!

Our two nights in Chicago were full of new things, new friends, and some great jammin!  We had a blast hanging out at The Joynt in downtown Chicago.  Frank was our tour guide behind the bar, making sure every need was taken care of.  Joe ran the floor at the Joynt without a hitch, and it was fun to swap stories about Luckenbach.  Leslie was there to make sure if we needed anything, it was taken care of...and Dexter was our resident sound guy (and bass player extraordinaire).  

We saw the sights, rode the farris wheel, waded in the big lake, saw the Museum of Contemporary Art, and walked the paths of Millennium park.  Chicago is a town full of some of the nicest people I can remember meeting.  

It was a dream come true to  play a town famous for it's blues and jazz.  I could almost imagine Ella, Duke, Satchmo and Billie wandering those streets as we did.  Thank you to Chi-Town for showing us a big time.  A special thanks to Stan for making sure we were living large and enjoying the high life!

Minneapolis, what a BLAST!!!

Minneapolis was a full out BLAST!  

Nye's Polonaise Piano Bar

You walk in to a smell of good food and an environment reminiscent of 1960.  Wonderful people surround the bar with a quirky stage that sits high and mighty!

Thank you to Molly Maher for adding us to her line up at Nye's Piano Bar.  What a wonderful bar, Mikey behind the bar was a doll.  I still have that book of matches in my guitar case from you Mike!  Everyone is treated like a king here, and the audiences is warm and ready to party!

Lee's Liquor Bar

Man, what a place!  Lou is the owner of this great place.  A huge dance floor, a great stage, and not one bad seat in the house.  Dan was our sound man and he did a great job.

We played our booties off, and had a blast.  We a good showing from the Minneapolis crew, and had the Tompkins Family come in from Rochester, MN to kept the room hopping.  We also got a chance to play for our Minnesota Fan's that had heard us in Texas.  

We finally came to you guys!!!!

A special thank you goes out to cousin Jac for being our Minneapolis road manager!  He not only made sure we had a blast, showed us all the best bars in town, but also put us up while in town.  

Midwest Madness!!!

It feels great to be in the Midwest, watching the endless cornfields, the family farms, and anticipating sweet corn.

Wichita, Kansas was a great time.  We had a blast playing at The Artichoke Bar, and got a chance to experience the city for a great night.  We went and saw The Keeper of the Plains statue and witnessed the huge fire pits ignite on cue in the middle the night.  5 foot flames were screaming out of the black holes setting the sky on fire.  It was amazing.

4th of July was in Kansas City with family there.  We went to the first annual block party with my cousins and laughed with little miss Haley all night.

Next we headed out to Greene Iowa to lay my grandmother's ashes to rest in the family plot and we all said our goodbye's to Niecy.  She was quit a firecracker herself.  In life they say the weddings and funerals bring families together, and we all agreed over breakfast this morning that our celebration over walleye and steak in honor of grandma was full of tears, but left us all feeling more like we had been to a wedding than a funeral.  I don't know if it was all the funny stories Grandma Niecy left behind for us, or if it was the sense that she was somehow there with us drinking her dirty vodka martini, just in a state where we could only feel her presence and not see her.  

Life is an interesting ride for sure.  There is something special to going back and trace the roots of family.  This next month on the road is one full of reconnecting with cities my family have bounced around, as well as Stuart's family.  We are getting a chance to walk the streets of places that our parents and grandparents called home, visit the graves of ancestors we only got to hear about and some that we still hold dear memories for, and all the while make music along the way.

Grandma Niecy was an adventurer her whole life, she traveled and was always looking for the next new thing to spice things up.  I can't help but think she is watching us and laughing at all of our funny stories, and chuckling especially hard at the funny faces we all made as we tried to drink those dirty martini's in honor of her...man grandma, those things are hard core!

Home feels good

We've been home a few days and it feels great.  

Crossing that Texas state line at 3 in the morning never felt so good. 

 We had a great time on the road and have had a few days to catch our

breath, pay the bills and get ready for another month on the road.

Loretta the pooch got skinnier and Conway has turned in to a bit of a chub...but is slowly

taking off the pounds.  It's hard to leave the little ones, but always so good to see their wagging tails when we walk in the door.

It feels good to know they'll be at home with some of their favorite people

looking over the homestead while we're out on the road again.

This next trip is going to be full of new adventures as I head back to the land of my "people"!

In Minnesota blond hair and blue eyes is a dime a dozen...and I can't wait.

I look actually look tan in Minnesota!! Yes, it's true!

We'll be seeing friends and family along the way, as well as playing in

some more of our favorite cities.  I have great memories of Minneapolis, and Stuart has talked multiple times of his love of Chicago.   We're going to get a chance

to catch up with old friend in St. Louis, as well as Nashville too.

A few nights in our own bed under our roof has been a wonderful treat.

Hitting the road is feeling like a second home though too, 

soon we'll be watching those white lines fly beneath our feet again.

Soon it will be time for us to fly!

 

Rocky Mountain High....

It is about time we got our Rocky Mountain High!  We had a great show at Min

er's Alley in Golden Colorado.  The Little Bear Saloon in Evergreen, CO was definitely a trip...thank you to Sharon and Cody for making sure we had a great time.  

On to Estes Park to headline SummerFest at the YMCA of the Rockies!  We had a wonderful show, and met people from across the US and Europe at our show.  Walt did a great job with sound at Hempel Theater, and Gail did a great job making us feel at home.  

Stuart and I played our booties off, then hit the trails to climb a few mountains of our own.  Yes, that's right...real mountains, not figurative!  This is a place that has always been close to my heart.  I was lucky enough to be a camp counselor and director out at the YMCA of the Rockies...and it was there I found a love of climbing, hiking and nature.  We caught up with old friends as well, and of course visited the Estes Park Brewery for good measure.  We stopped mid-road to gaze at a few elk and braved the 70 degree weather like the true troopers we are!

We actually took 3 days to just relax, refocus and enjoy the awe filled mountains.  There is something amazing about those vast snow covered mountains that reminds us all of how small we really are in this big world.  Standing on a bridge made of timbers feeling the cold water rush below your feet is something that I have always loved.  Meditation is something I can't do many other places but the Rocky Mountains.  For some reason, the elements combine to slow my heart and soul down and I finally have a chance to embrace the here and now. 

Today as we drove down Thompson Canyon, I couldn't help but have a heavy heart.  Leaving such beauty behind...but I know we are headed towards other beauty yet to be discovered.

On to Fort Collins, CO for a set at KRFC radio For a Live at Lunch Set, and our last show at Vintner's Winery in Golden, CO.  Then from there, we touch base at home...then head to the midwest.  

TRINIDAD BREWING CO!!!

What a great night at Trinidad Brew Co.!  Sean and Jeff were great hosts.  The crowd were so fun, we hated to leave.  Thank you to everyone for the libations and to Dave for offering to help us out next time we're in town.

The TRINIDAD BREWING CO. is a place everyone should stop when passing through.  They have only been open 2 years, but Jeff (the brewmeister) has already won 2nd in an international brew contest...and we only expect things to keep getting better.  As you can see above, Stuart and I were feeling NO PAIN when  we left.  We even had a chance to toast our Austin friend Tito with his homemade fire water!   This brewery has been flying below the radar, but it won't be able to stay there long.

We will make a point to come through Trinidad again to sample Jeff's latest masterpiece as well as blast out some tunes with our new friends.

New Mexico Rocked...on to Colorado!

Albuquerque was a great weekend.  The Smokehouse BBQ  crew was wonderful, and we couldn't have asked for a better crowd.  Thanks to Jan and her crew for helping us put on a great show, and believe it or not, great BBQ does occur outside the Texas borders!  

Solid Grounds Coffee House was a packed room, and thanks to our new friend Daniel for a great job on sound.  We hope to bring this award winning songwriter to Texas to hang with our crowd next time he comes down.  

On to Santa Fe, we did a house concert in Truchas, NM at our friends Peggy and eRic's place.  We met some wonderful new friends, and the art going on that town is something to see.  There is a gallery hidden on every other lot, and you are missing out if you don't check this place out.  I even got to accommodate my puppy fix with Peggy and eRic's pooch TJ!  He took me on 6 walks around town, and he is one furry fellow with a lot of energy! Thanks to all of our new friends for a great weekend!!!

Santa Fe Brewing Co. was Sunday, and Justin and his crew were great.  The sound was amazing, and the crowd while not spilling out the doors...was better than we expected for a Monday.  We met a crew from New York City with whom we shared a  love for Steve Earl and good music.  We also had a write up and a few spins on the airwaves.  Thank you Santa Fe for making our first time through a good one!

Now we are in Colorado, hanging out at our new favorite spot Trinidad Brew Co.  We are enjoying their wifi, great beer, and soon to enjoy a tasty pizza.  We'll be playing a last minute show at Trinidad Brew Co. in a few hours.  We're camped up on the hill at the state park here...let me just say, Trinidad Rocks!!!

Hitting the road to heal

We lost one of our biggest supporters, a friend, a mom, and an angel here on earth last week.

Thank you to all the love and support everyone has sent us, it has comforted us more than we can put into words.  At Bunny Adamson's memorial service there was standing room only.  The energy was positive and loving, true to the life we all came to celebrate.  

We hit the road yesterday around 2:00 to head to Las Cruces and start our Rocky Mountain Tour.  We offered to re-adjust our schedule and there  was a resounding NO WAY from Stuart's father.  The family consensus was that Bunny would be pretty upset with us for canceling something she was so excited to see us do.

As we watch the white lines speed by, and pass the mile markers at 70 mph, the road has been a comforting place for us.  We both gazed at the Davis Mountains with the most beautiful sunset, knowing that Bunny was smiling from above as we watched nature's amazing canvas.  Soon we saw a bunch of cotton tails and jack rabbits wandering up to the edge of the pavement on I-10, and I couldn't help but think of them as Bunny's little helpers greeting us as we fly towards the horizon.  

While going through the work to plan our tours, there is always and excitement and anticipation that builds.  With such an unexpected loss, we are reminded of the importance of loving those around us, supporting our friends and family whole heartedly, and singing not only for our love of song...but this trip, we are singing for our love of a life we lost too soon.

We play our first show at The Smokehouse near Albuquerque tonight...we are taking the BBQ curcuit continental baby!!!  Then on Saturday we do one of our favorite Coffee Houses, Solid Grounds.  We are looking forward to connecting with Roselie and all our friends we've come to love over the past 2 tours there.  

We'll be updating the blog every day or so on tour, so please check in and share our adventures with us! 

With much peace and love,

Hilary

The Flyin' A's

SXSW Week is staring off with a bang!

8 shows in one week!  OH YA BABY CAKES!!!

Longhorn Caverns- singing a quarter of a mile underground surrounded by beautiful rock formations never gets old.  We had a big crowd, and thank you to you guys who asked for the two encore songs! THAT RULED!

Bandera Saloon- What a great night at the songwriters concert.  Thanks for fitting us in you all. Great food, great music, and great new friends.

SXSArtZ showcase- What a blast.  Thanks to everyone who showed up for our showcase.  It was so much fun, as always, and the BBQ was great as well.  

THREE SHOWS DOWN and 5 more to go!  We sure love Austin, it's great to be home!

Conway and Loretta update- The two pooches are as happy as we are to be back in the Live Music Capitol of the world.  Conway is barking at me right now to let him in.  He's our little metrosexual for sure.  He just can't stand many of those out door minutes!