November 29, 2004

Hi Everyone,

It's been another colorful year and it's passed by so quickly. I can't believe I'm putting up Christmas decorations in my home already. I come from a long line of women who decorate as a sacred event and love all the cute things that go out on the holidays. And I keep finding more and more cute things and getting more and more delighted by them. I guess that means I am getting older now, is that how it works? In any case... the cute things are going up in all their glory. The candles, the music... each night is Christmas already.

This was another year full of travel. I always try a few new venues to play at and this year was no exception...I would say most notable was the nudist camp. Oy... I agreed to do what I often do, and that is to accompany various retreats with my harp music. I booked a week stay for vacation at the hot springs in Northern California. I had no idea everyone would be naked!! I spent the entire time thinking of clever ways to wrap my towel so you couldn't tell I had my bathing suit on. It turned out ok, you get used to it, and the naked people were only at the hot spring pools, there was lots of other stuff going on at this conference center.. and once I got used to it, you hardly notice the naked people at all. There were people of all ages and even kids...it seemed as natural as can be... and I'll say it was such a mind opening scene... so much happiness and kindness and health consciousness and acceptance. And I was accepted with my clothes on too. And I had a wondrous time and made some wonderful new friends and played with great musicians.

This year I lost my Grandmother, Adelina Franco. She left us right after her 95th birthday in March. We were very close and had spent many afternoons laying in the park and looking at the sky.. she was so ready to go and meet my Grandfather, she couldn't believe she will still here... but we wanted to make a plan so she could signal me after she was gone, and I would know for sure it was her...we thought... a rainbow!! no...too corny.. a butterfly landing!! etc.. etc.. we never actually decided what it would be so I'd know.

On her 95th birthday party we had cake and sang. She wasn't looking up at all. We took a picture at the end, I held her face to lift it up and she saw me for the first time that day. She smiled and twinkled and there she was for an instant. A picture was snapped and when the picture came out there was a 10 pointed white star coming out the middle of her chest. She passed just three days later. I look at this picture all the time and have shared it with others who can't believe it either. So it was my sign. I have missed her so much and tried to call for her. I get whiffs of her when I smell homemade tortillas and rice, but so far no rainbow or butterfly. But I have this picture and its lifted me often.

The summer was particular heavy with touring and we found ourselves twice in the path of the hurricanes. George and I were playing in North Carolina when Hurricane Francis made its way up from Florida. We were staying between two festival weekends at his daughter Rika's place on the river in Asheville. A cabin structure on stilts about 20 yards from the river's edge. The water rose all day on September 6th, and by nightfall, we were climbing up the bank with instruments and water to our hips. That evening George went back and tried to get things off of the ground in her place as the water rose up the steps, they got some people and some cats out and jumped floating logs and climbed in windows getting all her valuable possessions as high as possible.

Early the next morning Rika's entire house was swept away. Not a trace of it was left along with four other cabins. It was traumatic for everyone to say the least, but especially George as he blamed himself for not knowing the whole house would be gone. His sweet daughter lost everything and George could not be consoled. It was so rough for a long time after that.

Only three weeks later we were in central Florida when hurricane Jeanne came. We were playing at an environmental event on the springs, which of course was canceled as the hurricane took a turn north. We went to the sturdiest house we could find in the woods outside of Gainesville and rode it out for two days without power or water. Being a native Californian my whole life, I have never seen or heard anything like this. The power was indescribable. My flights back to California were cancelled and when I finally got one, I was trapped in by fallen trees blocking roads. I needed to get back for a concert at City of Hope, so we borrowed a chainsaw and cut the trees out of the way and I made it home just in time.

My Hands-on-Harps program at City of Hope continues and we have concerts and workshops twice a month. I have seen patients get well and go home, and I have seen patients leave the planet. One young man I was friends with and came to every concert as cheerful as can be lost his battle, and on his final days I played in his room while his mother held him. The sun came in.. in slanted white lines on my harp. Amazing Grace...again and again. Sometimes people just come up and say I used to be sick here but now I'm well, and they still come to the concerts. It's an amazing place. We are planning for the big Christmas party there now.

I taught harp workshops at the Los Angeles Folk music festival. It was great.. I loved it. I hope to do more. I can teach everyone my self-learned bad harp technique. I have been teaching more business oriented workshops for musicians in general, some are still having notions of how things worked in the past, so I give them some ways to move forward. I most enjoy doing workshops for people who just want more art in their life, how to get their stuff happening and create opportunities.

I saw Sarah McLaughlin in concert. Best concert of my life. I cried through the whole first half...you just never know when that's going to happen. I was reunited with my childhood best friend...we walked all around our elementary school and in the classrooms.. I grew up in Diamond Bar, California... it was so surreal and wonderful.

Well, my arms and neck are feeling the effects of all this typing, so I will close for now. I promise I will write sooner than a year this time. I have lots of orders to fill for Christmas... There is a new Christmas CD out now which I love. I can play Christmas music forever...year after year.. my favorite songs.. I'll never tire of it.

I thank you for all your letters over the year. I love every one. This past year was difficult for my partner George Tortorelli, so for his birthday I put together a book for him of every single letter and email that came from people kind enough to write to us about how much they love seeing us play our music, or the recordings we make. The book was 100 pages long with so many wonderful words. It was exactly the right thing. Thank you again so much.

Please feel free to write me anytime, I will always respond even if it takes me awhile.

I wish you happy and peaceful and wonderful holidays..

Love, Lisa Lynne

December 19, 2003

Hello, hello... I'm writing from my laptop onboard a huge floating vessel upon the Caribbean sea. We just pulled out of the Panama Canal and are heading for Costa Rica. I'm looking out the massive windows at the marbly sky as the sun goes down. I'm sipping Chardonnay too.

When I say "we", I mean me and 1800 other people onboard this Royal Caribbean cruise ship. I've never been on anything like this before and decided to experiment by taking part as a speaker in a lecture series they have. It's sort of an enrichment program so all these folks have interesting workshops to attend, to learn something new during the "all sea" days. So myself and flautist George are here doing workshops on harps and flutes. I also brought my Mom too so she could have fun.

The first day I had a workshop they announced on board "All about the harp" and most of these people are over 70 and don't hear so well. They thought is was all about the "heart" So a stampede of people came wanting to know about the heart. It's ironic that music is so good for the heart... and they stayed anyway.

So far we have pulled it off, and its going great. They have us doing little concerts in the main centrum where there are lots of couches ad chairs. We have quite a little following around the ship wherever we go. Our performance is piped all through this huge area and people stand watching us from every floor above. Yesterday morning I walked into the buffet with my Mom... and I got applause!! Will wonders never cease. I have never gotten applause from walking into a buffet. I will not forget that one for sure.

So this may be something to do once a year for fun. I don't think anyone has ever played all original music on a ship like that before. Usually they have to play covers. Except we played theme from "Titanic" a few times... I kid you not.. people want to hear it, and in the Caribbean, there were no icebergs around...

This time of year I always reflect on the past and figure out the next step for the coming year. In a nutshell, this year has been the best so far. There's much to be grateful for. In all the years past, the Billboard Top 10 has eluded me, but this year "Hopes & Dreams" made #6. I'm certain that several stories in the newspapers helped. I got to be on Fox news and NBC, I got to talk all about my music program at City of Hope which still goes strong. I had several speaking engagements and I no longer get nervous to speak to large groups. That's a biggie.

I see that next year is going to be another new record, more touring, more speaking engagements, and if time permits I'll write a book. I just counted on my calendar that I travel 39 weeks this year, That's 78 flights! oy...

Next year is filling up already.. good stuff coming down the pike.

I am blessed that my family is all doing well. My two grandmothers are still going strong. One is 96, and one is 88. I'm so lucky. I feel rich in the ways that matter.

I wish you all a wonderful and Happy Holiday season... hold your loved ones close.

Lets all think Peace... Peace... Peace on Earth...

Love, Lisa

April 3, 2003

Greetings all,

I am shooting through a tube in the sky towards North Carolina. When I am dozing off in airline flights, I always am amazed when I am in a half sleep that I am in this predicament, and the year is 2001, 2002, 2003...Its like waking up in the future, its hard to explain, but a wonder nonetheless. I'm headed to the Azalea festival, I have never been to this event before. It takes place in a historic town on a river in North Carolina. It is spring which means unpredictably changing weather and frequent rain in the South...so we carry with us our emergency rain gear.

What things are new... the new album is new. "Hopes & Dreams" is now arriving into the stores. Good news, Barnes & Noble will have it in their listening stations starting in May, (we are still hoping for Borders to soon follow suit) and good news a very nice review in Billboard magazine coming out next week. Again this is the waiting period between putting it out in the world, and waiting for response. A good review from my Grandmother is what I can rely on, but we must hold our breath for the rest of the world's media..

Other good news, the "Hands-on-Harps" program I do at City of Hope has just received an additional grant for another year, much of my energy has been the ongoing program there. Several of the staff members and patients are buying their own harps since they find it to be a joy to play. Last week I attended a Harp Therapy learning module and experienced playing in a hospice facility. I was assigned to a room where a young woman in her 20's was perched like a princess in her bed. She was so close to the next world it seems she was already an angel. I played one song that went for 24 minutes. Her eyes were pale gray and they opened and closed but mostly closed. I thought she was so beautiful, and when I was leaving it was she who said the only word, and it was, "beautiful."

My grandmother celebrated her 94th birthday. My nephew celebrated his 6th. I go to as many celebrations of life that I can. I belong to an informal but inspiring group of women that gather each month to share their life's challenges. These women are a colorful mix of professionals, social workers, artists, doctors and authors that meet for the sole purpose of support, as we negotiate this world with the best intentions. We help figure out solutions and new ways of looking at things... It feels really good to talk like that, and usually some will cry. Since my living room is big I often host the gathering, so I have to tell my partner Gil that he must entertain himself all day elsewhere so he's not bowled over by all the estrogen in the house. This last time they were able to help me get a handle on my worries of the world, and the heartache of war. I need to do better with sleeping when I sometimes can't because I can't stop thinking about it.

Two weeks ago George and I were playing at the Vizcaya Renaissance Fair. I believe it is the finest fair of this sort in the country It takes place at a castle on the water in Miami, near the residence of Madonna actually. The castle was made in the 17th Century, but made to look like the 15th century, with courtyards, gardens, statues and ornate design in the marble paths. It sits on the water and there is a giant stage in the water nearby to look like a ship where the orchestra would play for parties. This fair hires the finest Renaissance musicians in the world, including one of my very favorites, The New World Renaissance Band. So we have four days of fun and music on the water, we dress up in the period clothing, its a fine event we have done for the past two years. When we came out on the final day we found George's van to be gone, not misplaced, not towed, but stolen. We stood at the top of the hill we just climbed with our arms full of harp and flutes... in silence with mouths open we just blinked and blinked at the spot we had parked, as if blinking hard enough would bring back our trusty chariot. It hurt, we lost a lot. I can't help but wonder what the thieves might do with my custom designed harp flight case, and 500 CDs. I can't imagine they weren't disappointed with their haul of relaxation music. So, its been weeks and no recovery of it. George must now trudge around his town looking for another van, and its the kind of time we focus on blessings instead.

The feeling reminds me of when my van was stolen years ago, it was between recording days during my Celestial Winds era, and it was filled to the brim with my harp and all my instruments and electronics parked in front of my house. It was late coming in and early going out so I thought it was OK right near the open window where I slept. In the morning my beloved van was gone. This happened right after I played that harp a TV morning news show. The station was kind enough to run pictures of my harp and van on the news, and the van was found the next day. I went to the police tow yard. I was so nervous what I would find and not find. Everything in the van was gone... except the harp. I happily drove the van home with the screwdriver still stuck in the ignition, and the harp in the back... Blessings indeed.

A noteworthy item, I was asked to audition for Cirque du Soleil ! So I did it.. How did this come to be? Because I love love love them, I have seen many shows many times.. I bring everyone I love to them, and I cry through the whole thing because its so beautiful. So a year ago I sent them a record and a picture and a letter, and out of the blue they called. I followed their map to a studio in Hollywood and met their music director and various staff members. These elegant people go around the world to meet and audition prospects for their future productions. I went there thinking.. my life really isn't set up now to running off with the circus, but if they will enable me to fly on a swing playing harp.... I'm there... I took the earliest appointment and brought a harp and a few unusual instruments. They challenged me big time.. Strangely, I wasn't nervous and I knew I was doing well playing all different instruments by ear to their complex musical tracks. They videotaped it, and the audition went on for quite a long time. I was feeling pretty peachy about the whole thing, until.... They asked me to sing ...and then to dance !! Yikes.. I am a player, and never sing or dance.... Perhaps only on a rare occasion and not without the aid of some fine fermented grape juice. But they say "just vocalize freely" and "just move freely to the music".. It happened much too fast to be mortified or paralyzed so I made up some kind of otherworld song to sing, and some kind of dance that was a cross between my yoga class cheaters moves and observations from the modern day gypsies I have witnessed twirling about at various drum circles. How surreal that I was dancing in front of Cirque du Soleil people..will wonders ever cease? Then they asked me to make a face to express each word, ..like...."blue" or "suspicious." I think I just kept smiling the whole time. I thought after all that good music, I wasn't doing too well at this dance and face thing. Then they took me to another room and asked me if I had vertigo and if I was willing to be trained in scuba. They gave me a paper that said "congratulations, I have passed this audition and am in the Cirque bank of future talent" and to send a copy of my passport to Quebec. They say its important they know wherever I am, and it might be two months or two years before I am called. I was glad of this because right now I have so much commitment otherwise, and a different time might be the perfect time. I thought that my idea of flying on a swing with the harp was rather far fetched, but the last thing I said to this woman in charge was.. "You know.... the harp could fly".. and she nodded saying... "Indeed."...and she was serious, as was I. So there it was... now we'll see what comes of it.. .

Speaking of flying harps, my harp is flying right now in the belly of this plane. And the plane is going to land soon. Yes, I check the harp as luggage, I have a good fitted custom box / case of foam and fiberglass...(actually I revert to my old battered one while I wait for the new one to replace the stolen one). I often see the harp getting transferred on to the plane, as I'm sitting there looking out the window. But as soon as I see the guys grab the case I have to look away, like when I watch a scary part in a movie. I don't want to see the actual maneuver, its better that way. But so far, so good, I have only had two actual fatal harp crushing incidences, and neither one involved an airplane. I have flown 40+ weeks a year for the last seven years. So you could definitely say... my harp can fly...

Landing now.. till next time..

Lisa

December 12, 2002

Greetings all, 'tis the holiday season and I am in the spirit. I love the gifts I have made or found, this year I'm way ahead of it. Yesterday my transmission went out, and today my house water heater flooded my bedroom, but neither occurrence has dampened my spirit. I wish I could say the same for my carpet, but tis only a minor inconvenience. All things to be fixed by professional fixers tomorrow.

After seven month of recording, I just turned in my new record to the label. Its going to be called "Hopes & Dreams" You can read more about it on the album description and comments on the album page of this website, I really hope you all like it. I put my everything into it. I kept it simple, and that's not always easy to do. It will be in the stores early March, it had to be turned in now so it can be included in a world music conference in France in January called Midem. So again, we keep our fingers crossed. This time between finishing and releasing it is always a strange time. For all these months you live and breath it, and think of nothing else. Every album is mostly happy every day, but there is usually a cry or two in there, sometimes I get nervous about all the decisions to make, the deadline always comes too soon, I might redo something, drop a song or two that doesn't fit. By the time its done you have heard it countless times over and over, and you get lost in it and can't tell anymore. Then you turn it in, and your friends and family hear it, and say... oh yes, its beautiful, etc etc, they always say that...but until I get my very first email or letter from someone I've never met, who really loves it and uses it for something good, I wait in limbo. Until that first message comes, I hold my breath. Since I haven't written in such a long time, I will try and recap the summer...

I went to Ireland for the very first time in my life. There was a harp conference near Dublin, it was awesome, I met lots of happy nice and not in a hurry people, learned some authentic Irish music, and it is so very green there. Greener than green. No picture or movie does justice. I explored the fairy forests and ancient graves and castles, I'm not a beer drinker but I drank Guinness in the pubs. I did lots of traveling in the States too, lots of the usual place I go each year, and a few new ones. I started doing speaking engagements, of all things. I was invited to speak to a group of women entrepreneurs, a new experience indeed, but I feel passionate about so many things so there was plenty to say. I just play my harp a little and tell a story or two, of all the crazy things I did and went through over the years, the things I learned mainly. Somehow its the same principles of anyone wanting to pursue their dream. So it really worked, and I enjoyed it, I was encouraged by others to do more...so I'm going to.

My dear friend Fallon who I've known since way back in Jr. College, is an aspiring producer. So she made a documentary of my world. It was a long time in the making, but I can't believe how much she cared and accomplished. I will try to get a clip from it on this site.

My program at City of Hope is going full steam. There are concerts and workshops twice a month, I have a bit more help now, we have a team that rocks. We have made a lot of progress in all areas of it. Two nights ago, the newly trained nurse and patient harpists and I performed together as a group for the big Christmas party for patients. It's hard to describe how I felt. Maybe that's how teachers feel when there class does a play, I was wordless with pride. Now I am buried in the plans for next year, all lights are green. I am always tired, but its the very best kind of tired.

Speaking of that, I'm going to slosh through my room and get my pajamas.

Till next time.. Lisa

I'm on a flight home from Charlotte, North Carolina. The weeks have been flying by as I have been trying to balance the weekend shows on the road, and the weekdays home with two major projects going on. One is I'm writing new music for the upcoming recording this summer, a new album that will be released early next year and a new era in my life that I call "Harps for Hearts" It started early this year, the company whose harps I play "Triplett Harps" had given me two new harps to play and promote. I realized I have so many harps in my house (by now 10) that they all weren't getting played as much as they should, so I thought it would be really cool to take around these harps to various gatherings and share them by teaching people to play on the harps. It would be a program that would be about this group of harps that go around and inspire people to create their own music. Hopefully leave a little harp wherever I go. I had done something similar at my grandmothers rest home, so I knew it would work. So I researched various hospitals and shelters around my city and compiled a list of places I could write to.

The very top of my list was City of Hope, in Duarte California. (about 25 miles east of where I live) I wrote them a letter describing my idea, I thought I could visit a different place each month with the harps. City of Hope responded and asked if I would come in and talk about it further. I brought a couple of harps and found myself in a conference room with a group of people who loved this idea, and said my timing was perfect, and would I be willing to do something on a regular basis. What kind of program could be created if I had a grant to do it with. This was far more than I ever imagined and of course I was delighted and started thinking of all different ideas that would involve bringing in outside harp performers and teachers, and do an ongoing workshop for anyone who wanted to learn to play the harp. Not only patients but any staff, doctors, nurses, could all come and see concerts / workshops twice a month. I could invite all the awesome harp players I know, the ideas were flowing. It all happened so fast I found myself being trained to be an intern, running at high speeds with harps across campus and corridors ... getting immunizations, sitting in classes, and I was titled the very first Musician in Residence at City of Hope.

During all of this, I completely fell in love with the people of this amazing place. I learned all about how it operates, its 140 acres of research and medical facility, it requires 2 million dollars a week to operate, and it does this mostly on donations, it deals with the worlds most complicated cancers, how it treats patients with so much care, and includes so much thought and care to the spirit. There are the most beautiful gardens you can imagine. There are meditation gardens representing all different religions, it goes on and on. I couldn't say enough about it. So I planned the concerts and events, and then I went around promoting these events on the grounds wherever I could, going from staff meeting to staff meeting, playing harp while doctors voted on various issues, and then making speeches to a room of 60 surgeons! Imagine that..very surreal. I needed to get the word out that these events were going on, and they were welcome to participate. I was playing in waiting rooms, and areas where newly diagnosed patients register for their treatments. I went to meetings to help get another grant, which we did, and played at and attended the ceremonies to accept it. I used to be so nervous to talk in front of large groups of people, but I'm over it now. Talk about getting thrown in the water to learn how to swim. Its has been a big whirlwind to say the least. Now we have already had four events and its all really happening. There are going to be lots of on staff harp players at City of Hope, to help with the comfort of patients there, to help with the stress of everything that goes along with being ill, and getting back to health, we can make the already beautiful gardens even more so.. the wonderful reasons go on and on. Meanwhile for me, it ended up taking way more of my time than I ever imagined. I am running every second

I am home, (and I was doing that before all this!) but I'm so happy about all of it. I try to save my nighttime's for working on new music, but my exhaustion level is quite high to say the least. It is by all means a labor of love. When I sit down at night to write new music, it is flowing out like a flood, and I can hardly know where to start to assemble it and polish it, make all the decisions it takes, I turn on my little mini disc recorder and just play away, all new music, and I end up with 12 hours of music I have to sift through and choose, what to refine and practice over and over. So that's what have been occupying my last few months.

In the last three months I have been to the East coast and back almost every weekend. Sometimes I do get tired of flying, being constrained in the seat so long. I try to use the time wisely but sometimes I just close my eyes and dream, without being all the way asleep. Mostly I read, answer email, (yes I answer every email I get, even though it takes awhile sometimes) and finally, write in my website diary! So here it is.. and I'll try to write here more often. - Lisa

I'm high in the sky somewhere over the Midwest heading east for one more festival for this year. The last few weeks of December will be spent in the retail world playing and promoting "Maiden's Prayer" in some malls in the West. The record has debuted at #4 on the New Age radio charts... lets keep our fingers crossed.

I have been crossing the country back and forth each week the past 12 weeks in a row. The events of Sept 11 have only made me more determined to remain an unwavering airline passenger, and to put the music out now more than ever. We can all write volumes on our feelings on the matter, but I'd rather watch the things we evolve to come out over time. I deleted my long winded letter on crying a thousand cries, and all the hopes for the future. I'll just put it in music instead, without words.

One thing I do really miss at the airports... it watching people greet each other. My favorite part of the flying process has always been to observe all the loved ones waiting, all the different kinds of hugs, all the big love and emotion in the air. When non-flying people were allowed in the terminals there was waiting with flowers, children running up to arriving parents, hugs good-bye and tears sometimes. Grandparents amazed at the growing up of the little ones. Young lovers smooching till the last possible second. Now it all goes on dispersed in other places and I miss that so much. One of my favorite moments was when I was sitting behind a young couple who were bringing back an adopted baby girl from Asia. They proudly told us all the story of her adoption, and I could watch her little face through the openings between the seats. I was behind the couple coming out of the jetway, awaiting at the end was a large family waiting for them, smiling.. balloons and smiling children holding a crayon sign to welcome the new baby. The eyes of the grandparents as they saw and reached her for the first time... There were clearly angels present. I felt them there.

I felt the same thing yesterday, my niece Annelyse turned one year old. We sang her Happy Birthday, and she was so surprised at the unison sound of voices and melody, and realizing the song was for her, she was smiling and clapping and my heart can hardly hold the filling. Its funny how the big things in life, that are supposed to be the most exciting, like being on a big stage with colored lights, or getting recognition for your work, are fine moments..butterfly stomach, or extra cool for a minute....but those little things that happen everyday are the ones that blow me away all the time, and keep lasting and replaying over and over. Thank God for those little things.. Thank God for being awake to them. The plane is landing and I get to go play music now.

Thank God for that. (The landing and the music.)

I Once again I have the luxury of two hours of time, with nothing to do but wait. I sit in this chair at the gate where I shall board the plane for home again, as I do each Monday. People often ask me if I ever get tired of traveling so much. I have been traveling more than forty weeks a year for.. I just figured out, much to my amazement, seven years in a row. I have elevated my status as a road warrior, so that I can at least fly home to California each week. Light candles and buy groceries and answer mail and cook.

I must say that once in a while the travel tires me, but for the most part I look forward to the uncomplicated hours of idle time, where I have no choice but to wander the gift shops, or set up a little camp in my corner of floor, with an electrical plug for my laptop, and a pillow, and my assortment of readables. My long flights and waits are filled with books and stories of travel and astounding nonfiction lives, I am an obsessive reader, so much that I have stacks of books ready to read always with me, at my bedside, in my backpack and my car. If the stack becomes low I must replenish the bottom so there is always unopened books ready to consume. My days home are filled with the doings of business each day and night, and my flying time, is the time for thoughts and resting. So no, I do not tire of traveling. Its the time I rest with idle thoughts, and they are welcome, with no other choice to make.

My idle thoughts of the last half hour are not new. I watch people going back and forth in the airport terminal, and I remain mystified at the inappropriate footwear that women wear to airports. Like an unspoken self punishment. This airport in Dallas is the length of two football fields. I see strappy gold sandals and pointy toed heels, four inch platforms, and boots with spike heals. Flat shoes and sandals with zero support. I wish I could understand this. I feel like passing out pamphlets to these women on the merits of sensible shoes for airports, running or hiking shoes with hearty soles. For these hearty souls. I can see all these lovely made up Texan women's discomfort, and I have the time to talk about it, but I stay with my nose in my book nonetheless, as I always do. Sometimes I wish I could just turn to the person in the seat next to me, and ask exactly how they are feeling, and if there might be something good or troubling in their life at the moment, and we could talk about it. Sometimes it happens, but I am always shy to start it. When someone else starts a conversation, I am very happy. I love going right by the small talk into the real matters at hand. I wish I was less shy with people in airports, with all that time to pass. I often wonder if others feel the same.

This past weekend was spent in Atlanta. The Yellow daisy festival is a grand event taking place in the heart of the city's most cherished park. More than 300,000 good southern folks storm the gates in four days, filling their arms and rolling carts with colorful and lacy purchases. The enthusiasm is rampant and universal. The 450 booths of country crafts line the steep hills of pine needles and trees. It is an athletic event of shopping. We set up our booth and table and instruments and brace ourselves for the outpouring of love and attention that sustains us (myself and George on flutes) all year long. I have done this particular event for many years in a row. We have new music to offer, so we play all days and the business is brisk, and I am humbled by the generous stories people share with us, about the usefulness of this music in their lives. There are second graders standing before us holding their mothers hand, as she cheerfully states they were born to our music. Another woman knealt down by me and shares her story of cancer recovery and how she took my Moonsongs CD to each treatment, and found comfort each night with it through her journey back to health. She was only my age. She heard me playing one of the songs from it. Lake of Dreams, and she said it made her cry as she heard us playing there, under our tree.. from down the path of handmade jams and flower baskets. To hear her words like a secret she tells, I become so.. I can't even think of a word..Its so big, that I have to leave my body as I hear her, because my heart feels like it will push right out of my ribs. I feel there are no words I can say good enough, so I be gracious and genty fold the moment into my pocket. So when I lay in bed at night, I can unfold it and relive it, and it brings purpose and peace like no other kind of late night thought. I save her story for when I can't sleep, and then I sleep.

On the business side of things, this new record I have recorded for New Earth records called "Maiden's Prayer" is almost ready for retail release. They have carefully and lovingly prepared all the necessary promotional materials that accompany the record, as they send out to stores and hope that the retail chains will pick up the record. Every time is new again, regardless of previous triumph. The official release date is October 3rd. Our hope is to secure listening stations in the two major chain stores, Borders, and Barnes and Noble. Do you know, when you see a record displayed with headphones to listen, at Border's Books, that artist or company has paid $10,000 a month to have that privilege? Even if they are willing to pay, they are still chosen from many competing titles for the few slots available. So there is no guarantee. It is mandatory to acquire this coveted placement, in order to sell enough through the retail sound scan system, and have a chance at charting on the Billboard music charts. In the years I have been involved in the genre of music, I have watched the once innocent retail music process evolve to a corporate money making machine, as things do. We are waiting in line for a chance to pay the big price, for a chance to be displayed and heard in these retail giants. We must compete for the few display slots with the heavy hitters of my genre, like Yanni, and Enya, and Secret Garden, to name a few. The folks at the label (who reside and live the spiritual life in Santa Fe) and I, wait around for answers like a family for big news about our future. Fingers are crossed, sometimes I toss and turn at night wondering and hoping.

Then I remember the lady at the festival, and her long nights in the hospital, and again I am with purpose, regardless of the retail game, and then I can sleep. I'm in the plane now, must be over Arizona. Not long until landing in Burbank, just a few miles from home. I will drag my heavy carryons off the plane, and there will be my long time best friend / sweetheart standing there amongst the waiting.. Sometimes he stands holding a flower, and he'll take my backpack off of me, like he always does, and say I must have cement rocks inside of it, like he always does.. and then we'll go to our favorite Mexican restaurant for dinner and a margarita. We will recount the events of the weekend, and I'll limp home with my irritated hernia, and my brand new sting from an angry wasp in my skirt...and fall fast asleep because my body is exhausted. Tomorrow morning starts three days home with orders to fill, calls to answer, and commitments to be made. Empty the suitcase, and pack it again. Another week, another adventure, more reasons to be grateful for this interesting life.

I am right now in the back of a SUV vehicle with my knees crunched up over my luggage. The landscape of southern Colorado and northern New Mexico is speeding by amidst the thunder and rain falling hard. There is a sweet faced tiny girl no more than three years old buckled in the other seat with a green sucker and big brown eyes glued to me. I don't know any of the people in this car, and my harp is literally crunched in above our heads, and I'm heading farther and farther away from the direction I intended. After a two day show in Durango, my flight home was canceled due to heavy storms, no room on another flight out of here for three days. A young family was stuck with no incoming relative, they needed gas, and I needed a ride so here I am. Its another unknown adventure, I see orangy patches of sunset poking thru to the South, and I wish I had a green sucker too.

This summer has been blessed with quite potent adventures, we have been fair to fair, and spent a month in Colorado, we kept staying longer because the Renaissance faire there was so fine and good to us. The brand new record is done, its called "Maiden's Prayer" and its going to be in the stores on October 3rd. We traveled all around the Oregon coast, playing at various festivals and markets. One time we miss judged an event and decided to play there, because it was on the ocean near Coos Bay, and we got there, and realized it was more like a swap meet, and on one side of us was a booth for glue. and the other side of us was a gun booth... with animal heads. We were mortified by this, and then we could barely hold onto our tent as the wind was blowing us away. So we blew out of town...We went to the Eugene Saturday market instead, and it was a lovely time. I did a house concert and workshop, and met some wonderful new friends who showed us all around the waterfalls, and kept us at their house. The main reason we had gone to Oregon was to attend a conference and promote the new record to all new people and employees of Allegro, (our new retail distributors) its all new folks with all new ideas, and New Earth, my new label set it all up. I assumed it was going to be all retail sales people, but much to my surprise there were many fellow artists there, musicians that I had long admired, and George and I were to entertain these great musicians all before the final dinner, and we actually felt a bit nervous. We had some technical trouble, and I got more nervous, but somehow that magical thing happened, and by the grace of goodness it all went wonderful, I don't think it could have gone better, and I think it really mattered that this happened. I really really hope Maidens Prayer does well, these are such incredibly nice people, they deserve all the good luck we can get. My fingers are crossed.

I had another remarkable experience just last week. I have become involved with some very wonderful Persian musicians, called the Lian Ensemble, they are from Iran, both men and woman from Iran compose this group, they are so wonderful and talented. They play the most exquisite traditional Persian instruments, and they played them on "Maiden's Prayer" They also asked me to play with them at their concert in LA so of course I did. It was a theater full with more than a thousand Persian people, and seven musicians on the stage counting me, all sat together on Persian rugs, and performed the most beautiful Sufi singing over Persian music you could ever hear. They asked me to take two long solos, with just the voices singing the prayers, and I had no idea what was being said, but I know it was beautiful, because they are. And the people cried Persian tears. With different cultures, you never can know what to expect. After the show, I got beautiful flowers, and much of the audience stormed back stage and began kissing us all, I was startled, but I liked it. It was definitely one of those moments in the universe when you realize where you are and wonder how in the world you got to that exact moment. That wonderment happens to me all the time.

I finally just now got to Denver, but late planes again and I've missed three other flights, they had to take my harp off the little plane, because they said it was too heavy, so I flew away with my harp still in that little mesa airport. They say I will get it tomorrow. Now I wait in Denver another three hours until my next flight. Its been almost 30 hours since the first airport..I slept at the little girl with the green suckers room. Its indeed a heavy sigh and letting go with the flow situation.. That's why its good to have so many good memories to keep thinking about while I type on my laptop and watch the planes take off and land. I have read all the books I have with me, I will poke through all the gift shops and call my Grandmother as I do when I have waits in airports...which is often. I like that because I have all the time in the world to hear everything. Time for food now too... more to come.. over and out...Lisa

I know I know I'm terrible!! I think of writing in here all the time! I let so much time go by, see I think of writing in here as this big production, when really I should just say a little but way more often. There is always so much that has happened it turns into this big looming task. So I'm just going to do it. Clear my messy desk and do it.

This entry is no exception because so much has happened. I made a new record for Windham Hill, we spent the better part of six months doing this grand labor of love, I wrote the best songs I could, I hired the dear and awesome musicians from the Winter Solstice tour to come play, we rehearsed, recorded, we nailed it. I am overjoyed. Gil Morales and I mixed at home for months to make it just right, we are all so proud of this record, and cant wait for it to come out. Then Windham Hill announced that it has done another merger, with RCA, and all the "little" artists who don't sell a million records are gone. It was a slow and painful process as they let go of my colleagues one by one.. the axe.. the letter.. sooooo cold.. all my record people are gone, everyone fired, all these great people who were so in my corner, tried so hard with me, history... ouch... and last but not least, me... They didn't even hear the new record... they spent over $30,000 on it and they own it. We are trying to buy it back, but they are not being very negotiable. My new record is held hostage! This seems like a tragedy, but its not all that unusual in the crazy record business. Its pretty small time, in the great scheme of things.We are far from out of ideas though, to solve this dilemma, I have a great manager on the case, and I even have a new record company already. They are awesome and they are called "New Earth". They wanted to buy my new record from RCA and release it right away. But those RCA company suits are too tough, and not dealing with us, so I have started again a new record for "New Earth" from scratch. It is a smaller company, but I just love the people. They are so tuned in, sensitive, spiritual based and supportive. I will tell you more about them as I go, but I am happy, and giving my all to another new record, about half done now. For some weird reason, I never did get mad at RCA, or even very disappointed. It's such a cold corporate scene, like no heart, only numbers, and that scene just doesn't fit in with this music at all. Its impossible to take it personal. I am so lucky and grateful that I have my own little company, and that company is supported by all the good people who want my independent music, without a big company, and that saves me. I can't believe how fortunate I am.

Meanwhile, the Windham Hill Winter Solstice Tour, still went on this last December and January, even without Windham Hill! This time it was me, with George Tortorelli and our awesome backing band (see photos) Liz Story, and Sean Harkness, and we had a blast, and we rocked, and each venue was awesome, and mostly sold out... I can't believe it, talk about the show must go on! We did it totally separate without label support, and still it was a grand success. There was another agent handling it, tour manager, etc..and I can't imagine it going better. And this will keep continuing each year anyway even though we are not on the label anymore, and there is none. Will wonders never cease! It definitely proves, its still about the music, bottom line.

This tour was a turning point for me personally, the most of any kind of stage tour so far. In my life I have always been incredibly shy, often my mouth doesn't say what my mind meant, when there is a lot of people around. So imagine what my long journey though facing big audiences has been. I'm not talking about actually playing the music, I never get nervous about that, my hands just relax, and I'm so happy, I just do it, something takes over, my hands don't shake its fine. Its the TALKING between songs that kills me.. augh.. My voice would get high and shaky, and I would talk too fast, trying to get it over with. So I have always known it was a weak point for me. This time, I don't know what happened. I was thinking of it so much, and it was Liz Story who really helped me make a hurdle this time, with the talking. She is an expert talker. In her piano show, she's the queen. She makes the whole audience laugh over and over, and she's dead serious, she's so great...anyway, she gave me enough advice, that it finally sunk in, so I take big breaths and just...slow....down... make long pauses between sentences... take... your... time... and it worked! And I even said some funny things!! and they laughed!! again and again, show after show, it totally worked, and I felt sooooo happy. I got way more confident on the talking part, and its such a rush when the audience really laughs. I can see why comedians get such a rush.. I only say true things about the harp or my adventures with the harp that are funny, in real life, and they laugh every time. I can't believe it. We also did some recording of the shows, and I'm trying to figure a way, I can make that recording available for people. I'll keep you posted.

There are two other things coming out very soon, one is a DVD of all my earlier music mixed in surround sound, with beautiful hi-fi visuals from the Hubble space telescope. Beautiful nature scenes, and planet, ocean, images. Its all my music, and it sounds super. It will be out this spring, and I will be sure to make it available on my website too. Also, the corporate retail giant Musicland has decided to release a compilation of all my earlier independently owned works. They let me pick the songs and I have updated, remixed them and it will be widely released throughout all the Musiclands and all affiliate chain stores everywhere. I am very fortunate to have this happen. Its a biggie for me. It was a lucky meeting at an art show I was performing at with George in Minnesota. The big cheese was there with his wife, and his wife totally dug our music. The next thing ya know....

I am still working on my book of music too. Lots of people are asking for my songs on score, so I have done all that, (actually hired someone who did that) but I am trying to make the book super cool from another perspective with stories, pictures and fun stuff inside, so its taking longer.. I'm trying, and I am hoping it will be not more than a couple months more...

So I am sitting here in my pajamas on a Sunday afternoon. Here in California, it's considered a freeze when it hits below 60 degrees. A little rain and the cars are all crashing into one another. It's a rare weekend home for me. My neck is stuck in one position from writing this, so I'll sign off.. and go make pancakes. I bid you adieu... until next time.. I'll be keeping you posted.

Sincerely, Lisa Lynne