August 5th: Exceptional

This was an exceptional day.  It began early.  Well, early for me.  I was up at 6:30am getting ready for a recording session in Provo at 9.  I was excited about the session but also a bit nervous because I was working with a singer I’d never worked with before and there wasn’t a lot of margin for error time wise.

I had no need to fear.  Mike Dowdle was on guitar and he’s been making my songs better with his artistry and professionalism for three decades.  The vocalist, McKenzie Turley, was a joy to work with and I realized very quickly that she was the right choice for this song.  We did a couple of versions of the piece.  One with guitar and vocal only, the other was guitar and vocal accompanied by a synth orchestra arranged by Alan Williams.   Guy Randle engineered at his Rosewood Recording Studio on the banks of the Provo River.  The spirit of fly fishing always embraces me when I’m there and keeps me calm….well, calm-er than I would have been without the trout nearby.

After the session I hustled up to a sound check at the Sandy Amphitheatre with Jason Deere and the Nashville Tribute Band who’d invited me to sit in with him at their concert tonight.  Being with that group is ALWAYS a M2B:) time for me.   I only wish I’d had more time to rehearse. More time, more fun.   They are all such terrific musicians and have worked together for so long I always feel like I’m racing to catch up.  It was an honor to be invited to sing one of the new songs Jason and I wrote together for his upcoming album.

After sound check I got over to the Booksellers convention for a meet and greet event scheduled from 6-7:30 which offered a lovely, humbling surprise.  The group was giving out awards for best book, best music CD and something called the Exceptional Merit Award.   The presentations were being made at a room at the Sandy Exposition center and several authors and artists were there trying to encourage the retailers to take a chance on their latest creations.  I was there pushing an Illustrated Children’s Christmas book/CD  I wrote called A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE FOR ISAAC AND ELIZA.  (It’s part of the Forgotten Carols franchise)

The award for best book was given to President Uchtdorf for his book on mothers, and the award for best CD went to The Mormon Tabernacle Choir for HEAVENSONG.  I’m a bit embarrassed to confess this but during the presentations I was eyeing the buffet table,  searching in my mind for the perfect path to sneak a chicken salad sandwich on what looked like a Lion House roll.  That’s when I heard my song THE ONE AND ONLY YOU playing through the sound system.  My first thought was: Isn’t that lovely…they’re using my song to celebrate the person being given the Exceptional Merit Award.  Then I glanced at the screen and saw pictures of me set to the music.  I was stunned.  Surprised.  Shocked.  Confused.  Grateful. Humbled.  And absolutely unprepared!  What was I going to say?

It’s always AFTER events like this that you write the perfect acceptance speech.  All I remember coming out of my mouth were expressions of gratitude for the people who take risks ordering my products to offer to their customers and how much I wanted to do better, and believed the award was encouraging me to keep on keeping on.  I think I told them I didn’t ever want to let them down.

Then I slipped back to the concert setting and played with the band.  It was a chance to sing THE TWILIGHT OF MY YEARS, and as I drove home tonight I was thinking about the award, the song, the concert, the early morning recording session and what a memorable M2B:) day it had been.

The word that came to mind was…Exceptional.