CAN YOU SAY BUSY??

Where in the WORLD to start? May has been a busy and exciting month but we are about to say goodbye to it. And May just happens to be one of my favorite months of the year, so I will be sad in a few days. HA.

First of all, a HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to the finalists and winners of our Georgia Music Industry Association Country Showcase.... Guy Dupree took first and second place.. and he was just dandy on stage with just him and his guitar. And equal congrats to David Ayers who took third place with one of his songs. Jason Fincher started off the show and rocked the house with his opening number. We had some good gals in the lineup too.... Ms. Vicki Lynne Wisecup, Ms. Danita Rae Conort, and Ms. Dana Rampy.. you go girls! I was proud and happy for all of you up there that night. Oh.. and Gloria Stanley....you are one unique vocalist. Thanks for opening our night for us!! We had a PACKED house at Brookshire's Taste of Nashville. I'd say well over 300 folks came out last Saturday night! We even had Mrs. Travis TRITT in the house.. yes, we did!
I was honored to play in the GMIA-ALL STAR BAND to back up artist, Patrick Moore, who is a fireball of energy onstage. I also had the privilege of meeting Bronson Herrmuth . He was one of our judges from Nashville. Also got an autographed book from him that day..(his book) entitled.. 100 Miles To a Record Deal. He seems to be a down-to-earth, very nice guy. And can he blow a harmonica!!! He got up on the jam session afterwards and joined in..It just wasn't long enough, Bronson!!! We gave out two special awards ... a VISIONARY AWARD went to Mr. Mike Brookshire... and we gave the COTTON CARRIER AWARD to Mr. Allen Coefield, owner of Atlantacountrymusic.com and co-owner of the Atlanta Opry. Aside from a few technical problems (we always dread these), I felt like it was a success. We can't continue to do things like this for our community and members unless we have awesome talent and members that want to participate! Thank-you ALL. We are meeting next week to discuss the rest of the year's events. Please stay up to date w/our website.. www.gmia.org and while you're on the computer, check out Bronson's websites also...

I'm also getting excited about another event coming up this summer, actually two of them.
I will be performing on JULY 30TH at the Redlight Cafe in Atlanta as part of the Just Plain Folks Road Tour. I am looking forward to this.... and then later that week I am on to Nashville to attend PINEYFEST's annual event.. and this is one of my favorite weeks in Nashville. Might be doing some demos while there and I hope to be playing at, what looks like now where the event will be held, the club, Lyrix. I played there last year .. great sound.. and thanks to Barbara Cloyd for running our in-the-round sound those couple of nights!

In the meantime, I am busy trying to complete a handful of songs I've been working on. Please, cowriter, be patient with me. HA.....

ahhhh...the sound of a lawn mower.. that means SUMMER to me. I am LOVING these beautiful days around Atlanta we are having. Hope all of you who took the time to read this will have a wonderful, exciting summer. You know, sometimes WE, ourselves, have to be the ones who make things happen or make a day or evening exciting. Don't wait for something to happen.. make it happen... Don't wait for someone to say hello.. say HELLO to them first and then you can cuss them later if you want. ha. Anyway.... you know what I mean. ;)

Okay..this is it till next time... I hope to have lots to talk about this summer. I"ll be back soon!!!
If you ever read any of this stuff, and you KNOW me.. drop me an email and let me know that you are reading it, will ya? Otherwise, sometimes I just feel like I am writing a diary.

~~~SHELIA