I finally have a minute to write and will pick up where I left off. Early on Tuesday morning, September 20th, I flew back to Chicago, picked up my car at Quality Inn, and drove to Madison, WI to do an event at Borders. After, I had to drive across the state to Eau Claire, where Econo Lodge was a hotel sponsor. From there I took a leisurely drive to Minneapolis/St. Paul. The next morning I addressed students at Augsburg College. They include music biz in their music program and it was a very attentive and packed audience.

That night I had an enthusiastic crowd at Borders. A special treat was having Kevin and Kimberly Gullickson surprise me there. They put on a music expo several years ago in Minneapolis and brought me in to speak. We bonded big time but I haven’t seen them since. So this was a real treat!

The next day I checked out of my hotel, packed my car, and headed for the McNally Smith College of Music. I’ve enjoyed all my talks but this was an especially memorable group. I’d found them because James Hearn, a professor at the school, signed up for my newsletter. I told him about my tour and was invited to speak. The group was very informal and relaxed. And exceptionally enthusiastic. The whole school vibed creative energy. I got very excited interacting with them.

The energy McNally Smith kept me awake as I embarked on a long drive into North Dakota. Before this trip there were 10 states I’d never been to. North Dakota was one. As I drove through it, I realized that I’d also gotten to Michigan and Wisconsin for the first time, so I was down to 7 states. I was really getting to see my whole country!

I was surprised at the landscape in North Dakota. It had hills and mountains reminiscent of the southwest. The red rocks also were unexpected and beautiful. I began snapping pics out the window (Warning – do not do this!!). I couldn’t help myself. It was spectacular.

It hit me suddenly – I was driving through North Dakota by my lonesome – but I wasn’t lonesome!! I was happy and felt fulfilled – living my dream of driving across the country by myself and making a difference for many musicians. It was an amazing realization! People thought I was crazy to do this. After all, women haven’t traditionally done this sort of thing nor felt comfortable about having nobody with them. We’re supposed to need company. And especially crave a man’s company – or anything rather than being alone. Well I was FAR from lonely. I was exhilarated! I did call a few people on my cell to describe the scenery. My pics will allow me to share too.

I actually enjoyed the solitude in between speaking gigs. I got to listen to lots of music as I drove. People gave me CDs wherever I went so I had lots to hear. Friends called to see if I was lonely. Okay, maybe something is wrong with me but I never was. NEVER!! I’ve really evolved a lot from the girl who was always scared of being alone. And I love it! Driving gave me time to think. Clear my head. And have a break from all the people at events. Over the years I’ve grown to appreciate my own company more and more. This trip has reinforced the joy of not needing someone else to feel happy!

People have told me that they read my blog. Ooooops I think! I’ve been totally remiss about keeping up with it. I’m writing this on an airplane from NY to Atlanta and I’ll post it when I get to my hotel room. It’s one of the first times I’ve been able to sit still and get something “extra” done.

I’ve been on the road for over 2 months now. My Indie Music National road trip began on Labor Day when I left NYC. It’s been grueling at times. I’ve discovered another level of exhaustion. Most of my free time is spend typing all the names of people who signed up for my newsletter into my database program. That prevents me from getting to other things, like my blog. BUT – and I’m talking BIG BUT – this tour has been extraordinarily rewarding and LOTS of fun too. So much so that all the tougher parts are well worth it!! I’ve spoken to thousands of musicians, gotten to share time with some wonderful people, and made many delightful new friends.

This is a special journey for me. As someone who long ago abandoned all attempts at pursuing anything that wasn’t passion driven, I’m now encouraging musicians to empower themselves and follow their own passions. Chasing fame is ego-driven. It rarely leads to the inner kind of joy that sustains over a long time. Doing what you love nurtures you. Therefore, I feel more blessed than I can even express to be able to personally reach as many people as I have on this tour. And doing this tour the indie way has enabled me to experience what it’s like to go on tour. I have much more respect for indie artists than ever before!!!!

My tour has 4 legs. I factored in 3 quick trips home. The first leg began when I drove almost to Cleveland, OH, my first stop, on Labor Day. The next night I did a book signing at Borders in Cleveland Hts. When it ended at 9 PM, I got into my loaded car and drove several hours to Ann Arbor, MI. Arrived close to midnight. Felt like I barely slept before I had to get up to drive almost 2 hours to East Lansing, MI. I addressed a group of students in the morning and another in the afternoon. John Martin, Director, Office of Admissions and Student Services, School of Music, was kind enough to take me out to lunch in between and engage me in a lively conversation. I drove back to Ann Arbor late in the day.

On Thursday I addressed students at the University of Michigan Law School. They’d invited students who were musicians too so it was an interesting group. My focus was on legal issues – what musicians should take care of themselves (such as band agreements and contracts for venues) but won’t unless pushed, and legal issues that musicians should be conscious of but usually aren’t. These lawyers of the future need to know what the growing number of indie artists will need from them. That night I did a book talk at Borders near the school.

On Friday I headed south to Indianapolis. It was a long ride but I’ve actually been enjoying the driving. Living in Manhattan, I don’t have a car. Driving is one of the few times I can listen to music or motivational tapes and pay attention. I’m also a chick who enjoys solitude. Some days I felt like half of Thelma and Louise as I sped down a highway, music blasting, and me singing out loud and swinging as I navigated the road. I must have looked real funny to people who saw me but who cares!! It was fun. People were always giving me CDs so I had lots to listen to.

I arrived at Rich Hardesty’s house in Fishers, IN in the late afternoon. Rich (http: www.richhardesty.com) is a very successful indie artist who I interviewed for Start & Run Your Own Record Label and became fast friends with. He kindly offered me his room in his lovely home. The two days I stayed there were filled with people, high energy, and lots of laughing and fun. I already love Rich and now I love his friends. I’m not used to being around so many people at home but it was a treat. Musicians came and went and crashed. Rich’s roommates Cindy and Nikki made me feel very welcome and Sluggo, Rich’s friend and assistant, pampered me with kindness. Rich had broken his hand skateboarding a week before I arrived but still performed at my Borders talk and signing that Saturday, accompanied by three great musicians.

There was little rest for me that Sunday. I had to drive to Champaign – Urbana to speak at the University of Illinois. During the summer, I announced my tour schedule and asked for a street team to help me. Holly Rushakoff saw some space in my schedule between Indianapolis and Chicago and immediately contacted me about speaking at the Courtyard at her school. She’d even arranged for a house for me to stay in. So of course I did it!

I took my time getting to Chicago on Monday. The drive was “only” a few hours but traffic was bad so it was tedious. The Quality Inn at 3801 N. Mannheim Road in Schiller Park, just outside of Chicago near O"Hare, was my hotel sponsor for Chicago. I appreciated their hospitality and support. They also have a park and ride which made it more convenient to leave my car when I came home for a few days. That night, in an effort to offset the long periods of sitting in the car, decadent road grazing, and inability to keep up my usual exercise routines, I doggedly worked out in Quality Inn’s small gym and then ran around the building parking lot a few times. It wasn’t Central Park but I tried. ☺

Tuesday I drove across Chicago (another tedious journey through traffic) to Chicago State University where I spoke to an enthusiastic group of students. After schlepping through traffic to get home, I mean back to my motel (though I’m living Metallica’s song, that says, “Where I lay my head is home.”), I literally just had time to check email, grab an apple, and run out to an event at Borders. Traffic was so bad that I barely made it on time! Afterwards I did a few more laps around my motel parking lot, then had to organize my stuff. I packed up my car with most of it and packed a bag for my flight to New York, early Wednesday morning.

People referred to my coming home as a break but it wasn’t one. I tried to crash but had too many things to take care of. Friday night was a fun gathering of my friends to celebrate my September 19th birthday a little early. Saturday I moderated a panel at CMJ. They approached me to put one together based on my new book. I was thrilled to do it. It was called DO or DIY.

The panel was awesome! I was blessed to have a great group of industry pros agree to be on it: publicist Ken Weinstein, president of Big Hassle Media; manager (Worlds Fair) Amaechi Uzoigwe, co-founder of Def Jux Records; indie artist and platinum record songwriter Lorraine Ferro; Eric Kaye, music production for The Lodge and member of indie band, The Strines; Alex Steininger, from CDBaby. Each speaker brought a tremendous depth of experience to share and provided top quality suggestions for the attendees. Afterwards, the panelists themselves were excited about how well it went. The enthusiasm from the audience was rewarding.

On Sunday I had to get up early and travel to Hartford, CT for the New England Musician’s Expo, where I spoke and hung out for the day. Monday was my birthday but there was little time to celebrate and I worked all day to take care of things before getting on a plane early the next morning. Ah, the life of someone on an indie tour!! : ) But I’m very blessed to be able to do it!

I LOVE the Chevy Cobalt I'm practically living out of from National Rental Car. National is a sponsor of this trip and I sincerely appreciate their support for my efforts to educate musicians. My car is a small, 4-door model that gets 30 miles per gallon and has a HUGE trunk, which I needed badly while living on the road for almost 3 months. I’m traveling with lots of books, clothes for almost all the seasons, food and other stuff I need for a trip this long. And it all fits! I have quite a few hotel sponsors too. I’m seeing for myself how the indie model can work! ☺