The Music Row Diaries

John Lennon Grand Prize Results

2008-07-01T11:31:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody! I got the news recently that I did NOT win the grand prize of the John Lennon Song Contest this year. The judging committee picked the rock song as the winner, which you can listen to by clicking here.

So, I was a little disappointed of course but not too surprised. In any competition like that your chances are slim and you never know what the judges will be looking for. All in all I received about $7,500 worth of musical equipment from this year’s contest, and I can’t be anything but thankful for that. Shoot, I look around my apartment and practically every cool piece of musical gear I have is from the John Lennon Song Contest!! I use the stuff they gave me every day, and don’t know where I’d be without it.

I want to take this opportunity to thank you guys again for all of your votes earlier this year…that was a lot of fun! I got an excuse to share my new demos with many of you, you helped me win an extra $2500 worth of stuff, and you gave me the shot at the big prize. There’s only one other person that I know of who has won the Grand prize and a Category prize, so I’m in rare company.

That’s all the updates I’ve got for now, but as usual I’ve got plenty of irons in the fire so I hope you all will all keep in touch and stay tuned! Peace,

We Won!

2008-05-06T20:28:00.000-07:00

After a month of tireless voting, you did it! You voted me through to the final round of this year's John Lennon Song Contest! This means I get another $3000 worth of cool stuff, PLUS I'm one of 12 songs competing for the $20,000 grand prize. I feel as peppy as a turbo-charged turtle... You guys are the best!

Celebrity Sightings, New Songs, and some Good News!

2008-03-12T13:31:00.000-07:00

Hey folks! It's been a good couple of months here in Nashville! The biggest news is that Jason Michael Carroll recorded "Hurry Home" in February, and was kind enough to let me stop by the studio and listen in. It was fun to hear my song being recorded in a big studio by a major label artist, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will be as big a hit with his fans as it was with mine! It may take a while for his album to come out, and nothing is ever final until it's final, so I'll keep you guys posted on that development.

Another fun surprise happened a couple weeks ago when fellow Big Yellow Dog writer Pat Mclaughlin introduced me to his co-writer up at the office, who happened to be Taylor Hicks. His season on American Idol was the only one I really watched on a regular basis, and I thought he was a really unique presence, so it was interesting to meet him in person!

Well it's not all fun and games---I HAVE been working, and here are a couple of news songs to show for it!

I wrote "Daddy Did You Know" one day after hearing that Julianne Hough (new county singer of Dancing With the Stars fame) was looking for a "daddy song". It sounded like fun to try to write one, so I did! This version is sung by Nikki Williams who is also an up-and-coming talent.

"That's What I Call Beautiful" started when I discovered a fun chord progression on the guitar. I had a lyrical idea from another song that wasn't working out, and when I put the two of them together it just clicked.

Last but not least, I found out last weekend that I've been picked again in the John Lennon Song Contest! This is the contest where I won the grand prize two years ago with "Hurry Home". My new song is called "Hope is a Flame" and you can listen to it on the John Lennon website. Sometime in April I'll be needing your vote (just like we did two years ago) in order to make it to the next round and have a chance at winning that grand prize again. Stay tuned!

Thanks for all your encouragement and support, and I hope wherever you are you're getting some of this spring weather we have here today.... Peace,

I Love Love

2007-12-02T21:54:00.000-08:00

Hey folks! Got a new batch of songs for you to hear. I recorded these just before Thanksgiving, but am just now getting a chance to tell you about them:

"I Love Love" is a song about one of my favorite subjects---compassion. I'm kind of hoping Martina McBride hears this one someday... :)

"Hold On" is a little song I wrote in a couple of days (that's pretty quick for me). I just wanted to write something that felt good to sing and play, and so far I think this one fits the bill.

""'87 Chevy 4x4" was originally inspired by our Tahoe that we put 300,000 miles on as we toured all over the country. As the song evolved, it ended up melding with stories about Jodi's first vehicle, which was an '87 Chevy Blazer.

"Kissin'" is a song that I actually wrote last spring, but just now got around to demoing. It was inspired one day when...you guessed it. Jodi and I were kissin' instead of working, and I realized that I like it that way.

"What You Do With What You Got" is a really long song title. :) Couldn't be helped though. This is a story about two kids who group up in different worlds, only to find their lives intersecting at a crucial moment...

You can hear all these songs on my myspace page as well. Thanks for listening and for keeping in touch. Happy holidays to you all!! Peace,

October Demos

2007-10-11T19:49:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody! Just finished up my second demo session today, and it went great. We recorded at Station West in Nashville and we had some great players including Gordon Mote on piano, Billy Panda on acoustic guitar, and J. T. Corenflos (pronounced "Cornfloss"---sweet name for a country picker). I'm humbled to work with guys that good. We also brought in Wes Hightower, background vocalist extraordinaire, and a young lady by the name of Nikki Williams (no relation) who sang the !@#$!#$^$% out of a song called "Overcome".

We recorded five songs, and I've posted them all to my myspace page at www.myspace.com/zanewilliams. Click on over and check 'em out! There's a Christmas song, a love song, a killin' song, a rockin' song, and an inspirational song. (We covered a lot of ground!)

I'm sorry I don't have some pictures or something to snazz this up a little, and I'm also sorry if I don't write everyone back. It's beautiful weather here in Nashville, and I just feel as fortunate as I can feel to get to do this fun stuff for a living. No cuts to tell you about yet, but I'll certainly keep you posted! :) Everything in good time... Y'all take care and keep in touch! Peace,

"Live to Love Again"

2007-09-15T20:44:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody! We just put the finishing touches on my first demo recording session today, and I'd like to share a new song with you!!

It's called "Live to Love Again". I bought a short cut capo at Kerrville Folk Festival last year, and found a neat chord progression playing chords in the key of C with the capo on the 4th fret. The first line just kind of popped out of me as I was playing the chord progression---"Hey baby why the long face, did you really think he would always stay?" and I was off to the races. I got most of it written that afternoon and finished it up the next day, which is lightning speed for me. It was immediately one of my new favorite songs.

This is one of the songs I played for my publisher Carla at our first meeting, and she just thought it was a big ol' hit. :) She's been playing a guitar/vocal work tape for people, and it was on hold briefly for Pat Green, but his record label passed on it so it's back on the market. Hopefully a fully produced demo will help us find a home for this song!! You should be able to listen to the song on a player below. If not, it's also posted on my myspace page! Peace,

PS Also a friendly reminder---I'm trying to spend more time on music and less time on the computer, so I may not be able to respond to every e-mail I get. But I do read and appreciate all of them!!!!

Writing Just Feels So Right

2007-08-16T20:51:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody! I haven't written since April, and I apologize. I haven't forgotten about you, or stopped being grateful for the relationship that I'm lucky to have with you. What I HAVE done is to begin a new phase of my career, and re-evaluate my priorities based on that new direction.

On June 1st, I signed my first publishing deal and became a staff songwriter at Big Yellow Dog Music. (www.BigYellowDogMusic.com) I get a monthly salary, I turn in songs, they help me pay for demo sessions and pitch the songs to recording artists, and we share the money that the songs make. It's more than steady income for me---it's a chance to focus on being creative and exploring the craft of songwriting. The simplicity of just being a creative artist is refreshing, after eight years of being a web designer, printer, phone salesman, road manager, producer, photographer, bus driver, and myspace editor. (Full props to my homey Jodi for playing many of those roles and more as well.)

So what about you? You guys are the ones who have come to my shows, bought my records, encouraged me, told friends about me, and most of all, experienced and connected with my music. Does this mean you'll never see or hear from me again? Nope! I'm far too honored to have a relationship with you to let it fall by the wayside. After all, we're in this together! There are going to be some changes though, and here they are in a nutshell:

For the next however long, I'm going to be spending a lot more time sitting in front of a guitar or piano, and a lot less time sitting in front of a computer or a steering wheel.

So there is good news and bad news for you. Let's get the bad news out of the way: Your e-mails and myspace comments may go unanswered. Never unread, never unappreciated, but sometimes maybe unanswered. My blog entries may be less frequent and have fewer photos and video. And, I may not come play in your hometown any time in the foreseeable future. Alright, that wasn't so bad, was it?!

The good news for you is SONGS. Lots of 'em. New ones all the time. Stories songs, groovy songs, songs that make you cry, songs that remind you of what's beautiful, songs that crack you up. I haven't figured out exactly how I'm going to deliver them to you, but ideas on the table are myspace, snocap, ITunes, flash player on my website, free mp3s from time to time, etc. No more waiting 3 years for a new album to come out. (OK, 5 years.) I have TONS of new songs that I am anxious for you to hear. HOPEFULLY, some of them will go on to be sung by recording artists that you know and love and you will have the rewarding experience of hearing them first, fresh out of the kitchen.

So to sum up: The adventure continues. There is going to be more and better music than ever. I may be a little hard to reach in the future, but it's because I will be writing songs with YOU in mind. You'll get to hear new stuff on a regular basis, instead of every few years, and you'll get to hear "the hits" before they were hits. (Hopefully.) My first demo session is Sept. 6th, we'll record four or five brand new songs, and I plan to post them on my myspace page on the 8th. I'm pumped about that---my first demo session!!! Stay tuned for more info, and thanks for ALL of your encouragement through the years. May you continue to make steady progress toward YOUR goals and dreams. Peace,

Zane

American Idol Song Contest

2007-04-16T23:57:00.000-07:00

OK, so it's an overwhelming task to try to catch you up on the last THREE MONTHS, so I'm going to have to do it using slam poetry. The following should be read in an intense, theatrical, half-crazy kind of voice.

Seven years! SEVEN! Out on the ROAD, gettin' a left-arm tan drivin' my van, tryin' to be the MAN, tryin' to understand why my plan wasn't workin' out so GRAND. Records not sellin', crowd's not swellin', singin' over the talkin' feels a lot like yellin', and if it ain't gellin' then why am I freakin' here?

Gets a man thinkin' 'bout SONG writing. Been offered a new DEAL, been seein' the APPEAL of sittin' at home alone with a turned-off cell phone and gettin' checks in the MAIL while the MAIL MAN drives in the rain, sleet, snow and hail. And I love doin' it, so how can I fail? I'm plannin' on taking this deal, but there's one........thing.......stopping me........

You guessed it. I'm an American Idol Song Contestant. They want ONE SONG to rule them ALL, and of course they want to play it with an orchestra featuring a disco ball. They need a song that shines on the big stage, a song Sanjaya could sing to the Fanjayas half his age. So I wrote that song, and put it on my myspage page. Check it out. They're gonna pick the top twenty and start the votin' (that's slim odds, but here's a hopin'). If I DO make the cut, then tell yo mamma, 'cause I'll be needin' her vote worse than Barack Obama. Peace out y'all,

Reflections from American Idol

2007-02-01T22:25:00.000-08:00

Like, Oh my God!

Have you all been watching American Idol? Jodi and I have. These early episodes are sort of like a train wreck---so painful to watch, yet you can't look away. You've got the weirdos who mean to be weird, and the ones who are just being themselves. You've got the sweet, quiet types and the loudmouths with attitude. We've seen classically trained vocalists, rockers, R & B singers, Broadway singers, twangers, and screechers...they've been naive, charming, jaded, desperate, cheerful, odd and every combination in between. We've also learned that how they come across is pretty much fixed, and singing "one more song", going outside for a drink of water, or stepping off onto the carpet never changes anything or makes them any better. :)

I'll be turning 30 this year, and I've been singing for a living the past 6 years. It's been a journey, but I think I am finally getting a handle on who I really am and where I fit into the musical universe. As I imagine looking at myself through the eyes of Randy, Paula, and Simon, I think I have a pretty clear picture of who I am and, just as important, who I am not....

I am not the good-looking, stylish young hunk who drives the ladies crazy.

I am not the undeniable vocalist with the million dollar voice.

I am not the rowdy bar band lead singer that dances on tables and gets the crowd into it.

And I'm not the...ummm, ECCENTRIC performer that you just kind of feel sorry for.

No amount of trying can make me into one of these people, either. Although...if I shaved my goatee and grew my hair back out, I might could be this guy...

What I AM is a genuine, laid-back kind of guy that writes heartfelt songs and tells funny stories. I like things simple, and I like to be real up on stage. Give me an audience that is sitting down and paying attention, and I will make them FEEL something every time. For me it's all about honesty, and saying something true about life, and making every line of the song worth listening to. I guess it's no coincidence then that I won the celebrity-judged nationwide talent contest for SONGWRITING, not singing. The good news for me is that I do probably have a couple songs that a country artist could take to the top of the charts. THAT would be nationwide exposure, and would allow me to earn a living while I stay home and feed slugs to my salamander, and practice hacky sack, and sing to myself.

Shoot, maybe I AM the eccentric one....

Peace,

Happy New Zane

2007-01-04T10:19:00.001-08:00

So we're down in Texas at the moment, at Jodi's parent's house. I'm sitting with my laptop on the bed in the room Jodi grew up in, being watched suspiciously by a crowd of Care Bears, Strawberry Shortcake dolls, and Disney characters, and I'm thinking about the year that has passed....

2006 was a blast overall, but there were a lot of times when I felt like I was spread way too thin. The veggie van, the CD artwork, and our "adopted" Somalian family each required momumental efforts at different times, and I never did get into a good rhythm of working efficiently and having time to actually write songs. SO....I'm cutting back in '07. Literally. (To be read in your best Bob Barker voice) That's right, ladies and gentlemen....I can now reduce the 3 minutes a day I spend on my hair down to just 30 seconds with the help of my new low-maintenance haircut!

This haircut features all-one-length styling that is both bed-head and hat-hair resistant! On the go or on the stage, I'm ready for what life has to throw at me with this classic, time-tested style! And think of the time I will save by wearing just one pair of shoes that are appropriate for almost any situation---"Sloppy Toe" boots by the Simple shoe company!

These fine boots are quality-made with the only the finest earth-friendly and recycled materials! Combining the comfort of your favorite slippers with the durability of boots, the Sloppy Toe boots prove once and for all that shoes can be both functional, stylish, and environmentally responsible!!

Of course, that pales in comparison to the time and stress I will save when I drive down the road in...........................

OUR NEW CAR! This sporty, almost-new 2006 Pontiac Vibe features a surprisingly spacious cargo area with fold-down seats, better than 30 mpg fuel economy, and a luxurious sun roof!! PLUS it doesn't leak oil and transmission fuid, or require a new fuel filter every 400 miles, or refuse to start in temperatures below 25 degrees!!!

So, with my new "prizes" and a more focused, efficient game plan for 2007, I'm hopeful that I can live out my life goal better than ever in 2007---make great music and give to the needy out of my excess. For those of you who would like to help, here's your assignment:

Review my album on ITunes. Just a line or two is perfect. If you have ITunes installed on your computer, just open up the store and search for "Zane Williams", click on my album, and click "write a review". Big thanks to those folks who have already taken the time to do this---y'all are the best!

Happy new year everybody---I hope you make steady progress toward your dreams, and that our paths cross often... Peace,

New Deal for the New Year

2006-12-04T06:57:00.000-08:00

Hey everybody! Sorry I haven't written in a while, I guess I've been on vacation. (OK---I admit it, my whole life is a vacation.) Jodi and I have been getting SOME work done though, like mailing out CDs to everyone who has been ordering off the website. Thanks everybody! In addition to fans all over the country wanting the CD, I've also gotten requests for CDs from music industry folks who work for companies like 95.5 the Wolf in Dallas, Nashville Public Radio, Sirius Radio, and No Depression magazine---and the campaign to get the word out is just beginning.

Since you guys are always asking how you can help, I've decided to to mention ONE THING in each blog entry that you could do to really help me out. And today, the ONE THING is simple...

Buy the music if you haven't already.

It's hot, it's fresh, and it's easy to get. $15 gets you a signed CD, personalized however you'd like by yours truly and my little brown Sharpie. Also, as of this week, the CD is now available on ITUNES!! That means you can download it instantaneously for $10, or buy your favorite tunes for just 99 cents a piece. Seriously---you ought to have this album. Get it now and start enjoying.

While you're doing that, did I mention a while back that I had been offered a publishing deal? Well it's true---someone wants to pay me to write songs! His name is Marty Williams, and he's best known for discovering the group Rascal Flatts and co-producing their first three albums. He has also gotten record deals for Josh Gracin and a new guy named Marcel, and he produces both of those acts. Marty is VERY excited about my songwriting (imagine that!). He wants to pitch some of my songs to big-name country acts, introduce me to his contacts, and talk about the possibility of pitching me to record labels as well. Plus he's a super nice guy that I can be very honest with. I've thought a lot about it, and my gut is telling me that this is a golden opportunity... Looks like I'll be trying something new in 2007!

I'll let you know when we "ink the deal". In the meantime, buy and enjoy that music! You deserve it! Take care everybody,

The New CD is Finally Here!

2006-10-28T10:07:00.000-07:00

The UPS man brought me a dream on Wednesday...

I've dreamed for several years now of making a CD that would fit in this perfect little spot between folk, country, and bluegrass. It had to be unique, it had to be heartfelt, and I knew if I did it right it would have a universal appeal. I wanted to make a record by some unknown dude named Zane Williams that was so well written and lovingly crafted that it could stand alongside the classics by Alison Krauss, or the Dixie Chicks, or James Taylor. I wanted to finally do my best at something, and see what I was truly capable of.

How did it turn out? Before I tell you, I want to share with you my memory of three separate times that I cried during the making of this CD. Grab a hanky and let's go back in time...

1. We had been doing "pre-production" for a week, and it was the last day before we starting actually recording. I still didn't have a bridge I liked for "Livin' in the Good Ol' Days", despite several attempts to write one. My co-producer's opinion was that time was up, and we needed to do it like it was or not do it at all. I was sleep-deprived, worn out from having creative disagreements all week, and felt like my dream for the record was already slipping away. I was utterly hopeless and disappointed. Mitch and I sat by the sound board in silence for a long moment, while I looked down and wiped tears away. I later realized that actually, I still had plenty of time to work on it before we recorded that particular song. I ended up writing a bridge that I still love to sing today.

2. The first day of recording the main tracks, I knew I was dropping a few thousand dollars just for that day and I was very nervous how it would go. I remember standing in the control room listening to Bryan Sutton, Andrea Zonn, and Charlie Chadwick play through some of my songs for the first time and being ABSOLUTELY blown away. It sounded so wonderful, I couldn't believe that it was live music coming out of the room next to me. My eyes welled up with tears of happiness and relief. It was worth every penny, and was the highlight of my musical career to that point.

3. Then there was the night that I sketched the design for the cover. Things had fallen through with the professional designer I had hired, after almost six months of talking with her. I had no money left, and the project had been dragging on forever. The only viable option left was to do it myself, but I wasn't sure if I was a good enough artist to make a design that was worthy of the recording we'd made. I wrestled with sketches and trace paper all night, until finally I had a breakthrough at about four in the morning. I sketched the final design as the sun came up, and I held it up, and I thought that it truly was beautiful. I went outside, sat on the sidewalk in the gray morning light, and cried. I felt that for the first time in my life, I had done my best on something.

There were probably more teary-eyed moments, but I don't want to seem like TOO much of a sissy artist here. The point of it all is, I tried to do something right for once, and it was really hard, but I'm glad I did it. Now that this particular struggle has come to an end, it's plain to see that ANYTHING worth doing in life involves struggle. That life IS struggle. It has wonderful ups, and it has miserable downs. And if you're doing something worthwhile, something you believe in, hopefully it's worth it.

So how did it turn out?

Well I can't tell you that it's perfect, but it's within spittin' distance of perfect, which ain't bad. It's REALLY unique looking, it sounds great, and I am going to be really proud to share it with the world for a long time to come. Wooohooo! We mailed out the pre-orders on Thursday, and you can now listen to the entire CD and purchase it online at my website. CLICK HERE to visit my website and start listening right now!

Shoot...now that it's all over, I'm already looking forward to the next one... Peace,

Random Photos, Video, Audio

2006-10-28T09:13:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted in a long dang time... I'm just going to post a bunch of stuff from the last month or two and you can browse through it if you'd like!!

Performing at Gilley's in Dallas at the finale of the All American Superstar competition. This is one contest I did not win! :)

This is a beautiful chapel on the campus of the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee...

How do you like our new summer home in Groton, CT? It's right on the water...

Actually, the mansion and this shot were taken on the campus of the University of Connecticut at Avery Point.

CLICK HERE to download a large (78 MB) video of the rain dance I did in a FedEX parking lot somewhere in Virginia when I mailed off the CD to the printers...

CLICK HERE to download a 25 MB video of my performance at the Bitter End in NYC

WDVX in Knoxville, TN does a live radio broadcast every week day at noon called the Blue Plate special. You perform for a real audience, and it's a fun little gig!! CLICK HERE for a 40 MB, 50 minute mp3 of the entire show.

The Americana Folk Festival is also a great gig that I've been able to do the last couple years... This was an early morning set for about 100 people, but there were more like 6,000 in attendance for the headliner that night. (Patti Griffin and Mindy Smith headlined.)

Jodi got a little cold by the end of the night, so we didn't see the end of Patti's set...

Hope you enjoyed these little tidbits...I'll try to get back in the habit of posting more often!! Peace,

Talk of the Town

2006-08-08T06:45:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody! Jodi and I are back in Nashville, and still getting a little bit of spotlight warmth from the John Lennon win. We had fun going downtown and being interviewed live in NewsChannel5 "Talk of the Town"...there's some online video of the interview here.

I've also done a couple of call-in radio interviews...I taped one of them this morning. Here's an mp3 to show you what it's really like to call in to a radio station at 7:10 in the morning. I was pretty groggy. :)

So what do we spend our time on once the spotlight has faded? Well, I've been learning to use some of the home recording equipment that I got from the John Lennon and CMT/NSAI contests. Here's my little studio set-up...I'm trying to act like I know what I'm doing in this photo, but you can tell I don't.

Jodi and I can waste our time on just about anything...we're quite proficient at it. I had an order of about 250 promo photos that turned out too dark, and I had the trash can lid lifted to throw them away when we thought of another use for them. Ladies and gentlemen...I submit to you...MY BIGGEST (and sweetest) FAN!

We took that in our little living room, if you can believe it. That was a good time, and Jodi and I couldn't help but laugh at the kind of things we end up doing just because we don't have a real job. Of course I DO have a responsibility to finally release my dang CD, and I'm happy to say that the stitching is FINISHED! We're just down to working on the inside art...if we send it to the printers in a week or so, it will be ready for sale in a month. I'm just as proud as I can be of the stitching, and I have to really show it off because I am NEVER doing that again. :) Click on either of the photos below for a larger version.

That's all the news for now, folks...thanks for keeping up with my adventures, it's a pleasure to have your company on the journey! Peace,

Big Times in Texas

2006-07-21T13:07:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody! Things have slowed down to the point that I can spend a few hours on the computer and share some of the experiences Jodi and I had down in Austin accepting the $20,000 award.

First off, they actually called me and told me the news on June 30th. It was about 10:30 in the morning and Jodi and I had just gotten up (I know, we have a hard life). We were at a hotel in the middle of Idaho, getting ready to drive up to north Idaho for a show the next day. The director of the John Lennon Song Contest called, made a little small talk, and then laid the big news on me. Jodi whipped out the camera while I got jiggy with it.

Jodi and I called some friends and family and we celebrated with some huckleberry ice cream (we're big spenders now!)

A couple of weeks later we were on our way down to Austin. The award was going to be presented at the pre-convention party for the "NAMM Summer Session", which is a big trade show for companies that make musical instruments and equipment. Jodi and I left Dallas early on the morning of the big day---we were aiming to get to Austin at 2 PM, rehearse with the band from 4:30 to 6:30, and then the party started at 7. But, as fate would have it, things were going to be a little more interesting than that....

It happened about halfway between Dallas and Austin, in a little town called Hillsboro. I was asleep in the far back seat of the veggie van, when somehow I realized we weren't moving and I rubbed my eyes and sat up. The van was parked and running, and Jodi was nowhere in sight. Well I was puzzled for a few seconds, until I looked closer at my surroundings---we were parked at an outlet mall in front of a sunglasses shop. Aha!! Sneaky Jodi...stopping to shop when we needed to be making good time to Austin.

Well I just chuckled to myself, because we were actually running a little bit ahead. I noticed there was a restroom next to the sunglasses shop, so I got out and walked up to the store. I peeked in but didn't see Jodi, and I figured I would go pee real quick while she was busy and then I could drive the rest of the way. Less than two minutes later I come out of the restroom to see the veggie van pulling away and heading for the open road!!!! I realized my predicament in a split second---she thought I was still asleep in the back!!!! I chased her all the way out of the parking lot and onto the access road where she made a turn onto the on ramp and then LEFT ME IN THE DUST.

This is the scary part for me to think about---if I had had the cell phone in my pocket, I would have had no way to get in touch with her and she would've driven all the way to Austin without me. I really don't know what I would've done to get to Austin in time---I didn't have any money or ID on me or anything because I'd left my money clip in Dallas. Anyway, thank goodness she had the cell phone in the van, and all I needed to do was get to a pay phone and call her to tell her to turn around.

Not wanting to waste time, and ignoring the 100 degree heat, I ran back to the outlet mall and searched frantically for a pay phone only to find that they didn't have one anywhere. From there I jogged a quarter of a mile to the nearest gas station, where I found the only pay phone was already in use. The gas station across the street had one that was free, but when I picked it up I found there was no dial tone! It didn't work!! At this point I felt like I was on a candid camera episode. I ran into a nearby hotel---sweat dripping off me, hair blown in every direction, with a maniacal gleam in my eye---and asked if they had a public phone I could use to make a collect call. No, of course they didn't.

Finally I noticed the first pay phone was free again, so I ran to it and dialed Jodi up using a memorized calling card number. As tired and anxious as I was, I couldn't help but smile as I imagined what it would be like to get a call from someone you thought was asleep in your back seat. Jodi picked up, thank goodness. I said, "Hey baby....feel like giving me a ride to Austin??" Not sure who it was, she kind of laughed and said, "Hey...what's up?" "Jodi---it's me, Zane! You left me back here at the outlet mall and you need to TURN AROUND!"

Anyway, it took her twenty minutes to get back and we got to Austin an hour later than we had wanted. Good news is we had just enough time to get settled before I headed to rehearse with the band (none of whom I had met before.) Well the rehearsal went well, and thank goodness it did, because when we got to the convention center we were engulfed in a hurricane of activity.

I barely had time to meet the John Lennon folks and the Maxell representatives (the people with the money) before it was time to run up on stage in front of about 600 people and a surprising number of photographers (10 or 15 in front of the stage). It was my thirty seconds of fame, and I soaked it up. :)

I was presented with the big check, and then I sang "Hurry Home", "Livin' in the Good Ol' Days", and a rootsy version of John Lennon's "Imagine" which everyone seemed to really like. The band was great, and everyone thought we had been playing together forever.

Backstage it was time for more photos and introductions. Jodi and I had a happy moment alone with the check, which degenerated quickly into a match of tug-of-war....

We didn't have much time to fight about it though, because the John Lennon and Maxell folks invited us to a fancy celebratory dinner at Eddie V's. Highlights included eating my first oyster, the "iceberg wedge salad" that turned out to be exactly that, and the banana dessert that they set on fire.

(For those of you with a high speed connection, here's a video clip of the burning bananas).

The next day Jodi and I hung out at the NAMM convention, which rocked. Literally.

The John Lennon folks let us hang out at the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus, which is really two mobile recording studios...

All in all, it was definitely a memorable milestone and I'm very thankful for the memories!!! Thank you all again for you role in everything---without your votes I wouldn't have advanced no matter how good the song was. The stitching is just about finished...but that's for another update. Y'all keep in touch and I'll do the same!! Peace,

PS....Thanks also for all the congratulatory e-mails. I may not get a chance to write everyone back, but I certainly read them all and take every word to heart!!

I Done Won!

2006-07-14T08:34:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody! Remember when your votes helped me win the Country category of the John Lennon Song Contest? Well I can't thank you enough, because yesterday they announced that I am the GRAND PRIZE WINNER and Maxell corporation awarded me $20,000!!!

I'll post a full report later...the presentation was down here in Austin, TX at the NAMM convention and it's still kind of a whirlwind...but I just wanted to let you all know and send you my BIGGEST thanks for your support! Peace!

Art Update 6-26

2006-06-26T06:20:00.000-07:00

We're packing for Idaho today and will be gone for several days. I stayed up all night last night stitching a guitar and fiddle....Here is the product of my labor.

Back Cover

Close up.

Jodi's just about got the front cover wrapped up!

I'm going to bed for a bit... Peace,

Going Kerr-azy

2006-06-21T20:11:00.000-07:00

Hey folks! A lot has happened in a month...gotta make this a quick update so I can keep stitchin'.

Kerrville Folk Festival was great! The best part was the people. Some ACU pals showed up to represent...

Howes and Denningtons

Yarboroughs
(Sorry Lauren and Emily---I didn't get a picture of y'all!)

I didn't win either of the competitions, but I did get third in "Music to Life".

My first cool looking award! Does that mean I need an awards shelf now? Probably the highlight was sharing songs with two of the other contestants at four in the morning.

These guys are great writers and it was inspiring to hang with them! Check 'em out----Jud Caswell and Dave Potts.

When we got home I was interviewed by CMT Radio Network because of my CMT/NSAI song contest win. They weren't able to tell me when the interview would air, or even what stations are on their network, but at any rate you might hear something about it at some point. I was also interviewed live on XM radio---to download that interview, click here (warning---it's 26 minutes long and almost 30 MB). As if that weren't enough, Nashville Public Radio taped a short feature about my veggie van that will be airing soon. I'll try to let you guys know about this stuff as it happens, but it's tough. I need a publicist!

With all the excitement, I haven't gotten as much stitching done as I would like. However, Jodi did a bang-up job on the leaves and vines for the front cover and we've started filling in the diamonds.

The front cover should be done in a couple of days, and hopefully I can make good progress on the back before we fly to Idaho next week. And finally, and most importantly.......

I'm talking to a guy here in Nashville about a publishing deal. Someone who is a big fan and has some very solid contacts...if this isn't my big break, it could certainly lead to it very quickly. Only one way to find out! Keep in touch! :) Peace,

Still Stitchin' 5-23-06

2006-05-23T12:16:00.000-07:00

Stayed up until 5 AM a few nights ago and got this cranked out. The rest of the cover stuff is easier and will go quicker once we get to it. Unfortunately, we're about to leave for a two week trip to Texas for the Kerrville Folk Festival and it'll be hard to get too much done on the road. We'll try though!!!
When I get back from Texas I'll tackle the biggest hurdle, which is stitching the fiddle, mandolin, and guitar on the back cover. Hopefully we'll be done with everything by the end of June and have the CD released at the end of July. Honestly though, I'm just going to work as hard as I can on it until it gets done right. This is truly a labor of love that I'm creating just because I think it's beautiful. I'm lucky to get to spend time on stuff like that, and I'm thankful!

Peace,

Art Update 5-17-06

2006-05-17T09:24:00.000-07:00

Well, I didn't get as much stitching done as I wanted to this week. With distractions like setting up my online press kit, having to pump some bad vegetable oil out of my tank in the middle of the night, and getting a band together for my shows this week, it was hard to find the mental energy to tackle the intimidating task of stitching the "Zane Williams" lettering.

One of the scariest parts was transferring the design to the cloth. The disappearing pen we have wouldn't give us enough time to stitch it without re-tracing, so it had to be drawn with a permanent marker. PLUS, tracing the little details was impossible because of how thick and dark the cloth is. A breakthrough came when I visited the local stitching shop, Metamorphosis. They suggested poking holes in the design, laying it on top of the linen, and making a dotted outline of where I need to stitch.

This worked pretty well. I shopped around for a fine-tip blue marker that didn't bleed into the fabric too much, carefully taped the design on top of the fabric in just the right spot, and with fear in my heart.....I put polka dots all over my precious fabric.

And it worked! So far, anyway. I was finally able to get to stitchin', and I stitched the entire "Zane" yesterday.

I doubt I'll get much more done today---I've got a rehearsal to prepare for and a show to do tonight. If you're in Nashville, I'm playing tonight at 9:00 at the Douglas Corner (with a full band) and Saturday 9 to 10 at Christopher Pizza Company. Gotta run! Peace!

Art Update 5-10-06

2006-05-10T18:44:00.000-07:00

With enough design work out of the way to get started stitching, Jodi and I put the linen in the frames about five days ago....

And, we got to stitchin'!! Each of us have done about 3 to 5 hours a day, for a total of about 30 total hours so far. I got these SWEET reading glasses at the dollar store, and they magnify 3.5 times so I can see those little holes without straining....

Now some artists might be embarassed to put a photo of themselves like that on the internet---and to those people I say: Well, I can see your point. But back to the stitching!! We finished all the song titles, which make up a large part of the back cover...

Let's zoom in a little to see that handywork....

And, we got some good work done on the front cover as well. Next week this is going to be MUCH better-looking. Trust me. Stitch on!

Art Update 5-4

2006-05-04T22:01:00.000-07:00

We'll, we're working as hard as we can. I've pretty much got the design work done, and we're just about ready to start stitching. As usual, I ended up having to do some things the hard way....I wanted a backstich font with letters 7 threads high, and couldn't find one at the library or online so I ended up adapting/making my own.

Here are the song titles on graph paper...

I did get some cool books at the library that gave us some good stitch ideas... We also got a neat little couch out of a dumpster on our alley. Here's Jodi putting both free items to good use...

And our practice cloths are getting a workout.

The project is taking over our entire living room, and spilling onto the kitchen table...

The design work is definitely slow going---I don't know if the stitching will be any faster or not, but we will definitely have some parts stitched in next week's update. I'm excited!!! I'm a dork! Peace,

I WON, with your help!!

2006-04-30T23:42:00.000-07:00

Got the good news last night when I checked the John Lennon website at about 11:30---I WON the Lennon Award in the Country Category for 2005! Thanks to your support, DiscMakers is going to print up 1,000 copies of my new CD for FREE (saving me $2,000). Obviously the timing couldn't have been better on that---I promise I'm working as hard as I can to get it finished! I'll also be signing a single-song contract for "Hurry Home" that comes with a $5,000 advance, which is money I can use to promote the CD and give it more of the push it deserves. Plus who knows, maybe they'll get "Hurry Home" recorded by a big name artist so it can reach a nationwide audience.
Last but not least---and I try not to think about this part too much---I'm now in the running for the "Maxell Song of the Year" prize which is a whopping $20,000 cash AND a pat on the back. That decision is made by celebrity judges and will be announced on July 13th. Hope my buddy Kevin Bacon puts in a good word for me. :)

Well, this is all thanks to you guys. It really is. "Hurry Home" has been a special song to me for a long time, and now it's the title track of a CD that is very special to me, and it's getting the recognition it deserves. You guys gave my snowball a push when it was just a little bitty thing WAY at the top of the mountain, and if we keep pushing and really get it going, all of it's future success will be because of you. Thanks for your time, and for your support. My gift back to you will be the best record I can humanly make---one that I hope will enrich your life in some small way. Back to work! Peace,

Cd Art Update, April 27th

2006-04-28T00:09:00.000-07:00

Here's the progress photo, as promised. All I've gotten done so far is to finalize the CD cover design. Dude, it was one of the hardest things I've ever done to get all the lettering looking good and to get those vines and flowers drawn right. I stayed up until 6 in the morning the last couple of nights and I've been working on it every waking minute. I did it with trace paper, graph paper, and a compass...

We also visited the needlepoint store, got a lesson, and picked out our fabric and thread colors. That part was fun, and I'm hoping the stitching will be too!

Our canvas will be 29 count linen...

Here's a computerized rendering of the final design. Top and bottom areas will be filled with a decorative stich. But first, I have to tackle the final design for the back cover as well... Doh. More updates to come---I'm shooting for once a week until the CD is ready! Peace,

A Stitchy Situation

2006-04-21T08:15:00.000-07:00

Kickin' it at UA Birmingham

Hey everybody! What a luxury it is to be able to sit on my couch and write to you all so easily. Back in the days of the pony express, sending out this message would have taken 3 years and killed two ponies. Now we have the internet, and all that gets killed is my will for any physical activity.

Less than a week left to vote for "Hurry Home" in the John Lennon thing, so if you've been meaning to but haven't, now's the time! Click here to vote! I hope to have happy news for you on May 1st when the results are posted---if I do, it will be because of your support and I thank you. I've also been selected as a Kerrville New Folk Finalist, so if we have any "Kerrverts" out there, I will see you in a month or so...

And now I have a sad story to tell. The story of a beautiful relationship based on dreams and promises, that somehow was corrupted into something painful and sick. I'm sorry to tell you that after all of the ups and downs, after all the time spent together and life energy invested, Jodi and I have finally decided to part ways...with the lady designing the CD art.

Yes! I know! It IS a tragedy, and it's OK to grieve. I may not have mentioned it to you before, but this lady is a "stitch artist" who was going to hand embroider the art for the CD's front and back covers. You can check out her work here---she's got some really cool stuff. The problems started when I didn't like her concept sketches, and got worse when she refused to stitch the song titles on the back cover. In the end, we decided it would be best to have a local person stitch MY design so we could have it done just the way we wanted.

Rough Cover Sketch

Rough Back Cover Sketch

At which point we were told by all the local people that "no one does commercial hand embroidery anymore" and that this particular design couldn't be computer-stitched either. Doh!! SO........................

Yeehaw.

If you want something done right, you've got to do it yourself. Jodi and I have been wanting an art project that we could work on together and hang on the wall, and voila, here one is. In the past couple of days we have consulted with local embroiderers, gathered materials, learned some basic and intermediate stitches, and started practicing. We're pretty much home for the next five weeks, and we're hoping that will be enough time for us to learn what we need to learn and complete the 8 by 18 inch finished work.

I'm going to be posting a bi-weekly photo of the work so you can see it as it comes along---wish us luck!! Here's a photo of the practice cloth to get us started...

(We only have blue thread at the moment.)

And, as one last bonus for those of you who read all the way to the end, click here for a short video clip of the kind of parties I like to go to here in Nashville.... Love you guys! Peace,