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March 25th
VOTE FOR CHELY!! My dear sweet friend,
Chely Wright, is nominated for
favorite sessions performance for CMT's 330 Sessions. Here is the link
you can go and place your vote for Chely.
VOTE HERE
- and pass it along!
MC
March 18th
What a completely great day today was. With all this SXSW
stuff going on...Here in Austin we were all so busy. I was beyond
Blessed to get to showcase at my favorite spot: The infamous, Maria's
Taco Xpress on Thursday night. A big GIANT thank you to Maria for
having us. And of course my hat OFF for this incredible band I am so
fortunate to get to make Music with. We rocked it out!
The whole point about what happened to me today--Yes, this is what I
want to write about now--
We were scheduled to get to showcase again as a part of Alejandro
Escovedo's annual SXSW party at 1 pm today. Well, it rained and Taco
Xpress is an awesome outside venue...so, the party was cancelled
due to the weather etc. We were all so disappointed. Maria called me
around 9 am to tell me. She said, "I'm sorry, honey, but remember that
everything happens for a reason." THANK YOU, MARIA for being so right.
I went with my best friend, and Hero, Michael Moran, to have
lunch with Lynn and Marley Porter, two of my favorite people. We
drank a margarita as it rained outside...Marley had a meeting already
scheduled with two friends I had never met. He decided to just have them
meet us where we were. Then suddenly Marley sees two beautiful women he
knows as well...He introduces me and such.
Michael Moran goes out to
his truck IN THE RAIN to get my CD's to hand out. Then Lynn, Michael and
I leave to go to a nursery nearby where Lynn buys me the most precious
Sacred Blue Globe for my patio and it was so much fun. We decide to have
a drink at a wonderful restaurant that Marley and Lynn designed. The
whole day was looking Brighter already.
Then Marley calls on his cell phone with unexpected great news!
The people we gave the CDs to want to invest! YESSSSSS!!!
Michael Moran said it: "The Sun Can Still Shine Even In The
Rain."
We all held up our glasses and thanked the Angels and the entire
Universe for this BLESSED day. Yes, I will write this song. Thank you,
Michael Moran for hearing the Angels speak. I am so grateful.
God Bless us all--
MC
March 13th
I'm talkin' bout Angels...YES. Talkin' bout Angels. It is so beautiful.
Please, PLEASE talk about Angels with me. Let's Talk about ANGELS! We
all have so much help from these ANGELS; Every second of everyday. Join
me and lets open our Hearts to LIGHT. I am filled with joy now. Talkin',
Talkin, bout Angels...ANGELS. (You get the message here??)
God Bless us all--
MC
March 12th
I write tonight to THANK the band I am so lucky to get to work
with...and learn so MUCH from...Larisa Montanaro, Carl Loschiavo, Aaron
("scooby snack") Dembe, Paul the "Unbelievable". I truly would be
lost without your gifts. THANK YOU. Please don't forget me when you
become famous.
God Bless us all--
Michael Clay
March 8, 2006
I love that one night can be very special and mean so much. Tonight was
more than that. My dear friend, Teresa, and I spent some long over due
time together as we listened to great music! I am so excited about
recording my new record with Merel Bregante. Teresa works with Sara
Hickman (LOVE her music), and re-introduced me to Jonathan Edwards. His music...WOW. I AM the lucky one to hear this great stuff.
Thanks Teresa for the Moonshine and for your time...and thanks to
Chester for coming along for the ride as we listened to Loggins and
Messina... "I wanna sing you a love song"...and so much more. Beautiful.
Sweet things are coming.
God Bless us all--
Michael Clay
New Orleans --
9/7/05
"Katrina"...She has a name. It hurts. I can't even imagine, really.
I pray. Let's all pray and keep helping in the very best way we can.
Let's keep hoping. I am moved beyond belief at how we pull together. We
will keep on inspiring one another...more and more and more. This is
what we do. I know we will get through this. So many musicians are
gladly donating time, doing benefits, people are offering their homes,
giving money, holding babies, saving lives...doing what it takes. We are
Americans and we will overcome. We are never broken. "Give me love
'cause love can help me know my name". Amen.
------------------------
November 20th: "The Dance of Spring"
With all this rain coming down, I opened my window today. At first, I
was so mad at the RAIN! I was thinking in the moment. I kept worrying
about my patio I treasure so much... My plants, my fish pond...my close
connection with my fantail fish, "Yang," who is out there as his home is
being so disrupted. Well, I thought "What can I do?"..I can't make the
rain stop. So, I asked the rain to go where it is needed and to please
come back.
So, I picked up my guitar and we decided to play and sing loudly out the
window...As if we were singing AT the rain! It was amazing because there
was a natural connection. I felt better. The growth outside...the green
I saw...I realized that the rain had inspired so much. What was I
thinking? I realized that OF COURSE there is a beauty in the balance of
nature. And YES, the sun will shine soon. I can't wait!! It isn't that
far away, really.
When I figured that part out...duh...I knew that we will all DANCE in
the Spring and celebrate the benefits of these Raindrops. I am excited
to see our trees filled with LIFE. And to the Farmers in this world,
Thank you for providing us with food grown from this soil.
So, for now let it rain.
God Bless us all--
MC
- - - - - - -
November 30th: "It never hurts to love"
Hey, so I am writing this new song. I have been listening to some people
in my life talk of loneliness...They want "someone"...The weather is
much colder now. I myself, am a Summer kinda' guy. The snuggles by the
fire don't do it for me these days. However, with the right "someone"
maybe so? But wait...this isn't about me...The song...yes the song is
for everyone who can listen and hopefully be able to relate. It's about
this person who is so afraid to let go--To try love because of fear of
being hurt. Well, from my personal experience thus far in my life of 36
years...I have learned and am STILL learning...Love does hurt...but "it
never hurts to Love." It is such a wild paradox isn't it? The lyric is
this-- "It may hurt to have a broken heart. And it may hurt when the
times get rough. But it never hurts to let a good thing start. And it
never hurts, no it never hurts to Love."
So maybe you are on the fence...scared of a heartbreak. Aren't we ALL?
The meaning in this song is quite simple. We can choose to not love
another because of fear, or we can LOVE just because we DO and not
expect anything back. I believe that is real love anyway. So, when we do
(I am not saying this is easy, guys), we will be free. The fear can't
exist because it doesn't have a place in our hearts. We are just loving
something and letting it naturally flow through. That's all. That's
everything.
We are all loved in this life. Trust me, there is always love coming at
us all the time. So we are fed...and if you think you aren't then love
yourself! When we finally do THAT...well, then we can love and love and
love...It will come back...Love does that. What the hell? It never hurts
to love. yeah, that's the song...Think about it. I am.
God bless us all--
MC
- - - - - - -
BLACKJACK --December 8th
I came home tonight...I had a few beers before at a bar I am singing at
next Wednesday. I stopped at the nearest convenient store on the drive
home to get my Cat, Blackjack, His favorite canned food. He and I call
it "wet food". You know, the good stuff. Blackjack is 12 years
old...God, I love Him so much. He is very handsome and I am very
grateful to have Him as my very best friend. If you haven't had the
privilege of meeting my boy, you should.
So, Blackjack...this is written for you. Thank you for sleeping next to
my face every night and day. I can't imagine life without you. I am so
blessed to have you with me.
People, Love your animals. I believe they are Angels. YES.
God bless us all--
MC
- - - - - - -
December 18th--
"It's comin' on Christmas. They're cuttin' down trees. They're puttin'
up reindeer and singin' songs of Joy and Peace..." I love this song.
Joni Mitchell...Don't we all know this one? When I recorded it myself, I
was in a sad place. Well, maybe not so sad but pensive? Ok, so maybe I
was sad. So what. But for me this lyric was filled with a sort of
Freedom. "I wish I had a river I could skate away on." Can't you just
see yourself on this beautiful, timeless piece of ice...gliding gently,
peacefully, away? It had become a meditation for me when I couldn't
sleep at night..Me and my troubled mind... I would sing that lyric over
and over in my head.
This track was such a last minute thing for the album. I asked my
friend, Jody Nardone if he would mind playing piano. He was already in
the studio with me playing piano and accordion on "Love out loud" and
"I'll walk on"...I felt so compelled to put this one down on tape. Jody
had about 15 minutes...I ran to the engineer and said, "Hey! Can we do
this?" He was reluctant...However, Jody said, "yeah...we can do it."
(Thank you, Jody!) He played piano, I sang it... and it was done in one
take. I wasn't for sure if it would be on the record at all...I knew
this song had a place in my own heart. I wondered how it would fit in
with all of the songs I had written for this album called "Free
Somewhere." These were all songs about HOPE-- Hope in the midst of
seemingly despair. Well, the album has long been finished. Now it's "comin'
on Christmas" again...Do I still wish I had a river I could skate away
on? Hmmm...Yes. But the River is different now. It has grown...become
more enchanting...The trees are prettier...The ice is thicker--
Stronger.
I think I am skating better now...Thanks Joni, for writing this song.
God Bless us all--
MC
- - - - - - -
Dear 2005--
Please be the year for Miracles. Please bring to us more love and less
hatred. Please bring us Joy. 2005, will you be the year of Forgiveness?
Please? Send us all Hope and Kindness.
Dear 2005--
This year, May our hearts be filled with compassion, openness,
affection, acceptance, tolerance, abundance, light, laughter, growth,
romance, passion, understanding, inspiration, healing, release,
happiness, rebirth, awe, appreciation, wealth, freedom, and everything
GOOD.
Dear 2005--
We celebrate your arrival. Please be the year for Peace everywhere. We
are counting on you! :-)
God Bless us all-
MC
- - - - - - -
January 17th 2005 - On this day, we observe the existence of such
a very important human being. Dr. Martin Luther King. He fearlessly
announced on August 28, 1963 at the Historic March on Washington, "I
HAVE A DREAM." I wasn't born yet but Martin Luther was fighting to make
a way for ALL of us.
Thank you, Dr. Martin Luther King. Thank you, Sir, for your fearless cry
for equality for everyone. We must all remember your dream and try our
very bests to continue your fight for Peace. Yes, Peace, Peace and more
Peace. You have made an enormous impact on generations and generations.
You are a true Hero. Maybe Sir, we can all take this day and learn
something. Maybe this day Sir, we can learn a LOT. Maybe someday, soon,
Dr. King, we will "wake up" and live your Dream.
Peace, Peace, Peace...I can hear the Angels singing.
God Bless us all--
MC
- - - - - - -
"My Sun will shine" March 2nd
"I know that my sun will shine just as sure as this world can spin. I
can hold on fine 'cause it's almost time for that sun to come 'round
again." David Wilcox. Oh David, David. I remember listening to your song
10 years ago. I still have an old worn out cassette tape. I would play
that one song OVER AND OVER again. Thank you, blessed songwriter for
sharing your wonderful gifts with this crazy world. My world has been
spinning alright...just out of control!!
This particular time in my life is so similar to where I was 10 years
ago when I wrote a song called "Live this way." I knew I needed to get
up, get out, and breathe the air. I used to call it my couch potato
song! "Gotta get up and get out of here...gotta get out and Breathe the
air. Oh, I think I'll go be free somewhere." So funny. That song became
the title of my album...Free Somewhere.
I am so grateful for all of my friends who are putting up with me these
days. (sorry...) I don't want to even mention any names for fear of
forgetting one, as there have been so many that have tolerated me. Thank
you, and man am I so lucky.
Okay, so what am I rambling about? Oh yeah, It's almost
Springtime...Everything will be new. My couch potato days will
dissipate. I will run in the sun. And those of you who can dance, DANCE!
I will watch with sweet release in my heart.
God Bless us all--
MC
- - - - - - -
May 23rd--New Horizons--
Today, this day, I can see a big, bright, new horizon. As my sister
would say, "The Gathering of the Good" is creating a circle around me
and my music. Things are moving faster. I've been "Gettin' Ready"...now
we have arrived. I woke up this morning with a certain excitement in my
belly. You know, like when you're a kid and it's the day you get to go
to Disney World for the first time. The anticipation is positive but you
physically FEEL it inside and it's like falling in love...that kind of
churning. I say, "Let's go"...because I can see this Horizon. And it is
so, so beautiful. Come with me and let's fly together. We will be there
in no time.
God Bless us all--
MC
- - - - - - -
June 20th -- DOVES
Outside my window, I watched these beautiful birds of PEACE
today. These Doves. I was fascinated and inspired. So, I started
writing. I remember my Aunt Rita, my God Mother, telling me not too long
ago, "write from your SOUL"... When I write from my heart it's
emotional. And that's ok. However, there is a difference when I dive
deeper inside. As I observe the Doves today, my heart is touched. But
my SOUL longs to fly with them. This must mean I will write songs about
Peace. This scary ol' world can honestly break my heart at times. But
like these exquisite Doves, my Soul is FREE always...and Forever...
God Bless us all--
MC
- - - - - - -
July 12th -- The Eagle, The Dolphin, and me...
Thoughts are like Mountains...Some days I feel like I am at the very
bottom looking upward...I have to climb this...I have to climb this. It
seems so far to the top of this hill--This thought--Then there are
moments when I am standing way up high....Oh, I am already at the
top...I can see for what seems like forever. I've never seen the beauty
of an Eagle in flight this close before.
Thoughts can be as vast as a magnificent ocean...filled with mystery,
awe...deep...Some days I feel like I am at the very bottom looking at
all there is to see...under water... Sometimes it burns my eyes, and
that hurts. But I have to open them...I have to open them...Then there
are moments when I am on the surface and I can't see below me. So I
choose to dive deeper, holding my breath. I want to learn what the
dolphin has to teach me...so I go down.
Thoughts can make me cry. Thoughts can make my heart sing. Thoughts can
stop me in my tracks...change on a dime...take me anywhere.
The Ocean is healing. A Mountain is glorious. I say I can control these
thoughts. I yearn to fly with the Eagle and swim with the Dolphin...and
stay...for as long as they will have me...Today and everyday.
MC
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