New Music!

     It's hard to contain my excitement as I write this post. But, before I dig too far into this blog, I need to say Thank You. To you. Yes, You reading this blog right this second. It's because of you that I look forward to 20+ hours on the road. It's because of you that I want to get up in the morning and write a new song, make a new video, post a new photo. You're more than a supportive fan, you're a friend. You are always there sharing posts, spreading the word about my shows and music, or just dropping a note on Facebook to say hi or that a song means a lot to you or that you're thinking of me. You're family. You inspire me. You make me want to give my all and leave my heart on stage night after night. You make me want to be a better artist and songwriter. I promised you new music if you helped me increase my Facebook Fan Page likes, you delivered and now it's my turn to hold up my end of the bargain! Thank you for all of your support and for just simply caring about me and what I do. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.

     Now that I got all of that out... the moment WE'VE all been waiting for- NEW MUSIC! Below is a link to 2 songs that I've written over the past year. I wanted to choose two songs to share with you as a way to say Thank You for all of your support. Visit the link below the post and you can stream the songs for FREE- as many times as you'd like!

For those of you who are interested about the songs and the inspiration behind them, here are their stories.

"FEEL GOOD LOVE SONG"

(E.Minor/ K.Williams)

     I wrote this song with my dear friend, Kipp Williams. He is a wonderful writer, FULL of excitement about what he does and he is always looking for a new sound and feel when we sit down to write. He is also responsible for helping me pen "Good Luck Finding Me". Whenever I'm in the mood for a fun, uplifting song- he's my guy. "Feel Good Love Song" is just a super fun, sing-along song. It's a "roll the windows down, live in the moment, feel good" song- hence, the name. It's about a fresh, new relationship and all the excitement and spontaneity that comes with young love. It's about getting away with the one you love and just having a good time with a radio and each other. This is song is SO fun to sing and I have the best time playing it with a band! I hope you enjoy it!

"PIECES OF YOU"

(E. Minor/ J. Speight)

"Pieces of You" has to be my favorite song that I've ever had a hand in writing. Not only does it mention so many personal references but I had the chance to write it with my husband, John. We both lived in small town Greenville, NC for quite sometime. When we moved to Nashville, we learned of a couple in Greenville, Lindsay and Spencer Hampton. We don't know the couple personally, but we quickly caught wind of their truly inspiring story. Lindsay and Spencer were high school sweethearts and Spencer was eventually diagnosed with multiple brain tumors. Through it all, Lindsay stayed by his side and together they stayed grounded in their faith. Lindsay and Spencer married in April 2012. In June, Spencer passed away. The entire town rallied around Lindsay and Spencer and their families in support throughout Spencer's journey. Spencer forever lives on in the hearts of his friends and family and in the town of Greenville, NC. When John and I heard of their story, it really hit home for us. We had just gotten married ourselves and it saddened us to think of any precious time being taken from us with each other. We started to talk about what life would be like everyday without the other. Through our talking together, we both agreed that it would be the most difficult thing to have to face but with the memories we've made and the little things that remind us of the other, we would find peace. That night, we wrote "Pieces of You" and really wanted to incorporate specific, personal details to truly capture the story. I hit the "snooze button" of the alarm clock 100 times before I actually get out of bed and John loves his frosted flakes in the morning so that's where the first line began. We recently visited Baton Rouge and New Orleans in the last year and John has this one dirty, old, worn out baseball hat that he wears everywhere so we added those details to make it relatable for us. Although these things are very personal to us, anyone who has lost a spouse can relate to this song. You've been places, you have you're routines you shared, you have memories- and through all of the pieces that create what you shared, you start to find peace. 

*We don't know Lindsay personally, but to anyone who does- feel free to share this song and story with her. 

I hope you enjoy these new songs and I can't wait to get more out to you... stay tuned!

Also, Special Thanks to Scott Trayer for producing & mixing these demos (and for the backup vocals!)

Visit the link below to stream the songs for FREE- as many times as you'd like!

NEW MUSIC >  https://soundcloud.com/emilyminormusic

Me & Parmalee

Hi Friends!

     I finished yet another show with Parmalee (Broken Bow Records) this weekend! I've had the pleasure of opening for these guys twice and both times were super fun and just overall great! I first opened for the guys in Wilmington, North Carolina. This show was especially near and dear to me since most of you know, Wilmington is my hometown. It was so wonderful seeing so many familiar faces. I REALLY felt so much support from the town (thanks Wilmington, love y'all!). I have known the Parmalee guys for a few years now through my husband, John and having ties to Greenville, North Carolina (their hometown- Go Pirates!).  This past weekend, together we played the White Oak Amphitheater in Greensboro, North Carolina. Although I have always heard and known of these guys to be very down to earth and friendly, this was my first interaction with them since signing their big record deal and having two songs ("Musta Had A Good Time" and "Carolina") to hold places in within the Top 50 of the country music charts (check out their newest single, Carolina- still climbing the charts!), I was anxious to see if the fame and attention had rusted their "down home, one of the boys" character- as fame tends to sometimes do. Well, let me just say that these boys are EXACTLY the same as they were before receiving radio play, touring, and signing a deal. They were so kind and friendly to me as well as my band. Not only were they very humble and fun- but the crew they traveled with were equally as friendly and kind. You won't find any egos with this bunch of guys. Not to mention, their show is wonderful! I had not had a chance to see the guys perform since the college bar days and I have always thought they were talented musicians and songwriters. These days, if you get a chance to see a show, you can expect:  a lot of high energy sing-along songs, an intimate, broken down acoustic set in between, and one big party! I had a chance to watch them from the audience and backstage and I can't emphasize enough how humble and courteous these boys are.

     Above all, the guys of Parmalee are extremely inspiring. Anyone who knows of the band or has followed them over the years understands the journey these boys have taken to reach where they are now. This was no overnight success. These boys are hardworking and seem very appreciative of where they are now.  They truly opened my eyes to the work it takes to break into this business and gave me a new perspective and outlook towards my own career goals. I can't thank these guys enough for sharing the stage with me and I look forward to more shows together. They have given me a wonderful experience, exposure to new fans, and most of all- hope.

(Me & Parmalee- 2013 Wilmington, NC)

     For more information about Parmalee, visit the official website Parmalee.com. Download the new single "Carolina" on iTunes today.

XO,
EM