Musings on Weird Things

I was thinking yesterday about what I had to do over four years to get this album completed, and the thing that first sprang to mind is all the stuff I sold on Ebay to finance it.  As an indie musician there is no "big money" behind me so I had to come up with every cent to pay for it, and believe me, I didn't skimp as you can probably tell from the production values on the CD.  I wanted everything to be just right...an album I could say is truly the best I have to offer.  So I sold my treasures...including ancient Barbie dolls I'd had since I was little and my set of ceramic buildings from "Mitford," the wonderful little town in the "Father Tim"  books I love so much from Jan Karon, among other things.    These are things that were very important to me, but I told myself at the time that doing the thing I love the best now and moving forward with my creative life was more important than holding on to material things and memories from the past.  But I have to admit, it wasn't easy selling those things.  Still I was happy while working on the CD with my producer and one of my dearest friends, Jim West, and I was excited about my idea of a concept CD that would take kids on a journey across the USA with me.  I've just loved traveling and discovering new things in this amazing country and I wanted to get kids excited about learning all about our great country and the many wonderful and varied treats it has to offer.

It would be a lie to say I wasn't also apprehensive, though.  I was doing a concept CD, something that is rarely done anymore in this age of downloading single songs, and I had all kinds of doubts:  "Is it boring?  Am I doing okay on the narration?  Does it make sense? WILL KIDS ACTUALLY LIKE IT?"  Jim had to reassure me at just about every session, but he's really good at that and bringing out the absolute best in me, so we forged on.

Now, the CD has been out there for a year, and it has done more than I ever expected it to do.  Lookie here:

*Paula Slade from Examiner.com called it a "one-of-a-kind" CD and said it was an "engaging musical road trip," plus:

All in all, Weird Things are Everywhere is a very special trip for children ages five through 10 that offers plenty of entertainment and packs an educational punch perfect for classrooms and home school families.

* It received a coveted STARRED review in School Library Journal, which said I was a "vocal chameleon"  (my kids are so sick of hearing me say that!) and:

The focus on literacy and reading, the fun segues between songs, and the performer's superb voice makes this an excellent choice for use in a school setting.

*Amber Bobnar from BostonChildrensMusic.com said it was one of the 12 best children's CDs of the year!

aaaaaannnnnnndddddddd....

There IS that little matter of a GRAMMY NOMINATION!!!

So, all in all, I'd say it was good decision to sell that stuff. 
Still, the indie musician struggle goes on.  A Grammy Award nomination does not instantly make one rich, so now begins the matter of buying the plane tickets, paying for the hotel, finding a DRESS to wear on the red carpet and all that stuff. And I wasn't expecting to have this kind of expense in the quiet month of January so I didn't exactly plan ahead!  We should all have such troubles, huh?  That's easy for you to say....you don't have MY husband who is peering over my shoulder every second saying, "How are we gonna pay for all this?"
I swore to him this morning that I would do it, just like I've managed to do all the other stuff...the CD, the tour, etc. etc. 
So my point is?  I need to sell CDs...lots of CDs...between now and the end of January. Would you consider purchasing one?   Is there a child in your life who has a birthday any time this year?  How about getting that end of year teacher gift out of the way now?  Is there a librarian you know who has a small budget but would LOVE to have a CD that's been given a starred review in School Library Journal? Buy one for your special niece, your Godchild, the kid next door....
It's $15 and that includes the shipping and handling.  You can pay through PayPal or send me a check.  For the details, click here:  http://judypancoast.com/tune_room_store.htm

You can also get them at Amazon.com and at CDbaby.com but the only place you can get a personally autographed one is from my website or at one of my shows.  Plus buying it directly from me means you aren't giving any of your hard earned money to a middleman.


Thank you once again for supporting my music and helping to make my dreams come true!