Ok, well, the democratic and republican conventions are huge gigs for me. Today I was leaving for Denver and it turned into one of those kinds of days where what could go wrong did. My flight to the Dem convention was to leave LAX at 8 am and I I was being picked up at the Denver airport and whisked off to rehersals with the likes of Tab Benoit (fabulous Lousiana blues player)and others.

So this morning I arrived at the airport 2 hours ahead and procede to wait and wait and wait in line at LAX. I tried talking to agents, other folks in line and nothing got me to check in on time for the flight. Ok, so I’ll just get rebooked, I thought….I spent at least 2 hours being bumped from one desk to another, completely ignored, spoken really rudely to, and generally given the run around.

There was a camera crew from Channel 7 news in Los Angeles and they suggested I start playing my guitar and put a sign up for tips to help pay to get me on another flight to Denver. Channel 7 thought it would make a good local story and they would film it. Unfortunately,I had little time and I was too caught up in trying to get to Denver. I was crying, actually sobbing and the United airline agents wouldn’t give me the time of day.(I did get the name of the rudest United agent and I will write a letter. The travel agent that originally booked me didn’t return my messages either. I was finally rebooked on a much later flight to Denver… missing all of the rehersals for today. I have tried to take a philosophical approach to this and somehow convince myself that this all happenned for a reason. Ok, so Day # 1 of this fabulous gig not the best so far.

Anyway, I want to thank everyone for their support and will try to keep writing while on this magical tour – if time permits…peace, lauren

Off to Nashville this week for cowrites and meetings – then to Denver and Minneapolis for the conventions. I’ll be playing and backing-up, at the conventions and private parties in Aspen and Jackson Hole. Too exciting!!! Lots of great stuff on Ourstage this month – I continue to be amazed at all of the unbelievable talent here. Thanks for everyone’s support!

I was hoping to upload some new songs this month but will need to hold off due to business stuff. I’ve put back some of my favorites into competition and hope that ya’ll will take a good listen to them. For those of you in Los Angeles I’ll be playing at Century City Mall on 2 Saturdays July 12th and 19th. I’ll be at the food court there at 4:50Pm – It’s free!! Presented by the mall and the Koffee House. My August gig at the Democratic national convention has been extended to the Republican national convention as well. I will be traveling in a very COOL Gibson tour bus – I can’t wait.. Thanks to everyone for their support in the past – Our Stage —What a great site!!!

Well, these months go pretty fast – I will be out of town for most of June and hopefully will be shooting a movie in July and part of August… I have been booked to play at the Democratic National Convention in August – sharing the main stage with Cyril Neville and Irma Thomas – 2 great New Orleanian musicians/artists. I’ll also be playing some of the private parties for the convention…yea!!Great opportunity and exposure – I’ll actually get to play originals.

It’s the music ..it’s all about the music…that’s our mantra..that’s good…yesterday I was reading about the near famine conditions in Somalia and the newspaper dampened with my tears as I read the story. We all know what’s happening over there – my god, its even on American Idol.. but for some reason yesterday morning, my soul was touched by the story. I have no words of wisdom, no admonishments to give…just this statement of gratitude for all that I have in my life.

Looks like I’ve got alot of songs entered this month. I guess I just went crazy in the upload department. Most of my country stuff was recently written by me in my hotel room (Best Western on Music Row) in Nashville. Alot of it was recorded there on my Mac. So I don’t have alot of extras on those tunes just my voice and usually one instrument. I’ve got 3or 4 songs waiting in the wings… I think I need to sit and record all of these for real – put together my first country compilation… yea, I definitely would like to do that.