Current mood: calm
Hello all,
I hope this message finds you all well. I am writing this note to hopefully rally some support for a great video director and my good friend, Kristen Barlowe. She is up for two awards this year at the CMT Music Awards, one for Female Video of the year for Martina McBride video "Ride" and Director of the Year for directing James Otto "For You", Chuck Wicks "All I Ever Wanted", and of course "No Air" by yours truly, Miss Rissi Palmer :-)
You can vote as many times as you want by going to the link on this page...CMT Music Awards Ballot
She and I appreciate your support...
Rissi :-)
Current mood: indescribable
Hello all,
I sit here with tears in my eyes and a heavy heart. Friday was probably one of the hardest days of my life. I had to unexpectedly say goodbye to my beloved companion/love of my life, Jeremiah, my 3 1/2 year old Yorkshire Terrier. J came into my life on my 24th birthday and never left my side much after that. I had never had a pet before him and like anything great thing that comes into your life, he completely changed me. I learned that no matter what the world thought about me, there was this little being at home that loved me no matter what. He didn't know or care how many records I sold or how much press I was receiving, he just knew that when I opened the door, it was time for kisses and playing. His needs became bigger and more important than mine; I can't tell you how many times I have been walking around in full make up and gowns standing outside in the park cleaning up after him without a second thought. He became a part of my life in such a way that I find it hard to remember the time before him. As a puppy he sat silently in the vocal booth when I made my first album and was a guest star in every photo shoot. Jeremiah was the reason I got my first magazine cover. He walked on stage during shows and was the unofficial mascot of my band. He took on my attitude and disposition, and was one of the funniest creatures without saying a word. I loved him and he loved me, no questions asked. From the moment he peeked out of his carrier on my 24th birthday to cautiously check me out to Friday morning when he lifted his head, looked at me and let go, we were connected. Kindred spirits. Soul mates.
I spent the early part of Friday trying to find meaning and questioning my part in his sudden passing until my aunt told me I should be thankful that God chose me for Jeremiah and the time we had together. For 3 years I had a living, breathing manifestation of God's love in my home and that's a blessing. It reminded me that this is the way to remember the ones we love and lose. Be thankful for the moments and love that you were able to share. I encourage everyone who is or has gone through a loss to simply say thank you when you feel like crying. In the frequent moments of sadness and loneliness I feel I simply say thank you through my tears. Having lost my mother when I was a child, I know that it never completely goes away but it gets easier. I also know that this is the kind of mark I want to leave when I go. I want to give love so completely and generously that people will be thankful and changed for the better when I'm gone...
To Jeremiah, this is my thank you. At 3 years old, you saw more of the world than most adult humans. You were on TV, in magazines, and a part of everything I did. I hope that our life made you happy. Thank you for making my life and me better. Thank you for accepting me unconditionally, flaws and all. Thank you for teaching me love in the purest, most honest, and innocent sense. Be good, don't hump or pee on anything :-) , and I'll see you again my little angel...
Current mood: awake
Hey all,
Thank you so much to everyone who came to the party and who watched at home on Saturday night. There were way more people than I expected considering that it was snowing Nashville and people don't leave their houses when the news mentions snow, so I appreciate everyone braving the 3 flakes for me ;-) Thank you to Piranhas for keeping the drinks flowing and tvs fixed on Travel Channel, Sweet 16 for the gorgeous and oh so delicious chocolate cake (the 12 hour marathon workout I'm going to have to do this week is worth it), Dan Sexton Media for making it possible, and the good people at Paradise Park for making cheese fries available at 1am (LMAO!!!). And if you saw me anytime after about 11:45pm Saturday night, I'm sure I told you I love you (and then probably fell), and at the time I'm sure I really meant it LOL.
It was a very surreal 30 minutes for me, to see car commercials in between my banter. I was excited and terrified all at the same time. The only thing I can equate it to is when my album came out. You and your team work hard on something for months, put your heart and soul into it, and then present it to the world for critique with a very vulnerable, heart on your sleeve kind of feeling. The response has been positive (thank God!!!) and if nothing else, I'm pretty proud of it.
So what happens now? Well I'm glad you asked!!! Now we wait for Travel Channel to make a decision about the fate of "Rissi Palmer's Country" based on ratings and the public's response. If you enjoyed the show, and would like to see more, go to:
Travel Channel Discussion Board
and click on the "Rissi Palmer" discussion on the first page and post your thoughts.
As always, your kindness and support overwhelms and humbles me, you're the reason I get live my childhood dreams everyday and thats amazing!!!
God bless and talk to you soon...
Rissi :-)
Current mood: excited
Hey loveys,
I can't tell you how excited and nervous I am about the premiere on Saturday night!!! I just can't believe how real all this is, its really crazy :-) I wanted to let you all know that you can catch a sneak preview of the show as well as visit the official site of "Rissi Palmer's Country" by going to:
"Rissi Palmer's Country" Show Website
As always, thank you for your support and kindness, I so appreciate it!!!
Rissi :-)
Current mood: blessed
Hello friends,
Over the last few months I've mentioned a "secret" project I've been working on. I'm very pleased and excited to let you all know that I can now reveal the project. It is television show called "Rissi Palmer's Country" and the first episode will air on the Travel Channel on Saturday, Feb. 28 at 10pm eastern time. The show is about me, a traveling musician, and how I gather inspiration for my own music by exploring the music scene of whatever city I am in. This show has been a year in the making and I am SO proud and blessed that it has made it to this level. I hope that you all will be able to check it out and for those of you in Nashville, I'm planning something special for that night so watch out for more details to come...
Be blessed!!!
Rissi :-)
Current mood: cold
If you are a friend of mine on Facebook, you've probably seen this already but for my Myspace friends, I decided to finally give in to this little note that's been going around Facebook and fill this out...
I give in!!! 25 Random Pieces of Info about me...
1. I HATE swimming!!! I have a very real fear of drowning that came from a trip to the islands where I jumped in the ocean and almost drowned a few years ago.
2. Besides being a singer/songwriter the only other thing I've ever wanted is to have a family. I'm in no rush but its something that I do want.
3. Aside from some career stuff, I am extremely happy with where I am in my life.
4. That sound that comes from dragging one's nails down a chalkboard makes my skin crawl (its crawling right now just thinking about it).
5. Low rise jeans are never ok...never...
6. I've always used humor to overcome shyness and being uncomfortable. I know its hard to believe but yes I am shy...
7. In high school I always felt like the biggest weirdo, like I didn't fit in. I'm sure everyone has felt like this...
8. After the last few years I have come to realize that the music industry is far more glamourous on the outside than on the inside...
9. I talk to my dog sometimes. I mean I don't have full blown conversations but sometimes I make comments to him...
10. Ok, reading #9 makes me feel like I may need a little therapy
11. I am very neat, almost compulsively. It drives me insane when there are dishes in the sink or dust on the floor.
12. Number #11 is kind of driving home the need for therapy
13. I was once on an episode of "Mr Roger's Neighborhood" when I was 4. When I saw him I almost passed out I was so excited
14. I love being in love but just haven't had the chance to be in it that often...Is there Anybody Out there (shameless song plug)?
15. I seriously have the most amazing friends ever.
16. I love Family Guy and can quote most of the episodes...I can also do the same with Sex in the City
17. Eating is a very serious passion of mine...
18. The scar next to my right eye happened when I was a year old. I was still getting the hang of walking (I still haven't completely grasped the concept) and I fell into the corner of my grandparents' fireplace.
19. In light of recent events in my life, I am astonished by my own patience and understanding
20. It was not my idea to record "No Air". That was one of those record company/management decisions
21. I am lactose and gluten intolerant
22. I am an ex pagent girl
23. After years of trying to fit into other's idea of who Rissi Palmer is, I finally feel completely comfortable in my own skin.
24. I hate to exercise but I hate not fitting into my jeans more
25. I am TERRIFIED of clowns. It started when I was baby. My mom decorated my nursery with clown wallpaper, a clown mobile over my bed, and lots of clown stuffed animals. To this day I can't handle being around clowns, they're scary...
Current mood: uncomfortable
Hello all,
I am writing to you from the dreaded middle seat on a flight from Seattle to Nashville. I spent the last two days in Seattle and I swear, no matter how many times I visited, the scenery never gets old; its absolutely beautiful there. Anyway, I got in pretty late on Monday night so I pretty much crashed. Paul (my guitar player and co pilot on this trip) and I had to get up pretty early on Tuesday to go into KMPS for a visit to the Ichabod morning show. Its been so long since I did a radio visit and it was a lot of fun. Everyone was glued to the television watching the inauguration, which I was pretty sad I couldn't see in person, so most of our conversation centered on the history that was being made that morning.
Midway through my interview, Ichabod asked me about my grandmother, aka Poo Poo, and decided that we should call her on air! Because my grandma doesn't answer strange numbers (that must be where I get it from), I had to give a preliminary call to make sure she would answer. I am so thankful for having such an amazing woman in my life but I have to admit that sometimes I forget just how amazing she is. When we called, Ichabod asked her how she was feeling on such an historic day. You could tell in her voice that she had been crying (which made me tear up a little) and she said that it reminded her of a poem she had to memorize when she was in 3rd grade. She then went on to recite it, word for word, without stumbling or missing a beat and there wasn't a dry eye in the place.
Once she was done, the studio went silent as we listened to President Obama's speech, and I have to admit, I had chills the entire time. It wasn't so much what he was saying, though it was a great speech, it was the magnitude of the moment that got me. Two million people stood together and for a moment were completely silent and fixed on one thing. I understand that at the end of the day its all politics and there are agendas that are preexisting regardless of who is president, but this is a very special event that I'm glad my grandmother and I have lived to see.
I truly enjoyed my visit and after taking pictures and shaking hands, Paul and I went to the IHOP (I have totally cheated on my diet but since it was out of town it doesn't count :-) ) and then then hotel for a rest and rehearsal before soundcheck and show time. I decided that I was going to give my new songs a test run at this show so we spent most of the afternoon perfecting those because honestly, I could sing and play "Country Girl" in my sleep at this point.
The show was at the Sno Lounge at the Snoqualmie Casino and let me tell you, it is the most beautiful venue I have ever played. The stage is small and the lounge is intimate. The back wall is floor to ceiling windows that overlook the mountains. When we got there, the sky was in sunset and the mountains were white on the tips and it was absolutely breath taking. Everyone was so accommodating and helpful. Soundcheck was quick, one of the perks of only having two of us playing, and before I knew it, we were sampling the casino's buffet. Now, Paul nor I are big fans of casino food, because let's face it, its usually not good. It usually tastes of cardboard and lost money, but this was really good (again, I'm out of town so it doesn't count). We then went back to the hotel, changed, and came back for the show.
This performance was an acoustic, writer's style show, my favorite to do and the audience seemed to enjoy it. Paul got his own mic so he could add comic relief and the audience seemed to enjoy that as well. Afterwards, we did a little impromptu meet and greet and there were so many sweet people there. We then headed back to the hotel and I went to bed dreading my 4am wake up call.
I'm about an hour from landing in Nashville and I'm looking forward to picking up J and laying on my couch for the rest of the day :-) I hope you all are well and I will talk to you soon!!!
Rissi :-)
Current mood: adventurous
Hello all,
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! I am writing to you from my very comfy couch next to a napping chub monster known as Jeremiah watching a very concerning documentary on the History channel about Nostradamus and the year 2012...hmmmmm :-( Anyway, this is my first blog for the year and will mark the first blog that I post on Facebook so everyone will be able to share in the love in 2009.
I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season, I really enjoyed being home with the family, they are a very hilarious bunch. I have officially had my fill of malls and Scrabble for the year. I got some pretty good gifts and ate some pretty great food (which is why I am on a diet right now) and most of all, I had a lot of time to think and reflect on the last year and where I want to go this year.
Tomorrow marks my first day back at "work", writing, going to boot(y) camp, and recording and I'm pretty excited about all of it. I'm excited about what possibilities this year holds, personally and professionally, and I pray that everything falls in order with God's plan for me.
As always, I thank you all for your continued support...
Le Bontemps Roulet (Let the Good Times Roll)!!!!
Rissi ;-)
Current mood: contemplative
Hey all,
I am writing to you from my kitchen table. I'm really happy to be home (even if its only for a day) but I am still in a little bit of a fog from the last week. Its definitely been a whirlwind. For those who don't know, I had the honor of performing at this year's lighting of the national Christmas tree alongside Phil Vassar, Jon Secada, the dance group Step Afrika, the Enterprise High School Encores, and 4 year old wonderchild Kaitlyn Maher.
I arrived in DC on Tuesday night and went straight to bed. The next day was all day rehearsals for the show. It was also my first time meeting Kaitlyn. Now I know everyone thinks that their child is special but y'all, this kid is AMAZING!!! I walked into the theater and was immediately introduced to Kaitlyn because we were doing a song together. She walks over to me and says "Pleased to meet you Miss Rissi". I was DONE...she's 4. She knew every line, every stage cue, and every lyric. It was unbelievable. On top of everything else, she's the cutest and sweetest little person. Anyway, Jon and Phil were great and the rehearsal went pretty smoothly.
After rehearsal, I headed back to the hotel where I was pleasantly surprised by a visit from my friend and radio rep Stacy, who was in town with 1720's newest artist, Jamie O'Neal. Stacy and I sat in my room and laughed and caught up until both of us could barely keep our eyes open.
On Thursday morning, the day of the show, we had an 8:30am rehearsal outside (a fact that I was not thrilled about). The show ran smoothly and before I knew it, we were out of there. The reality of the situation hit me as I watched what seemed to be a fleet of Secret Service people do a security sweep over the park. I don't think I've ever been or felt safer :-) Kaitlyn and I were invited to do an interview with the local CBS affiliate and she was pretty terrific. I headed back to the hotel, got my makeup done, changed clothes and got ready for the night's performance.
Its funny; you spend months and months preparing for a show and then it seems to last for 2 seconds. I sang my two songs, "What Child is This?" and "What Christmas Means to Me" in what felt like a minute. It was kind of surreal to see the President and Mrs Bush watching me sing, behind a wall of bullet proof glass.
Before I knew it, it was time for Kaitlyn and I to do our song. She killed it of course and I guess I wasn't so bad myself :-) The rest of the night's performers came out and we did our final number and took our bows. We had to remain on stage as the President gave a speech and then lit the tree. When it was over, he and Mrs. Bush walked across the stage and greeted all of us. When he came to me, he kissed me on my cheek and told me I had a beautiful voice. Mrs. Bush gave me a hug and said the same. It was pretty...wow. All the performers stayed on stage and hugged and congratulated each other (side note: to all the singers in the Enterprise Encores, I apologize for us not getting the picture we talked about. I got pulled away and missed you all after the show. I definitely wanted it and I'm bummed that I missed the opportunity...you guys were fantastic though and really added a lot to the show).
Almost immediately I was escorted from the park to the White House for a reception with the President!!!! It took 10 minutes to get through security (yes, I counted). It was beautiful inside, what can you say, its the White House! The hallways were lined with oil paintings of the Presidents and First Ladies. My favorite painting was that of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. The food was really good and the decorations were beautiful. My manager Ron attempted to pull me away from my plate to have my picture taken with the Pres. Of course I finished first and then we walked downstairs to the receiving room. The President smiled when we walked up and we stood and talked for a moment about the show. It was very strange to have a convo with the President and his wife. Regardless of your political views or feelings about him, its pretty surreal. We got the picture and went back to the party. Walking, I couldn't help but think of the Obamas moving in and how great that's going to be.
After an hour or so, I left the reception (in my bare feet, they were KILLING me) and walked back to the hotel to meet my cousin and hang for a little while. I then headed to my room and went to sleep.
This morning I was invited to do a USO visit at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, my first. I have been wanting to do something like this for a long time and was really excited. I was shown around by Meghan and Brandi (who I graduated from high school with; what a small world!!!) and got to meet soldiers that were in various stages of recovery. Some were in physical therapy, others still going through surgeries and healing in hospital beds, and others that had just arrived at the hospital from Iraq and Afghanistan. Their injuries were heartbreaking but their spirits and positivity were inspiring. Each person I spoke to seemed hopeful about their recovery and life out of Walter Reed.
However, it was hard to ignore the fact that I was in a hospital with people that are the same age or younger than me who had lost arms and legs. Looking into their young faces, I couldn't help but think of my own 17 year old little brother who will shortly be 18 and draft age. One soldier in particular got me. He had only been in the hospital for a week and was badly injured in combat. His mother greeted me at the door and told me a little about her son. She shared that he has a beautiful voice and loved to sing karoake when he lived at home. She walked me into his room and asked him if he felt like singing for me. He smiled and apologized for the fact that he was in a lot of pain today and not up for singing. I lost it. I held my tears in while I thanked him for his service and for letting me visit with him for a little bit. He smiled again and winced from his pain. I walked out into the hallway with tears rolling down my cheeks. His mother came over and we hugged and cried for a minute.
I left the hospital after a couple hours feeling SO thankful for all of the little everyday blessings. You get so caught up in your own life and your own troubles and you forget that there are people facing hardships that you can't even imagine. The soldiers and their families are amazing, simple as that. My trip gave the war names and faces and made it more than benign, emotionless news reports and newspaper photos. I always used to pray for our country and the direction we are headed in at night but now I have specific names to go to God with...
I'm heading to bed soon as I have to catch a plan tomorrow to New Orleans for the anthem on Sunday and then to Chicago to work on some other projects. As always, I thank you for reading my random thoughts and I hope this finds you all blessed.
Love ya,
Rissi :-)
Current mood: optimistic
Hey all,
I writing to you from my bed. I am paying bills, listening to the song I wrote today with Jim Femino and Stephanie Bentley, and reading my mail and it occurred to me that I wanted to share something with you all.
The other day, I was a having a pretty rough one. My life is going through some shifts and changes right now and it was kind of overwhelming for me at that particular moment. I've been praying a lot and asking God to direct my path and order my steps according to His plans for me. I decided to take Jeremiah out , get some fresh air, and grab my mail. Getting on the elevator, I looked through the bills and noticed a letter from an address I didn't know. I opened it and began to read. It was from a very kind woman who runs a hotel that the band and I stayed at this past summer. Anyway, she said some very touching, beautiful things but one phrase struck me in particular. She said that I had been "placed on her heart" and she felt compelled to reach out. You have no idea how much I needed to "hear" those words at that moment. It was like a little sign from God that He hears and remembers me.
I say all of that to say that if for some reason, someone is on your mind, no matter how random the thought, act on it. Whether its a simple prayer, a phone call, email, text message, letter (yes, they still make those), or a kind thought, it makes a difference. It can bring a smile to an otherwise down day for someone. So consider this my little reach out to you all. I love and appreciate you all so very much and I wanted to place that on your heart...
Be Blessed,
Rissi :-)
Current mood: awake
Hello all,
I hope this finds you all well. I am currently sitting in my bed, listening to my new favorite cd from my new friend and co writer Maia Sharp and WIDE AWAKE!!! There are tons of things that I could be doing right now but I decided I wanted to catch up with you :-)
I am just coming back from what was a very relaxing and much needed road trip this last weekend. It started last Thursday in Atlanta, where Sarah Majors (my cowriter and friend) and I performed on "Good Day Atlanta" and at the Swallow at the Hollow. I had a BALL at the Swallow and it seemed that the audience did as well. I was able to try my new material out and I think it went over pretty well. Next Sarah and I drove to South Carolina where we met up with Maia Sharp and Phillip Lammonds to do a couple charity events in and around Myrtle Beach. A very gracious local family, the Rays, donated their UNBELIEVABLE beach house to us for the weekend and I am extremely thankful for my time there. I am also thankful for the fact that there was no phone service or internet the entire time so I was given some time to think and completely unwind. All in all, I got a lot accomplished. Sarah, Maia, and I finished a really great song, the shows were a lot of fun, and I came to some conclusions about things I have been kicking around for a while.
I'm so excited y'all, the season for new beginnings is upon us!!! Out with the old, in with the new. I begin my season of new on Monday when I move into my new apartment. I found a place that is the same price as my old one with an amazing view of Nashville and is much bigger. It kind of fell into my lap and I decided to do it. Also in the spirit of new beginnings, I'm going to go vote tomorrow morning. I've been cleaning out my closet, all the drawers, cupboards, my phone book, my social circle, my mind, and my spirit. Everything in its place and a place for everything. There's so much more to tell you, and it will be told in the coming days. Also, if you haven't already seen it, I am Miss March 2009 in the Chevy/CMA Calendar this year. You can pick up a copy in this month's Country Weekly or at CMT.com. I thank you all again for your messages and comments, they mean a lot to me, more than I think you realize. Be blessed and I'll talk to you all soon!!!
Rissi :-)
Current mood: relaxed
Hello all,
I woke up this morning and realized that somewhere between my birthday and writing it became Fall!!! This is my absolute favorite time of year. Everything is gold, the air is cooler, and you tend to stop a little more and admire the world around you. Anyway, I'm just really excited.
Things are good, just writing and working on some other new projects for next year (I cannot wait for you all to hear about it!!!). I just found out yesterday that the voting photo spread that I did for Redbook, along with Taylor Swift, Martina McBride, Reba, and many others, is available now. It was cool to see the picture and quote that they chose. Make sure you check it out!!! Redbook Photo Shoot
Well my friends, I am now going to return to my lazy Saturday afternoon. Love ya all!!!
Be Blessed,
Rissi :-)
Hello all,
I am sitting on a plane leaving Green Bay, Wisconsin and headed to Boston, Massachusetts to open for Sugarland tonight!!! I'm excited and a little nervous because I have a cold and I'm losing my voice so I'll be observing a day of silence until showtime. Anyway, I wanted to share with you all something that I just finished reading.
Because I'm a wee bit ADD while on the road, its hard for me to focus on one book at a time, so I often end up reading several at once and not finishing any of them. Well, I'm excited to share that I have actually finished a book and when I finished it I couldn't wait to share it with you all. Its called "The Shack" by William P. Young and its a wonderful story dealing with human beings and our relationship with God. I have always been fascinated by religion and the many facets and personas we have given God, and in reading and learning, I've drawn a lot of my own personal opinions and conclusions about who and how He is. This is the first book I've ever read that portrays Him the way I've always believed He is. I was riveted from the first chapter and found it hard to do anything else but read. I was inspired, challenged, and humbled by what I read and I knew that you, my Myspace family, would appreciate the message. If you get a chance to read anything in the next couple months, please make it this book.
Before I go, I want to leave you with one of my favorite lines from the book: "If anything matters, EVERYTHING matters"...
God bless you all and talk to you soon!!!
Rissi :-)
Update: As soon as I landed in Boston, I got a call from my tour manager letting me know the show was cancelled :-). Its just as well considering I can barely speak right now. So now the band and I are headed back to Nashville...
Current mood: adventurous
Hello all,
I realized today that its been a few weeks since my last blog so I decided to update everyone on what has been going on. For the last few years without fail, right after my birthday, my life seems to start changing and people and things flow in and out. Its like it goes with the seasons or something and this year is no different. Certain people that played huge roles in my life for the last few months are starting to phase out while new people make themselves known, the promoting stage is starting to slow to make way for more creating (which is nice), and I'm busy planning my 2009 (side note: its funny to say that I'm "planning" anything. One of my favorite sayings is "God laughs when we make plans").
I've enjoyed being home more and I've taken time to be with my friends, my dog, and my thoughts, all of which have unfortunately been neglected some since all of this started so if I don't blog or write as much right now, that's why. I realized that I've been going none stop for the last year and half and so while I have the chance, I just want to be for a minute. I've been writing my experiences and the lessons that I've learned the past year; all the excitement, disappointments, and surprises are in every song. I'm excited to share some of this with you soon. I'm also deciding my direction, where is this journey leading me now? I'm excited, scared, optimistic, and determined right now...all good things. I love you all and definitely appreciate all of the kind words and thoughts that you send out to me. Just know that I read everything and I try to respond in some way as fast as I can. Be good, be good to each other, and I'll talk to you soon...
Also, please remember that today is the 45th anniversary of the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church...the documentary "4 Little Girls" is a must see if you haven't already...
Love ya,
Rissi :-)
P.S. I'm going to leave you with this thought I heard the other day and absolutely love: Life is short but its long on lessons if you learn to keep your eyes open
Current mood: contemplative
Hey all,
I'm currently sitting on a flight headed to Baton Rouge, LA. The last two days have been pretty amazing and I was extremely blessed to not only go to the DNC but to be a part of it. I must preface this blog with this: I don't believe in telling people how they should vote, I don't think it's my place. I do however, believe in supporting the causes I believe in and in candidates, not political parties. I am in no way trying to sway you, the reader, in one direction or the other, I just want to share my experiences! Now that the fine print is out of the way, here's how it happened:
I arrived in Denver on Monday night after what seemed like the world's longest day of flying. Everything was delayed because of the weather brought on by the hurricane, so what was supposed to be a 4 hour trip turned into 7 hours. Anyway, I was greeted by Kelly and Pat, volunteers for the DNC and my driver/guides for the trip and taken to my hotel. I sat up watching the highlights of Michelle Obama's speech and I have to tell you, I was so impressed with her presence and sincerity. I went to bed because I had a crazy early call time in the morning.
The car came to get me at 8am and I was taken to the conntion center where I was to perform at the opening of the Women's Caucus (thank you to Shari, Andy, and Becky for extending this opportunity). I arrived as delegates, celebrities, and women voters were filing into the huge hall. As my manager Ron and I got acclimated with the stage and the run of the program, I was greeted by Geralyn from Lifetime TV. A few weeks ago I had the honor of appearing in a commercial/print ad for Lifetime's "Every Woman Counts" voting campaign and met Geralyn at the shoot. Geralyn is also the author of "Why I wore lipstick to my Masectomy", a really great book that I read during one of my very long flights. Anyway, we stood and talked for a while and took pictures with the president of Lifetime as well actress Rosario Dawson, one of the day's speakers and founder of Voto Latino. I was really humbled by the fact that I was included in this group of fabulous women.
It wasn't long before the festivities began and I was playing and singing (all by myself by the way) in front of thousands of women. I played two songs and then led the singing of the National Anthem. I don't think I've ever been more moved than I was watching all the people in front of me, holding flags with hands over hearts, singing the anthem with me. I got chills! Once I was finished, I sat and listened to all of the speakers, each more passionate than the last. My favorite was Donna Brasil, a delegate, CNN correspondant, and former campaign manager for Al Gore. I love her on tv and she's just as funny, articulate, and fiery in person, if not more so. They also showed the commercial I was a part of that will be shown on Lifetime starting October. The atmosphere was that of pride and female solidarity. It's a crazy coincidence that on this day was the 80th anniversary of women having the vote. Its even stranger to think that less than 50 years ago, blacks weren't allowed to vote and today, in 2008, we've had not only a very strong female candidate for the White House but a black eing nominated for president!!! Soon after we grabbed lunch and I returned to my room to take a quick nap and get changed for the night's events.
The car picked me up at 5pm and we navigated through the hoards of people and traffic to the Pepsi Center for the speeches. Outside of the arena there were protesters for every cause imaginable; pro life, pro choice, anti war, gay/lesbian rights, etc. As I passed through the confusion, I thought about how blessed we are to live in a country where you can have such varying opinions and express them freely. People might not like it but they don't have a right to stop you.
The excitement in the center was palpable. Everyone was wondering what Hillary was going to say. I feel like I should take a moment dispel some of the controversy that the media has been drumming up about the so called "division" at the convention. Now, there were Sen. Clinton supporters wearing buttons and tee shirts in her honor but in my opinion, the overall sentiment was that of unity and support for Barack. I love how tv picks the 5 "colorful characters" in a crowd of 500 and talks to them (you've all seen that one guy in the shower cap being interviews on the news at some point and cringed, admit it).
Anyway, back to the story, we found seats and settled in to listen to the speakers for the night. If you've never been to a political convention, I highly suggest you do it before you die. It's the most exciting and interesting people watching you'll ever do. I just sat quietly and watched people cheer, cry, yell, and express their emotions out loud. Politics and religion are the only two topics that can bring out these kinds of emotions; that and love of course! Finally it was time for Hillary to speak. They showed a film about her life and accomplishments before bringing her out and when the lights went up, the crowd went nuts. Whether you are a fan of Sen. Clinton or not, she delivered what I thought was a great speech. I espeiciall liked when she asked her supporters to remember the cause, not the individual.
We slipped out of the center right at the end of the speech and made the after party rounds, starting with the Lifetime party, where I did red carpet. I was fortunate to be interviewed for Glamour magazine's "Glamocracy" blog. There will be a link to the blog and my interview at the bottom of the page. I was in bed by 1am, believe it or not!
All in all, I am extremely excited to have had a very small part in this very important moment in history. As a country we are at a very pivotal stage; whether you vote republican or democrat, you have to vote!!! This election could lead to the end of our current economic hardships as well as decide how soon our brothers and sisters stay in Iraq. Again, I am not interested in telling anyone how to vote or telling you how I plan on voting (I plan on following the Republican convention just as closely next week), I just want you to get involved, somehow.
God bless you all and I'll talk to you soon…
Rissi ;-)
Current mood: awake
Hello loveys,
Its been a minute and believe me, it hasn't been because I'm laid up eating bon bons :-) I've been writing like a crazy person, trying to capture this last year in song and racking up frequent flier miles. As it says in the heading, a picture of me from the video shoot is featured in the newest Country Edition of People Magazine, which is very cool. I thank you all for your feedback and support, I appreciate you taking the time and actually caring. I am currently sitting on my bed with Jeremiah, making lists of what I need to do before I hit the road, very glamourous stuff, I know. I also appreciate you all taking note of the new pics. Some very cool things have been happening in my life and sometimes I find it best just to let the pictures speak for themselves. As always, I love and appreciate you all and I'll be talking to you soon...
Rissi :-)
P.S. the birthday countdown is 6 days to my big 27, just in case anyone was wondering :-) (I know, I sound like a kid).
Current mood: pirate
Hey loveys,
I was a bit under the weather yesterday so I didn't get a chance to share with you that Pittsburgh came through for me and "No Air" won the New Country Challenge on Y108 for the third night in a row and has been officially retired and is in the rotation now at Y108!!! Thank you to everyone that voted, thats huge and I thank you!!!
I have been on pins and needles for the last two days waiting for a response from CMT and GAC regarding my new video. For those of you not familiar with the process, when you are a new artist like me, you have to submit your video to the major music video outlets for review. They are checking for quality standards as well as making sure there are no FCC violations (hello wardrobe malfunctions). I got the news today and I'm SUPERCRAZYEXCITED to tell you that CMT is set to premiere my video for "No Air" this Monday at 10:20 am!!! It will then be in the rotation after that!!!!
I'm really anxious to hear your reactions to this video because I love it so much. If you are so moved, please make your thoughts known via the CMT.com message board, rissipalmer.com message board, or right here on myspace. Leaving messages on CMT.com will help CMT gauge whether there is a positive or negative reaction to the video which will directly effect if it played heavy or light, leaving the power where it belongs, in YOUR hands.
Honestly friends, I don't think I'm going to be able to contain myself until Monday morning but I am definitely going to try :-). Thank you so much to CMT for giving my video a chance, this means the world to me!!! As always, I appreciate your kindness, support, and friendship...thank you so much!!!
Rissi :-)
Current mood: okay
Hey all,
I am writing to you from a very familiar place, a plane en route to Nashville from Pittsburgh. I am very tired right now considering I've had a really hard time sleeping the last few nights and I'm ecstatic about the thought of sleeping in my own bed tonight.
Today was a pretty great day. I woke up, albeit reluctantly, happy about my win on the New Country Challenge on Mike Tyler's show the night before. It wasn't just the win, it was fact that so many people called into the radio with their support. Anyone from Pittsburgh knows that loyalty is a dominate trait among most Pittburghers so a lot of people who might not have ever heard of me were supporting "the local girl" and that meant a lot. For those of you who don't know, I was born in Sewickley, PA and lived here until I was 12 when my family moved to St. Louis. While I was listening to the votes, I heard old teachers, former babysitters, and classmates voicing their love and support for me; what a humbling experience. Anyway, I was also feeling good because I had a home cooked meal the night before from Stacy's mom (Stacy is my east coast radio rep and a very proud Pittsburgh girl). Her family was gracious enough to let us hang out and make us a great dinner, plus let us see embarassing baby pictures!!!
So with all these good vibes on me, we went to the station. The sweet receptionist, Nadine, greeted us with smiles as we walked in. There were listeners as well as girls from the Boys and Girls Club. Doug and I quickley tuned up and set up for the show. Zeke from the morning Country Crew hosted the show and I was able to talk about and perform 5 songs, 1 being a new one. After the performance, I got to hang out with everyone while we ate. The girls from B&G club were hilarious and the other listeners were cool and I enjoyed talking with everyone.
When they left, I quickley did some liners and then Stoney Richards, Zeke, Monty, Stacy, and her mom and aunt stood and talked for a while in the conference room. That's when Monty gave me my FAVORITE thing in the world...Hairbo Gummy Bears!!!!!! He said he had heard that I love them and decided to get those, PLUS Hairbo Gummy Cokes!!!! I was SO happy and immediatley opened both bags :-).
Stacy and Doug managed to get my attention long enough for us to leave the station and get in the car. We then went to Robinson Towne Center Mall for some last minute shopping and then to the airport.
I will back in Pittsburgh next weekend for the Dollar Bank Jamboree and it will be nice to play at the Point, where I saw so many summer concerts as a child. Take care and I'll talk to you all soon!!!
Rissi :-)
Current mood: chipper
Hello loveys,
I am writing to you from my hotel in Pittsburgh, listening to WDSY/Y108 and I am so excited to say that I won the "New Country Challenge" on Mike Tyler's show for the second night in a row!!!! I didn't know I had won the night before until earlier today and I was checking into the hotel when I found out I was up again tonight. Thank you SO much to everyone who voted last night and tonight!!! I really appreciate it, especially since I was born in Sewickley, right outside of Pittsburgh. I am doing an "eat and greet" for the station tomorrow and I'm really looking forward to meeting and playing for the listeners. Unfortunately I'll be on a plane while the final round of the challenge is going on tomorrow night but I can't wait to hear how it comes out... Anyway, I'm about to go to bed, so good night and thanks again!!!
Rissi :-)
Current mood: excited
Hello Loveys,
I am SOOOOOOO excited to say that I saw the final version of the video for "No Air" and all I have to say is I can't wait to for you all to see it. Kristen and the crew did an amazing job. I'll keep you posted on air dates in the next couple weeks.
Because of all the travel, performing, writing, and the occasional camping trip I make, I miss a lot of things. I want to thank you all, my myspace friends, for keeping me posted on what's happening:
*Les Whiteley in Louisville, KY submitted a picture of he and I from the May 10 show at Kentucky Speedway in the The Oldham Era. Thanks Les :-)
*Kai from Wilmington, DE let me know that my CNN interview from "Young People that Rock" was used in the "Black in America" documentary. That's very exciting and I appreciate you letting me know about it Kai :-)
*Cowboy Ron in Columbus, OH dropped me a line that "No Air" was the 5 most requested song on Thursday on the Dixie Lee's show on WCOL. Thank you to Cowboy Ron, WCOL, and most of to all of the fabulous people in Columbus for calling in and requesting the song, that means the world to me!!!!
I appreciate all the little updates. Sometimes when I or anyone on my team has a bad day or gets bad news, your messages and kind thoughts keep us encouraged and uplifted...
Just to update you all, "No Air" is 45 on the charts right now and is poised to go top 40 very soon. All of your calls to your local stations have been helping the song thus far and you can definitely continue to help it go up the chart!!! I thank God for you and your support!!!!
Take care and I'll talk to you soon!!!!
Rissi :-)
