Postcard from Modesto, CA

Hello out there! Coming to you from Modesto, California. I am two weeks into the Trailblazing Women of Country Tour and here to report that it’s going well! It has been non stop since our boots hit the ground in Twin Falls, Idaho and we already have 10 shows under out belts which have been in 4 states so far. 33 shows to go, but who’s counting?

Most of the venues so far have been Performing Arts Centers, which offers a big stage with lots of equipment and seated auditoriums with enthusiastic patrons. I get a Steinway piano or close equivalent every night to play, and also a Hammond B3 organ in addition to my fiddle. Everyone in the group sings, and everyone is a creative artist as well, and we are all women.

This is the first time I’ve had the opportunity to travel in an all-female band and I have to say I’m really enjoying it. So many of us are used to being the only girl in the band, and we have sometimes had to find ways to be heard over the patriarchal musings that surface in any number of situations. But here, we’ve got each other’s backs and we are really getting to know and trust each other.

I was definitely nervous going into this - not knowing what to expect. I’m not saying every moment has been easy - already the travel has been hard, but we are also working to take care of ourselves out here and finding space to rest and restore as needed. I am missing home (Jason and Baba) quite a bit but also have had many visitors to the tour already. My sister Amanda joined us in Seattle and we had a great time! I’ve also seen many people I’d only met on Zoom during the pandemic in the Gateless Writing and Therapeutic Touch Community and also Donna Gaffney, who I contributed to her book “Courageous Well-Being For Nurses.” Jack and Marjorie Anderson showed up in Caramel-By-The-Sea and Ariel Bui in Folsom! Near Santa Rosa I saw my great friend Jason Crosby, and also my sister Katelyn and her partner Ben. It’s been a magic mirror of sorts seeing so many people - my heart is happy to connect.

photos by Eric Morgensen at Admiral Theater in Bremerton , Washington

The band is transcendent. At every performance I look across the stage and see nothing but total greatness with these badass women. Kristina Train and Miko Marks are leading in song and giving us amazing stories about the lives and songs of Patsy, Loretta and Dolly. Anne McCue is killing it every night on electric guitar and lap steel, and she is also so reliably cool while doing it. Morgan Blaney on bass is seriously rocking and singing sweet harmonies. Heather Thomas is a star on the drums and also my new fashion icon. Thayer Sarrano is the x-factor/secret weapon in making all things vibe right also knows how to fix a B3 Organ gone rogue.

We head to Redding today and luckily have the night off. We are going to be dancing around out West for another couple weeks before we head for more shows east. Here is the rest of the schedule:

3/12/24 - Cascade Theatre - Redding, CA
3/15/24 - Bankhead Theatre - Livermore, CA
3/16/24 - Lancaster Performing Arts Center - Lancaster, CA
3/17/24 - Carpenter Performing Arts - Long Beach, CA
3/19/24 - Del E. Webb Center for the Performing Arts - Wickenburg, AZ
3/20/24 - Fox Tucson Theatre - Tucson, AZ
3/21/24 - Noorda Center for the Performing Arts - Orem, UT
3/22/24 - Cache Valley Center for the Arts, Ellen Eccles Theatre - Logan, UT
3/23/24 - The Argyros - Sun Valley, ID
3/26/24 - McCallum Theatre for the Performing Arts - Palm Desert, CA
3/28/24 - Lone Tree Arts Center - Lone Tree, CO
3/29/24 - Popejoy Hall @ University of New Mexico - Albuquerque, NM
3/30/24 - Utah Tech University, M.K. Cox Performing Arts Center - St. George, UT
4/1/24 - Arizona Musicfest @ Highlands Church - N. Scottsdale, AZ
4/4/24 - The Grand Theater - Wausau, WI
4/5/24 - Elgin Community College Visual & Performing Arts Center - Elgin, IL
4/6/24 - South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center - South Milwaukee, WI
4/7/24 - Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts - Bloomington, IL
4/10/24 - Tilles Center @ LIU - Brookville, NY
4/11/24 - Shubert Theatre - New Haven, CT
4/12/24 - Universal Preservation Hall - Saratoga Springs, NY
4/13/24 - Millersville University, The Ware Center - Millersville, PA
4/14/24 - Matthews Theater @ Princeton University - Princeton, NJ
4/16/24 - The Manship Theatre - Baton Rouge, LA
4/18/24 - Western Carolina University - Cullowhee, NC
4/19/24 - Harbison Theatre @ Midlands Technical College @ Irmo, SC
4/20/24 - Thalian Hall - Wilmington, NC
4/30/24 - Armstrong Hall @ Shenandoah University - Winchester, VA
5/1/24 - Virginia Arts Festival, The Perry Pavilion - Norfolk, VA
5/2/24 - Frostburg State University - Frostburg, MD
5/3/24 - Majestic Theater @ Gettysburg College - Gettysburg, PA
5/4/24 - Orpheum Performing Arts Center - Tannersville, NY
5/5/24 - Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center - Westhampton Beach, NY