Last night, Karrnnel played a duo show during a dinner for the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce. These gigs are always a bit strange: will people eat through the set? Can we create a decent vibe in a hotel banquet room? Always lots to compete with to really get through to people! We had a great soundcheck and very helpful team at the Sheraton working to find great lighting and sound. I brought set decorations from home, a few candles, a lamp and VOILA! Vibe.

The audience was so attentive and responsive--we had a great show and really connected with alot of great folks from the Chamber. Got lots of business advice, along the way :) After the show, I changed from my frilly dress into gear-hauling attire and packed up the car with my sound system and living room decor. I needed to deliver a CD to an audience member. The whole group had retired to a lounge for an afterparty, and I was eager to sneak in and out without much fuss.

But while I was delivering the album, the CEO of Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce, Steve McLellan, came up and told me that a friend offered him $100 to sing a song with me...probably assuming that either Steve or I lacked the jumption for some impromptu jamming. But Steve was such a gracious host all night, that I was happy to oblige him. Before I knew what I had gotten into, Steve quieted the entire room and drew attention to our fulfillment of the deal. He invited anyone else who wanted to see him perform with me to offer up their dollars--and the money would be donated to a charity of my choice.

The first charity that came to my mind was Creative Kids, a non-profit organization that removes financial barriers for children to participate in arts/cultural activities, lessons, and programs. I explained what I knew about the program to the audience as Steve collected donations. 

I must say, our rendition of "You Are My Sunshine" was soulful...if not completely tuneful :) The audience was moved to start contributing, and I was part of the strangest sing along/duet performance I have given. I'm quite certain the youtube footage will surface in days to come.

When I left, I took the donations and was shocked to count up $940 for Creative Kids! Thanks to the Chamber!

When I called Creative Kids today to tell them the story, I learned that they're currently doing a matching campaign, where Potash Corp. matches all donations to Creative Kids. So our $940 donation will be doubled. After just doing a few songwriting workshops around town in the last couple weeks, I know how important it is for kids to be exposed to the arts and to have access to lessons if their hearts desire. I'm always blown away by the excitement and creativity that unfurls when kids learn THEY can dance, sing, write a song.

So I urge you all to get on board: http://www.creativekidssask.ca. Donate now and have your donation matched by Potash Corp!

I didn't know much about the Athena awards, so I honestly didn't think about it too much when Andrea Hansen (who I worked with on our Children's Hospital fundraising concert a few years ago) asked to nominate me. The award was to go a young woman (I still fit in the young category??) who displays leadership in business. Of course, I was honored. But I really didn't feel the full impact of that honor until I walked into the auditorium for the awards ceremony and saw a beautifully decorated room set up for fine dining for an intimate group of 700 powerful business people (mostly women)! This was going to be big.

Before the awards were even given out, I was transformed by the experience. The guest speaker was Debbie Travis, and I read her impressive bio in the program. WOW. The Canadian version of Oprah, Debbie has an impressive list of accomplishments that left me thinking....I can do more. And that night, I knew that win or lose, I would use this experience to expand my notion of what I am capable of.

When I actually won the award, I was taken aback. I totally got choked up, thanking my community--who really are the ones responsible for most of what I do! And thanking baby Eliot, who at 20 months, teaches me to love and live with total abandon. I spent the rest of the night with one of my best friends talking animatedly about work, love and life. The perfect girl's night. As the award winner, I get to travel to the International Athena conference in Chicago this fall. So I'm sure the transformation has only just begun :)

Debbie Travis and I at the Athena Awards

In less than two weeks, I'll be trekking south to the International Folk Alliance conference in Memphis! The first time I went to this conference in 2009 it changed my life! I saw Al Green preach in his own church, went to Stax Records, and had a handful of more mind-blowing musical experiences. So I'm going back, and there is one question burning in my mind: how do you start a festival?

I recently met with all the amazing arts and culture organizations on 20th street--which is my 'hood, where I breathe life into the Two Twenty with unique programming and collaborations. There were theatre companies, book publishers, the symphony, visual/performance artists, musicians and mythmakers around the table. I was really surprised at how easily and efforlessly this diverse group of artists and administrators came to a consensus: let's do a festival in our neighborhood.

While it's just an idea that we're flirting with right now, this area is rapidly changing. I'm passionate about the people, businesses and artists on 20th and I know that this neighborhood could really use a festival to bring people together, celebrate diversity, experience art, and create a vision for the future.

As I continue working on my one-woman play with playwright Kelley Jo Burke and the fiery Angus Ferguson (from Dancing Sky Theatre), I'm sure there will be no shortage of inspiration in Memphis, whether that means songwriting or festival brainstorming.