And now, for the promised National Womens Music Festival Blog:

Off we traveled – North to the great town of Madison, WI and the National Women’s Music Festival. It was a time of reflection and confliction.
Confliction because herself was traveling away from the chance to spend the holiday weekend with her girlfriend and her family.
Reflection because it’d been too long since she’d attended this great event...

[[ insert dream waves here ]]

The year was 1995, Bloomington, IN. Lojo was a budding musician looking to make her mark. She arrived at NWMF full of hope and promise, with a handful of CDs and a 75 VW bus named Tawanda. She had one chance to wow the judges – and she did. They asked her back the next year and she did it all over again with even greater confidence and a sense of her place in the music world. The women she met made their mark in her life, the artists that had so inspired her she felt were now her peers. She saw her future so bright.

Then... she dropped the ball.

[[ insert dream waves in reverse here ]]]

Present day 2009, Madison WI. A chance to redeem herself and re-connect with this community of women and artists. So many faces from the past, so many people who hadn’t forgotten her - though she’d forgotten their names she hadn't forgotten their faces.

Well, I should probably let herself tell this next part...

Thanks, Boo.
I found myself in a group of some of the most talented women I’ve ever had the pleasure meet. To Teneia and Emily, The Sirens (marco!), Shelly Miller and Stephanie Moore, thank you for such a great experience and the chance to hear your music.
And congratulations to Teneia and the Sirens!! - see you next year on the big stage!

The mainstage line-up was superb with a great blend of old school and new school - and I thought the OshKosh Men's Chorus was a perfect addition to the weekend!

To all the volunteers: You women SO ROCK!!
Lisa & Angela and Laura in Registration – good times, good times - Susan, Lisy and MJ at Goldenrod – more pizza! - and all of the other wonderful women who’s names I never learned and who helped put this festival together – you all did a great job!!

To the women on the crew who made it all go so smoothly; Linda, Kaia, and all the women working stage & sound thanks for making us all sound so good. Kathy & Joyce in Performer’s Care you know the way to a musician’s heart is truly thru their stomachs. Ruth, Meg and Diane doing the ASL interpreting, wow, are you guys troopers (whoever signed for Maggie Casella should get a medal).

Of course, this was all made possible thru the tireless efforts of Jane Weldon, Tret Fure and the fantastic board of directors. (This is not me kissing ass, this is me being very grateful for the opportunity to perform and the quality of the festival.)

The ball's in my court - I'll be back.