Songlife Weblog

It seems often the case that when you're busy doing the work, you're not counting the score. Reflecting on our week long visit in Romania, this was apparent. We were able to directly connect with 700+ individuals in large and small groups, leading our one-of-a-kind Songwriter Team Building programs in three Romanian cities. From national and international dignitaries working closing with the U.S. Embassy, to university law school and high school students in their classrooms a

One of my favorite parts about visiting Romania was enjoying the food, and warm hospitality of the people we met along the way. I was delighted to discover that many of the dishes enjoyed by Romanians are also part of a hearty Southern U.S.A. style of cuisine. Combine that with influences from the Mediterranean and the German, and you end up with a culinary delight all its own in Romania. For breakfast, our host hotels provided a lavish feast fit for kings that was pre-negoti

Traveling through Transylvania - A Tennessean's Perspective rail tracks in Racovita, Romania As a U.S. Arts Envoy from the great state of Tennessee, I felt like I had a lot in common with the Romanians, even before our visit. For one thing, there are said to be 3 distinct parts of Romania, and our State of Tennessee also has 3 distinct parts, each with its own unique cultural differences, represented by the three stars on our flag. Of the three regions in Romania, I was able

I have been preparing for this trip to Romania for months, learning the beautiful Romanian language and reading everything I can get my hands on about the culture, history and people. Arts Envoy visits are mission driven toward achieving certain goals. Our mission in Romania: to conduct interactive keynotes and team building workshops to target audiences including: Embassy affiliates, industry leaders, shareholders, and creative stakeholders. We will also provide our educatio

People often ask me what I do as a U.S. Arts Envoy, so I thought the occasion of the United States' 250 year birthday, and the U.S. Embassy Bucharest including me in their Freedom 250 campaign, is the perfect opportunity to talk about my trip to Romania. A Day in the Life of an Arts Envoy in Romania An Arts Envoy is a citizen ambassador with a specific field of expertise that works closely with counterparts in other countries where the U.S. has an active Embassy. My mission i

Honored to be part of the U.S. Embassy Bucharest’s #PassTheStar Freedom 250 series! In this reel, I share what it meant to visit Romania as an Arts Envoy—writing songs with incredible people across the country and celebrating our shared values of family, community, and creative tradition. Stay tuned as I take you through workshops, Christmas markets, songwriting sessions, and the warm Romanian hospitality that made it unforgettable. Thank you to the U.S. Embassy Bucharest

Four or five of us were standing around talking during a break in our songwriter conference. In the group – A plastics manufacturer, an...

The "Appalachia Kid" album is live today on all retailers, and Nashville's Independent Radio WMOT Roots Radio's Ana Lee has featured the...

Do you love to write? Poetry, songs, short stories, essays, even business reports – When you write something, you are not only creating art

It has been one year since my visit to Kingston, Jamaica as an Official Arts Envoy of the United States. #artsenvoy #jamaica #usa