October 14, 2009

I’m writing this on Tuesday night, October 13… 2009 - The 5th birthday of my 3rd child – Quinli Mei Nason… And she loves to celebrate!  Her mom made her a two layer chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting AND chocolate frosting… and cream cheese frosted cookies to take to pre-school.

Last night, I signed a dozen copies of my children’s book – HAPPY BIRTHDAY BUNNY – and Quinli autographed each one next to the character in the book based on her – MANGO MEI.  And this morning, we loaded up the books and CDs(that go with the book) and cookies and blanket (for naps) and purse and lunch and went off to pre-school.  WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH POKER – you ask?!?!

Have you ever heard of a poker face – you know… you bet a lot making them think you have a huge hand when you don’t – or you bet a little making them think you don’t have much so that you can suck them in and take all their cash a little later – Either way, you need a poker face.  You don’t want them to know what you think, or feel, or anticipate, or fear, etc.  Your face and language and betting style and body language all need to look the same all the time.  But 5 year olds don’t get this… at least, not my 5 year old.  You always know what she thinks and feels and anticipates and fears, etc.

So… back to pre-school – we walk in with a 4yr old friend of hers that is in her class… beautiful little red head girl with a big smile and freckles.  Quinli was clearly exited about her birthday and announced to everyone who would listen that she was five – and she held up all five fingers on her little right hand to prove it!  Now – another piece of information… we are having a party for Quinli on Thursday, Oct. 15 at a Build a Bear shop at the mall…but, she could only invite 6 people… and that includes her and her sister.  Of course she would have loved to have 30 or 40 but we can barely afford 6…

And to my horror..it happened.. we hadn’t talked about it, I hadn’t prepared her for school and her friends and the fact that she doesn’t need to tell everyone everything… With a huge smile on her face (it was her birthday) but a tad bit of disappointment (’cause she wanted everyone there), she looked at the cute little red head girl with the pretty smile and cute freckles and said…

“I’m 5 and we are having a party at Build a Bear on Thursday but YOU are not invited ’cause we could only invite 6 people and I had to invite my other friends so you can’t come!”

No poker face!  Just straight up ‘that’s the facts jack’ sort of reality.  Of course, the little girl burst into tears and I could say nothing… what do you say… what does her mother say?  We just looked at the little girls in amazement – ouch – Quinli wasn’t trying to be rude… just telling it like it is…

You know… “I have aces and you don’t!!!”

Fortunately, Quinli recovered quickly and told the little girl that she brought her a present – a book… and to my amazement..the tears were gone and they were once again great friends.  Kind of like poker.  I’ll beat you today – brag about it to all my friends – and then we’ll meet same time, same place, next week!  I love kids.. and poker!

I fold!

Much love,

Wally

Quinli is 5 – HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

October 7, 2009

It’s a beautiful day in Arizona… Flew to Phoenix on Sunday, drove to Prescott on Monday, drove to Lake Havasu on Tuesday, and sitting in a hotel room back in Phoenix today – Wednesday… Off to Yuma in the morning and then to Tucson – and if you’ve never been to Arizona – remmeber this – GO TO AZ IN OCTOBER!!!  The weather is unbelievable..sunny and perfect. 

I’m here with Amy Berna… a super talented singer/songwriter.  I am driving her and her friend Andrienne around the state for the week meeting with radio stations (trying to convince them she is as wonderful as she is and hope they will support her by playing her new single – you can check her out at www.AmyBerna.com).  In addition, she is doing three concerts with the duet Chris and Conrad (www.ChrisandConrad.com). 

Let’s talk about radio…these guys work hard.  Take a look at their computer…hundreds, literally hundreds, of emails requesting that they play music.  Some of the songs that are sent in don’t even fit their formats…Radio works in formats.. each station decides – We are a country station or a Christian inspo station, or a rap station, or a whatever– So…sending your Southern Gospel tune to a top 40 pop station wastes everyone’s time…yours and theirs… and they still get songs that they would never play. 

In addition, they get tunes from big established artists and new indie artists that do fit their format…so they have to decide… do we play this and if so, what don’t we play.  It’s kind of a science.  It kind of isn’t.  Pretty subjective in most cases.  But you don’t want a playlist of 22 slow songs and one fast one. 

And the DJs.. they are awesome… play a song, do the weather, interview an artist that you just met 10 minutes ago, play a song, do a sports update, answer calls, play a song, etc.  All without dead time – and proper English – and some level of entertainment – you don’t want people to change the station.  Very interesting to say the least…and it’s all live on the morning shows… at the smaller stations, at least.

Anyway… thanks to radio everywhere… radio that introduces us to new songs and new artists and work really, really hard to keep listeners and keep the lights on.   We in the music business appreciate and need you.

To our friends Dave, Mike and Steve at KGCB in Prescott, AZ and to Amy, Feron, Debbie, and Tracey at KNLB and KWFH in Lake Havasu – THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!!

Oh.. and the London Bridge… it’s not inLondon…it’s in Lake Havasu…REALLY!!! Look it up and find out what 2.5 million dollars would purchase in the late 60s… pretty cool… Here is a pic of me and Amy this morning…Enjoy!

Wally
www.NasonMusicGroup.com

Weird day Monday (the 28th of Sept.) … had a 4:30 meeting with John Mullins of SESAC… a performing rights organization on Music Row in Nashville.  First time to meet John… couldn’t be a nicer guy.  Meeting was with Chris and Kelly Filer and myself… Chris needs to join SESAC.  John said he had to wrap things up about 5 because they were hosting a #1 party for a writer, Liz Rose… they were celebrating her new #1 song that she wrote with Taylor Swift.  He invited us to hang around – which was very nice – and on the way out of the office told us that Taylor was going to be there. 

While I’m not a personal huge fan of hers, I do know all her songs.  I have a 7 year old and a 4 year old girl.  And they know all the words to all her songs.  And so I saw her come into this lobby where cameras and friends and family were gathered – only about 60 people – and I snapped a couple pics of Taylor from about 10 ft away with a specific plan to get my mug snapped with her following the short, yet meaningful ceremony.  And so I did what any ‘cool’ Nashville industry guy would do – wait around till the other ‘fans’ got their pic and then just happen to be real close to her and get a shot for my girls – you know…for the children.  And so I did… I waited and waited and was just about to make my move – looking cool and sly and acting like a shot with her didn’t realy matter – and then disaster!!!

Her keepers turned their backs to the rest of us making a path for her to exit out the back door… I politely asked “could she do just one more picture?”.
I said it quietly, sure to not sound desperate – and with a beautiful smile and authoritative tone, an attractive blonde woman (who I think was Taylor’s mother) said “No.”  And there she went… out the door… without a pic, without a hug, she didn’t sign my shirt, she didn’t wave, gone– she was gone.  

But… it was cool to see her.  Here’s a pic… I was in the room… I almost got my picture with her… for the children… of course!