the kelley nicole

2015 GRAMMY Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Nicole) — Mon, 16 Feb 2015 08:17:00 +0000

And here it is, the blog post you've all been waiting for, pics and videos from Kell and Ant's 2015 GRAMMY day adventure!

Our day first begins with the glam squad of course.
Make-up video #1 - http://share.glide.me/2MoahuVVRyeveYnPilX0+g==
Make-up video #2 - http://share.glide.me/JBPSFrGoQq+TukkkLKsuWQ==

Let's get this day started!

Make-up and dress

Now, at the GRAMMYs themselves:

Hanging on the red carpet - http://share.glide.me/X9Pz8hwzQBubyWdrxG3JTQ==
An explanation of the Premiere ceremony - http://share.glide.me/1IaRvyNESKC1JmKiLCJZRA==
Erica and Warryn receiving their GRAMMY at the Premiere - http://share.glide.me/eRsKnJlgSoWPB90BjW_ysQ==
An awesome ensemble at the Premiere - http://share.glide.me/Lc7a2rJ9TH++WsxkoFpZJg==
And check out this up and comer, Angie Fisher. You heard it here first! - http://share.glide.me/Vy2cLRIKQMa2GrlSlLQuyA==
Grabbing a bite before the telecast - http://share.glide.me/pEDuPDT1T8+ncK76Bl2Zxw==
And we made it! On the floor at the GRAMMYs - http://share.glide.me/wxn+ZdumTLuPdi0h4ZLboA==

Peep how close we were...of course I had to grab pics of my girl, Beyonce:

Then we were up close and personal with Lady Gaga, Tony Bennett, LL Cool J, and Gweneth Paltrow:

Then onto the after parties! - http://share.glide.me/m4GQ4LfWSfSjdJSInnyS2Q==
...and more after parties...need stamina! http://share.glide.me/R78vQw2rTLe7ZKiflggPvg==

Made it home although I was not ready to take off my rhinestones. : )

And the wrap-up: http://share.glide.me/3tYAXwvBR7mp6gq39iEmjQ==

2015 GRAMMY week - the lead up

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Nicole) — Mon, 16 Feb 2015 08:04:00 +0000

Well, I got through my second GRAMMY week and it still felt great! It was actually better knowing the lay of the land better in my second go 'round, I felt like I could really bask in the glow of a year's worth of hard work paying off.

So as I think will become customary, below you'll find my digital diary for the week!

Tuesday, Feb. 3rd - the P&E Party kicks it all off!

Look who we honored!

Nile chatted with us about how his songs were created. I'll think you'll recognize this song. Behind the Music indeed!! (Video = 33 seconds) View below or at this unlisted link (please do not share this with others): http://youtu.be/0uqugVLQW50

This one is a little longer (video = 2 min 31 seconds) and it may take you a little longer to get the song. Definitely an interesting musical journey! View the unlisted video here, please do not share this: http://youtu.be/j5C_iuqO-W0

And final video for Tuesday night (video = 1 min 12 seconds), Nile jammin' with Flea from Red Hot Chili Peppers! View the unlisted video here (please do not share this): http://youtu.be/hKgPYGRwF7o

My NARAS family :)

And of course, a selfie for moms

Wed., Feb. 4 - GRAMMY Connect and For the Love of R&B
I could only find the selfies I took for my Mom so far. But if I find any others from Facebook, I'll add!

Thurs., Feb. 5 - Brunch honoring MC Lyte and the GRAMMY Legacy Concert
More selfies...

Friday, Feb. 6 - ELI Luncheon and MusiCares Person of the Year gala. But I could only find my selfie from the MusiCares gala. For ELI I wore a high-powered lawyer-like pantsuit (it was a lawyer honoring other lawyers kind of affair). Same thing, if I find more photos I will share.

Saturday, Feb. 7 - Special Merit Awards
I got to escort Richard Perry and his wife, the lovely Jane Fonda

Next blog post...the actual GRAMMY day!

2014 GRAMMY week!

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Nicole) — Sun, 02 Feb 2014 03:30:00 +0000

Hello my good peoples!

I know it has been 4-EVER and I apologize profusely, life certainly has taken a very interesting turn for me in the last 6 months. For those that don't know, last August I accepted the position of Executive Director over the Los Angeles Chapter of the Recording Academy. For those that may doubt it even a little bit, I'm here to testify to the fact that God knows what He is doing! The position feels like it was handcrafted just for me, and the whole arc of my career over the last 10 years has led right to it. Words really can't express my gratitude, the position has been amazing so far. And now, on to the proof! :)

It's been hard to give everyone the play by play of just how magical GRAMMY week was, but thankfully I captured a few moments of each day by photo and in word to help sum up the fabulousness. (Many thanks to my mom for this, she insisted that I take selfies everyday. I wouldn't have otherwise!) Take a peek:

Mon., Jan 20th - the prep

Peep the hairstyle, this one should keep!

Tues., Jan. 21st - the fun begins with the P&E Wing (Producers and Engineers Wing) party
I won't forget walking the "red carpet” at the P&E Wing party. Some of my LA Governors made me! (Not the ones pictured. It was two gentlemen and I think they wanted some arm candy :)

-> This pic features two of my wonderful LA Chapter Board members, Tremaine Williams (music producer) and Amy Keys (vocalist).

Wed., Jan. 22nd - All the ladies of color from the Academy were invited to the Black Women in Music party thrown by Essence!

This was the infamous party at which I spilled all the champagne as I stood up to meet Tank. Not my finest. :)

Here you see me with the DC Chapter Executive Director, the fabulous, Wendi Cherry!

Thurs., Jan. 23rd - Several events happened on this day including the Lalah Hathaway outreach event, "A Song is Born" Legacy Concert, and the Will.i.am TRANS4M Concert at the Avalon. I noted two great moments from this day, including:
1) Being 5 feet from Lalah H. as she shared her voice. (Then she won a GRAMMY later in the week!!)
2) Hearing the genesis of the song "I Can't Make You Love Me” from the songwriters and then having Bonnie Raitt join them on stage to sing it! (At the legacy concert, ”A Song is Born.”)

Me and my colleague, Sara, at the Will.i.am concert.

The selfie for Shelley :)

Fri., Jan. 24th - ELI Luncheon, MusiCares Person of the Year dinner honoring Carole King, and Kiss-n-Grind. Friday moments to remember:
1) Alicia Keys killing it on "Natural Woman” in honor of Carole King.
2) Hearing the true voice of Lady Gaga as she shares an intimate version of "You've Got A Friend.”
3) Carole King and James Taylor together on stage performing with me in the same room, does life get any better?? :)
(And Ant joined in the fun as well, he was off to GRAMMY awards rehearsals for the day.)

Here are my colleagues and I at ELI

Ant and I, ready for the day's festivities!

I found Crescent at the Kiss-n-Grind party, so many people were there!

And what would the day be without a selfie for Shelley??

Sat., Jan. 25 - Special Merit Awards (where I was one of the escorts for the Isley Brothers, go Teaneck!!)

Conversation with the Isley Brothers? Priceless.
"hello Mr. Ernie Isley, my name is Kelley.”
"My brother's name is Kelly.”"
"Yes, and you should know that I grew up in Teaneck, NJ.”
"Aww, Teaneck!”
That was about the extent of it, but hey, I will take it!

And later that day...
"Um, so, I think I just watched the Beatles and the Isley Brothers receive lifetime achievement GRAMMY awards up close and personal. What is my life!?"

We took an ED pic before all the hoopla began. In the pic, from left to right, you see the EDs from New York, Philadelphia, LA, Pacific Northwest, DC, Memphis, and Nashville.

Sun., Jan. 26th - GRAMMY day! (By the time you get to Sunday you're already exhausted!)
GRAMMY day quotes from Kelley:
1) Live was the only way to experience Kendrick and Imagine Dragons. My hair was blown back!!

2) Some robots, two legends, and the 2014 producer of the year all together on the same stage!!!! (Daft Punk, Pharrel, Nile Rogers, and of course Stevie Wonder)

3) Carole King has awe'd me AGAIN! The duet with Sara B. was beautiful and only reinforced how I felt about Ms. King.

(here ya go Mom :)

That's my man, ain't he cute!?

Mon., Jan. 27 - as if we could take anymore...onto the Beatles special!
No pics here folks (I was tired alright!?) but some new found appreciation was happening:

Things that I have realized make the Beatles special:
1) Great songs. Lots of 'em. Lots and lots. Written by all 4 members.
2) Great musicianship among all 4 members.
3) Great vocals had by all 4 members.
4) Songs that had elements from every genre.
5) What looks like really great and close knit teamwork.
6) Did I mention great songs? Compelling yet simple and catchy lyrics. Interesting time signatures. Fabulous chord progressions (as stated by Stevie Wonder himself). Talk about a music education-thank you Academy!

That's all folks...until the next time!

The weird, perplexing, yet empowering politics of God

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Nicole) — Fri, 26 Jul 2013 17:30:00 +0000

All I heard from the Lord this morning was John 3:30 “He must increase, but I must decrease.” John the Baptist said this to his followers because I think they were confused about him having baptized a ton of people, to only be replaced by Jesus the Christ, who was now taking over. John reminded those people that he himself was not the Christ. He made way for Him, but he is just a friend to the bridegroom, a loyal friend who rejoices at the bridegroom’s voice. God blew my mind over this notion. Over and over and over He said it gently to me in various ways, and He expanded on it. He said you must decrease so that I may increase, and guess what? I will increase you!

I know I write about these principles a lot – to be humble, yet exalted. To decrease in order to be increased. It’s all a part of the weird, perplexing, yet empowering politics of God. Anytime you feel you are working in your own power call on God. Decrease yourself and increase Him. This will call out a power way beyond your own capability, such that you must glorify Him in all you do. This notion of course brought me to Matt 6:33, “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and all these things will be added unto you.”

Letter to Leftie

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Nicole) — Fri, 26 Jul 2013 17:27:00 +0000

I went on a prayer retreat a few weeks ago and I had an epiphany. I realized that I can't be mad at my left brain (or whatever part of the brain, look, I'm not a scientist!) for doing what she does best. I need to forgive her and just gently remind her that she can relax. She is the way overprotective best friend. Here's my letter to her:

Dear Leftie,

I love ya. I understand why you do what you do. You have been trained well to protect at all costs, to spring into action and solve problems effectively & quickly. I know you simply want to protect me from harm, danger, disappointment, loss, humiliation and other things of that nature. I appreciate you and I appreciate your efforts. They are not in vain. This letter is simply a love note to say, it's ok if you take a break. I give you my full permission to take a beach day! You can come down off your post and let down your guard -- rightie has some skills as well and she needs the room to use them to her fullest capability. In order for all of us to go to the next level you (and I for that matter!) are going to have to trust her a lot more. We’re gonna have to rely on her more, let her take a few risks, let her step out on faith. And you and I will both remember that God has got us in the palm of His hand. He will never leave us or forsake us. We don’t have to have all the answers, the research, all the formulas worked out in advance. When it’s time for that, don’t worry, we know who to call! : ) But this is a turning point. You have brought us a long way, but now it’s time to go higher. And we’ll ALL have to work together in divine harmony with God leading the way. And if God is leading, it may mean, more often than not, that rightie will have to lead us, as she can hear more directly from Him than the both of us. And that’s ok. That’s her forte, her special skill. Give her the chance to lead and you’ll be amazed where we end up. In the meantime, enjoy your beach days, you deserve it!!

God-conscious vs. self-conscious

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Nicole) — Fri, 26 Jul 2013 17:24:00 +0000

My father’s Daily Word today was great. (Genesis 3:7) It talked about the shift Adam and Eve had after the fall when they went from being God-conscious to self-conscious. It hit me like a ton of bricks. Of course I may find it difficult to get into a higher, more spiritual place of connection to God. We spend the majority of our time in this temporal place called Earth where we are physically bound by time and space. Our lower selves fight everyday for survival and they are well trained to protect and survive at all costs. So those of us that want to seek God, that want to rise above the clutter, must seek, scratch, and claw our way into a closer connection with the Almighty. We are unfortunately naturally cut off due to the actions of the first man.

I think this is why, at the core, I love music. It was perhaps the first thing, when I really learned to let go, that brought me way closer to God than I had ever been. It allowed me to go beyond the temporal into a special and more sacred place. A place I couldn’t easily access with my 5 senses. And this is the place I love to go! And what is interesting about a God-conscious perspective is that it alleviates nervousness or anxiety about performing (at the very last second of course :). Knowing that it’s truly for His glory, not mine. Knowing that He has my life in the palm of His hand so I don’t have to fear the outcomes. This brings a peace that is so far beyond by understanding I can’t help but get excited! (Phil 4: 7)

And so, as I aim to continue to access my Higher Self, to connect to the Holy Spirit and seek God’s face, I remember to have patience. Patience with the lower self that has been trained for many, many years to survive by analyzing, thinking, planning, preparing, controlling (or trying to control) all of the circumstances. Patience with that self as it begins to trust the Higher Self. To let go of its need for control. I recognize also that along with patience is a need for practice. We must let the Higher Self do its “work” each day so that it too can develop a strong muscle. We must deny aspects of our flesh that we know are just the lower self, aching for attention. (Romans 12:1) We cannot be the same as we once were. One of the Elders at one of our churches said to me “if you want something to change you have to do something different.” So simple right? And so, Higher Self, Holy Spirit, I welcome your guidance and wisdom and direction.

Oprah & Soledad on one accord

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Nicole) — Fri, 31 May 2013 08:40:00 +0000

So glad I got a chance to watch the 2013 commencement speeches delivered by Oprah and Soledad O'Brien. First off, I'm a nerd and yes, I love commencement time. It gives me tingles up and down my spine. There's something special about moving on to that next stage, knowing that although the stage you just completed was tremendous, the best is still yet to come. Congrats class of 2013!

I've pasted the speeches below. Both women spoke of using your talents to better the world, the very reason why I changed the tagline of my blog. When I figured out that singing for a purpose stirred something deeper within me, as opposed to just singing for my own glory, I was forever changed. Oprah said "when you start figuring out how to serve others, THAT's when your story gets good."

Your goal - "to achieve the highest, most truthful expression of yourself as a human being...Don't ask the world what it needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive. Because that's what the world needs - people who are alive."

Had to capture these tidbits somewhere. Thank you fabulous ladies of commencement 2013. (And man, I must admit that the icing on the cake is looking up to and being inspired by these ladies that look just a little bit like me. ; )

Oprah

Soledad O'Brien

Feed the Spirit of Life

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Nicole) — Tue, 28 May 2013 18:25:00 +0000

I was inspired today by these two verses:
"He who sins is of the devil...for this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil." = 1 John 3:8
"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him..." = 1 Peter 5:8-9

In both of these passages we sense that we have a choice to make. We can choose the way of the devil but that does not lead us into the benefits of a life in the Spirit. In fact, it takes us in the entirely wrong direction. But praise God, because of Jesus the work of life and redemption are within us, beseeching us to choose its path of victory, and not the other path of defeat. As we choose life daily, it gives God the room in our lives to work on our behalf. It's like eating right. When we eat right and exercise our beautiful bodies have the resources to continue to function at the highest levels. But when we feed it garbage, when we pollute it, when we don't exercise our muscles, as much as it wants to it can't function as well on our behalf. It can't give back to us because we haven't given much to it. The Spirit of life within us is similar. It wants to act positively on our behalf (it is desperate to!). But if we act out as the devil urges us to, what resource are we giving it to do its marvelous work??

Some people may not want the choice. They think "why can't God just give us all the best?" I can understand that but a choice is actually the greatest gift (just one step after the all encompassing love of Christ himself, that is still there, ready to receive us and cleanse us, regardless of the choices we make). If we were robots, would we really know, could we really taste, goodness? If you could flip a switch so that your spouse would love you and do what you say, is that real love? We have a choice so that we may truly feel and appreciate the blessings of God. It's what we do with that choice that makes all the difference. And all of our humanly choices affect each other, for better or for worse, the bad as well as the good. Too many of our bad choices have caused not only personal suffering, but the suffering of those around us.

Let's today choose to feed the Spirit of Life and give God the glory and honor due Him through our prayer life and our actions.

April 4th and 5th - Kelley Nicole days to remember

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Nicole) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 17:53:00 +0000

The SHATTERED GLASS trip to Cal State Monterey Bay last week was nothing short of amazing. I'll do my best to give you guys a taste of how it all went down, it was truly life changing.

Shaunelle and I started off the adventure as all adventures should start off - with a ROAD TRIP!!! (We were just a little excited as you can probably tell. ; ) I know, I know, two road trips in two months, what a life I lead eh? The trip to Monterey was quite scenic. I didn't realize how picturesque it would be until our awesome tax lady, Susan, told me how jealous she was that I was going to Monterey. I soon found out it's a special place indeed.

We woke up on Thursday morning at the Travelodge, and this was the view from our window. LOL, we're not fancy on this trip folks. What's an adventure without the hospitality of your local motel? But seriously the Travelodge was actually quaint, the people were friendly, and yes, they had free breakfast. I don't need much more.

The first item on our agenda for the day was our workshop with select students at CSUMB. Well, first and foremost, Shaunelle and I always get our prayer on. Nothing is impossible with God, He shows up and shows out if you let Him! We're but mere vessels for His work, so we must acknowledge Him first.

In the classroom, Shaunelle and I took the students through the SHATTERED GLASS workshop materials, empowering them to take charge of their lives and to let go of a victim mindset. We gave them a taste of what to expect at the performance that evening, and took them through some really fun exercises where we danced, shouted, cheered, and in general had a jolly time. The participants really seemed to enjoy it, and Shaunelle and I were in our element.

Pre-Workshop (set-up):

Did I mention there was food, highly important:

During the workshop, engaging with the students:

Post-workshop, smiles for a job well done!

The SHATTERED GLASS workshop and performance series was honored to be a part of CSUMB's "Womyn, Gender, and Justice" month. We were the last of a month-long series of programs on campus.

Our next stop, back to the motel to rest up for the evening's performance!

Honestly, I couldn't really rest all that much. I was a little anxious! This would be our first time in a black box theatre -- our very dream for SHATTERED GLASS coming true! We could only get in as early as 5pm. If it were up to me we would be there promptly after our workshop, making sure all was set up right. But alas, probably better that we got a little bit of rest anyway and I had to remind myself that God is in control!

We arrived at the theater at 5pm sharp, where the team awaited us. Our wonderful administrator, Rita (the woman who has been advocating for us since we first spoke to her about SHATTERED GLASS last summer) was there to greet us and to make sure we had all we needed. We told Rita she was our angel from heaven. She worked over time to make sure everything ran smoothly. She introduced us to the team at the theater and we got right to work. This would be the first time that I had support with the AV aspects of our show, so we had to do a dry run to make sure the team understood all of the cues and everything worked properly.

Here's Rita and one of our great crew members!

Pre-show set-up:

Did you guys see my tweet!? I was so nervous about not having any mics in this brand new space for SHATTERED GLASS. TWEET: Black Box Cabaret theatre, here we come!!! Pray for our projection y'all! :) Thanks @csumb team! @Shatteredglassshow

BIG UPS to the students that work at the Black Box Cabaret!! They were professional, friendly, problem solvers, and best of all, they really got what SHATTERED GLASS was all about. They were there for us every step of the way, and the performance was executed flawlessly! Being on that stage was like stepping into an alternate dimension. I forgot what it was like to lose yourself in the darkness of a theater, to fully step into a world and a character you've created, and to experience the unique yet dynamic contrast of feeling immersed in your world but at the same time knowing that you have the full attention of the audience -- that they have accepted your invitation into this other space.

Afterwards we were greeted with hugs, smiles, pictures, autograph requests, and more by the wonderful students that were in attendance. From what the students told us, it seemed that the show really touched people, leaving them with images they'll never forget, and an understanding that if Shairi can rise, they can too, and that's what it's all about.

More of our awesome crew that night!

We went to bed that night feeling alive. This is where we're meant to be, what we're meant to do. Life doesn't get much better than that. Couldn't stop tweeting about it. TWEET: Great, GREAT show at @csumb, tonight. We are humbled and honored by their graciousness and professionalism.

On Friday, April 5th we brought SHATTERED GLASS to a nearby women's shelter, in partnership with A Window Between Worlds, an organization for which we serve as artistic ambassadors. We did not take pictures or video there, for obvious reasons, but the magic was just as palpable. One comment that touched a nerve for us was one of the women explaining that these shelters can often feel like prisons because you're surrounded by the acute pain of its inhabitants. The participants expressed true gratefulness for the air of love, joy, and hope that was swept in by our work that afternoon, and they hoped we would not only return, but were also eager to know if we would be visiting other shelters in the future.

Both shows truly deepened our understanding of the power of art to heal and change lives -- the core of the mission of SHATTERED GLASS. TWEET: April 4th & 5th, days to remember. Very humbled and honored to serve today with God's gifts. #shatteredglassshow

#roadtrip 2013 Round-UP & the ABC's of it all

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Nicole) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 17:20:00 +0000

Find pictures, stories, and videos in my #roadtrip 2013 online journal!

Day 1 - #roadtrip 2013 - LA to Flagstaff, AZ

Day 2 - #roadtrip 2013 - Flagstaff to New Mexico

Day 3 - #roadtrip 2013 - New Mexico to OKC

Day 4 - #roadtrip 2013 - OKC to Memphis

Day 4/5 - #roadtrip 2013 - Memphis baby, Memphis

Day 5 - #roadtrip 2013 - Memphis to Nashville!

Day 6 - #roadtrip 2013 - Last kicks in Nashville.....

Day 6/7 - #roadtrip 2013 - The road...again.

Day 7 - #roadtrip 2013 - Virginia to HOME! Last leg...

TWEET: #roadtrip thank yous: @c_aye, @airbnb, @googlemaps, @instagram, @Pandora, @spotify, @Honda, @subway, 1dct, (cont...)

TWEET: #roadtrip thank yous: @backstreetboys, I-40, @rendezvous_ribs, walk the line, plant, all fb friends that cheered on and advised (cont...)

TWEET: #roadtrip thank yous (cont.): & of course csr, but get twitter already!

And here are the ABC's of the #roadtrip. Ahh the memories. : )

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A - Airbnb! And dropping those darn apples, just after we made the commitment to eat healthy. I guess it wasn't meant to be.

B – Backstreet Boys. Long story. Will not re-tell here lest it be officially recorded in internet history. BBQ. Budget conscious.

C – Cash. For Johnny and June Carter Cash. Music royalty. Compass Records. Country Music.

D – Driving. Did we mention driving? Days Inn.

E – Elvis – a new appreciation, hubba hubba. Econolodge.

F – Farmland in Virginia. Actually, farmland everywhere in America gosh darn it.

G – Grand Ole Opry. Google Maps. Guillermo’s. Gas.

H – Hosts – 3 to be exact. All great ladies. Oh yeah, and Howard Johnsons. Technically also a host albeit not as snuggly.

I – Interstate 40 forever!! Instagram (great photos from CSR).

J – @Johnnyswim at Music City Roots

K – Kelley was here!

L – Lovelace Café. La Fonda Hotel. Lorraine Motel.

M – Memphis! Music City Roots.

N – Nashville, whoo hoo!!! National Parks.

O – Oklahoma City, the Overholsers of Oklahoma. One-degree celebrity trivia! Ok, enough Os.

P – Pandora was a great traveling companion. Pink was the color of Albuquerque.

Q – Quartet valued at one million dollars. Quaint was OKC in my opinion.

R – Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Route 66, @Rendevous_Ribs

S – Sun Studios! Sinagua People of Walnut Canyon.

T - Trivia! Texas Tumbleweeds. Tex/Mex cuisine in New Mexico.

U – under 70mph. That is the speed limit we did not obey (thanks for letting us off with a warning warm-hearted OKC state trooper *insert batting of eyes*).

V – Virginia Farmland visitors

W – Walk the Line, Walnut Canyon, wrong turns

X – X marks the spot of where Elvis and Johnny Cash stood. And Xavier. There must be an Xavier somewhere.

Y – YET!? Are we there YET!?! And long live our yoga pants.

Z – Zip up! It got colder and colder as we made our way east. I thought this was the southern route!?!

Day 7 - #roadtrip 2013 - Virginia to HOME! Last leg.

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Nicole) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 17:14:00 +0000

We stayed with another airbnb host in Virginia, but we of course could not get an appreciation for where we were until the morning. (A little bleary by the time we pulled in at 2:30am.)

We stayed on a real live farm, complete with horses, cows, a rooster, 2 cats, and a dog. And our host was the sweetest. She welcomed us when we came in (I felt bad for waking her up!) and left us food for the morning and warm wishes. A great way to start our last leg of the journey. TWEET: Just stayed with dogs, cats, horses, cows, and a rooster. @airbnb adventures :)

Tried to go here but with a $16 entrance fee, we felt there wasn’t anything “natural” about it.

We went through Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and finally we hit...NEW JERSEY!!!!! Birthplace of the famous KNP and CSR! : ) Never had I been so excited to hit the armpit of America. (Yes, I said it, don't hate fellow New Jersians.) TWEET: Never thought I'd be so happy to see the NJ Turnpike...crazy exit 13 smells, here I come!!! Home stretch of #roadtrip.

It really felt like a major accomplishment. CSR and I pulled into my parent's driveway and breathed a huge sigh of relief. We made it safely, no major glitches, and in fact had had a pretty rockin' time together. And of course we were quite glad to get home to mom's house, get our clothes washed, get some good food, and eventually get back to our lives. TWEET: 2,797+ miles later and there's really no place like mom's house. #roadtrip complete

Day 6/7 - #roadtrip 2013 - The road...again.

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Nicole) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 17:05:00 +0000

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So yeah. The road. There was lots of it. Christina and I both agreed that a cross country trip sounds great when you say it. The reality of it is, it’s A LOT of driving. TWEET: Um, so yeah, America is kinda big...are we there yet?!? The driving was the big chore each day. Thankfully we had each other and we made it fun. Big ups to CSR for creating what I titled the “1 degree celebrity trivia” game. It kept us awake and alert. Ask me for the details, I will gladly share.

It was this evening we made an unfortunate wrong turn. I-40 had been our friend for a long time, but we forgot that eventually we’d have to go left. Going to NY and all ya know. Thankfully we stopped to eat not too long after our excursion into North Carolina and realized we were getting a bit off track. Thank God! God is good folks, don’t let anyone tell you any different. We didn’t stray too far from I-81 North, which began the start of our final leg towards home. TWEET: An unfortunate right when we should've gone left, beware of the major forks! Pitfalls of the #roadtrip

And more….road.

Very exciting...I'm a hoot while I'm driving. [Hey, that rhymed. I guess I am a hoot after all?]

Day 6 - #roadtrip 2013 - Last kicks in Nashville...then onto Virginia

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Nicole) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 16:56:00 +0000

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Funnily, after watching “Walk the Line,” I was scheduled to visit Hendersonville, TN first thing in the morning (the home of Johnny and June Cash) for a meeting with my agents. It was great to touch base with them again in person. They live on the same lake where the Cash house was! For a second, I thought maybe, just maybe it’s the same house – fingers crossed! But it wasn’t. They are not far though.

Day 6 was a great day – we did the meeting in Hendersonville and then met up with a friend of a friend at the Ryman Auditorium, the original home of the Grand Ole Opry! Christina and I both agreed that this trip really gave us a greater appreciation for the history and richness of country music. Touring the Ryman sealed the deal. We sprung for the backstage tour where we got to see the different dressing rooms named for the legendary artists that made this place famous. Our tour guide was truly authentic too – he has worked at the Ryman since the 60’s and experienced many of those Ryman legends in person. We were really lucky to hear his first person experiences. TWEET: Walking among ghosts at the Ryman Auditorium, home of the Grand Ole Opry! And yes, had to stand on the stage :)

Artists today still perform at the Ryman, and I’m sure still consider it an honor. Of course I could not help myself, now’s my chance! I even recruited a bandmate!

We had to take some time at the Johnny and June Cash showcase.

And here’s the street we parked on:

We ended our day in Nashville enjoying a great lunch with a talented local artist and friend of friend, Michael Diallo McLendon. After lunch we got ready for the second to last long haul – Virginia here we come.

Day 5 - #roadtrip 2013 - Memphis to Nashville!

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Nicole) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 16:46:00 +0000

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Thankfully the drive from Memphis to Nashville was relatively short, only 4 hours instead of our usual 8. This allowed us plenty of time to enjoy Memphis, while also enjoying the evening in Nashville. I’m so thankful to Alison Brown at Compass Records for giving us great advice on how to spend our one night in town. (And she gave us some authentic bluegrass CDs too – we felt legit.) She said we were lucky because every Wednesday there’s a show called Music City Roots, which is also featured on the radio (which I came to learn was a very similar format to the Grand Ole Opry, more on that later). She told us they feature really talented local artists that perform typical Nashville styles – from country, to bluegrass, and even blues, soul, & rock. The event also features great food from the Loveless Café. Great music AND food? Um, yes please.

TWEET: For those near the net, check out @musiccityroots for live, authentic music outta Nashville. The artists featured that night were: Charlie Parr, The Danberrys, JohnnySwim (one of our favs! Bruno Mars better watch is back for Abner Ramirez! TWEET: I love becoming a new fan... Go 'head @johnnyswim @musiccityroots), Alanna Royale (TWEET: I love the unexpected funk. @alannaroyale @musiccityroots), & the McCrary Sisters. It was a rip roaring good time. Peep the video:

We felt quite satisfied with our one night Nashville experience. TWEET: Nashville gets a check +, we will meet again. We were so inspired in fact, we had to round it out by watching “Walk the Line” that evening.

Day 4/5 - #roadtrip 2013 - Memphis baby, Memphis

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Nicole) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 16:30:00 +0000

Oh man, so the trip truly was building up to these next two cities starting with Memphis, TN, the birthplace of Rock n' Roll. And I mean really, how can you go wrong in a city when you start off with amazing BBQ??

Tuesday, March 5th we pull into Memphis around 9:30pm, drop our stuff off at our Airbnb host's house, and head straight out to Rendevous, which we heard closes promptly at 10:30pm and was officially the most highly recommended place by our friends on Facebook. Not gonna miss it. We made it over there around 10:15pm, limp into the restaurant as the wearied and worn travelers that we are, and they let us know that they are happy to serve us. They are super friendly, welcoming, AND THEN...the food. YES. TWEET: BBQ at Rendevous in Memphis. Yum. #roadtrip mission accomplished. (And no, we didn't stuff ourselves with ribs at 11pm. We split them responsibly. :)

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On Wed., March 6 we woke up in Memphis in the lovely cottage provided by our Memphis airbnb host. We were excited for this day as we were to get some historic sightseeing in. Me especially, since Memphis marked the beginning of our music tour of the Southeast.

Our first stop was the Lorraine Motel where Dr. Martin Luther King was shot in 1963. A true place of reverence, we had to pause and take in the well-preserved landmark, complete with authentic cars of the period parked outside the window.

Next we went on to Sun Studios, the landmark Memphis has deemed the birthplace of Rock n’ Roll (so legend has it anyway). I was a kid in a candy store. I still light up telling the story afterwards. As soon as I walked in I knew this was a place to behold. I wanted anything I could get my hands on (that was cheap!) – stickers, mugs, t-shirts, posters, give it to me! And that was just the gift shop. We went upstairs to begin the tour and our guide was fantastic. A musician himself he really poured on the passion for the stories of the old days of Sun Studios. He told us that Sam Phillips began Sun Studios as just a place to record. He would bring mostly blues artists to record in the space – most notably, Muddy Waters & Howlin’ Wolf. Those artists would cut records at Sun, but then Sun would send them on to places like Chess Records in Chicago, quickly realizing that he needed to create his own label and remove the middle man. That he did.

The first rock ‘n roll record ever made (so legend has it anyway, perhaps Sun is a bit biased, but I didn’t care!) was called “Rocket 88” by Jackie Brenston (I know, I had never heard of him either). Our guide told us that Ike Turner was one of the session players in the band that recorded “Rocket 88,” and that band had traveled some distance to get to Sun. During their travels one of the amps broke. When the band arrived at Sun the guitar player played a distorted sound out of the damaged amp – a sound that the players began to like. Music would never sound the same again. Of course I was all eyes and ears for this story.

I learned that Sun was also the place Elvis recorded for the first time. At Sun anyone could come down and record an amateur record for $4 (a fact highlighted in “Walk the Line” which we of course had to watch). Elvis asked the secretary Marion if he could record a song for his mother’s birthday and to this day she is the first person in history to have ever pressed the record button for the documented king of rock ‘n roll. Christina and I agreed – we maybe slept a little on Elvis before. He was quite the looker. Quite dreamy. And his voice sounded pretty nice. Ok, I guess I get the hype now. (The image in this paragraph shows Elvis' high school diploma and a school program where he is featured as the guitarist.)

And of course Sun was home to Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis and a host of others (those 3 along with Elvis making up the million dollar quartet featured prominently in the picture on the left). The tour guide showed us the X’s on the ground that marked where these legends stood and made history. He also gave us the chance to take a picture with the old microphone that recorded them all. I’m sure you could guess who was first in line for that photo opp. ; ) TWEET: “I stood where Elvis stood. I sang where Elvis sang. This is living. #roadtrip.

And of course we had to eat before getting on the road. Eating was a crucial component of the #roadtrip. : )

Day 4 - #roadtrip 2013 - OKC to Memphis

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Nicole) — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 07:42:00 +0000

We arrived in OKC late on Monday, March 4th, just in time to check in at the Econolodge (we're not fancy on this trip folks) and get some rest. In the morning we decide we'd learn a little bit about OKC history by visiting the Overholser Mansion.

Here are some pics of the interior:

From there the tour guide recommended we go to Coffee Slingers for the best roast in OKC. Overall, we liked OKC. TWEET: Alright OKC, I'm feelin' ya. Quaint. Hipster. Clean. Thumps up.

OKC is also where we said good-bye to Route 66 and headed on to Little Rock. No more singing the bridge to "Route 66" as I pass through each city... awww man...

As a side note, I must say, we found some pretty nifty, non-Starbucks coffee spots on this trip. We stopped at Guillermo's in Little Rock to check our emails and get a pick me up. TWEET: Hidden gems across America: @G3coffee in Little Rock, probably the coziest coffee place I've ever entered.

Day 3 - #roadtrip 2013 - New Mexico to OKC

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Nicole) — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 07:25:00 +0000

Monday, March 4th was a long day of driving. We started off touring a bit of Santa Fe. (The evening before we ate at a yummy restaurant called with the word "Cowgirl" in it. It had all kinds of Cowgirl ambiance, plus live music. The cuisine was pretty good - Tex/Mex if I remember correctly.) In the morning we visited the historic plaza of Santa Fe and got to tour the La Fonda Hotel. I would dare to say this is the cutest hotel in America. The decor seems like a great representation of elegant Mexican-American style with old world flavor. I wish I had a picture of this, but Christina might. (EDITOR'S NOTE [ok, ok, it's just me, I've just always wanted to write that]: CSR came through, see the pic of one of La Fonda's lovely rooms.) Along with the La Fonda, the Santa Fe plaza featured artisans selling their handcrafted jewelery and goods, small boutiques, art galleries, and a beautiful old church. We left feeling that we got a pretty good flavor of the city. Definitely a place to visit again, especially if one can stay at the La Fonda.

In the afternoon we were on the road again, this time off to Oklahoma City. (I didn't realize their nickname was OKC, which I will use from now on.) This was a looooooong drive. Yikes. One of my friends made a great analogy about this road trip. It's very analogous to what we try to accomplish in our lives. You set out with your goal in mind, excited to go after it. The first one or two legs are fine, energy is pumping, adrenaline is high. But by the third or 4th leg you realize - this is going to be a long journey, not always glamorous, with lots and lots of hard work, in fact more hard work than highlights. BUT, the highlights are great. They are worth the sweat and long hours. AND along the way you learn to laugh with your friends, make up games (1dct anyone?), take breaks so as to not go crazy, and remember to look up and take in the scenery lest you miss it being focused solely on the goal. I know, I know -- I promised not to get too deep on you, my bad. I remembered gathering this thought while on the road and I had to share.

Ok, so where was I? On the road to OKC! We decided to stop in Amarillo, TX, another famed city on the historic Route 66. (When we crossed over into Texas I saw my first tumbleweed! I thought it was hilarious that as soon as we get to Texas the tumbleweeds come a' tumblin. TWEET: "I just saw my first tumbleweed. Yes, my first. Yay #roadtrip!") Well, we got there as the sun was setting and we had every intention of figuring out something cool to do. But when you're tired & hungry, with still MANY miles to go, you lose the steam necessary to explore. Thankfully we found a BBQ spot and decided we'd begin our BBQ tour of the Southeast. I asked FB and Twitter peeps for some advice - TWEET: "We begin our BBQ tour in Amarillo, TX! If you know of great bbq in Memphis or Nashville, hit me up." We were FLOODED with ideas, thanks pals!

And bonus, our waiter told us we made it in time for happy hour. $3 margarita's anyone??! Yes please. TWEET: "Um, so yeah, America is kinda big...are we there yet?!?"

And here's the last place where we got gas. I thought this was the funniest name, had to capture it:

Day 2 - #roadtrip 2013 - Flagstaff to New Mexico

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Nicole) — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 07:06:00 +0000

On Sunday, March 3rd we traveled from Flagstaff, AZ to New Mexico, first stopping in Albuquerque and then heading onto Santa Fe.

More video kiddos. We had to stop and take in the scenery -- each part of the country has its own unique landscape, and New Mexico's rustic mountains and desert terrain were no exception. I wanted to take some video to try to do it justice.

We went down historic Route 66 in Albuquerque, also one of their main streets. My first TWEET of the trip was "Just got my kicks on Route 66, I'm giddy :)" Here are a few shots of us on this main street:

Then we also visited a historic square in the city, which was home to one of the oldest churches in Albuquerque. TWEET: "Crossed over into New Mexico and loving life #roadtrip"

Day 1 - #roadtrip 2013 - LA to Flagstaff, AZ

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Nicole) — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 06:22:00 +0000

I had a GREAT time traveling across the country with one of my oldest and dearest friends, CSR, and I want to make sure I capture some of our best moments in this online journal of photos, words, and video. Enjoy!!

Our first day, Sat., March 2nd, we drove from LA to Flagstaff, AZ. The video below displays a beautiful moon we encountered as we came closer to Flagstaff. We stayed with a wonderful Airbnb host, that gave us resort-like accommodations (thanks Airbnb!).

The next day, Sun., March 3rd we went to a national park called Walnut Canyon, where we got to experience the ancient cliff dwellings of the Sinagua people.

If you look closely, you can see that the cliff provided a natural home for the Sinagua.

Here's the brochure we got that describes more about how the Sinagua lived.

And a few more pics of our time in Arizona:

My warm car

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Nicole) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 17:17:00 +0000

On Mondays and Tuesdays we have street cleaning from 8am - 10am. When we first moved here I thought of it as a major pain. Our other street had cleaning from 12pm - 2pm which meant that we were definitely up and about by the time those dreaded parking attendants made their way around to hand out small pieces of monthly household budget menaces. But at 8am, my brain is hardly functioning if even really up and out of the bed yet, so the discipline it takes to get out there by 7:50am is rough.

But I have found a way to count it all joy. (I say that with a small bit of cheekinesss as this is hardly a major "trial" or "tribulation" that needs spiritual justification, but thanks be to God to find the lesson in it!) On these days I am forced to get out of my bed at 7:30am, to shake the grogginess and grumpiness off, and begin my day. I bring my Bible to the car, with my notepad, and at first the car is FREEZING. When I get into the cold car the grumpiness tries to make its way back into my psyche uttering such things as "why am I out here? Why couldn't I have done this last night? moan. groan." But today I reminded myself that the car will warm up. If I do what I'm suppose to do, turn the car on with all of the right knobs and just be patient, the car will respond. It will create an environment that I won't want to leave, if I just give it a few minutes.

As I reminded myself to be calm, breathe, and have patience in the cold I likened it to what I am learning at church these days. We're spending time in Romans 12, discussing how we are not to be "conformed to this world but transformed by the renewing of our minds..." Sometimes I am frustrated that I don't wake up feeling all spiritual and one with God. But we discussed the fact that our natural response to the world around us is in fact carnal. It's based on our natural instinct to protect ourselves, keep ourselves fed, and to reproduce. But to get spiritual, to get on a higher plain of worshiping and honoring a God you can't see, you have to turn the right knobs. You gotta get your engine going by reading the word, praising and worshiping God, meditating in His presence. It won't just happen automatically, you've got to put in the effort. In 2 Peter 1:5 it states "...giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge self-control; and to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love." This scripture reminds us that it takes effort and discipline to go to a higher spiritual plain, but oh how warm and cozy it will be as we ascend, creating an environment from which we won't want to depart.

Thorniness

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Nicole) — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 14:24:00 +0000

I'll let those of you reading this in on a little secret - there is nothing like the early morning to get all your creative juices flowing. There is something about the start of the day that is full of possibility, hope, revelation, and inspiration. It's when I get my best ideas, when God speaks to me most clearly, and when I see the vision of my future self as plain as day.

Today I was reminded that although we can regularly experience feelings of inadequacy in what we do, it is the inadequacy that can often give us the dose of humility that we need to remember to continue to lean on the leading of a most high and sovereign God. In 2 Corinthians 12: 7 - 10 Paul speaks of a thorn in his flesh given to him, a messenger of Satan to buffet him, lest he be exalted above measure. Although he prays to the Lord that this thorn go away, God reminds him that God's grace is sufficient, for His strength is made perfect in Paul's weakness. Satan may put that thorn there, heck, you may put that thorn there, but God's grace is sufficient to overcome it. And then, what a testimony one has in His power, despite all the thorns thrown at you.

Daily Diligence

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Nicole) — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 19:19:00 +0000

Random Musings, bare with...

Even though everyday may not be a super-duper awe-inspiring kind of day, I realize that the daily diligence of your work, especially artistic work, must be paramount. When you build something daily (practice, promote, etc.), even though you may not see all of the rewards right away; even if the world can't see your efforts or recognize any specific accomplishments with awards or accolades or even, dare I say a paycheck (!); even if it all seems futile and small, it's the daily diligence that will make all the difference. The moments in life that are breakthroughs are wonderful and magnificent. But true faith manifests itself in the daily discipline and diligence of life.

Here's to 2013!

Not gonna play small

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Nicole) — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 17:11:00 +0000

It's so awesome to find pictures from old photoshoots that, at one point, you didn't deem "worthy" enough for show. But now, as I look upon shots that I thought were, what -- too much hair? Too much glam? Too much of the woman I'm trying to be? -- I think to myself, what is playing small ever going to do for you? God made us all such beautiful creatures. Let's embrace it, let's walk in, let's shine!! Life is too short people, too short.

So I hope you enjoy! I love these kinds of retro looks - very Kelley Nicole. : ) Shout-outs to TinaBPhotos and Tieko Nejon (stylist) for putting together this shoot for the ages. A dream team to say the least.

Hi Alba!

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Nicole) — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 19:23:00 +0000

I met a lovely young lady at the MDR fundraiser yesterday by the name of Alba. She really inspired me and reminded me why I am an artist and love to do what I do.

So Alba, if you see this, (first, I hope I spelled your name right :) thank you so much for your awesome words and have a blessed holiday! Leave me a comment if you see this!

Much love,
Kelley Nicole

Kelley Nicole at the MDR Mix & Mingle Fundraiser!

noreply@blogger.com (Kelley Nicole) — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 08:27:00 +0000

So excited to perform tomorrow for the wonderful gals and guys of MDR! MDR is hosting a fundraiser/mix and mingle at SpeedZone Los Angeles, and they have honored me with a request to render a tune.

So come on down! Should be a fun time.

MDR Mix & Mingle
L.A. SpeedZone
17871 Castleton St.
City of Industry, CA 91748
11:30am - 3:30pm