New Year, New Beginnings

Where do I start when reflecting on this past year. The highlight for me was finishing my 6th studio

Last performance of the 2017 UK Tour

recorded CD, SEESAW, with longtime friend and producer, Scott Neubert. I was very proud of this CD, and I took it out on the road for another UK tour. I spent five months bouncing from one corner of the UK to another, I performed over 50 dates, hit several radio stations, charted and met new friends and my UK family keeps growing bigger and bigger. Sharing the stage with Ruzz Evans and Dave Willmott and a few others I met along the way was an experience I will carry in my memories forever. A true honour playing with so many incredible musicians.

I was able to catch the attention of a publisher here in Nashville, Merf Music and they have been golden as far as working it for me and getting my songs heard and placed. Still working with APM out of LA and One Night Stand Music out of the UK. In recent months I was picked up by a management company, Dalyce Entertainment. Together we are working on exciting opportunities for 2018.

I was considered, again in four categories of the Grammys and did not get the nomination, and my fans picked me up and celebrated my music anyway. You cannot know what that meant to me.

As a member of The Recording Academy, I decided to become a district advocate and fight for copyright reform. I have been heartbroken at witnessing the injustices an artist is faced with in this changing age of technology. So many benefitting from our work except for the creators themselves. We made some strides but there is still much work to be done.

We share in the success, and you lift me up in my failures. Life is indeed a roller coaster of ups and downs. The lessons I've learned and blessings I have taken away on the journey feeds my muse and keeps me moving onwards and upwards. I could not do it alone, and I get by with the help of my friends.

Now another new and exciting year is upon us and I want to extend my love and best wishes for all of you. Looking forward to what 2018 has in store for us. The journey is boundless, and the love will see us through. Every year I make new goals and as I reach each one I get closer and closer to making all my dreams a reality. I could not get there without the support of my fans that quickly became friends and now family. This journey has been hard at times, but with so many seeing me through each challenge makes my blessings countless. 

I know I say it often and I hope it does not diminish the meaning, I cannot be me without all of you, Thank you for helping me keep my dreams alive!

Saying Goodbye to 2017 and Welcoming Another Year

Join Rebecca Hosking and Scott Neubert for a Christmas Celebration

an online concert from our living room to yours

The World is INVITED!

CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS AT CONCERT WINDOW

The Year in Review

Wow, I can't believe this year is almost closed. I have to say 2015 was much better than the year
before. I believe 2016 is going to be even better! There has been a lot of changes that has taken place throughout the year. Some took quite a bit of adjusting, however, like all good and bad situations we learn and grow from every experience.

My year started out with a big win on Artist Signal after countless months of hard work, Myself along side a very active team won a $10,000 reward for being the most popular artist on the site. I cannot not list all the names of those who helped, because the list goes on and on; was a group effort of epic proportions. Some of the rewards rendered as a thank you from me, were songs I wrote to the person who voted for me 650 times, That was sheer dedication that humbled me and I will forever be grateful for everyone and everything you did, the time you gave and interruption of your lives, please know it was then and will always be very appreciated. Thank you for your TROUBLE and for all THE STRANGERs that became close friends. I tried for the win in November and failed and it was the workings of a group of hard core supporters that encouraged everyone to continue to vote in December that got me the win!!! You know who you are and I do hope you enjoyed all the rewards rendered for your assistance. It was the journey that showed me I cannot be me without all of you. An artist is nothing without an audience and I am truly blessed with the most supportive street team ever.

With that reward came many challenges, many of which have been squashed and not worth a mention, but the biggest reward was the lasting friendships and the continued support of so many. The deal was to use that money to get to the UK, well the dream is still very much valid, but the money was not even a tip of the iceberg of what it will take. You all know me by now and when I set a goal I do not rest until it is reached no matter how long it takes. I believe I will and look forward to meeting all of my friends over there in the UK.

Since then our group has grown quite a bit and there are several, post AS, that have joined us along the way. Our family grows daily and we have so much fun, I am spoiled by the interaction and in return I will continue to create art I hope you will always enjoy and love. Scott Neubert and I have formed quite a team musically and I feel my art changes for the better daily, he has believed in me and taught me so much as an artist and an individual, I feel I have grown beyond measure, especially in 2015.

With the winnings I went on to release my 4th studio album, A Few Broken Pieces and it became my top best seller surpassing my debut in 2007, Love and Other Disasters. From that CD the song, No Reason got me on the Hot Disc charts out of the UK, I then released a single, Tonight that hit the top 20 and was also picked up by Clear Channel for iHeart radio here in the USA. Then another single, A Cold Heart Never Melts is slowly climbing the charts as well. I was added to The Wolf Pack Music after sharing countless Friday nights (the reason why Friday's are my favorite days) on The Pack Show with my good friends Russ Williams aka The Wolf Man and Georg Hegelmann. I can't forget to mention where it all started and how they have given me so much support and took me under their wings, The Rock Doc, Northern Girl, Gonzo, Diane Marie, Sheldon Snow and Raymond Rowe. So proud to be a part of the NEWUSB family! Since then the radio stations have grown worldwide and impossible to mention them all, Bright Sky Radio, of which got me on The Best of Independent Country Music compilation CD. That debuted in the top 4 best seller in country music on iTunes. The Yankee Babes, Woman of Substance Radio, Monies Indie Music Promotions, Talentcast to name a few, So many the list goes on and on, thank you all for the opportunity to share my music. 

I have received countless sinc opportunities for TV/Films landing a song on the hit series, The Lost Girl, Bizarre Foods of America, several commercials both locally and nationwide, also landing on ESPN on the Poker World Championship, even a few indie films. I want to thank my licensing company, APM for believing in my music and working hard to get me heard.

2015 ended on an unfortunate note when I was laid off from my job with HP after 16 years of service my position was handed over to India, a sad misfortune that is happening quite often in my country. However, this quickly turned into an exciting adventure as I relied heavily on my freelance work to stay afloat and have had several opportunities arise that have life changing potential. 

I am excited to see what 2016 has in store, the possibilities are limitless and I'm ready to take the bull by the horns and seize life to its fullest. I hope to make my friends and family proud and show the generations to come nothing is impossible without a dream and a whole bunch of elbow grease. So here's to rolling up our sleeves and making all our dreams come true. I cannot be ME with out all of you, thank you for sharing the journey, here's to another year!

There are Angels Among Us Always

The year of 2014 has been life changing for me. Many very rough moments that happened this past year that I thought I would never recover from as it all unfolded. But as the old saying goes, that which does not kill us only serves to make us stronger.

I do not want to dwell on the moments that brought tears but I want to reflect on those chance happenings that changed everything for the better. I believe we all have angels looking over us encouraging us to try new and exciting things. Influencing us in ways, if we are only open to the signs.

I had many angels this year that affected me in ways they may never truly understand. My first angel I met many years ago,  Eva Shaw opened a lot doors for me in the writing world. She has been a mentor over the years and this year, our relationship became so much more. She had helped me grow as a writer and our relationship also helped me grow as a person as well. I will forever be grateful for the lessons I have learned that she so patiently allowed to be revealed. She not only is a mentor but she has become a friend that will always have a special place in my heart.

Then there was a woman I met at the beginning of 2014 who sings like an angel named Rebecca Newman. She had shown an act of kindness by a chance happening of introducing me and my music to her fans called the Newmaneers. I joined her fan page as I had never been a fan of classical music until I listened to her sing. Her voice is an instrument of its own and I was in awe of her talent and even more impressed by the love of her fans. I had never witnessed such admiration for anyone, like the Newmaneers had shown her. I thought anyone that received as much respect as she was given not only had an obvious talent but a generous heart as well; it was an honor to be a part of something that was so much bigger than simply a fan page.

She was in a contest called Artist Signal and won the month of February. I had joined the contest many months prior to meeting her but never really understood that a win could be a possibility until witnessing her hard work. I started paying attention and making friends within her group and I eventually had the honor of a gentleman creating a fan page for me, Kevin Wrapson created a page that eventually soon became what we now know as the Hoskettes. He joined forces with Robert Scullen and I had started with 34 members that generously came from the Newmaneers. Many said they never listened or cared for country music until Rebecca had told them to listen to me. Thank you Rebecca Newman for giving me that chance.
 
I had the good fortune to be able to do a tour in the Northeast with a good friend Renee Wahl. We had a great show in Philly that Jennifer Logue had set up for me at Milk Boy. It was a great crowd and I was also able to meet my friend Andy Whatt face to face as he made the journey from DC to come see me.

Renee and I then journeyed to NYC. I had wanted to play in that city my whole life. Unfortunately it did not turn out as good as Philly, however it was where I met the very talented Micheal Castaldo. He was the only person who said he would come to my show who actually showed up. He not only came to the gig, he proceeded to show Renee and I around Little Italy afterwards and bought us dinner. After my car breaking down and learning of limited time left with my brother and wasting time on a rough gig in NYC; he gave a pleasant ending to an extremely rough day, yet another angel here on earth.

We had to cut the tour short and head back home. I was able to spend some unforgettable moments with my brother that I will cherish until we meet again. He is now with my Mother and I am blessed with angels in heaven as well as on earth.

The Hoskettes are now 183 members strong and we have gained members from all over the world. I have had the good fortune of meeting and joining forces with Ashei and through them I met and befriended Sonja Garard who allowed me to become a member of The Pack. I also met Into The East and became friends with Liv McBride. I also soon met the leader of the Pack, Wolf Man who then took me under his wing and did many radio interviews with me and I eventually made the top ten most requested on Fame Music Radio hosted by Georg Hegelmann out of Johannesburg, SA. These acquaintances have quickly become life long friends I will cherish always. 

I have had a very successful year with my release, My Soul is Already Sold, produced by Scott Neubert. My first release with him since Love and Other Disasters. I have made several cuts on TV and films from songs on this CD, being featured on, The Lost Girl, Bizarre Foods of America, also featured on Delta Airlines, Smithsonian Channel and many more.  Scott and I are finishing up my latest release, A Few Broken Pieces which should be out literally within weeks. We make a good team and I appreciate him always believing in me and helping me make my musical aspirations a reality. He is a God send to say the least.

There are so many others I have not mentioned and you all know who you are, that have impacted me in one way or another. You never really fully realize or appreciate how blessed you are until you sit and count your blessings. There are so many angels that have been there for me through thick and thin. I have been blessed 10 times fold and will never know what I have done to deserve such love.

I will be closing the year with a win on Artist Signal, ironically ending the year basically how it began; with angels looking after me and changing my life forever.