Photo credit: Lauren Massie
Tell us about your tour vehicle.
Since starting touring in 2008 I have had many different modes of transportation. It started in our white Chevy Cargo van. We actually had to add a jump seat to it for more seating. We did a ski tour one winter and I’ll never forget stuffing everyone and all our gear into that van. The roads were too treacherous for a trailer so we were packed to the gills. We made it work though and had fun doing it. That was when we were younger.
For a hot minute we were in a bus and then I went on to ride in a bus with The Infamous Stringdusters as well. That was an absolute game-changer. You get sleep and can actually feel like a semi-normal, rested person. You are at the mercy of how good your driver is and a sudden unexpected bowel movement can be good cause for alarm but it truly becomes a home away from home.
Going from the bus BACK to the van is a brutal transition but in the peaks and valleys of the music business, most of us oscillate back and forth. During the pandemic I bought another (bigger) Ford 15-passenger van and tricked it out with a bed and simple storage solutions. It was a great way to tour as a solo artist during a time when hotels didn’t quite feel safe yet.
Post-pandemic, I actually traded that van for my truck. Now that I own horses, a truck made more sense for hauling hay and trailers and all that. Now I mostly play fly dates and if I need a van, I willingly pay an overpriced rental rate to Bandago.
How do you eat cheaply and/or healthy while on tour?
Again, being in a bus with a fridge allows you to actually grocery shop, which is awesome in saving money. If that’s not an option, I try to rotate the hospitality rider so that we’re getting healthy things we need and can take along with us. Meal buy-outs or venue-provided meals are welcome. When there’s a Whole Foods en route, that’s always a necessary stop.
How many strings do you break in a typical year? How much does it cost to replace them?
I am lucky in that I get to leave my 1968 Martin at home when I tour. As much as I love writing songs on my guitar, when I play live I prefer to focus my efforts on singing.
Where do you rehearse?
Now we usually rehearse at our studio, Rancho Deluxe. It’s a converted detached garage. Renovating it to be what it became involved a lot of structural updates. We actually had to jack the loft floor up, put a main support beam that took 5 men to lift and reinforce all the crossbeams. It was a labor of love and drained our bank account but it’s been worth every cent.
What was the title and a sample lyric from the first song that you wrote?
First song I wrote was “Toby’s Song.” It was about my dog at the time. I had started traveling a lot and felt bad leaving him so much. A lyric from the chorus is, “And I love you, yes I love you. You know I’m always, thinking of you. And I’m gonna love you all night ‘til I’m gone again.”
Describe your first gig.
I think my first real gig was in San Francisco at Cafe Du Norde for the release of my first album Toby’s Song. If you were ever there in the early 2000s you’d remember the super steep staircase you had to load into from street level. It was a really exciting night for me. My band at the time was mostly guys who later became my first band, The Grambers. We were all just excited to play the songs in front of people for the first time.
An earlier, more traumatic memory was the very first time I performed in front of people. I was living in San Diego at the time and my mentor encouraged me to play an open mic night. I told no one. I went down early to sign up and landed almost last on the list so I had an entire night to sit in my pile of nerves. When my turn was finally up and I was on the stool ready to play, I suddenly forgot every word to every song I’d ever known. Luckily, the guys were trying to mic my guitar because it didn’t have a pickup (what was that?). By the time they figured it all out, everything came rushing back to me and I played my songs. First gig down, phew.
What was your last day job? What was your favorite day job?
When I transitioned to music I was a naturalist teaching Outdoor Ed for the San Francisco School District. I later became a substitute teacher so I could be more flexible in taking gigs and then finally the music gigs outweighed the teaching gigs and I was all in on the music side. My favorite non-music job was working on a private ranch in Rancho Santa Fe. I took care of 8 horses and loved every minute of it, minus my boss. She was a nightmare.
How has your music-related income changed over the past 5-10 years? What do you expect it to look like 5-10 years from now?
I come from a much more traditional family when it comes to securing finances, planning ahead and saving. Luckily, I was married to a musician who kinda taught me the ropes on how to exist on the constant ebb and flow of a musician’s income. I am very lucky to have other streams of revenue besides music, so everything I make in music, I put right back into it. That’s really what it takes for me to keep this career going. While touring probably generates the most money, the overhead is extremely cost-prohibitive if you want to bring a band. If I can continue to support my music career through my music, I will be happy. Just need some of those syncs to start coming in … a little mailbox money would be quite welcomed in these next 5-10 years.
What one thing do you know now that you had wished you knew when you started your career in music?
It’s called “playing” music because it’s fun. Don’t take yourself too seriously. Playing music for a living is a gift. That’s not to say it’s an easy row to hoe but when you stop having any fun doing it, it’s time to recalibrate the compass.