I’m going to Memphis. How? With a rusted out 1993 Volvo 240 and some Craigslist driving buddies. Sound dodgy? It might be. But I’ve got to get to Memphis for the 2012 International Folk Alliance Conference. The folks at FAI were kind enough to grant my broke self a scholarship, and now all I have to do is transport me and my guitar the thousand-some miles.

Tom T. Hall simply “love(d) somebody enough” and “followed the trail of her tears” to get to Memphis.  Sadly, my heart does not beat in the Home of the Blues, so I’ve got to find another route.  That’s not to say I didn’t try – check out my cover of Tom T. Halls’ “That’s How I Got to Memphis” (Courtesy of Daniel Schram and Gabriel Nelson at f/stop Grooves studio. It’s part of a 4-week series of videos I’m releasing every Wednesday).

I don’t expect this road trip to be all Sissy Hankshaws and flat tires. I’ll stop in Knoxville on the way there and Nashville on the way back.  Nashville! Dreamy neon lights spark in my mind… ahem… pardon the momentary flight of fancy. I plan on hanging out in Nashville for a week or so, just to get a feel for this city that is the stuff of starlets’ dreams and old cowboys’ romantic rancor.  Play a few open mics, gawk at a few country singers, maybe pick up some tips on how to beef up my bouffant, Dolly style.

With some luck, contacts, and legwork I’m hoping to score gigs on my travels to and from Memphis. With more of the same, I’m hoping to score a few showcases at the Folk Alliance International Conference. I’ve got two lined up and I’m aiming for more. Couches to crash on along the way? Taco trucks to feed my aching belly? Roadside diners I need to experience first-hand? Venues that might be looking for another girl with a guitar? If you’ve got suggestions, holler at info@lizzy.net.

Maybe I’ll catch you on the way to Memphis. In the meantime, the band’s making a smaller road trip to play at the Double Door Inn in Charlotte this Friday, Jan 6 at 10 p.m. We’re excited to soak up some of the magic that Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan left when they played on the same stage

Love,

Lizzy