After sitting through 8 bands’ 15-minute sets and 30 minute changeovers, playing at 1:30 A.M. to an exhausted crowd, and being judged on my “swagger,” I once made a vow to myself that I would never again take part in a band competition.

The time has come to break that vow. Here are my reasons -

1. 100% of proceeds go to charity and to support local bands.

2. There are only 4 bands participating, and they all rock.

3. I love the folks who are making it happen – Danny Rosin, Jim Graves, and their buddies at Band Together NC.

On top of all that, the show will be at the Lincoln Theatre, a killer venue in Raleigh, NC with a great sound system.  The prizes are irresistibly enticing – a spot on the stage at Kokabooth Ampitheatre for Band Together’s main event of the year, plus a healthy wad of cash (read: we can afford to graduate from the minivan if we win this).

Want to help us win? Part of the competition is a canned food drive to support the Urban Ministries Food Pantry. Bring cans to vote for us! We’ll have can collection at every show between now and March 1st, the date of the event. For example, you could come to our show at the Pinhook in Durham on Feb. 4 and bring cans (hint, hint…).

In the meantime, we’ll be cooking up a few special surprises for the show. Want to buy tickets? They’re likely to go quick. Pick them up at http://www.bandtogethernc.org/posts/events/last-band-standing-2012.

if you have any great ideas for our set or pyrotechnic devices we could borrow, holler at info@lizzy.net.

Love, and thanks for listening,

Lizzy

WE’RE MAKING A MUSIC VIDEO!!!!(&*&^@!!!!!!

We’re joining forces with Keith and John at the fabulous Carolina Reprographics to make a music video for my original song Black River. This will be our first music video ever, and it will be awesome.

Come be a part of it! We’re looking for 100 or so intrepid friends and fans to help us make it happen. On March 10th we’ll all come together on the Haw River at Saxapahaw, NC, and become an army of vengeful souls (great way to spend any Saturday!). The song references “a thousand sunken angels,”  (like the hot ladies pictured above) but I think 100 will be just enough for our purposes.  It’ll likely take about an hour, and that will be the last day of shooting, so there’s rumor of a wrap party at the Eddy Pub immediately following the shoot. Hmm… I wonder who started that rumor…

If you’re interested, drop me a line at info@lizzy.net. Also check out the facebook event here.

In other news, how bout them electric guitars? I’ve been searching the triangle high and low, salivating over my dream date – a Fender Telecaster with one humbucker and one single-coil pickup, seafoam or surf green, maple fretboard, made in the U.S.A. So far craigslist hasn’t thrown one on my doorstep, but I’m (irrationally) optimistic. In the meantime, I’m still loving my acoustic and playing a loaned electric guitar from my exceedingly generous dad.

Speaking of acoustic… you can catch me solo this Friday, January 27th at the Casbah in Durham, NC. I’ll be opening for the Jon Shain trio and sharing the stage with them for a few numbers. With any luck, my friend Omar will join me on the fiddle. I’ll be playing a few new tunes as well as some of my favorites from Read Me Out Loud.

Next up it’ll be the whole band at the Whiskey in Wilmington, NC on Thursday, Feb 2nd (we are so excited to go to Wilmington!). The band will be back in Durham Feb 4th at the Pinhook.

If not Durham or Wilmington, hope to see you in Saxapahaw. Let me know if that Tele turns up on your doorstep.

Love

Lizzy

Today I meant to write about all the things I didn’t have time for last week, but…

Hobbes, our jaguar in a house cat’s body, died yesterday. He was 12 years old and had been sick for a while. Blogs are perhaps not the most conducive to eloquent thoughts on death, but it felt strange not to mention the loss of a good pet and friend.

Hobbes exuded confident scorn in the face of vicious dogs, lorded over our daily doings from his fridge-top-perch, and was a sucker for snuggles. In mischievous moments he was apt to knock over a vase or pee on clean laundry… and even my mom is sad that he’s gone.  She speculates that, for Hobbes, heaven is a basket of freshly washed sheets. I imagine a tropical jungle with bowls of cat food interspersed (he wasn’t much of a hunter).

Hobbes was named after the Calvin and Hobbes character, who was in turn named after the philosopher Thomas Hobbes.  Thomas Hobbes’ attributed last words were, ” I am about to take my last voyage, a great leap in the dark.”

Hobbes the cat has night vision. Even in the dark, he’ll be able to find his way to that heavenly laundry.

…ok, that’s hyperbole, but it’s a really, really good week! I have a million things to tell you about, but I am running around like a crazy woman with a few wonderful new projects.  I PROMISE I will write a billion word essay (um… hyperbole strike two) and tell you all about it next week.  Here are a few hints:

-We’re making a music video

-I’m opening for Sarah Jarosz at the Haw River Ballroom tomorrow (!!)

-Happy birthday Marie!

-Most importantly, here’s a picture of Red Dog looking dorky in a sweater vest. He might try to eat me in my sleep. I swear, he was shivering…

-Last but not least, here’s an acoustic video of Needle and Thread  – check out my singing-kissy-face-of-despair. Hot.

Smooches, more soon,
Lizzy

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

I’ve had a few bad New Years’ Eves. The low point? One year my mom and I watched 4 Pink Pather movies in a row. Both my mom and Inspector Clouseau are awesome, but that’s still no  way to welcome a new era.

Thank god I finally got it straightened out. This New Years’ Eve, Lizzy Ross Band will be playing at the beautiful Southland Ballroom with Morning After, a free champagne toast, and all the good vibes we can muster. It will be at least as awesome as “A Shot in the Dark.” The show is all ages, doors open at 8, and  tickets are available for $15 at Etix.com, www.southlandballroom.com, at the venue box office and by calling 919.821.0023.

Last time Morning After played the Southland Ballroom they nearly hit capacity, so get tickets before we sell out! We’re planning a few musical surprises, including audience singalongs and a collaboration between both bands. We’ll be playing all night.

For you? Check out this video of “Used to Wish” – I made it with Daniel Schram and Gabe Nelson, and it’s the first in a series of 5 that we’ll be sharing in the next 5 weeks. Enjoy!

Smooches, and hope to see you NYE,

Lizzy

Hi guys!

I woke up this morning to a roaring river. The creek in our back yard BLOWS UP when it rains, and suddenly I can’t think straight for the noise!

It is with this in mind that I made an acoustic video of Black River (track #1 on Read Me Out Loud).  Enjoy!

Also, for folks local to Chapel Hill, we’ve got a show coming up at the Local 506 on Dec. 16th. Doors open at 8:30 and the show starts at 9:00.  Fabulous Asheville-based soul band The Broadcast will perform at 9:30 and NC Songwriting Competition Finalist Jeremy Gilchrist will perform at 9:00.  We are giving away two tickets to the show and two CDs through the Indy Weekly – click here to enter to win!

Thanks for listening, and love,

Lizzy

We’re getting closer. I can feel the glow of the LED lights next door. Red Dog’s collar sounds like sleigh bells.  For the first time in my life, I bought my very own tree and put it up ALREADY (my parents usually wait until.. let’s say.. Christmas eve?).

It’s TOO EARLY for Christmas! Usually I, like everyone else, balk at the sound of “Jingle Bells” in the grocery store the day after Thanksgiving. But something is different this year… I don’t know why, but I’m really excited about Christmas. I barely even have anything to give to the people I love. But I do have people I love.

Gosh, I should have supplied a barf bag with this post. Sorry.

Anyway, I wanted to get the winter-consumer-gift-giving holiday (as my dad calls it) started with a photo of this awesome tie-dye shirt that Rebecca and Kelley made for me.  It has an “L” on it! Yeah!

Thanks guys

Love

Lizzy

Holy December. It is so cold in my house that my pen won’t write.  Is it uncool to wear your bathrobe over your normal clothes?

I’ve been daydreaming about music videos lately.  I really want to make one. I want to make three! (I’ll send a free album download to anyone who can guess my top 3 picks for music videos from Read Me Out Loud.Tweet @LizzyRossMusic!)

There is a slight hitch in my plans to make the world’s most glorious music videos, though – it’s an expensive prospect. I embarked on an interwebs journey to try and find some inspiration for a genius, low-budget music video (or three) and this is what I found:

1. Does everyone in the world BUT me know about this? How cute is their drummer? Unfortunately we don’t have a chorus of adorable musical genius kids. Bummmerrrrr.

2. There is always the option of a Rube Goldberg machine. But I don’t think Waves would do so well with this. And that’s a pretty pricey car-smashing.

Ok, I’ve given you one out of three… tweet @LizzyRossMusic with your best guess at the 3rd music video candidate.  If you’re right I’ll send along a free download of Read Me Out Loud! And yes, if you have a good idea for a video holla at info@lizzy.net.

Love, and shivers,

Lizzy

Hello hello,

I have a new video for you! Red Dog and I put our brains together and came up with a cover of Bob Dylan’s “Make You Feel My Love.” It’s a simple, sweet song, and it was recently covered by Adele (who did an awesome job… duh) and everyone else in the world.  And now… it’s been covered by Lizzy Ross.  That’s when you know a song has really made it.
*Ahem*

Anywho, I know they’ll make fun of me for being cheesy (which I am) AND for making ridiculous faces (which I do), but I wanted to dedicate this to my recently married friends Jon and Eliza.  I learned the song for their wedding and I love it!

Love, and hope you enjoy,
Lizzy

My journal died. Dear god, I hope it goes to journal heaven and not the other way.

It deserves a shot at some divine peace – I’ve had it since I was nine (NINE?! How did it last that long? I destroy things… by accident, of course).   I wrote in it about everything from my band crushes to my roommates’ drama to the time my family’s standard poodle (Bacon) ate my best friend’s gerbil (Thunder).

But it is time to say goodbye. I filled in the last square inch on the last page today… tearfully.  With my tears. The page was all crinkly.

And then I promptly had a panic attack.  I write in my journal every morning and every night. How am I going to sort out my jumble of mental spaghetti without a place to PUT all of my thoughts? What am I going to do when the sun sets? Talk to myself?

Since I was at home with the family for Thanksgiving, talking to myself was unfortunately not an option. An emergency journal quest was my only recourse.

Three hours and four stores later, I found my new journal soul mate. It’s the perfect size.  It’s got fancy gilded edges. It’s got thick, unlined paper for writing and drawing whatever my heart desires, and it has cute little trees on the inside cover! We belong together.

To my old journal, thank you for holding my overflow thoughts. Rest in peace on my bookshelf, free of the rigors of my purse and pen.

As for my new journal, I promptly filled in 12 pages with my plans to write a quadruple album about the philosophical implications of time travel and antidefenestrationism…

and then I went to bed happy.  This is the start of something beautiful

Whee!!! Right about now you might be packing up the car and preparing to sit in traffic for a few hours before you guzzle down the first preliminary taste of cranberry sauce.  Or mashed potatoes.  Or stuffing.  Or whatever you like the best.  I’ve always spent the day before Thanksgiving testing and tasting liberally, often eating more than I do at the dinner table.

(For the record, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, and stuffing ARE my favorites.)

More often than not, the food binge is more substantial than the gratitude binge.  According to the ever-reputable Web MD (oh no! I have the Black Plague!), gratitude not only reduces stress, but also improves sleep, can have a protective effect against heart attacks, and fosters a better overall “emotional set point.”

I like sleep. I don’t like heart attacks. So, with my own self-interest in mind, thank you!!

We’ve had a wonderful year and we’re looking forward to another one.  We’ve put together a record that we’re proud of, made friends all over North Carolina, met amazing musicians, and have been able to scrape out a living in the midst of it.  We’ve been astounded and comforted by the kindness of fans, friends, and strangers.  We get to do what we love.

Thank you.  I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Here’s to low blood pressure and a good night of sleep.

Love,
Lizzy

It is a rainy day. And a beautiful one. I’m alone in the house. Outside, all the red and yellow leaves are gleaming and wet and bright with fall.

I love being alone in the house. I feel like I can move freely, work faster, think without being disturbed… and sing really, really loud.

Alone in my own home, it’s easier for me to imagine all the things that make up my songs.  My flights of fancy take me farther.  I can wander in my thoughts and feelings without fear of forgetting or offending anyone.

And then, there is the simple satisfaction of a load of laundry drying.  Setting up my recording equipment.  A clean, ordered place where I can think straight.

And Red Dog.

And rain.

No, this isn’t a horrible emo-blab about me getting drunk. This is a quick homemade recording of a somewhat ridiculous new song I wrote inspired by a Hayes Carll / Caitlin Rose show I saw a few nights ago. Fun with country

Merch sales are a big part of how we keep things running on the road.  What’s merch? T-shirts, stickers, CDs, band members’ old tissues…

Since merch is so important, we need a good way to display it while we play and keep it all organized while we’re traveling.  This, my friends, is where the suitcase comes in.

Drew and I bought this suitcase at the Nearly New Shop in Durham, NC for $1. It’s a beaut. Solid construction, goooorgeous quilting on the inside, pockets for safe-keeping, everything a band could want.  And it’s reaaaaallly ugly.

Not to worry! It doesn’t matter what it looks like while it’s closed.  That just makes it less conspicuous to passers-by with malevolent intentions (what would you do with 100 stolen LRB CDs, anyway?).   The suitcase needs to look pretty when it’s OPEN! Voila:

First, the contents – we have a nifty logo, printed on 4 different colors of American Apparel’s oh-so-soft basic tee.  We have 3 different types of stickers (they’re free!) and of course, two CDs – our new release Read Me Out Loud and my acoustic album Traces.  We also have the essential change jar, where we collect the dolla dolla billz from our loyal patrons.

Second, the features.  Battery-powered LED Christmas lights (pack extra batteries!) help our merch case shine in even the dingiest dive. A foam pad (cut from an old mattress covering) keeps everything in place while we travel.  T-shirts are rolled, secured with masking tape, and marked for size.

When we get to the gig, all I have to do is open up the suitcase, switch on the lights, and pull out the cash jar.  Plenty of time left over for guitar tuning and schmoozing.

And there you have it, folks! Come visit our merch case in person at our next gig.

Love,
Lizzy

Curled up in bed at 12:07 A.M. being a geek. Why am I a geek, you ask? Because I’m up so late to tell you about… our forums!
We wanted a place where the band and fans could get together, so we just set up forums at http://forums.lizzy.net/. We’re talking about anything from our favorite songwriters to what we had for dinner, so join the conversation!
Love. I’m going to bed.
Lizzy

Get a physical copy of Read Me Out Loud for only $10!

Payments are completed securely through PayPal.

Read Me Out Loud is the debut album from Lizzy Ross Band.

H-Blast is coming up this September! Check out the poster below -

Hey folks!
We are ecstatic to be part of the lineup for Smilfest 2011.  This fest is invitation-only, and as fans of the Lizzy Ross Band, consider yourselves invited. Click on the link below to access a PDF with information on how to get tickets to Smilefest (it’s not too tricky!  We promise! And it’s definitely worth it.)

Smilfest2011-Invitation.Letter

Much love,

Lizzy

What a beautiful day in the neighborhood! Spring is flirting with us, and we have no time to do anything but follow it around like lovesick puppies. Walks in the woods. Playing in the creek. Going fishing. Wearing SHORTS (let’s face it, we wear jorts).

Still time to make beautiful music, though! This Sunday Feb. 20th (yes, tomorrow) Dylan and I, Lizzy, will be playing at the home of one Daniel Sargent at a house concert which we expect to be lovely and wonderful.  Come get up close and personal, we promise we’ll shower (and change out of our jorts…)

Doors open at 4, music starts at 5, and there is a $10 suggested donation.  All money goes to the artists (!) and the address is:

141 Waltons Creek RD
Morrisville, NC 27560

Love, and see you there,

Lizzy! Off to watch the sunset…

Hi guys! Here we are, gearing up for our third trip to the studio in January.  Things got put on hold when our drummer Drew broke his wrist ROLLERBLADING (ridiculous but adorable?), but today we’re going to give the one-handed drummer thing a shot.  The thing is, he doesn’t rely on his hands to make awesome beats as much as he relies on his mind. He’s got a great brain that understands the songs, and he writes parts that compliment the songs – whether he plays them with one hand or not. Also, we really want to be like Def Leppard…

Anyway, I’ll keep you posted on how it goes. Maybe the album will be set back a bit, maybe not. Either way, we’re going to go in there and have some fun making music!

Love you

Lizzy

Folks, thanks so much for your love and support! I had a fantastic birthday and couldn’t stop smiling.

Love,

Lizzy

Hey friends!  My birthday’s on January 22nd.  You know what that means?  I need a birthday present.  You know what I want?  1000 Facebook fans! Help us spread the word about our music by suggesting us to your friends (facebook and otherwise) - http://www.facebook.com/lizzy.net. You can also check out our Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/lizzyrossmusic.

Love, and thanks for your support!

Lizzy

Hey Folks! Hope everyone had a wonderful and safe New Year.  We had a fantastic time at the Broad Street Cafe with Big Daddy Love.  Thanks to all those who came out.  We hope to see you a lot this year!

Love,

LRB

Hey folks,
The weather outside is frightful. No show tonight, but come catch us tomorrow at the local 506 for the big fat gap’s Christmas tent revival!
Love,
Lizzy