Happy Labor Day!
Current mood: artistic

Hey cyber peeps! It's nice to be back on the site, touch base, and check in on what's up!

I'm at home (in the garage/my haven!) getting ready to head to Yosemite for a show with Phil Vassar this weekend. If anyone's in the CA area, please come see us in Coarsegold!
When I was in college, I waited tables part time at Calhoun's, just outside of Nashville, and Phil would play piano and sing there sometimes! Pretty wild how we get to still work together OH SO MANY years later!!! ;0)

The shows are a little sparse these days, but are still keeping me very busy. So is my son, Hayes....who will be FOUR next month. Mindblowing, to say the least!

I'm very involved in my church out here in Hollywood and loving all of the studies and events that are happening there. I'm going to be helping with the music there in the fall.

I've also been writing and recording some new stuff, which we may even post here if I get brave enough, so keep checking in.
I know I should 'blog' more, but I'm not the best and get somewhat overwhelmed with all of the other stuff around me. So, my apologies.

I LOVE, love, love the Fall. It's my absolute favorite. Rock the school year and whatever else you've got going on.

Have a wonderful and safe Labor Day weekend!
Peace and God's Blessings...
Love,
Deana

10:42 AM - 6 Comments - 12 Kudos - Add Comment

Check me out at attblueroom.com/music!

"Check out an exclusive Deana interview and  performance in
the AT&T blue room!.....See it all at  attblueroom.com/music"

3:39 PM - 4 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

Back in L.A.
Category: Music

Hi everyone!  We're back in LA after an amazing trip to the East Coast.  I played in Norfolk, VA (right on the Bay!) with Pure Prairie League and The Temptations!!! It was amazing.  It was also SWELTERING!  Like....107 degrees at dusk, or something??  Nuts!  But a great crowd and a great setting and great music.  

After the Norfolk show, we crashed in the hotel and got up early for a flight to Baltimore for an Annapolis, MD show (2) at RamsHead.  What a BEAUTIFUL town!  I love walking around and gazing at all of the old homes and shops on the cobblestone streets.  Also, I stumbled upon a Starbucks in the bottom of an old Hotel that hosted some amazing blues artists, back in the day.  Chet Baker (one of my fav's) had newspaper clippings and showbills everywhere, along with many other icons.  It was the best Iced Soy Latte I've ever had!

Next week we're headed to Montana, then back to San Diego for the fair there.  Please keep checking in and come see us!!

As always, God's blessings!!!
xoxo.

Peace, Love, & Happiness...
Deana

5:07 PM - 1 Comments - 6 Kudos - Add Comment

Bloggin’ away...
Current mood: blessed

New Blog!

Hello everyone! Hope this Spring is treating you well. It is REALLY hot in LA right now! It's been above 90*, closer to 100* in some parts for a few days now. It's still as beautiful as ever, though. And the smells! OHMIGOSH! It smells like Eden around here with the night blooming jasmine, roses, sage, lavender, & eucalyptus trees everywhere. Awesome! I'll be in Nashville soon (for my brother and sister-in-law's baby shower!) and look forward to soaking up the beauty there too! Especially, the lilacs. Oh!.....and thunderstorms. Amazing!
I'm hoping to get some crawfish when we're there and have a great cookout, see some old friends, and enjoy my family. When it's this hot outside I LOVE to eat cold, salty, watermelon!! NEED, NEED, NEED some o'that!

Much love goes out to Kenny Chesney for hurting his foot recently. Need to get the personal scoop on that one, but love to my bud anyway!

SO excited to see the premiere of Grey's Anatomy on Thursday night! I've been in love with it since the very first show. I've worked in hospitals briefly, before music, and it's just something I'm connected to.

I've written some new songs and am working them up in my garage at the moment. Creativity, for me, comes in waves, so......I'm thrilled to feel the current picking up. I'm trying to focus more on the spiritual side of life and thank God for so many ways that He's blessed me and that's coming out some in the writing. So much goodness and even more gratitude!

Speaking of 'gratitude', thanks for stopping by and being such patient 'pals'.
Have an amazing May and God Bless!
xoxo...



Peace, Love, & Happiness...
Deana

10:45 AM - 6 Comments - 12 Kudos - Add Comment

Thoughts on SXSW
Category: Music

Being on stage with Hayes (at the end of Willie's set) to sing with Willie was amazing.  He had on his 'bandana & Willie braids' (a gift from the crew). Micky Rafael gave him a harmonica and Hayes played it on the microphone when I went up to sing with Willie.  The crowd went wild!  Willie was laughing like crazy.  Another great Willie moment, indeed.  Such a blessing! God is good.
See you guys on the road! 

Peace, Love, & Happiness...
Deana

10:46 PM - 4 Comments - 10 Kudos - Add Comment

On The Road Again...
Category: Music

Hi everyone.  

Hayes and I are having an awesome time on the road with the band on the bus.  We have an amazing group out here and it’s always a treat to be doing shows with Willie Nelson. Tonight, Willie brought us on stage (after Los Lonely Boys) and we sang some gospel songs with him.  Hayes had on his ’Willie Braids’ that were a gift from the crew.  HILARIOUS!  Also, after our ’performance’, Hayes was given a harmonica from Mickey Rafael (Willie’s player) and he jammed on the mic with it.  He SO has the ’BUG’!  Hopefully, our pictures will upload and you can all enjoy a memorable evening.

We’re looking forward to South By Southwest and being in Austin for the festivities.  Today was beautiful here in San Angelo , TX and I know that Waco and Austin will bring the same.

I thank God everyday for the gift of music and for the ability to be able to press .. all this time.  I also thank the fans for always coming out and being such a big part of that blessing!

God bless and spread some love around...
xo.
 
Peace, Love, & Happiness...
Deana

9:00 PM - 0 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Premiere of "The Weight"

The Weight

Levon Helm and my Dad go back about as far as you can.  They each played with Ronnie and Dale Hawkins back in the day.  I believe that's where the Dylan connection came in originally.  Anyhow, I chose this song (not an easy choice due to the plethora of cool options from their records!) because I love the groove so much, and that groove is Levon to the core.  And this song lets all the guys shine so well. 

There was such a love for Levon & The Band in our house.  Still is.  When I was young, we drove from Nashville all the way up to Woodstock in our old "50's something" Cadillac Limo that my Dad had refurbished.  The seats pulled out of the floorboards and the gas tanks were in the tail lights (you had to push one of the lights to get it to flip up to reveal the 'gas-cap').  He used to love to pull up to full service and just say, "…uh, yeah.  Go ahead and fill'er up!"  Then we'd all die laughing while the attendant would pull on the license plate looking for the 'tank'.  He was working on the RCO Allstars record.  Levon's log house is on the cover.

10:46 AM - 4 Comments - 6 Kudos - Add Comment

Crying

Crying

I am so proud of these tracks and the work that went into trying to find a creative way to approach this classic song.  It has had many amazing incarnations from various artists and I wanted to produce my own version of it, from the heart.  My dad (Fred Carter, Jr.) worked with Roy for years early in his career and Roy's wife at the time (Claudette) spent many hours with my young mother (19 years old) in the 'band house' while my father and Roy were on the road.  They all shared a monumental time in music and the exciting dawn of amazing careers! 

9:49 AM - 6 Comments - 18 Kudos - Add Comment

Premiere of "Help Me Make It Through The Night"

Help Me Make It Through The Night

I wanted to approach this song with as much simplicity, focus, and a sort of 'lullaby' effect in the production as possible.  It's an amazing song, so there are many ways that I could have directed it, however…I felt that simple was best, allowing its iconic author and lyrics to shine.  Dad had produced Sammy Smith in her career and Kris spent a little time at our house, so I always hoped to include him in a future project and this one couldn't be more perfect…hence the choice of this song.  Dad's guitar solo is 'SO him'.  It's his special style and I love it.

At my house, I've had a framed picture of Kris Kristofferson in the foyer, Willie Nelson in the Kitchen, Levon in the office, and Dad, along with various other family photos, as well as a needle point of Jesus with a thorny crown gazing up at Heaven in the living room, for a couple of years now.  On some premeditated, subconscious level, I guess, it has been my way of 'keeping the faith' and 'following my dream' and following in the footsteps of those who've done the same.

Kris' performance was bone chilling that day in the studio.  He was my first 'guest' to appear and I absolutely sat there at the console weeping, as I heard his vocals through the speakers.  It was the first moment that I could have pinched myself to realize…"This is actually happening?  How lucky am I?!", followed by a toast with a fine Pinot Noir.

10:36 AM - 7 Comments - 9 Kudos - Add Comment

Listen to some new tracks, tomorrow July 24th

Howdy!

You've heard about 'The Chain' -- the new album Deana's been working so hard on...she's ready to share a track or two with you! Listen in to KKGO this Tuesday morning (July 24) for the world premiere of the new music. Those of you in the Los Angeles area should tune in 105.1 FM and those of you around the world can log on to http://www.gocountry105.com to listen. Deana will be on air right around 9am PT (11am CT / 12noon ET). She'll talk about her upcoming shows with the legendary Bob Dylan and premiere a special song or two for you. You can call in and share your thoughts about the new music directly with Deana!

Make sure you check it out tomorrow!

1:42 PM - 2 Comments - 3 Kudos - Add Comment