Send Meredith Edgar Trio to Americanafest in Nashville!

Hello friends, followers, and music fans! Meredith here!

(Photo by Kristen Cofer)

I have some VERY exciting plans to share with you, as well as a request for your support.

In the past two years since I decided to pursue music full-time, I've been focused on doing everything I can to grow my career. In addition to trading my office job for teaching voice lessons, I've been gigging more , recorded a single and filmed a music video for it, and have started a bunch of new collaborations with other musicians. All of it has helped me hone in on my sound (lounge singer in a David Lynch film, apparently!) and sharpen my skills as a writer and performer. This career change has not been easy, but it has been transformative for my soul, and I am grateful that I took the risk to pursue this life.

Most recently, I've been extremely fortunate to play with Jamie Duncan and Dawn Ellerbeck , two of the best players in the Bay Area. All three of us are full-time musicians and music teachers. We have a residency at the Little Hill Lounge in El Cerrito on first Sundays, and have been getting really wonderful reviews from folks who have come out to hear us. If you've heard either Jamie or Dawn, you already understand why I'm so lucky to get to play with them. Playing my songs with them just turns everything sparkly and sweet, and I really want more people to hear us.

(Video by Michelle Soloman)

Now for the news!!! I've applied for our trio to play at Americanafest in Nashville this coming September. Americanafest is a massive weeklong music festival that takes over downtown Nashville with official and unofficial events all day and night. Big name beloved artists, up-and-comers, A&R reps, record labels, you name it, they will be there, and WE WANT THEM TO HEAR US. Even if we don't make it into an official showcase, we have already been invited to participate in at least one "unofficial" special event during the festival (more details to come as soon as I'm allowed to talk about it!!), and are in the process of confirming more shows while we're there.

No matter what, attending this festival and playing during it could be an incredible opportunity for us to be heard by important folks in the Americana world, and make valuable connections with other artists in the community (think: people who would have us on a bill and/or let us crash at their place when we come through their town on tour! Musicians who want to collaborate and release music together! Etc! Etc!). Also, honestly, in addition to being a LOT of work, I think it will be a LOT of fun!! We're motivated to make this happen and see where it could take us, and I really believe that we are ready.

This is all super exciting, right?? Right!!

Now, remember that part where I said that we're all full-time musicians? And teachers? We happen to have chosen professions that help feed the world culturally, but do not earn us much money. Unfortunately, there are also a whole lot of costs associated with going to Nashville for a week during a huge music festival. I've applied for a grant that would potentially help cover a portion of our travel or accommodation, and have my fingers crossed that I get it. Beyond that, though, we're looking at plane tickets, housing, ground transportation, food, instrument rentals or airline-safe cases and insurance (don't even get me started), not to mention a week of lost income (we don't get PTO).

I'm doing everything I can to keep our costs down (we'll be staying walking distance from some showcase venues, will cook cheap meals at our Air BnB whenever possible, etc), but the fact is simply that travel is expensive, and we can't afford it on our own.

This is where you (hopefully!) come in!

(Photo by David Knupp)

I'm hoping that our friends and fans might be willing to help us fund this big adventure. A little or a lot, whatever you feel able to contribute will help! A few bucks could get us a much-needed coffee (or maybe even a beer)! Ten dollars could get us a meal! More than that will get us a surge-priced Lyft ride to a gig with our gear, or cover the cost of a music lesson that we won't get to teach while we're gone. It all helps!!! And if you aren't able to contribute but would still like to help, please consider sharing this fundraiser with your circles or anyone who might be interested in our music.

Thank you so much for reading this far (I'm a hopeless overexplainer, especially at times like this), and for considering supporting our musical dreams. I'm both terrified to take the chance of doing this big thing, and also know from experience that the terror means it's probably a really really important thing to do. So thank you for helping me do big scary things.

More updates to come!!! Thank you so much!!!!

Cheers,

Meredith