Denver, CO “Swimming in a Pool of Stars” – The Blue Bird – September 14, 1998

Bill Thomas, the president of USA 1 Stop, called to tell me people were going crazy over my CD and he needed to order another 300.  I only had 240 to spare (how exciting).  He told me my music was in the listening stations at Tower Records and asked if I could get him what inventory I had available right away.  I jumped in my storm purple Rav and drove north over purple mountains with the remaining stash I’d been selling out of my trunk.  As exciting as all this buzz is, I’m pretty well exhausted from running the Sally Taylor show on my own.

Later that night, I pulled into my new life coach, Lorrie’s driveway nursing the last of a teal Stanly thermus filled with coffee dregs. I was disheveled, dropping coins out of a hole in my jeans and my unwashed hair slouched lazily and lopsided in a velvet scrunchie.  Lorrie took one look at me and emphasized how important it is to nurture myself in these exciting times so as not to burn out (as is my tendency).  She requested I make a list of 25 things I currently do to take care of myself.

We, MY BAND, The Sally Taylor Band (man does that feel good to say) played The Blue Bird Theater in Denver Saturday night. It was spectacular!  Though there were more people at our CD release party at The Fox on Friday and though we only sold one measly CD at the show, The Blue Bird was superb because I wasn’t AT ALL nervous. 

What was different? I felt spacious on stage – like I had hidden superhero powers I didn’t need to go bragging about – like I had extra joints in my body and spare beats in my heart – like my songs surrounding me on stage lifted me weightlessly. I felt as though I was swimming in a pool of stars.  I guess with a band like the one I’ve now got behind me (Jeremy, Kenny & Brian) nothing scares me.

We played Red Room live for the first time. It went over really well. It’s a song about kissing a bartender named Eric backstage at The Fly Me To The Moon Saloon where the green room was painted red. “The Moon” was the first venue I ever played solo in. It was during the Telluride Jazz Festival and I was nervous. A lot industry people were lining the bar that night. I think I kissed Eric ’cause I needed something to do. Something to distract me. Something to get the butterflies out before I hit the stage but it could’ve just been cause he was cute. It was fun.

We’re playing The Foundry tomorrow.  They’re paying us $500!  Bitchin.