Lily Wilson: Blog

Last night I sang to Paul Trudeau's new piano track on "Build it Again."  This song is my current favorite.  It's different than anything I've written before.  It took me a little while to feel comfortable with such an open, sparse track.  I'm more used to singing with a full band now, and this song is pretty much just voice and piano.  It is such a lovely song! It's about letting go- something I could do a lot more of...  I'm grateful to Paul for writing it with me.  His piano playing led me into new territory.
Here's a clip from the day he played his part. 
 
Thank you to Roxy for your contribution toward the recording! I cannot wait to get some new CDs to you!
We've raised about $1200 so far! We still have a ways to go to build a promotion budget, so please spread the word about pre-orders. All of the information is on my home page.
Also, if you would like to be present for a recording session, now's the time to schedule that! (Attending a [...]

I'm realizing it can be hard to stick to a recording schedule in the winter, when colds are taking my voice out of commission every few weeks.  I thought I was all better, and then last week, woke up with another sore, scratchy throat.  I have had a couple of gigs (thank goodness for Advil Cold & Sinus!) but I haven't been able to sing a real vocal in a while...
So, it's back!  My voice is alive and ready, and I have some singing to do!  
Here's a clip of us recording a new song called "Still" that Bernie Barlow and I wrote.  We're at Mark Goldenberg's studio and he is adding his magic to the track...
 

I just got back from a quick but inspiring trip up to northern California to visit my family's farm and all of the lovely creatures that live there.  I somehow managed to hit the most beautiful, sunny day to be out in the hills with the horses.  I took my brushes, a bucket of grain, and my parents' two cattle dogs dogs, and hiked up over the rolling green hills to the horses' favorite hiding spot.  You can't see it from the road at all.  It's a meadow sheltered on all sides by huge oak trees.  There are two small ponds there that fill in the winter. 
As I came over the second rise, I could see six little black ears poking up from behind the next hill.  The sound of the full bucket I was carrying was enough to draw them running to me, and I poured a few piles out on the grass as they swirled around me choosing which pile to claim. 
But, the one I most wanted to see, the one who is the wisest, sweetest, most trustworthy horse I've ever known, and who [...]

Yesterday we went out to my friend, Kiki Ebsen's home studio and recorded Paul Trudeau playing her beautiful grand piano.  We're putting down a new song called "Build it Again," that I'm really excited about.  Paul and I wrote it a few weeks ago.  It was one of those tunes that came to me in the early morning between sleep and waking. Paul wrote this amazing piano part to go with it, and helped me finish the lyric.  It's about how once you know how to build something beautiful, even if it all disappears, you can always build it again.
Recording at Kiki's is such a treat.  She lives out in Agoura, and her studio is nestled in the rolling hills.  Yesterday was beautiful, and being out there was so inspiring.  I'll post some footage from the session soon. 

We are working on a song today called "Good Rain."  This is one that I woke up with about a year ago. I was singing the first line of the song over and and over, and I loved it. 
I sat down with Mark and he came up with a great chord progression. 
And then, it just stayed the way it was.  Some songs are like that.  I'll get the first line and the melody of the chorus, but that's it.  Sometimes it can be hard to know how hard to work on something; but if it isn't flowing after a few tries, I'll put it away for a bit.  Looking back, I'm realizing that, of course it would be hard to write a rain song when we've barely had any rain over the past year.  A couple of weeks ago, when it started to rain in earnest, this song came knocking again.  Mark just put down a great acoustic guitar part, and later I'll sing a scratch vocal.  That will give us an idea of where to take it next...
 
Thank you so much to Frank, who just helped us reach over [...]