Midnight Blue(bird Cafe)

Last night, after attending a really fun celebratory supper at a friends house to honor a three girlfriends (one's got a new job, one's got a new baby and one's got a new husband) and taking time to pack for our trip to IA this weekend, I decided to head over to the Bluebird Cafe to catch the last half of the late round: Al Anderson, Leslie Satcher and Tim Johnson. (Al Anderson is one of my favorite writers... YAY!)

So I get there at around 10:30 or so... and within ten minutes of my arrival... Big Al is calling someone named Melissa to the stage. As I looked around to see who this mysterious Melissa was... I about fell off my bar stool.

It was Melissa Manchester.

Wow.

Can't tell you how many times I listed to "Midnight Blue" and "Don't Cry Outloud" when I was growing up... just wishing I could sing like her and write like her... her words resonated with me... moved me. I used to drive my family crazy plunking out versions of them from my big purple cover gold lettering "Dan Coates Easy Piano Book". And, they'll tell you... I wasn't no Melissa Manchester... but I sure wished I could be.

Anyway... Al Asked the fourth writer in the round if Melissa could use his keyboard (I can't remember his name... but he was GREAT, too.) and then she proceeded to play... you guessed it... "Midnight Blue". It was all I could do to not rush the round to sing background vox with her.

Only in NashVegas.

Afterwards, I was so inspired by my trip to the Bluebird that I went home and wrote for a while. Then I listened to the recording of my gig the night before... trying to hear all the things I can do to become a better singer / writer... like the talented writers I'd just seen in person.

Have I ever told you that I LOVE NASHVILLE?!?