Glenna Bell: News

It's been about a month since I last wrote, and so many wonderful
things have been happening in music.

I'm in the midst of adding a round of shows to my calendars at
www.glennabell.com and at www.myspace.com/glennabell and
www.sonicbids.com/glennabell. This Thursday (October 4) from 6-8 pm
CT, I'll be at the Hard Rock Cafe in Downtown Houston, as the first
artist to kick off The Pink Carpet Acoustic Music Series. This one
looks to be a lot of fun. The Hard Rock will be rolling out the Pink
Carpet (literally!) and raffling off an Ovation acoustic guitar. I
aim to get a good crowd of Houstonians out to hear some live acoustic
music in a venue known for rock 'n' roll--so please help me spread the
word.

I'll write more about the other shows as those dates draw nearer, but
in the meantime I want to mention that my new album, The Road Less
Traveled, is now ready to be manufactured and released in January '08.
I have posted some songs on my Web sites, as well as the beautiful
cover photo by Amy Morris at www.glennabell.com (design by Hank Schyma
of The Southern Backtones). I hope that you will take a few minutes
to check it all out because I'm certainly proud of the array of talent
that has gone into this record. It is, in my opinion, my best work to
date, so I can hardly wait for you to hear it.

The Road Less Traveled is already getting regular air play on KNON
89.3 FM Dallas, Americana OK in Edinburgh, Scotland (which is being
syndicated to 140+ radio stations worldwide), and at WOJB FM 88.9 in
Hayward, Wisconsin, whose Music Director, Jeffrey Jones, says, "I find
your music some of the most intriguing coming out of Texas these days.
Your songwriting, voice and the way you deliver a song is haunting,
and your songs resonate long after they are played."

So much news, so little time. I'm about to pack up and head over to
a studio across town to record tonight with a new talent on the rise,
Carrie Ann Buchanan.

And I got a call yesterday from Andy Bradley at Sugar Hill Studios,
Houston, letting me know that the new book he's co-writing with Roger
Wood is scheduled for publication in 2009 by UT Press, and it's time
to sign contracts since I will be mentioned in the book and will be
featured on the accompanying CD compilation, which will include hit
songs that were originally recorded at the studio. (My rendition of
Willie Nelson's "The Family Bible" is also on The Road Less Traveled
and available for listening at glennabell.com.)

And last but not least, I am very happy to announce that I have been
invited to perform with one of my biggest music heroes, Shake Russell,
who has written some of the best songs in the world, one of which
became a #2 country hit by Ricky Skaggs ("You've Got a Lover") and
another that was recorded as a duet by Waylon Jennings and his wife,
Jessi Colter ("Deep in the West"), not even to mention the great ones
recorded by Clint Black and many others. I have so enjoyed the music
and videos on Shake's myspace page at
www.myspace.com/shakerussellband, which is like a little time capsule
of Texas music history . . . I will keep you posted on our upcoming
performance and everything else--as always. Y'all come!

After I emailed the newsletter last week, several friends in music contacted me to say that they'd tried to reply and were wondering if my email address has changed because their messages were bounced back to them. The problem should be fixed now, and I'm glad because I always look forward to hearing from everyone who takes a few minutes to write. My email address is still glenna@glennabell.com and if you choose to reply to this newsletter, I should receive it happily.

I'm busy gearing up for the show at Design Within Reach (200 West 2nd Street) in Austin from 6-9 Thursday evening (August 16). It looks to be an interesting event, including not only my performance, but an artist's exhibition as well. There's a good write-up and photos at http://www.dwr.com/studios/austin.

I also received word this morning that AmericanaOK is playing one of my new songs in Edinburgh, Scotland and New Zealand: "The East Side" with Texas Country Music Hall of Famer, Johnny Bush. If you'd like to hear it, the link is at http://americanaok.libsyn.com/ and it should be accessible for a few days. I listened earlier today and enjoyed this Americana radio show very much. "The East Side" plays a few minutes into the program, and it is something else to be sitting here in Houston in my hundred year old house, hearing me and Johnny Bush just crooning our hearts out from such a distant land. I must say I'm flattered by the very kind words of deejay Tom Fahey, and to hear them uttered with such old-world charm is a real novelty.

Oh, and I can't forget. Speaking of radio, I hope that you will tune in to KNON FM 89.3 in Dallas (www.knon.org) each Monday at 5 pm for Texas History Lee Powell's entertaining and enlightening ten minutes of Texas lore with deejay Trevor Fought on the Texas Renegade show. For most of the summer, KNON has debuted a song from my forthcoming album, The Road Less Traveled, in a featured spot following Lee's, and I will be there at the station on Labor Day to perform live on the airwaves between 4 and 6 pm in a special holiday program. Y'all come!

On May 15, 2007, State Representative Jessica Farrar and the Texas House of Representatives honored the music of Texas-born singer-songwriter Glenna Bell with the following House Resolution, which was read in a ceremony at the Capitol on the Floor of the House. House Speaker Craddick was in attendance, and personally congratulated Miss Bell for her musical contributions to the Lone Star State:


H.R. No. 1304

R E S O L U T ION
WHEREAS, A talented singer and songwriter, Beaumont native Glenna Bell is drawing attention for her stark yet beautiful songs that conjure up the heartfelt essence of traditional country music while expressing a fresh, contemporary perspective; and

WHEREAS, Ms. Bell has recorded three albums to date, Nobody's Girl, which appeared in 1998, Face This World, from 2006, and The Road Less Traveled, which is scheduled to appear in 2008; each features her haunting songs that present tales of heartache, love, and loss in a stripped down and powerful style; and

WHEREAS, Glenna Bell's music is colored by the sounds that she grew up with in East Texas: a cappella hymns sung in her family's church and old-school country music that she discovered in her relatives' record collections; with the help of veteran Texas musicians such as John Evans, who has produced Ms. Bell's last two albums, and Johnny Bush, who sings on The Road Less Traveled, Glenna Bell has distilled her influences into moving songs that are receiving airplay on country and Americana radio stations across the country; and

WHEREAS, Carrying forward the classic, unembellished style that has graced so much great music from Texas, Glenna Bell has emerged as a musician and storyteller of great promise and stands as an exciting addition to the musical tradition of the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas Legislature hereby honor Glenna Bell for her musical accomplishments and extend to her best wishes for continued success; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Ms. Bell as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives.
Farrar

______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 1304 was adopted by the House on April 13, 2007, by a non-record vote.

__________________________Chief Clerk of the House

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(HOUSTON, TEXAS)— April 21, 2007—State Representative Jessica Farrar and the Texas House of Representatives will recognize the music of Texas singer-songwriter Glenna Bell on May 15, 2007 with the presentation of a House Resolution written to honor her for “all of her dynamic work through musical expression.”

Glenna’s music has been aired locally, nationally, and internationally on CNBC, Fox TV, and numerous radio programs, as well as through live performances at venues all over Texas, including the Cactus Café in Austin, McGonigel’s Mucky Duck in Houston, The Gypsy Tea Room and Bill’s Records and Tapes in Dallas, amongst many others. Her last CD, Face This World, gained critical acclaim from top-tier music critics such as Robert K. Oermann at Music Row, Nashville, and Francois Braeken at RootsTime, Belgium, and deejays such as the late Dave Avery of KHYI FM 95.3, Dallas.

Glenna is preparing to release her third full-length CD, The Road Less Traveled, which features Texas Country Music Hall of Famer Johnny Bush, as well as John Pickering of the vocal group The Picks, who backed Buddy Holly on several major hits.

Glenna records at Sugar Hill Studios in Houston and will be included in Andy Bradley and Roger Wood’s forthcoming book on the history of the studio (UT Press) and the accompanying compilation disc, singing Willie Nelson’s “The Family Bible,” which was first taped at Sugar Hill in the 1950’s.

Glenna Bell is a Beaumont native, a Daughter of the Republic of Texas, and a graduate of Texas A&M University and the University of Houston’s renowned Creative Writing Program, where she studied with Pulitzer-winning playwright Edward Albee. She teaches writing at Houston Community College and at a young age has already composed a lasting body of music to represent the diversity of Texas. Glenna Bell's sound is modern Americana in the truest sense. It is a unique blend of country roots music, romantic urban culture lyrics, and Texas folk rock; all sung in a voice that is powerful yet somehow vulnerable
For more information on Glenna Bell, please visit: <http://www.myspace.com/glennabell> and <http://www.sonicbids.com/glennabell>

My new album, The Road Less Traveled, is all mixed, and I have some
exciting plans for 2007 that I'll write about more next time. It was
an experience I'll never forget--recording these ten songs over the
last year at historic Sugar Hill Studios here in Houston. The
ever-amazing John Evans produced and backed me up vocally and on
guitar, bass, and percussion, while guest stars included Shawn Supra
on upright bass, Jake Marchese on upright bass, Mike Lewis on drums,
Mike Ferrara on drums, and Herb Remington of Bob Wills and His Texas
Playboys on steel guitar, while John Pickering of The Picks (the
vocal group who backed Buddy Holly on most of his hit recordings)
sang three-part harmony behind me on one song and the legendary Texas
Hall of Famer Johnny Bush sang a duet with me on another. Needless to
say, I am very proud of this collection of originals whose themes are
reflected by titles ranging from "The Aggies Win Again" to "La Casa
Que Yo Amo" to "How I Found Out I'm Insane," plus Willie Nelson's
"The Family Bible" (which will also appear on the forthcoming Sugar
Hill Studios compilation) and "Jackson" with John Evans as Johnny
Cash and yours truly as June Carter.

As always, I will keep you posted on the progress of my journey down
The Road Less Traveled, which will be taking me to distant
destinations this year. In the meantime, here is the press release
from Sugar Hill Studios. Y'all come!

(HOUSTON, TEXAS)-- February 14, 2007 --Texas Americana songstress
Glenna Bell just completed tracking ten songs for an upcoming album
entitled "The Road Less Traveled" at SugarHill Recording Studios.
The project was tracked in SugarHill's Studio B and mixed in Studio C
by Chief Engineer Andy Bradley and Senior Staff Engineer Steve
Christensen.

Bell grew up influenced by hymns sung a cappella at church and by the
'50s, '60s, and '70s country music that she found in her relatives'
record collections. Often compared stylistically to 'Johnny Cash with
a gothic twist', her debut release, "Nobody's Girl" and sophomore cd
"Face This World" has received acclaim from fans and music critics
alike.

In addition to a duet with Houston's favorite male vocalist John
Evans, Bell sings with Texas honky-tonk legend Johnny Bush and former
Buddy Holly backing vocalist, John Pickering -- the critically
acclaimed but un-credited backing vocalist on many recordings by
Holly and The Crickets.

Rounding out the backing musicians on the "Road Less Traveled" are
Evans (guitar), Mike Ferrara II (drums) and Shawn Supra (upright
bass).

John Evans who recorded Bell's last album, returned as producer of
the project. Evans is best known as the leader of the John Evans Band
and winner of five consecutive Houston Press Music Awards for Best
Male Vocalist and is also currently nominated for Texas Music's
Musician of the Year Award in 2007. Additionally, he and Steve
Christensen are nominated Producer(s) of the Year for their work on
Evans' 2006 "Ramblin' Boy." John Evans has also produced two albums
for country rock band, F.Co.

For more information on Glenna Bell, please visit: www.glennabell.com <http://www.glennabell.com>
For more on SugarHill Recording Studios, visit:
www.sugarhillrecordingstudios.com

As the first day of winter arrives, I'm busy here at home getting
ready for Christmas. There's nothing like a century-old white wood
frame house all warm and decorated for the holidays as the strains of
traditional standards echo from an old record player while the last
leaves fall and the cold winds begin to blow outside. I'm thinking
tonight about so many wonderful moments that have made this year like
no other.

Playing the gallery opening for New York artist Mel Chin at The
Station with Shawn Supra on upright bass, Hank Schyma on lead guitar,
and Chris Cook on washboard. Touring with Texas Angels Sarah Sharp
and Kristy Kruger, performing at the legendary Cactus Cafe and
getting to meet Cactus Griff--who made that beloved venue all that it
is today. Collaborating with producer, arranger, and keyboard player
Ronnie King, who was recently nominated for an Oscar for his work
with Tupac. A successful national radio campaign spearheaded by the
tireless Bill Wence of Tennessee, which resulted in a second very
positive review from "the dean of Nashville entertainment
journalists" Robert K. Oermann of Music Row.

Performing at the first-annual Radio Mike Fest in Austin. South By
Southwest. The North American and Regional Folk Alliance
Conferences. The "Kinky for Texas Governor" benefit at McGonigel's
Mucky Duck. The charming Bugle Boy in La Grange and The Stardust
Room on Huntsville's quaint town square. And I can't forget the
shows in Dallas at Bill's--featured in the movie, "The Last Record
Store"--and with the ever-so-much fun Jimmy Baldwin at Standard &
Pours and the Gypsy Tea Room in Deep Ellum.

There were the live performances, the radio appearances, and the
great times in the studio. (My new album will be ready for release
early in 2007 thanks to the talent and effort of producer John Evans
and engineer Steve Christensen at Sugar Hill Studios. I'm confident
that it is my best work to date, and I can hardly wait for you to
hear the songs.)

But as I write to you this evening, contemplating 2006, I'm most
reminded that it is the people who've made it a year of memories I'll
cherish. I'll always remember opening for Chip Taylor, who wrote
"Wild Thing" and "Try" for Janis Joplin, at Courvilles in my hometown
of Beaumont, Texas. Enjoying an afternoon at Sugar Hill with Herb
Remington of Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys when he recorded steel
guitar on my new song "How I Found Out I'm Insane." Hearing all
about the history of my neighborhood while hanging out at the studio
with Houstonian and Texas Music Hall of Famer Johnny Bush ("Whiskey
River") when he recorded the male vocal on my song "The East Side."


Not to mention all of the time shared with my dear friends and peers
in music, too numerous to mention here--and of course the fans whose
encouragement has meant so much to me at the shows and in their email
and letters:

" . . . You can never understand the feeling I get when playing 'Face
This World.' I lost my wife of 45 years about 10 months ago ..... we
were extremely close and I think of her 1,000 times a day. I will
play this song forever and she will be in my heart forever. Thank
you, thank you so much ..... you are very talented."

"I was driving back home from the shooting range on this beautiful
December afternoon, turned on the radio and arrived in the middle of
this haunting song . . . The voice, the melody, wow. The song knocked
the wind out of me . . . As soon as my wife gets home tonight I will
play her "Be My Valentine on Christmas." I've been listening to this
song over and over and over after I bought the download late this
afternoon. It is so beautiful, so simple, so well sung with that
very special voice. It's one of the most beautiful songs I have ever
heard."

Yes, in the end I believe it's been a year well-spent. But it's not
over yet: I hope you'll tune in on December 22 at 2 pm to KPFT
90.1 FM (Houston) or listen online at www.kpft.org for the second
annual live RadioActive Christmas program featuring Hank Schyma of
the Southern Backtones as "the little drummer boy," John Evans of the
John Evans Band delivering an original tune about Christmas and beer
that he co-wrote with photographer/actress Amy Morris, and a riveting
performance of "Silver Bells" by yours truly. This will be
guaranteed, bonified, good old Christmas fun.

May you have a magical Christmas and a blessed New Year filled with
adventure, pleasant surprises, and dreams come true. Write when you
can. I'd love to hear from you. And I'll keep you posted on all of
the shows and music news this fabulous new year--2007. Y'all come!

It's been a couple of months since I've had time to post news here on the Glenna Bell Homepage because I've been very busy and many good things have been happening with my music. A highlight is that I just got word from my excellent radio promoter, Bill Wence in Nashville, that "Hoping I Could Be Wrong" from my album Face This World was recently added on heavy rotation to Shane Wilder's Best of Country Show, which is based in Hollywood and is syndicated on 78 stations across the nation.

That was such good news, coming along as I'm preparing for another adventure this evening (Friday, September 15)--a trip to the infamous Huntsville, Texas, former home of the Prison Rodeo and where many years ago Johnny Cash once entertained a captive audience--literally. I won't be playing the prison like J.C. did, but a new venue called The Stardust Room on Huntsville's historic town square.

When he contacted me about booking, the owner and talent buyer, Ben Bell (no relation), described The Stardust Room at 1115 Universtiy Avenue as having a "Cactus Cafe atmosphere," and I was immediately sold on the idea of putting on a show at this new listening room. Last summer my appearance at The Cactus, Austin's premier folk club rated in the top ten music venues in the nation by Billboard Magazine, was all that I'd imagined and more--and the proprieter, Griff Luneberg who's made The Cactus all that it is today, has promised me another gig there in the near future--so I'll keep you posted on that and everything else with another update very soon.

In the meantime, I'd better get ready to hit the road from Houston to Huntsville with Gary Blaine Clark who will accompany me on Dobro and lap steel guitar tonight at The Stardust. I can't think of a better way to spend a Friday night in Texas, so if, by chance, you find yourself in the area, we'd love to see you out on the square. If not, I wish you and yours a lovely mid-September weekend wherever you may be. Until next time, y'all come!

Nationally-recognized radio personality, Mitchell Keller of the popular syndicated program, "The Back Porch Show" based in Portland, Oregon (www.backporchshow.com), has invited me to perform in a very exciting event in Waxahachie, Texas--the most historic town in the state, where KBEC AM radio hosts deejay Gary Barton's acclaimed Texas Music Theater, playing only the best in Texas! I'm looking forward to getting back out to Waxahachie, where I appeared live on AWA winner Mark "The Cobbler" Miller's radio show last summer on my way to perform at the legendary Bill's music store in Dallas, which is the subject of a new film called "The Last Record Store," making its debut at Disney Studios in Los Angeles this month. Mitchell is flying in to Texas from Portland for this great event, which will include live music by some of Texas' most prominent recording artists. Representing Houston will be myself and my good friend, KrissAnn, one of the finest songwriters I know. Others on the bill will be up-and-coming Maren Morris, whom I've shared stages with several times in her hometown of Dallas, as well as Miranda Lambert, Jolie Holliday, Deryl Dodd, Todd Fritsch, Larry Joe Taylor, Lisa Dames, Stephen Pointer, Allie Danielle, and many more. From Waxahachie, I'll be heading out to the world-famous Cactus Cafe in Austin on the University of Texas campus, where I played last month on the Texas Angels Tour with Sarah Sharp and Ginger Leigh of Austin. It's going to be a BIG music week!

In the meantime, producer John Evans and I will be back at historic Sugar Hill Studios here in Houston to mix my version of Willie Nelson's "The Family Bible," originally recorded at Sugar Hill by Claude Gray back in 1958. The song will be included on my next album and on the new Sugar Hill compilation of hits originally taped at the studio during its decades as the oldest continuously operating recording facility in the region.

My appearance on the Great Day morning show on Houston's CBS affiliate, Channel 11, has been postponed due to the station's decision to air a fundraiser instead. I'll keep you posted on the new date and everything else that's in the works, but for now I want to wish you all the best this 4th of July holiday. I imagine it's going to be "hot as a firecracker" here in Houston. More summer fun . . . more memories in the making. Y'all come!

I'm back from the "heavenly" Texas Angels Tour for a few days, here in Houston to record a very special song for the new Sugar Hill Studios compilation, which will feature cover versions of music originally taped at this historic studio where The Big Bopper and George Jones recorded in the early days, as well as Freddy Fender, Destiny's Child, and many others. I'll be cutting a very old Willie Nelson tune called "The Family Bible," which has such a haunting melody and lyrics. It's one of those simple, classic songs that you can't get out of your head, and its spiritual message certainly makes it seem beautifully anachronistic amidst today's sociopolitical climate.

On Wednesday evening (June 7), I'll be appearing at romantic Courville's restaurant in my hometown of Beaumont, Texas, and am very much looking forward to getting back to my roots in the Golden Triangle. Every time I travel that lonely road, I think of Janis Joplin and George Jones--and I know I'm in good company.

I'll be on stage from 7:20-8 pm, opening for the internationally acclaimed Americana artists, Chip Taylor and Carrie Rodriguez. Chip Taylor's credits are vast, but a few of his songwriting highlights are "Wild Thing" and "Angel of the Morning." He also discovered and produced James Taylor, as well as Neil Diamond's "Brooklyn Roads."

Carrie Rodriguez has been playing the violin since she was five years old, and graduated Magna Cum Laude from Berklee School of Music in 2000. According to Train Wreck Records (www.trainwreckrecords.com), "when Chip first saw Carrie play at the South by Southwest Music Festival in Austin, Texas in 2001, he was not only wowed by the brilliance he heard in her playing, but also sensed a magical presence. He invited her to join him on some subsequent shows in Texas and then a tour of Europe... and the rest is history."

Courville's (409-860-9811) is located at 1744 Rose Lane off Hwy 90 in Beaumont . . . more history in the making. Y'all come!

The Texas Angels Tour continues, and I'll be in Austin tomorrow (Monday, May 22) for a radio appearance at 8:20 a.m. on the morning show at KLBJ 93.7--"Austin's Rock Classic." The program has been called "the Howard Stern show of Austin" and is one of the top-rated morning shows in the nation, so it should be pretty interesting, I'll bet.

Sarah Sharp, Kristy Kruger, and I kicked off The Angels tour on Friday in Dallas at Bill's Tapes and Records before playing the All Good Cafe that evening in Deep Ellum. The Bill's show was actually caught on tape by Cindy Chaffin who runs the fabulous www.texasgigs.com. Cindy is so on the ball that our performance is already posted at http://www.texasgigs.com/news/2006/may/19/another-friday-afternoon-bills-records/ so I hope you'll take a few minutes to listen when you get a chance. I think you'll enjoy it. The recording really has that "live" feel and conveys the down-home atmosphere of Bill's free Friday lunch hour gatherings . . . only in Texas.

It's going to be a busy music week, with two Austin shows coming up. On Tuesday night (May 23) I'll play Melissa Mullins' critically-acclaimed Writers Who Rock showcase series at El Mercado Music Lounge (1302 South First Street), and on Wednesday night The Angels will take the stage at Ruta Maya (3601 South Congress).

Thursday (May 25) I'll be back in Houston for The Angels show at Cosmos Cafe from 8-10 p.m. (69 Heights Blvd at Washington Ave) before we head west again for a house concert in San Antonio on Friday night and an appearance at The Bugle Boy in La Grange on Saturday evening. All of the details are available on the calendar page of this site.

The shows just keep lining up, and I got word today that the Austin American-Statesman will be doing a write-up soon, so I'll keep you posted on that and everything else as always.

Y'all come!

It's that time again. The Houston Press has issued its annual Music Awards Nomination Ballot. Last year I was named one of the top five Houston-based artists in two categories: Acoustic/Folk and Female Vocalist. I'm hoping to make the cut again this year and am wondering if you would take a few minutes to click on the following link to nominate me for Best Female Vocalist, Best Acoustic/Folk, Best Country/Western, and Best Songwriter:

http://www.houstonpress.com/musicshowcase/2006/nominate/
There are quite a few categories, including genres ranging from Punk to Salsa, but you can leave those blank if you want to.

This process shouldn't take long at all, and I would appreciate it very much if you would write me in because the nominations are determined by popular vote.

Besides the Music Awards, I'm really looking forward to my emerging Texas Angels Tour with the lovely and talented Sarah Sharp (www.sarahsharp.com) and Kristy Kruger (www.kristykruger.com). We've got some excellent shows booked and they just keep lining up, so I've been busy posting venues on my "calendar" page. I've also put in quite a few hours updating my "press" page with some complimentary reviews from a few of the top industry pro's, and I've added some new photos from the North American Folk Alliance Conference and from SXSW in Austin.

Y'all come!

I’m writing to let you know that two of the songs from Face This World will be featured this Monday evening (April 24) at 7 p.m. CST on the soundtrack to a new CNBC series called American Made. Last Monday, I saw the initial episode, focusing on the making of Starbucks, and got the impression that the show highlights “American made” businesses. It was informative and entertaining, and I’m glad that my songs were selected for the second episode, along with music by my friends and fellow Texans, Dan Workman, the Southern Backtones, and Hayes Carll.

I’m also very excited about launching an intensive publicity and radio campaign in May in support of a tour I’ll be playing with two of my favorite Texan singer-songwriters, the lovely and talented Sarah Sharp (www.sarahsharp.com) of Austin and Kristy Kruger (www.kristykruger.com) of Dallas. We’re the Texas Angels, and we’ll be singing our way across the Lonestar State very soon. I’ll keep you posted on these dates, which are still being booked.

Other shows I’m especially looking forward to are Melissa Mullins’s critically-acclaimed “Writers Who Rock” showcase at El Mercado Music Lounge in Austin on May 23 (http://manmademedia.net/melissamullins/elMercado.htm), as well as opening for Chip Taylor (who’s credited with discovering and producing James Taylor and with writing “Wild Thing,” “Angel of the Morning,” and several other hits) and Carrie Rodriguez (his award-winning accompanist) at romantic Courville’s restaurant in Beaumont on June 6 (www.trainwreckrecords.com).

And last, but certainly not least, I’m happy to be heading back into the studio to mix my new song, “How I Found Out I’m Insane,” with producer, John Evans, and Sugar Hill Studios engineer, Steve Christensen. This song is hilarious, if I do say so myself, and John’s spin on it perfectly accentuates the comedy of the lyrics, along with some very funny sound effects by steel guitar legend, Herb Remington, of Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys fame.

It’s lining up to be another summer full of music and memories for a lifetime, and I hope that our paths will cross somewhere along the way. It would be my pleasure. Y’all come.

It's hard to believe that it's already time again for South By Southwest in Austin. I'm feeling the excitement of the road even though I just got home from "the music capital of the world," where I performed last night at Ruta Maya on Congress Avenue in the SongsAlive series. It was an excellent show, and I was happy to be booked at such a well-respected venue alongside some very talented singer-songwriters from East coast to West.

Between 5 and 7 pm on Wednesday (March 15) I'll be here in Houston playing a 30 minute set from 6:20-6:50 pm at McGonigel's Mucky Duck (http://www.mcgonigels.com/) as part of a fundraiser for Kinky Friedman's campaign for Texas Governor. And though I'm not politically aligned with this candidate, I'm certainly glad to donate my time and talent to support one who's made such impressive headway as an independent.

Then on Thursday morning (March 16) I'll make the scenic drive back to Austin to perform Thursday afternoon and Friday on stages sponsored by Rock Star Energy Drink. On Thursday from 3-3:45 pm I'll play at Bar Austin (402 E 6th St; 512-476-3139). And on Friday from 2-2:45 pm I'll be at Fuel (607 Trinity, near 6th; 512-472-8557). A highlight will be the debut of my new song with producer Ronnie King--"Can't Get My Mind Off You."

No doubt, this will be a BIG music week and a whole lot of fun, so if you're in Houston on the 15th or in Austin on the 16th or 17th, I do hope you'll drop by and say hello. It would be my pleasure. Y'all come.

2006 is already proving to be such a terrific year for me and my music. I'm looking forward to performing at the North American Folk Alliance Conference at 8 pm on Friday (February 10) at the "Wendelfest" showcase in the Austin Hilton, and I'm thrilled to have this opportunity. This conference is one of the most prestigious events in the nation for folk/acoustic music, and it will be a chance to meet and socialize with so many extraordinary people with a like-minded appreciation for the genre. I can hardly wait to make the three hour drive from Houston to Austin on Friday, through the gorgeous Texas hill country, accompanied by Ronnie King with whom I've been collaborating on a fascinating project that I believe has taken my music to new heights in only a short time.

Ronnie is a producer, arranger, and keyboard player from Palm Springs who has worked closely with platinum artists such as Mariah Carey, the Offspring, and Tupac, among others. He was introduced to Houston when he began coming to town to record rap and hip-hop music with some of the big acts that have helped make Houston the rap/hip-hop capital of the the world! In the meantime, Ronnie decided to establish himself here in the area and began looking for a promising Texas artist to produce and record: enter yours truly. Since mid-January we've been working every week on two songs that we will take into the studio next week, and the rough cuts sound fabulous if I do say so myself. One has a definite gospel influence, featuring Ronnie's stellar keyboard style, which critics say is the signature touch on the Offspring's hit single, "Hit That." The other song we've written is an old-school walz called "Can't Get My Mind Off You," that is rooted in the past but has a distinctively mainstream contemporary feel. I can hardly wait for you to hear them both!

And there's more: Last night I had the pleasure to chat by phone with radio personality, Mitchell Keller of the Back Porch Show, based in Portland, Oregon. The catch-up interview was a follow up to a phone interview we did last fall. It's always so much fun to talk with Mitchell, whose enthusiasm is contagious and who's bringing some great country music to the world from his headquarters out West. When you have some free time, check out www.backporchshow.com or the link through www.borderlinenetworks.com to hear his show.

And still more: I also received a lovely surprise from Denmark the other day when dj Mikey Hollaender of the Happy Country show emailed me to say he'd selected me for a "Best Of" feature on his syndicated radio program. I must admit that I was flattered to say the least, and am glad to know my music has found a place overseas in not only Denmark but Belgium, too, where, in January, dj Francois Braeken awarded Face This World the honor of being his second favorite album of 2005!

And as for live shows, I have a few special appearances lined up that are highlighted on the calendar page of this site. Many people have been asking about performance dates and venues, and Mitchell in Portland says his listeners want to know when I'll be touring. Well, it's going to happen soon, but at the moment I'm eagerly anticipating my time in the studio and lots of songwriting with Ronnie King. In the meantime, you know I'll keep you posted as I always do. Y'all come!

The holidays are behind us once again, and I hope yours were as gratifying as mine.

I spent a lovely week at my parents' place, nestled deep in the piney woods of east Texas. It was so good to be with family, just relaxing by the fire my father always keeps burning at this time of the year and enjoying my mother's wonderful homemade holiday cooking that has become a long-standing tradition in our
home. My sister, her husband, and my nephew, Kevin, decorated the country place with an array of white lights that made it look and feel like Christmas should. And
I entertained everyone with some old holiday standards by the stone hearth in the evenings after traversing those well-worn wooded paths of my youth by day, accompanied by the family dogs and a good book. These memories will remain in my heart forever.

When I returned to Houston I checked email to find a Q&A from the Houston Chronicle in my inbox. The subject was "a glance ahead to 2006." I was asked to comment on what's to come in the new year, and here are the highlights:

"I'm looking forward to a writing session in January with renowned L.A. producer, writer, and arranger Ronnie King who has worked with platinum artists Mariah Carey,
Tupac, Snoop Dog, the Offspring, and others. I'll also begin pre-production on a new album with the amazing John Evans at Sugar Hill Studios. My new single release "Be My Valentine On Christmas" will be included on the LP and has already received a very positive review from Music Row in Nashville, written by "the dean of Nashville entertainment journalists" Robert K. Oermann who is the chairman of the country music category for the Grammy's and who wrote the liner notes for "Oh Brother Where Art Thou?". I'm also planning a full-on radio and press promotion of Face This World to Americana, Country and Texas Radio and press outlets. And I'm excited about the live shows that are already lining up, especially my full-band debut at the Station Museum's gallery opening for internationally-acclaimed artist, Mel Chin on January 21."

Of course, there's so much more on the horizon, but I'll let all of that unfold month by month as we progress through this magical, unexplored territory that is
"the future." In the meantime, I wish you the happiest of new years and look forward to corresponding with you and visiting with you when our paths cross, as they are bound to do. Y'all come.

I'm writing today to wish you a good old-fashioned Merry Christmas. I checked email this morning, and received a poem I'd like to pass along . . .

YOU CAN'T STEAL MY CHRISTMAS
By Sharon Steege

I don't know who they are
Saying I can't greet the crowd

The way that I want to...

I can't say CHRISTMAS out loud.

I walk into a business place
See things I'd rather not see
But dare I not say CHRISTMAS
Instead, ask for a "holiday" tree?

What happened to freedom of speech
And living in the land of the free?
How can they take my CHRISTMAS money
But can't say MERRY CHRISTMAS to me?

Men and women have given their lives
So we could still go free
I wonder how they would feel
About saying "HOLIDAY" TREE?

Come on, AMERICA, let's wake up!
Don't let our freedom escape
If they get by with doing this,
What else will they take?

It's starting to get out of hand
And I've begun to keep track
Well, I've just about had enough
I'M TAKING CHRISTMAS BACK

So MERRY CHRISTMAS, AMERICA!
I hope this gets all over the Net
If we all stand united and take freedom back
'Twill be our best CHRISTMAS YET!
MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYBODY.

Have a wonderful holiday.

Welcome to December: On Friday (December 9), I'll be appearing on FoxRox, a television show on Channel 26 here in Houston. If you're up early and decide to tune in, you will see (and hear) yours truly regaling Houstonians with traditional Christmas songs and a live performance of my new single release, "Be My Valentine (On Christmas)" for the finale at the end of the show. I go on from 7 'til 9 a.m.

After the tv show, I'll be making my way just up the street to appear on the 97.5 FM News Radio Christmas benefit broadcast for "teens and tweens." I'll be on the air for twenty minutes from 12:30-12:50 p.m., including two live songs and a brief interview. Here's an excerpt from the press release for this event:

"FM News Channel is inviting Houstonians out on Friday, December 9 between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., as they host a day-long live broadcast in efforts to collect 'teen and tween' gifts because kids ages 12-13 are almost always forgotten at this time of year . . . Breakfast, lunch and laughs will be served to all who stop by and drop off a charitable gift. The day's line-up features a wide array of guests, including the Salvation Army Harborlight Choir, Houston Mayor Bill White, and a host of other entertainers, dignitaries and prominent Houstonians."

Friday will be a lot of fun, and it just gets better on the weekend when John Evans and I return to Sugar Hill Studios to begin my next album. John produced and sang duets on Face This World, and--as they say--"if it ain't broke, don't fix it." So on Saturday and Sunday, my producer John Evans and I will record our own
rip-roaring version of Johnny Cash and June Carter's great duet, "Jackson," plus a new song I wrote recently that reminds me of Hank Williams, Sr.

Next week, I'll be playing an acoustic show with Hank Schyma of the Southern Backtones and special guest "KrissAnn" at Cosmos Cafe in Houston (Thursday, December 15) and one with Jimmy Baldwin at The Gypsy Tea Room in Dallas' Deep Ellum district on Friday, December 16. On Monday, the 19th, I'll be on KPFT 90.1 FM in Houston at 4 p.m., as the featured artist on the Houston Association of Acoustic Musicians (HAAM) radio show. There's more information about everything on the "Calendar" page of this site, and I hope you'll go to the "Music" page and listen to the short clip of "Be My Valentine (On Christmas)" too. Happy holidays to you--y'all come!

Well, hello again. I've been so busy I just realized I haven't written a new update since September! So much has been going on, it's really a whirlwind, but here are the highlights. Not only am I thrilled about having made the "top 100" list of Americana artists being played in the Netherlands--right alongside Emmylou Harris--but I'm feeling like a kid counting the days 'til Christmas because on Thanksgiving my new
Christmas song, "Be My Valentine (On Christmas)," will be hitting the airwaves of Texas and Americana stations everywhere--being represented by two of the top promoters in the industry.

This is all very exciting, and there's more: the other day I met with my producer, John Evans, to begin planning our approach to my new album that we'll start recording at Houston's legendary Sugar Hill Studios in December. We decided to kick off the sessions with a duet--our own rip-roaring version of "Jackson"-- our tribute to the late, great Johnny Cash and June Carter-Cash. This selection should set the tone for the rest, including some of my best songs ever (the new originals yet to be
unveiled to the public), plus a couple of covers that have been carefully chosen by none other than me because they're by my old-school country music heroes and they're the great energizers that I love to belt out loud when I'm hanging around here at the house on a good day or a bad one.

So, as always, I'm so happy to report that a lot is happening with the music, not to mention the shows that are coming up this month--which are all covered on the "calendar" page of this site. I do hope to see you soon, and please make sure to say hello when you're out at a show or email me, as so many of you do. I'd also love for you to use the link on this page to join the email list and receive the newsletter I send out a couple of times a month. I get so many wonderful replies from all over the world, and it's a terrific feeling to know that wherever you are, you're reading this right now and hearing my music as I've dreamed it would be for so long.

Until next time--
Glenna Bell

A lot has been happening with my music lately--shows being booked in Houston, Austin, and Dallas, as well as recording phone interviews and station i.d.'s for radio in Canada, College Station, Portland, and more. They go something like this: "Hello, I'm Glenna Bell, and you're listening to XYZ radio!" It's been a lot of fun, and only seems to get better every day.

But what I want to highlight in this entry is a very important project that I feel lucky to have been invited to become involved in because it will benefit some people who really deserve our support and encouragement.

A song from my new album, Face This World ("Tumbling Down"), was selected for a music compilation CD that will help those whose lives have been so severely altered by Hurricane Katrina. What they've experienced is more traumatic than what most of us will ever go through, and I can only imagine it, really. So I am happy to donate my share of the proceeds from the CD sales to those who really need it.

I also am flattered to be amongst the talented and diverse artists chosen for the compilation. When I listened online the other evening I was amazed at how professional it all is, even though the organizers had very little time due to the circumstances. And notably, Beyonce (Destiny's Child), sings back-up on one of the songs, which was an unexpected treat!

You can see pictures of the musicians and listen online at http://katrinacd.com/artists.html. And I hope you will consider purchasing the CD, which is being distributed through Crystal Clear Distribution. I hear the cost is only $10, and it is certainly well worth it.

I'm working on updating the glennabell.com calendar page and plan to have all the upcoming shows posted by the end of this weekend. There are some great ones coming up, including another trip to historic Waxahachie to go back on the air with Mark "The Cobbler" Miller at KBEC, and then on to Dallas to play again at the legendary Bill's Music Store the following Friday at noon. I've also been accepted to the 2005 New Music Festival in Deep Ellum (Dallas) and will be performing at the Texas Tea House with a terrific line-up of Texas acts. It's all so good, I sometimes wonder if I'm dreaming! Y'all come.

Well, I'm really looking forward to the next few months. I'll be opening for my good friends, ESE, at the Continental Club in September. I met them at the Houston Press Music Awards Showcase when I played before them at the 306 Lounge, and this band is absolutely talented. Not only do I think so, but one Houston Press critic called them the best act in the entire showcase and KPFT selected them for a special on-air post-showcase appearance! I'm not really sure how to describe their music--it's been called everything from "punk" to "psychobilly" to "rock 'n' roll." So check them out on myspace.com to decide for yourself.

And there are so many shows coming up, I've barely been able to find time to get them on my Web site and myspace page! I'll be playing Houston, Austin, and Dallas/Denton in August, September, and October--so take a look at the glennabell.com calendar page, and y'all come. The best part about the gigs is truly the people who turn up and enjoy themselves.

I've also got a feature in the Houston Chronicle coming up on August 25--it was fun having them out at my last Cosmos Cafe show for the interview/photo shoot when I opened for Two Hoots and a Holler, a great band you may have heard of 'cause they've been getting a lot of good press lately in Texas Music magazine, etc. They hail from Austin and go way back in the scene, having played everything from standard country to punk all over the place with the best-of-the-best.

Besides all that, there's a reality tv show in the making. Check out Johnny Rodes Road Show on the Web. I'll be kicking off the Houston location shoot at Cosmos Cafe on October 6, and it will be my first tv appearance, besides a commercial that featured my jingle called "Cosmos Cafe."

And the best part of all is tomorrow and the next day, when I'll be recording one of my brand new songs over at Sugar Hill Studios with John Evans producing and Brad Jones on upright bass (again). This one's going to be a knock-out, and it's called "Be My Valentine (On Christmas)." Just you wait and see (or should I say "hear") . . .

Until next time,

Glenna Bell

Cast your vote for Glenna Bell in the Houston Press Music Awards' Best Female Vocalist and Best Acoustic/Folk categories. You can vote for me online at www.houstonpress.com or clip a ballot from a free issue of the Houston Press. And don't miss the showcase in downtown Houston on Sunday, July 24. You can see up to sixty-five nominated bands with the purchase of a $7 wristband from Cactus Music, the Verizon Wireless Box Office, and all downtown Houston showcase venues published each week in the Press. So y'all come. I promise you will be entertained, and I'll make your vote worth it!

The Moffett Productions music video of my song, "Hoping I Could Be Wrong" (produced and directed by Michael Stevens), just arrived, and it is lovely!

Backing me is the very handsome and talented John Evans Band with John Evans on guitar, Mike Ferrara on drums, and John Michael Schoefs (who is now with the Jack Ingram Band) on upright bass.

We had quite a time shooting the footage at Moffett Productions' impressive studio here in Houston (www.moffett.com), and I am more than flattered to have been selected for this important promotional piece. It was an experience I will never forget, and I thank the
professionals at Moffett for making it first rate.

I also recently received a link to a feature on my music that is really worth a listen:

http://www.austinpodcasting.com/
On this site, go to the archive on the right-hand side of the page and choose the month of May and date, May 26, 2005. Then, just click "Direct Download" in orange print above my name.

There is an amazing podcasting movement going on out in Austin, and the eloquent voice you will hear is that of Radio Mike. I highly recommend you check out his site at www.thefeveredbrainofradiomike.com and sign up for his email list--as have I--because his coverage of the music scene is extraordinary. I count myself lucky to have been discovered by such an aficionado.

The big news this month (so far, anyway) is that I signed a regional distribution deal with Crystal Clear, based in Dallas. They've handled distribution in the past for some name acts, including the Dixie Chicks and Old 97's, among others. I'm most happy that Face This World will now be available at independently-owned stores, such as Waterloo in Austin, as well as at chain stores like Hastings, etc.

What else? Well, there's a radio appearance in the works for KBEC in Waxahachie. It will be in June, and the specific date is to be announced soon. (We're waiting for confirmation of a gig near Waxahachie/Dallas to coincide with the radio date.)

The Moffett Productions music video of my song, "Hoping I Could Be Wrong," is in editing and looking very good, according to director, Michael Stevens. We have a meeting scheduled for Tuesday, and it will be exciting to see my first music video for the first time.

And I can't forget to mention this month's shows. I'll be playing a lot in Houston, Dallas, and Austin, and am in the process of updating the "calendar" page. So stay tuned for more soon . . .

from Glenna Bell

Hello, again. Here's another update on my music.

Last Friday, I had a terrific time filming the new music video of my song, "Hoping I Could Be Wrong," which was selected for the shoot by Moffett Productions here in Houston. The studio is first-rate, and executive director, Michael Stevens, says the footage is looking great. I was lucky enough to be backed up in the video by the very handsome and very talented John Evans Band, and we'll film the scenes on location in the near future. I'll keep you posted.

The other day, I checked email and more good news came in the form of a note from Francois Braeken of RootsTime, Belgium, who was letting me know that my new album, Face This World, just received a "four horse" review in Alt. Country Holland. (They use horses instead of stars to rate the albums.) Boy, do I wish I could read Dutch, but I think they like it since the CD has been selling like hotcakes to buyers in Holland since the review came out. CD Baby has been emailing me almost every day to help them fill more orders.

What else? Well, I have a special show booked by the tireless Devon Mikeska of Dan Workman Music, and it will be at Helios on Houston's legendary Westheimer curve this Friday night (April 22) from 10-11:15. This venue is an eclectic coffee house and wine bar that is actually a not-for-profit venue owned by a couple who goes way back in the Houston art scene. I love playing intimate one-of-a-kind spaces like Helios and am gearing up for another fun performance.

I might even sing my new Christmas song live for the first time ever, so y'all come. I promise you will be entertained.

Exciting. South By Southwest in Austin went off without a hitch and proved to be all I had hoped. It was a thrill to play at Opal Divines and Mother Egans as part of the Dan Workman Music group with bands I respect, including Sarah Sharp (pop rock from Austin) and The Southern Backtones (modern rock from Houston).

The Deans show in downtown Houston and the Cosmos show in the historic Houston Heights were also really nice. It was inspiring to see how many fellow musicians and friends and fans came out for one performance or another, and to sell some more CD's and get more requests for Glenna Bell Newsletter sign-ups.

Also, Hoping I Could Be Wrong was awarded the Americana Track of the Day on March 30 by garageband.com. If you have not tried out this site I highly recommend you do. It is just full of original music by unsigned bands from every genre imaginable.

Looking forward, I am starting to record a new song I wrote which is a Christmas song that will be produced at Sugar Hill Studios as both a fast and slow version. The producers will be Dan Workman and John Evans and with these two I am sure to have something you will be able to enjoy for the holiday. I am very fond of this new song and surely enjoyed taping a working draft of it at John Evans studio in downtown Houston last week.

I also have some interesting shows booked for April and will get them on the calendar in the near future. I look forward to seeing you soon. "Y'all come."