I’ve always prided myself on being independent; on never asking for help on something before first trying as hard as I possibly could on my own. I’ve taken that attitude with me into everything from entrepreneurial ventures to learning instruments and even my personal life. But even for a seasoned agent of independence, there are moments in life that you find yourself stretched to the limit, burning up as you race yourself to the finish. You might as well be walking on the face of the sun.
The last six months of my life have been some of the most emotionally reviving and physically exhausting that I can recall… but the lessons have been paramount. Together, you and I knocked out 9 new songs and music videos in under 3 months. We cracked up together every Friday with Danny Young and I making fools of ourselves singing anything from Katy Perry to random Disney Songs. And we’ve covered a lot of information, from personal real life issues, to the changing music industry. While I’m excited to say that this does not mark the end of these events at all, it does mean they may slow down for a while as I refocus my energies. Why?
Michael’s going out on tour.
Starting in September, I’m looking to book every other weekend out of town. It’s a small start towards the bigger picture of me being on the road full-time, and it’s already been an exciting ride preparing for it. With the help of 2 lovely new team members (say hello to Roxanne and Ryan, everyone!) and the strategy of 12South Music behind us, the Shoup bus is about to be on it’s way to a city near you. And I can’t wait.
Does this mean Song-A-Week is over?
Absolutely not. Though, it should probably be renamed to “Song-A-Week-or-so” as I may not be churning them out every 7 days. However, Paul Shearer and I already have a new tune finished and ready to be video-ized for you all! It’s called “Closer” and I’m really excited for you to hear/see/taste/smell it.
Where will you be playing?
So glad you asked :). Initially, I’m booking up around TN, KY, OH, IN, and IL although if you live outside of those areas and feel like I should really come play your town, please get ahold of me via the Contact page and let me know where. You can also use the nifty little Demand It widget I’ve got on my Shows page. There are already a number of shows booked for the first week of September through that area, so be sure to check them out. If you’re in Cleveland or Dayton, Ohio, watch out, because I’m about to crash your city.
Also, if you’d like to see song tuneage in a more intimate setting, think about perhaps hosting a House Show. I’ll be trying a few of these along the way with club shows, and they can really be a lot of fun. Check here for more info.
Lastly:
If you missed the craziness that happened a few weeks back, I gave away 2 complete records of my music for FREE for one week, and did a live broadcast of 24hrs of my life, complete with tutorials, live performances, and utter ridiculousness.
For this weekend only, I’m opening that FREE DOWNLOAD back up. Click HERE and you can access both of the records for free along with some nifty highlights from the live broadcast. I’m sure I’ll make a “best of” reel here sometime in the future… after I edit through the 14hrs of footage I have.
Thank you all for always being so supportive and communicative with me, and I look forward to what this next stage has in store for us all!
~ michael
