Marionette video

The video for "Marionette" was a labor of love on the part of so many. Directed by Beck Underwood and financed entirely by Leah and I and our producers we were ecstatic to see our little song come to life. I never dreamed we would ever be able to make stop motion video of this caliber to represent our song.

I hope you enjoy watching it as much as we did writing it and seeing it come to life.

HERE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRE88vPM3Xg

Love,

Brandon

Janey Beth

Wanna take a peek at my little happenings... head on over to my new blog with Photographer Kate Underwood, Janey Beth to stay current!

www.janeybeth.blogspot.com

Much Love,

Brandon

Marionette

Our debut record "Marionette" came out today. August 29 Available on itunes, amazon and other digital retailers. My sister and I started making this record together quite innocently. We missed playing music with one another. Kevin Kadish and his dear friend Wayne Kirkpatrick were gracious enough to agree to write songs with us and see where that road might lead us. We started out with the first song "Marionette". A true story of Leah and I not wanting to be anyone's puppet. We love bluegrass and roots music and that is where the song began. That is where this whole record began. I spent the previous YEARS trying to get a record deal and Leah trying to be noticed as a songwriter so I absolutely never dreamed in million years we would get signed to a major label just weeks after recording just 5 songs. Which consequently are 5 of the songs on "Marionette". Alot has changed since we started making this record over two years ago. Our label has come and gone, and many other components have shifted but one thing has not. Every single song on this album is about our life. We wrote, with Wayne & Kevin ... every moment you hear. I dreamed my whole life for a creative experience like this and to say making this music was "fulfilling" would be a total understatement. This album is one of the things I am most proud of. It makes my heart so incredibly happy for the music to be heard and to have a chance at a life. And I am grateful to label for putting it out. And as my Aunt Lori said to me over a text this morning, "The outcome is the Lords". I hope you will take a few minutes and listen, maybe buy one or two songs or the whole record. We tried to make a entire album worth listening to, not two singles with eight okay songs. But a whole record. And even though it was a completely winding road to get here, we are here. I hope you enjoy "Marionette" as much as I did making it.

With Love,

Brandon Jane

http://tinyurl.com/4ymdy3n

A woman and Her Hair

With all the changes in my life lately I am thinking cutting my hair. OFF! I have had the same version of my hair since I was 17 years old and departing from my twenties this year I am thinking I need a fresh look, a new start. After all, every girl knows when something ends... job, boyfriend etc. the first thing to go is your hair.



So....

this is me to the left.. of course with 2 hours of hair and make up and I do not look like that right now, on a saturday morning typing on the couch. You actually don't wanna see this ;)

But here are some options I am thinking:

I LOVE Michelle Williams super short do. I am not sure I am fearless enough yet....

Brooklyn Decker is gorgeous with no hair I am sure, but I do like her short bob. I wonder what it would look like on me?!

Brit Maren is so super cool.

Could I get away with this?

I think this is my fav.

So, Yes! NO!??? Maybe? I'll let you know what happens ;)

J.D.

This is J.D. This little golden mutt in the picture to left. J.D. is fourteen or fifteen years old. He was my little brothers first best friend. My mom saved him from being killed by some nut job when he was a puppy and bestowed him on my then 11 year old brother Jared. Hence J.D. Jared's dog ;)

(Jared told Mamma she was J.D.'s Jesus)

He moved to Nashville from Mississippi with us in 1999. My family moved here & sold everything so that we could have a better shot at living out our dreams. You can't be in the music business from Lucedale, Mississippi. He has lived in 5 houses since then. Seen a plethora of backyards (which he has dug a plethora of holes in). He has been run over. Shot. Met my brothers wife and baby daughter and now resides in their permanent backyard. He is kind of incredible. Loyal. Loving. Faithful. We should all be so lucky to have someone love us this much. To have that kind of history is priceless.

Holiday Gift Guide... under 30 dollars!!!!

• I am from Lucedale Mississippi... and in reading some of these Holiday Gift Guide's I realize one thing.. where I come from 10 "inexpensive" presents under 100 dollars a piece adds up to a thousand dollars. And that is not inexpensive to me! So, I have polled the experts... our fans and friends to see what they are giving this year! And of course they have some pretty awesome ideas... I have also included a few of my own :) Happy Hannukah and Merry Christmas People!!! Here's to giving from the heart & not breaking the bank!

1. Hand baked goods seems to be extremely popular, and let's face it. Who doesn't love getting homemade fudge and cookies!!! Georgia Boyer and Gina Putnum from our facebook fan page seem to be in agreement, this is one of the most perfect gifts. And, they can be made for little to nothing!

I love these Molasses Cookies from Martha Stewart. They look so pretty in that mason jar! Find the recipe here ! http://tiny.cc/z8xyy

2. Brenda Kemma has this next idea, which quite honestly.... I am not sure if I am crafty enough to attempt. But I can tell you this, after a little research, Cross Stitching is not just for your grandma anymore! Warning... some of these cross stitch patterns contain language.. AM NOT EVEN KIDDING! http://www.subversivecrossstitch.com/index.html

The best news about this idea ..... they are all between $5.00 and $15.00 !! You can find more cool patterns HERE: http://tiny.cc/31x77

3. This next website is so cool and if you would like to send me a Christmas gift, I would love anything this girl makes;) Ms. Bree McAckley is an artist and designer from LA. She sells her handmade super rad bohemian rock jewelry through her website www.guttergypsy.com The loved one getting this gift will not be disappointed. The best news... it's handmade one of a kind jewelry for $10.00. Who doesn't LOVE that! You will definitely be seeing me at a future show with one of those clipsters swinging in my hair !

4. This idea came to me from our AMAZING stylist Claudia Fowler who also happens to own the super hip boutique "Haven" in Franklin, Tennessee. She suggests giving a cool ornament which is always a great gift especially if it's personal. I am also going to suggest this cool journal from Modern Alchemy at her online store. Everyone needs a fantastic place to write your thoughts. It's cathartic and keeps anxiety at bay. And you might as well look like a rock star doing it! Plus, it's $24.00!!!

http://www.taigan.com/shops/sanctuaryofstyle






You can also purchase these customized porcelain ornaments for $14.99 at Kodak HERE + right now they are 20% off http://tiny.cc/eanjr

5. Sweet Julie Soloman who I used to work an an "unnamed" clothing store turned me onto this today via facebook. It's called a Water Bobble and it's the END of expensive bottled water! If you are anything like me you waste ALOT of plastic and cash on bottled water. This is so smart.. as you fill it up it filters tap water. And they make them for babies, adults... humans of all sizes (actually 3 sizes ;) starting at only $8.95. They have been written up in the New York Times and Esquire Magazine... Good for you & good for the enviroment! www.waterbobble.com

6. I found this designer on Etsy.com. I love the modern simplicity of of this personalized stationary. The era of letter writing seems to be a thing of the past, but there is nothing more personal that recieving a letter from someone you love. I think at $16.00 this set is a great gift. It's thoughtful and economical! Check it out HERE: http://tiny.cc/9h9ik

For the BOYS! For the BOYS! For the BOYS! For the BOYS!

7. I couldn't leave out the boys. And these next gifts are for them. They are all in the spirit of my personal mantra.. all men are man boys, and that's just the way I like them :)

LEGO WALKIE TALKIES !!!! (Awesome.. i know)
$28.00 http://tiny.cc/9kpiz


Starburst Recycled Boombox (for your ipod) I mean come on, who wouldn't want this.
$18.00 http://tiny.cc/lzgv2

"How To Beat Up Anybody" By Judah Friedlander (enough said.)
$17.99
http://tiny.cc/iqebk


Casio Data Bank Watch(because every man needs a watch from 1985 with a calculator attached to it !)
$30.00 http://tiny.cc/fdry9



8. These beautiful earring's were brought to my attention by my friend Dave. Not that he wears earrings.. well, he may. I'm not sure. But his friend Serena happens to be the designer!

They were created in New York by Ms.Serena Van Rensselaer and are sterling silver and Hand Hammered for just $30.

She also has a host of other beautiful sophisticated handcrafted pieces here: http://tiny.cc/epy20

May your days be merry and bright...

Peace & Love,

Brandon

Taking my own Advice

The good Lord knows I can dish it out, so I am taking my own advice this week. All the things I tell friends, and family. I'm finally gonna do myself.

Push Harder
Hold on Longer
No is not an acceptable answer
Take a Nap and a deep breath
When they say you can't do it, politely smile and nod... and then do it anyway.
Stop worrying so much about what other people think
Listen to your mother
and your father
Stop listening to everybody else
Kick the bad out
Let the good in
Pray
Laugh when it's funny
STOP fake laughing when it's not
Pray some more
Love with all you can
you do too have time for a walk, you had time for Oprah
Sing from your heart
Listen that small voice, it's there for a reason
Trust yourself.
Kiss him when you feel it...

And for heavens sake.... cut yourself some slack. These are the moments, live in them.

Love,

Your type A oldest child bossy self.