roller coasters and such

I have been living on a roller coaster. Which is crazy because I get motion sickness.

I have worked my entire life for the chance to put out a record, on a major label that I am proud of. That I believe in. I've been in Nashville eleven years and I thought I was prepared for what could come with that. Like how venerable you feel when you play your record for somebody new. Knowing that they are completely inside your head, inside your private world. Every single song is personal and sometimes you pray they don't know just who it is about! I have been in that room. I have been that girl. The day your song goes to radio (which was 3 weeks ago for us!), the same feeling follows. The naked in front of the classroom feeling, knowing everyone is watching the charts, some praying for your success, others for your failure. Just wanting the chance to have it heard. But there are a few things, quite honestly I wasn't prepared for. The first time you google yourself and you see that somebody loves your song. It's a good feeling. The second time you google yourself and see somebody hates it, and is questioning your existence in an industry you have given blood for... is the strangest, most complex.. wanna hunt em down and let the air out of their tires... well, you get the point. I have been told at this point to STOP googling myself by my husband. Which I think is really funny. I never thought that would be me. The last few weeks the birage of emotion I have had. The roller coaster I am on. Making a music video and then seeing our video for the first time. I have never been the girl who watched myself in the mirror preform, not as an adult anyway :) Seeing myself, and my beautiful sister on the screen. I keep telling everyone.. I can't believe it. But I really truly can't believe it. I keep saying each day just gets weirder than the last. Because, at the heart of all of this, we are just regular people who this kind of thing doesn't usually happen too. I feel like I have been playing the lottery for 15 years and finally got a winning ticket. . And every single day something wonderful, or heart breaking, or exciting and always always something NEW happens. And I just can't help but think that I am finally living out my dream. And the way that makes me feel... is so much more than I can contain in a blog. But I am certain you will eventually hear it in a song.

This journey is simply amazing.

Did I mention we are playing at the Ryman next week? I can't even go there or I will cry. again.

Gratefully,

Brandon

If you would like to see our new video.. click here :)

http://www.cmt.com/videos/coldwater-jane/484597/bring-on-the-love.jhtml

Bring on the Love

When you wait your whole life for something, well I should say... when you work your whole life for something and it finally happens.. it's real. It's amazing, and scary and hit me upside the head yesterday like a ton of bricks. I don't know who reads this... besides maybe my mamma & brother and sister... but I am a recording artist. I am in a band with my little sister, who is this amazing songwriter and an even better friend and we are called Coldwater Jane. Our single, is a song we wrote with Kevin Kadish & Wayne Kirpatrick... two dear friends & collaborators. It is called "Bring on the Love". It was written in a really organic fashion. We were sitting around with guitars and mandolins and resonator thingys just jamming. And that's how it happened. It's personal, it's honest and says something and I couldn't be more proud for it to be our musical introduction to the world. And yesterday, I realized.. it comes out in 3 weeks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It attends every country music station in America on January 25th. Not only that, but you can buy it on i tunes on January 26th. It has all happened so slowly.. the last 10 years of this incredible journey to here. But the last year, since we signed to Mercury, has happened SO SO fast. I can't believe that I am the girl who's dreams are coming true. I thought that only happened to other people. And it is happening to me. And no matter what happens... It is happening and nothing.. not time or opinion or my place in the world can ever take that away. Leah and I are getting a shot !

"Bring on the Love" is coming out. Our music is going to be heard. I hope you will continue to join me on this rollercoaster!

I'd say I can not wait... but it's happening.. and I don't have to anymore!

Brandon Jane

Rochester, New York

It's supposed to be cold when we get there tomorrow. Rochester New York. Leah and I have never ever been to Rochester and it is the beautiful beginning of Coldwater Jane introducing ourselves to the world. I don't even know if my sister has ever been this far north before! I am completely excited. Totally overwhelmed, because we have to sing a Christmas song I can't seem to remember the words to when we rehearse. And so happy I get to do this with Leah. I can't believe it is finally time to say our first "Hello" & start singing the songs we have held so closely for so long. But this is what it is all about. Making music you are proud of, and then letting it go, so other's can listen, and hopefully enjoy.

I hope you will follow us as we begin this new journey. What I am sure is going to be a very colorful chapter of our lives. So, here we come Rochester & here we come world.

Brandon Jane

follow our journey on twitter.com/coldwaterjane

28

I have a theory that when things aren't going right time passes slowly. And when they are, life flies by. I don't know about you but I was looking at my calendar today and realized we are in November! Wow. And this particular year, 2009 .. has gone by in the blink of an eye. We are done with our record and go to master in a week. And my lifelong dream, well... i am living it. Finally. It's funny because I have always measured myself, well at least my success in music over last 10 years, in birthdays. My birthday is in November. And at the beginning of every single January, I say, "Self, this is your year. This is the year it's gonna happen". And usually another birthday rolls around, and it hasn't happened. And come November, on the day I was born, it passes by and no record deal. No start. And as I have gotten older, more tears tend to appear on that day. But this year is different. This year has gone by so fast making our record, I haven't had time to lament the days. Or wonder how depressing 28 is gonna be for me. And in just two weeks I will be there. And I have a feeling for the first birthday in a long time, I won't be crying! And if I am trust me, they will be pure tears of joy.

Who knows what will happen with our music. I guess that's all in God's hands now. But Leah and I did it. And I am gonna celebrate. 28 is looking up.

Brandon

Joshua Ragsdale

Nashville is a pretty small town. When I was a kid, living in Mississippi it seemed like the center of the universe. The thought of moving to such a mecca seemed daunting. But after being here for a while you start to learn I-65 and I-40 and how to get from here to there and you realize that Nashville isn't that overwhelming. And time passes and you learn the music business is even smaller. I guess my family has been here about 10 or 11 years now and over that time you come across a lot of people. Some you remember, most you don't. Two people I do remember seeing around town though, was this brother and sister group from Mississippi called "Ragsdale". They were gorgeous, had these beautiful harmonies and the sister wore these amazing hats! Leah and I would see them around, playing here and there. I don't know them. But I knew who they were. And I always admired that lovely girls hats :) And well, the fact is, we are both from Mississippi and you never forget someone who came from the same place you did!

I have been living in a bubble over the last few months. Kind of my shangri-la I guess making this record. But I was jolted to reality, the reality of just how small we are and how fragile our bodies can be when Leah told me that Joshua Ragsdale has been diagnosed with CML (Leukemia), which, from what I understand is pretty aggressive and he only has a few months to find a match for a bone marrow transplant.

Normally, I would let this go by me. What can I do? But, we can do something to help him. A fellow artist, songwriter. It's free, it's painless. It takes 5 minutes.

Go to www.marrow.org and join the bone marrow registry. They send you a kit, you swab your mouth and send it back. It's that simple.

Here is his facebook page if you would like more information:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=143381280558&ref=mf

There is no donor match for him in the marrow bank as of now.

Sending off for my kit.

With much love and gratitude,

Brandon Jane

living in the studio.

I have been living in the studio over the last few months. My home has either been behind a microphone or on a couch listening. In between those moments I find myself at lunch having the pleasure of laughing and joking with our 2 producers and my sister. It is amazing how seamless and yet still tiring this process has been. Being that my husband is one of the producers on the record it really has been a family affair. We usually say our hello and goodbyes in the morning or around midnight when he is finally rolling in after a day of comping and listening and cutting. This record has truly been a labor of love on the part of all of the people involved.

I told someone today, the next part is mixing and then getting the music to you. So you can hear it and decide. And hopefully feel and hear what we have in creating this music! It makes so so excited to be able to share. I kind of can't wait :)

On a side and extremely sore note...I started with a personal trainer yesterday. I am so beyond sore I can hardly get off the couch! I guess that says how far I have to go!!! Athletic is not a word I would use to describe myself. Unless running your mouth is a sport! So, this may be my greatest challenge yet :) I have muscles aching I didn't even know were there !

What a year this has been. Man, what a day this has been. My dreams are coming true. Elated. I think that would be the best word. Truly and wholeheartedly elated. At least today.

Thats me.

Truly,

Brandon Jane

dog days of summer

I am not going to lie. I can smell fall in the air and I have been wishing away these dog days of summer. I am not the kind of girl to not embrace the moment. But the sun has been beating down to the tune of 90 degrees here in Nashville and every time I feel a tiny breeze it makes me long for October. And today we are almost there. A little closer to labor day weekend and a little further from summertime. Leah and I have been working on our record, writing, recording and backwards and forwards again. I kind of sound like Willy Wonka! My childhood crush. (Who wouldn't wanna be the companion of a man who owned a candy factory!)

Anyway, back to Coldwater Jane. It has been amazing. I feel lucky. To get to work with Leah, who is this beautiful, honest, and extremely talented songwriter. She takes nothing that concerns making music with a grain of salt and everything wholeheartedly. Which is an amazing quality when it comes to being an artist. She has had many cuts, and yet has decided to be in a band with me. I am honored.

And Kevin and Wayne our producers and co writers are so extremely talented. They have taken every song to heart. And seriously crafted what we are doing sonically. Their list of credits is astonishing, and I feel grateful to have them take time out of their substantial careers to help begin ours. Our label has been amazing. I mean really amazing. We are the luckiest girls in Nashville. Truly.

Yet, here I am wishing away summer. I am so excited for you to hear this music. I hope I can post some on our myspace soon. Oh, we have a twitter and facebook set up now so if you have those please look us up. I will post links below. There are studio pics and video and whatnot on our facebook.

I guess that's it for now. It's Sunday, I just ate a giant turkey burger and quite frankly.. I need a nap!

Peace & Love,

Brandon Jane

twitter.com/coldwaterjane

facebook.com/coldwaterjane

myspace.com/coldwaterjanemusic