HOME FROM ALABAMA

November 16, 2010 -- Alabama was a sweet home for Melissa for a five-day trip that ended yesterday and had her performing for all but the last of those days.  She was in the city of Orange Beach for the prestigious 26th Frank Brown International Songwriters Festival.

The time/appearances at this most recent event was felt to be in large part because of what came from Melissa having been at the 2nd annual Pensacola Beach Songwriters Festival last month.

In Alabama Melissa got the opportunity to perform at the legendary Silver Moon on the same day she arrived.  Late on Thursday night the 11th she played four songs at that venue in what would be a preview of things to come in that her performances throughout her time at the Festival were highlighted by the new songs she has been writing, complementing, of course, the music from her “Waiting” CD.

On Friday night she did a one-hour show at Tipseas before doing a whole lot of performing on Saturday.  In addition to her show scheduled for that night at the North Shore Grill, Melissa had first paid a visit to a show being done elsewhere by Johnny Barbato, who graciously invited Melissa up to finish out his set for him, at which point she did three songs.  Later that evening, after the North Shore Grill show, Melissa was at Silver Moon watching a show being done by singer/songwriter CJ Watson, who brought her up on-stage, at which point she performed her newest song, "Freedom.”

The trip performances closed with a Sunday night appearance at Beach CITÉ Studios, where Melissa performed five songs during a round, then stayed on to watch Crystal Shawanda and DeWayne Strobel.  Following their show, after visiting with them in the green room, Melissa returned to the stage with a surprise performance at the grand piano, doing “Only As Friends,” “What You Do To Me,” and “Why Is It,” all from her “Waiting” CD.

Away from the stage, Melissa’s Alabama trip included reconnecting with some contacts as well as forging plenty of new relationships with music colleagues.

Appearances back in Florida are currently being booked for the balance of 2010.  The next milestone is a trip being planned to Nashville in January, thanks to invitations that have been extended from participants and attendees of this and last month’s festival.

(Pictures and video are all being posted this week from Melissa’s time at the Frank Brown International Songwriters Festival.  Watch the Gallery and Multimedia sections of this site, plus Melissa’s social media sites, for that content.)