Micki Fuhrman

Well, cowboys and cowgirls, it's time to let the new album out of the chute! WESTBOUND is a collection of old and new Western music ... some are original, some have been around for longer than I have. And that's saying something.

I was blessed to have incredible musicians and singers on the project. They, along with legendary producer/arranger Ron Oates, helped create what I feel is a really special concept album that's been described as "cinematic."

So help a girl out and download WESTBOUND! CDs are available as well. I'd love to hear what you think of the songs.

All the best,

Micki

Hey, the website has a new look and there's an exciting reason for it. After a much-too-long recording hiatus, I just finished a new album called WESTBOUND. It's a collection of songs of the American West, a place dear to my heart. I lived in Prescott, Arizona, for a while as a kid and, well, I just feel like I left a part of me out there in the deserts, mountains and plains.

I collected some lesser-recorded traditional songs and included five of my own compositions. One song on the album was written when I was about seventeen so, yeah, this project has been a long time coming. The WESTBOUND album download (or CD version) can be found on the Music Page.

Check back for 2022 tour dates and news!

YEEHAW!

I am making a real effort to set aside more "create" time for myself. If you are of a creative bent yourself, you know that can be a dangerous thing. The balky painting comes to life, the essay is coaxed onto the page after much fist-pounding and rending of raiment, the research on Victorian accessories turns into a pleasurable afternoon at the library, the knit-purl-knit-purl turns the corner and becomes a bed coverlet. Suddenly you are stepping over laundry to get to the coffeepot, there are dishes stacked in the oven, the dryer and, yes,  also in the dog's crate. The school has left four messages wanting to know when you are coming to pick up your children.

My solution was to set aside Wednesdays. Of course, weekends are out. Too many social/church/family engagements. Monday needs no explanation. We show up ready to attack the week...Monday announces that it has four days' worth of surprise stuff to shoehorn into the schedule.

Tuesdays and Thursdays seem businesslike to me so that's when I take care of teeth cleanings, oil changes, termite inspections and the like. (If I agree to meet you for lunch on Tuesday or Thursday, it doesn't NECESSARILY mean I consider it a chore. It could be Monday's doing that my schedule is off.)

The Beloved has taken to working from home on Fridays so that's not a good day for me to be plinking on the piano writing songs or throwing my laptop against the wall trying to complete a book chapter.

So, Wednesday. It has no real identity other than acting as Hump Day...the little hill that flutters our tummies as we speed from the first half of the work week to the last. On this day, I give myself permission to wear pj's until dark (then change into other pj's). I may set up shop on the dining table (or the sofa or the patio or the rug in the guest bedroom) and stack enough open books around me to research five doctoral dissertations. I can type Indian-style on the floor, lying down with a laptop on my tummy, curled in bed in a cloud of pillows. I can ditch the book I'm writing (which is taking for-EVer) and bang on the Kawai for a while...singing, yodeling, war-whooping, whatever. I might even go upstairs and break out the acrylics. They might become a sunflower or a tufted titmouse or a '53 Ford pickup by afternoon.

I have found that, in one hour, I can pretty much Rambo-clean my creative-messiness so that the house is back to its everyday-messiness by the time the housemates get home. By setting my cellphone alarm, I avoid the dangers of forgetting to pick up the kid or feed the dog, both of whom will nip at fingers when sufficiently neglected.

Have a great week, my friends. I hope you will save some time in it for YOU. We deserve a fun day. It makes us smile on all the other days.



 

We don't want to think about how many bananas were sacrificed for the betterment of mankind last weekend at the National Banana Pudding Festival. All we know is that the event (rain-shortened to just one day) was filled with everything good about this grand dessert of the South. The day was warm, sweet and left us all wanting more!

It was my honor to perform, backed by the great Zander Wyatt Band. Thanks to the crowd for hanging with us through a toasty afternoon and for singing/clapping along to our crazy set list that included some of my original tunes along with covers of favorites by Ray Charles, Dolly Parton, Ricky Skaggs and Chaka Khan. (What? You never heard a bluegrass version of "Tell Me Something Good?")

I'll be booking some shows in the Franklin and Nashville area SOON so check back for more info. Meanwhile, get out and enjoy the gorgeous fall weather. If you're an astronomy nerd like me, you'll be sitting outside at night this week watching the Draconid meteor shower. Eyes on the southwestern sky!

Wow! Is this a great planet or what? Of all the humans and all the pinpoints in the cyberspere, here we are face to face on my little website. I hope you find inspiration here, either in the form of music or encouraging words. Please drop me a line on the "Contact" page. I'd love to hear about you.