She Rocks Rocked!

Last week my friend Annie told me she’d been practicing the Serenity Prayer. You know — “grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” I decided I needed some practice too. 

It had been a month since my FB (Musician) Page was hacked and those obnoxious videos were launching every hour on the hour ever since. 😡 I’d been the squeakiest wheel only to get caught in the FB loop of automated responses thanking me for my patience. There was nothing left to do. I found the wisdom to know the difference.  

But then I woke up on the morning of the She Rocks Awards — an event that pays tribute to women who display leadership within the music industry (one of those women was yours truly) — and went down to the lobby of the Hilton to have a coffee. I can’t deny I was bummed I wouldn’t be able to share about the event on my Musician’s Page — the appropriate space for career endeavors. And then lo and behold…I picked up my phone and there it was. Page restored. Just when I had accepted the things I can not change. Go Universe and the mysterious powers of the Serenity Prayer!

The first thing I did was delete every one of those F&^!@ing videos. 😵‍💫 Then I went back to my room and taught my 3-hour songwriting class via the Hilton’s shaky Wifi and then headed to the venue for hair and makeup; posting updates along the way — making up for lost time. 😬 (I used to hate emojis.)

As the Mac artist put on my lashes, in walked the incomparable Judy Collins — with a new and thoroughly modern coif. I lost my shit. I walked right up to her bug-eyed I told her who she was as if she didn’t know. “You’re Judy Collins. OMG. You’re Judy Collins.” She could have asked a handler to escort me away but she hugged me instead. (Or maybe I hugged her!)

The show kicked off with Canadian rock band The Beaches. I loved their song “Grow Up Tomorrow.” Plus, they were having so much fun. Why aren’t more young women rocking out? And why are young people so afraid to grow up? 

We heard inspiring words from my fellow honoree: Noelle Scaggs of Fitz And the Tantrums about her organization Diversify The Stage: “Women are in greater positions of power to build new ways of thinking and actions that are truly moving the needle and bringing confidence to young people who may have felt they didn’t have a place here, or that the glass ceiling could never be broken.” (Maybe that’s why they’ve been afraid to grow up!)

Guitarist Gretchen Menn offered up some Zeppelin with her band Zepparella. We had YT personality Mary Spender, A&R powerhouse Michelle Bell of Roc Nation, rock photographer Lisa Johnson, drummer Katherine (Kat) Wing, School of Rocks’ Stacey Ryan and Hellen Culleton of Audiotonix. 

And then came Judy. I’m not gonna say what a BadAss she is cuz haven’t we tired of that word yet? That said if ever there was one 😳 it’s Judy Collins! She walked us through her long and wonderful journey in music with Humor. Spirit. Wisdom. Warmth. Class. 83-years young. Her advice to a life in this business — Give a little. Let go a lot. Give a little. Let go A lot.

I was being given the “Dream Out Loud Award.” They got THAT right! I dream out loud all the time. It doesn’t matter that the dreams don’t always come true. I continue because hope is good for the heart. I had so many feels about being recognized but I’ll just share what I said from the podium because it’s been on the forefront of my mind:

“I’m fully immersed in yet another decade of my life now and I often want to tell young people not to be afraid of growing up. (I swear I didn’t know the Beaches were going to play that song!) There are some things, except for waking up in the morning with a new wound after you fell asleep feeling fine — that actually get better. Simpler. Clearer. Easier. 

I believe that all my experiences combined have culminated into a confidence and knowing what I’m good at and…knowing what I suck at. And being ok with it. Knowing when it’s time to — what is that new word? Pivot.

One thing I know for sure is that creativity evolves. It doesn’t stop. Once I couldn’t imagine not being the go-to girl in the pop songwriting room. But then I kinda wasn’t. So I wrote a book. I made a record. Now I’m working on a Musical - a space I never imagined I would enter but I’m having as much fun as I had the day I wrote “Bitch” with Meredith.  

Longevity is a blessing and it’s not ironic  — to turn a phrase that Stephen (Sondheim) wrote and Judy sang — I’m just finding my timing this late in my career. I hope there are many more adventures ahead. 

And then I thanked my husband Adam, my wife Suzan, my beautiful daughter Layla, my ride-or-die Kristin, my parents who I miss terribly and my friends for never doubting me and of course any artist that ever recorded a song I wrote or co-writer who got in a room with me and took a chance. 

I wish that at the end of my speech I had brought it back to youth and told them to take all that dysfunction and channel it into their songs, and trust that down the line there will be clarity and that adulthood is not something to fear!

During the intro of my performance of “What A Girl Wants” I planned on extra-acknowledging my co-writer Guy Roche. Even though he wasn’t in the room, he was. Because he is half that song. But the spotlight shined in my eyes and I was a deer…I just started singing…5 BPMs too fast. So I’m sorry Guy! If you read this blog, please forgive me. I appreciate every minute we spent together.  

In 2017 then Recording Academy President Neil Portnow made a colossal blunder at the GRAMMYs. When he was asked why the show was so male dominated he replied that women needed to “step up.” It backfired big time. I always liked Neil and everybody sticks their foot in their mouth from time to time. This was one of those times. I’ll never forget it. But I’ll tell you what…it’s gotten better. The GRAMMYs made more and more room for us and the stage definitely got more inclusive. There’s still work to do. No doubt women are doing it. Because we have the courage to change things. 💜

Kudos to Bonnie Gallanter and Laura Whitmore, founders of The WiMN (The Women’s International Music Network* and producers of SheRocks), for keeping the light on us.

Rock on, She Rocks. 

Thanks for reading my weekly musings. If you'd like to subscribe to my blog please click here. Listen to my album 2.0 etc… Get a signed CD or a copy of “Confessions of a Serial Songwriter.” And here’s My newly re-installed Serial Songwriter Facebook Page! Amen.

*The WiMN seeks to create a hub to connect women in all facets of the music industry and works to expose role models, events and education opportunities that focus on women in music. Amen.