What is the date?

O-Oh...it's almost the end of the month and I'm not done again...yet.

I am in a motel in Chattanooga TN, I have the week off between shows so today I plan to finish up the April CD.

I think I have 3-4 songs left to record...not sure.

I'll post again today and let you know where I'm at.

First I need to get lunch! Can't record on an empty tummy.

Using a vintage PEARL guitar to record

I am very excited today, still on schedule recording at least one song a day all week. Today I am recording a song by one of my regular co-writers an friend Monty Harper from Oklahoma...so what does this have to do with a vintage PEARL guitar...and what the heck is a PEARL guitar anyway? read on...

The song is called "Pop Up. Sit Down" for the "Moving Day" CD (#4 of 12). The tune had a real Beatle-ly 1960's feel, so I took a piece of history off the shelf. A sort of Gibson SG knock off made in the 70's I think. But here is the weird part, the guitar has a PEARL drum logo on it! Has anyone ever seen one of these? I'd like to know more about it, it was given to me by a super fan back in my (grown-up) rock and roll touring days.

It has a REAL Bigsby vibrato arm (not a whammy bar kids!). Sounds very, very old school.

I recorded it direct into the iPad, 3 takes with different vintage amps...tweed, silver face and Vox.

Recording is going great, I'm doing it in the kitchen again to keep my blood flow going and burn a few ext a calories.

the song is just about done, I need to record some kids and lucky for me some are coming over tomorrow, my friends asked me to babysit...so I'll put them to work!

All in all a great day, planning to record a few songs with my son and daughter this weekend.

More shots of the old axe...

Somebody tell me more about this guitar, please?

A song a day makes the anxiety go away

Finally, I'm back on track, recording one or more songs a day for the new CD.

I'm set up back in the kitchen so I can spends more time out of my chair...I like my chair, but too much of a good thing...

When I was doing research for this CD I pick the brains of as many other successful kids performers as I could to get their ideas on what worked well at live shows. The new song, "In a Circle" was inspired by Peter Apel www.peterapel.com, he told me that his circle song (Walking in a Circle) was highlight of his show, so I took a stab at, doing my kind of music to what would normally be a pretty basic track.

I recorded all the basic tracks on the iPad and moved it over to the MacBook to do vocals and effects...which I took to a new extreme, I think. In one verse I tell the kids to go backwards and sine I'm wearing my Jimi Hendris shirt today I decided to do that verse in reverse! Problem is that GarageBand doesn't do reverse, so I looked it up and figured out I needed to download Audacity (great free program) and it took about 10 seconds to make some backwards parts.

Here is the track, did a lot of unusual stuff in a simple song...what do you think...too much?

Do you think little kids and teachers will dig it?

Listen, does this song motivate you?

Here is the track "Locomotivation" from my next CD (4 of 12) called "Moving Day".

Give it a listen and let me know what you think, OK?

Locomotivation in the kitchen!

Today I am recording a new song called "Locomotivation" (I LOVE that title).

This song was sent to me by by friend, super songwriter/producer Dave Kinnoin. He originally submitted the lyrics (below) for me to put music and melodies to for the last train themed CD (All Aboard the Rock and Roll Train), but due to a lack of time I couldn't get to it. The I realized the lyrics worked great for the new theme of moving! Yea!

Dave got together with Jimmy Hammer to finish the tune, he sent me a demo and now I am recording it in my kitchen over the dishwasher next to the microwave!

 Here Are the lyrics, I'll post the track later today or tomorrow.

 LOCOMOTIVATION
Dave Kinnoin/Jimmy Hammer Copyright 2012 Song Wizard Music (ASCAP) and Sync Track (ASCAP)

I get off my bike
Under a tree,
Lie down for a nap,
Just my dog 'n me.
In the clouds I see an engine
And some cars and a caboose.
Then a voice calls "All aboard!"
And I just let it all run loose. 

Locomotivation- Railroad extreme,
A fiery desire
To blow some steam.
Woo-ooo,
 Clickety-clack,
I ride my train of thought to dreamland  and back.
Locomotivation.
Locomotivation.
Locomotivation.
Locomotivation.

All the scenery
Passes by quick
As back down on Earth
Poochie chews a stick.
In the dining car,
I snack on Cashew nuts and iced green tea.
"Howdy-do?" asked the conductor.
I reply, "All's fine with me!"

What causes me to while away
The afternoon, to smile away?
What makes my heart chug and clank?
I give that whistle pull cord a mighty yank... Locomotivation!

Walking the Bulldog

Hoary! I finally finish one song on the next CD. I did it all on the new/old Macbook I talked about in my last post. The basic song is an old Rufus Thomas cover of Walking the Dog mixed with the hook-y part of Hey Bulldog by The Beatles!

For you techies out there, I used a 2009 Macbook, Garageband 11, a USB Samson mic and a guitar. All the sounds except for voice and guitar are from Garageband. 12 tracks in all, took about 3 hours of majorly interrupted time

Here is the track, tell me what you think.

Hello Old MacBook My New Friend

Apple recently discontinued the MacBook and went to just offering the MacBook Pro...good news for me! Now that the old MacBooks have been phased out owners of these 2-4 year old dinosaurs are selling them...CHEAP!

So yesterday I picked one up, loaded the new GarageBand on it and I plan to use it to record the next CD. I have already made some tracks on the iPad andean to use it to cash in on the Smart Instruments (which to my surprise the Mac version is missing, OMG!).

Anyway, still just trying to get this project started. I've pick a bunch of songs, started writing others and I've been toying with the new computer.

Still need an accordion player ( or keyboard God that can emulate one).

Hang in there, this should turn into a madhouse as I get closer to the deadline!

Hula Hoopla, first song written for the next CD

I am so excited, I just wrote the first song for the new CD (4 of 12). It's called Hula Hoopla.

The music is going to be like "Wipe Out" with lyrics. Here are the lyrics, let me know what you think.

Photo by awesome kids singer and air guitar ninja Will Hale

Hula Hoopla By William Charles Grisack III (c) 2012 

As early as 500 BC
All the way to our century
There's been a form of exercise
To move your core shake your thighs
In the 1950's it became a splash
Hula hoopla caught on like a flash
Spin a round, spin a round
Spin a round, spin a round
Round and round and round and round
Spin a round

Before the hula hoop got it's name
Before molded plastic made it's frame
Before the stripes and shakers inside
Before Wham-o Toys put their logo wide
 Just a wooden toy boys and girls wore out
Hula hoopla still makes kids shout!
Spin a round, spin a round
Spin a round, spin a round
Round and round and round and round
Spin a round

You can spin one, two or three
Even more but don't hit you knee
If you do they all might fall
One by one you might drop them all
But once you get it down you won't stop
Hula hoopla really rocks!

Spin a round, spin a round
Spin a round, spin a round
Round and round and round and round
Spin a round

The New CD cover, what do you think?

As I mentioned before I'm a week behind starting the new CD. Usually I pick a topic, write or find songs, record and do the artwork...BUT I am totally doing this CD backwards. First I did the cover, here it is...do you like it?

I did cartoon versions of Wil and Taelor for the last CD, but this is the first time I have ever cartooned my wife Cathi.

Next I am picking the songs I want to do, but then I have to write them...after that I guess I'll record...need to get the whole thing done before the end of the month...crazy huh?

So what happened to CD 4?

I have a confession to make, recording a CD on location is a LOT harder than working at home! When I first started this project I planned to record for about a week, edit for a week and do the mix, artwork and release in week three. That would give me a week off before I stared the process all over.

That worked for CD 1 & 2, but when I took CD 3 on the road ( to the railroad museums), thing took way longer. In fact I barely made was able to release the CD before the month of April.

I was so wiped out that I decided to take a week off before I started the next CD. The next CD, April release, is called "Moving Day", 12 song about moving, dancing, exercising...I was supposed to start today. So far all I have done is ask folks for song ideas and ( ready for this?) started the ARTWORK! See below.

Here are some of the ideas I have gotten so far.

Have a Ball
Clap Your Hands
What I Say
Wave Hello
Freeze Game
Hoola Hoopla
Yoga
Jumping jack
Fast and slow
The Circle Song
Puddle Dance
Moving Day
Twist and shout
Tortoise and the Hare
Moving madness medley
Ants go marching
Limbo
chicken dance
Electric slide
Macarena
Time warp
Mashed potato
Penguin waddle

Do any of my musician/songwriting friends have any ideas or music tracks/loops to add?

Let me know, here I go off on another recording adventure!

The Kids Music Easter Egg Hunt Contest is Happening Now!

Peter Cottontail and Mr. Billy are hopping all over the CD Baby website leaving songs for eager Easter bunnies to find and download for FREE. But if that wasn't enough, the family favorite singer songrocker is holding a contest...and the grand prize is HUGE!

The winner of the contest will get a FREE private Mr. Billy concert in their home, school, library or any other venue of their choice. If the winner is local Mr. Billy will appear at no cost to the winner. If the winner lives in another state or country they have the option of paying for the performers travel expenses or having their private show delivered through SKYPE or uStream on their computer (free of charge).

So what is the contest and how do you win? Simple...

Just visit the Mr. Billy CD distributor CD Baby at http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/MrBilly and start looking for FREE downloads (hint, there are over 20!).

Send the number of free downloads along with the titles and if you have the total and song titles correct, YOU WIN! All entries must be sent to hello@misterbilly.com

The contest starts right now and ends on Easter Day at 11:59 PM CST.

If two or more contestants have the correct number and titles the grand prize winner will be chosen at random by an independent 3rd party.

Everyone wins! There are over 20 songs FREE for the taking worth about $1 each...what are you waiting for go hop over to http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/MrBilly and start searching now! Good luck!

Can you MOVE me please?

OK, new month new CD (this will be CD #4 of 12) , right? One problem...the last CD took 2 weeks longer then expected so I never had time to write or find the songs for the next CD.

This CD is all about MOVING. Songs with movements, dance, exercise...you get it.

Please send me your ideas for songs original of classic ASAP, I should be recording right now!

If you know a great song and want to send a track for it on your instrument or a midi production, cool, I'm all ears today.

The new CD is called 'Moving Day!" I have two of my older songs that I'm going to re-record, "What I Say" ("Simon Says" kinda thing) and "ClapYour Hands" ("If You're Happy and You Know it"-ish). That'all I got.

HELP!

12 CDs in a year is too easy

Today April 1, 2012 i realized that its just too darn easy to do a CD in a month. Starting today I will write, record, produce, master, mix, make videos, have a CD release party and do a multi-city tour each day.

I will start off by doing a CD based on the novel War and Peace followed by CDs based on Lord of the Rings, Star Wars (all episodes), Friday the 13th and all information on Wikipedia.

I will rename my blog 365 CDs in 365 Days and go to Disneyland in my spare time.

Oh, BTW all my songs on http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/MrBilly are free today.

Happy April 1