I’ve been recuperating from my sinus surgery and am feeling a lot better now, but I’ve fallen behind on a few things and one of them is the Houston Press Music Awards nomination. The deadline is tomorrow (Monday, May 18) at 9 a.m. The nomination process takes less than five minutes, and I would really appreciate it if you’d nominate me in the following categories if you get this email in time: songwriter, female vocals, folk, country, and Americana. It’s quick and easy at http://polls.houstonpress.com/polls/hou/musicawards09/ and just a few minutes of your time would surely help me out. I was nominated last year, and will hope to be on the ballot again this year if enough people write me in . . . In the meantime, I’m making plans to fly from Houston Intercontinental Airport to Newark next week, where I’ll be continuing my recording project with the Gin Mill Kings in the little studio at the edge of the Big Apple, and then traveling into Pennsylvania where I’ll be performing at Godfrey Daniels theater in Bethlehem on Thursday, May 28 at 8 p.m. I visited this charming town last December when I was there to see Raul Malo (The Mavericks) at Godfrey Daniels, and I felt as if I’d awakened in a Norman Rockwell Christmas scene. It doesn’t get more “Americana” than Bethlehem with its historical sites dating back into the 1700s, cobblestone streets, quaint architecture, and mountain view . . . the home of Bethlehem Steel and a popular tourist destination year ‘round: http://www.bethlehempa.org/ And Godfrey Daniels will be a delight. It’s a first-rate listening room that hosts some of the top touring acts in Americana music. I was impressed by the sound quality when I was in the audience there a few months ago, and can hardly wait to get on the other side of that mic on the 28th! Rooms like this one are all too rare. And there’s more, too: On Sunday, May 31 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. EST I’ll be appearing on one of my favorite Americana radio shows, “Dawn’s Country Brunch” with Dawn Warner at WXLV Roots FM 90.3. WXLV is one of the biggest Roots/Americana radio stations in the nation today, and they’ve put a great deal of effort into promoting my appearances up there. It’s been a lot of fun sitting here at home in Houston with my dog Lilly and listening to the XLV commercials and deejays announcing my impending arrival! I hope that you will join us Sunday, May 31 online at http://www.wxlv.org. We’ll be having a potluck brunch provided by the good people of Pennsylvania, and I’ll be singing some songs from my life in Texas . . . Y’all come!