Moving Forward, Big Things Ahead.

People ask me all the time why I haven't tried out for the Voice or American Idol. I take that as a compliment, that they like my voice and they think I could be on the show. But I see my purpose as being much more than being famous. I would actually be quite content if I'm never world famous, because that's not where I put my hope. If I trusted in music or money or stuff to make me happy, I might as well quit now. The only solid thing I can put my hope in is Jesus Christ, and He is the one who gives and takes away, opens and closes doors.

It's been awhile since I posted an update about my goals and the future of my music. Frankly because I've been trying to figure that out myself. Last year, I launched my own radio show which airs twice a week, and preparing those shows has taken a lot of time. I have learned so much from that experience, and have heard many testimonies through the interviews that have encouraged me along the way. God has such a creative plan that we can't always see coming. His bigger picture is way better than anything I could dream up.

That's where I'm at. I'm in awe at where I've been placed in my life, and I see how things in the past have shaped who I am. I have had so many de ja vu moments, where I feel like I've been in places or situations before. It almost feels familiar. I take that as a confirmation that God has gone before me and He is never surprised by what happens. He is not confined by time and is always working towards the good and towards His glory.

I'm 21, and it has almost been 10 years since I began writing music. All through middle school and high school I wrote songs, practiced and learned about the music business. I have been willing to work hard, to do something every day, and to always try my best. Music is an expression for me to share what I'm going through and what I'm feeling. It's been a great outlet that helps me process my own thoughts. I have played these songs hundreds of times and met many amazing people along the way who have encouraged me and supported me. I try to pay it forward and invest in other people's lives, like so many do for me.

By the time I graduated high school, I knew I wanted to play music full time. For the past 3 years, I have been playing around 200 gigs a year, at weddings, coffee shops, restaurants, churches, colleges, community events and festivals. I have been songwriting, recording, traveling, marketing, designing, printing, booking, and learning how each piece of the process works. As an independent self-employed musician, I've had to do a little bit of everything. As momentum builds in my music career, I realize I can't do everything myself. I am currently praying that God will help build a team of people around me to help and organize the business side of the music, so that it can continue to grow and thrive. Please pray with me in that! He knows what I need.

There are some big opportunities coming up that could potentially take my music career to the next level. I am working with a different producer to begin recording a new album! I am very excited to experiment and create the sound and style that I hear in my head. It's going to be an indie folk sound, with lots of acoustic instruments, strong vocals and creative harmonies. We are going to release the first song as a single soon, to give everyone an idea of the new direction. The first song is called "Troublesome Heart". The message goes against the popular opinion of following your heart, and it is about choosing to do what is right, no matter what it feels like. We are at the beginning stages of writing the rest of the songs for the album, but I will keep you updated on the progress.  I'm planning to set up a crowd funding campaign where fans can be a part of creating the album and helping me fund it while getting some awesome rewards! That will probably happen this fall. Let me know any ideas that you have for rewards!

This year I have also had many opportunities to record background vocals on country albums. Several of those artists have cut songs from my last CD, "Beloved". I love being in the studio and gaining experience. It is the biggest compliment for someone else to sing my songs, and to know that it relates to them.

We have released several professional music videos to songs from my last CD, and I plan to make several more videos before the end of the year. Never underestimate the power of YouTube. This past week, a company called me that found a live video of one of my songs on YouTube, and they asked about licensing it for a new commercial! We are in talks now to work out the details, but I'm very excited about the opportunity for my music to reach a whole new audience, possibly on a national level.

We will be re-designing and re-launching my website in the next month or so, with a more professional presentation and easier navigation. I am willing to invest in taking things to the next level, one step at a time. I feel peace and motivation at the same time, to be a good steward of the time and resources that I have. I want to do the right thing, and try to have discernment about what to say no to and what to move forward with. I feel like this is perfect timing to work on defining my image, to be ready when the world wonders what I'm all about.

With so much going on, it's hard to keep everyone updated through Facebook. I try to let everyone know what's going on, but it's difficult to get through all the clutter and "noise". With the re-launch of my website, I will be setting up an email list to keep you in the loop and get new music to you first!

If you read through this whole post, I just wanna say WOW, and THANK YOU. I know it's a long one and the fact that you took the time to read it shows that you care.  I appreciate your support of my music and ministry. Please pray for me to continue to have direction about the decisions that I need to make that will honor God and give Him the most glory. I would love to hear what you think and any ideas you may have. Don't be a stranger!

Email me at lydiawalkermusic@gmail.com, call me at 866-672-9034, or comment below!


DOWNLOAD LYDIA'S MUSIC ON iTUNES: CLICK HERE!

Drum roll, please...

There's a big opportunity that I have been so excited to announce, and can finally tell you!


I'm going to host my own radio show! :D


After working out the details, I am proud to announce that the show will start airing in July! We will broadcast every Tuesday & Friday, from 11am-noon. It will be called, uniquely, The Lydia Walker Show! The station is 105.1 FM WVRY, and has a huge 50,000 watt signal across Middle TN & KY.


We met with some friends who own the station, and were talking with them about getting airplay for my songs.  They mentioned needing someone to host a morning show during the week. I jumped right in, and said, "Hey, I could do that." :)


I am so excited about this new endeavor, and can't wait to see how it all comes together. I plan to interview other Christian musicians, discuss various topics, and play inspirational and uplifting music. Watch for new updates on who I will be interviewing on the show! If you have any suggestions, please let me know. :)


My next step in the preparation process is to find sponsors for my show. If you, or someone you know, own a business that would be interested in radio advertising in the Middle TN  & Southern KY area, please let me know! I believe that the spots will fill up fast. Pray with me that the right people will hear about it and be able to sponsor the show.

My God Shall Supply All My Needs

I just want to brag on God, and how He provides for His children. The Word tells us...

"And my God will supply every need of yours according to the riches in glory in Jesus Christ." - Philippians 4:19

Let me tell you, God provides for me in more ways than I realize. But sometimes He likes to show off. He moved some sweet friends to give me a brand new sound system. I hadn't even asked, but He laid it on their hearts to bless me with this wonderful gift. I have used my sound system for several years, at hundreds of shows, and it has a lot of wear. We have patched it and fixed it several times, but it was falling apart. So thankful for this provision, at the perfect timing!

The Lord is bringing new opportunities and opening doors. Pray for me to have guidance and to move in the right direction. I want to make good decisions and use my music for God's glory.

Thank you to everyone who has supported me and encouraged me. Your prayers mean the world!

Picking Up My Dream Guitar!

Today I picked up my dream guitar at Mary's Music in Clarksville, TN! I've always wanted a Taylor 314ce, complete with the Taylor Expression System. The most exciting and amazing part is that I have YOU to thank! On my birthday this year, I set up a "Guitar Fund" for my friends and fans to donate towards my new guitar. And they did! This would not be possible without you! Thank you so much for believing in me and supporting my music.

I made a video of picking up the guitar, to show you how excited I was and so you could see how your donations were used. I will be taking good care of the guitar and playing it at my shows. Watch the video here:

If you'd like to support my music, you can download a copy of my new "Beloved" album wherever you download music!

Silence.

How ironic that my first blog post is about silence. After all, I'm a singer by profession, and my work consists highly of sound. If I'm not on stage singing, I'm usually talking to someone or humming as I go about my day. To think that the 176 shows I played in 2011, many times singing for several hours, was only part of the strain I put on my voice. My vocal chords are probably the most exercised muscle in my body. I suppose that makes me an athlete of sorts. But to whom much [strain] is given, much [rest] is required. That's where my story of silence comes in.

Last Thursday (1/19/12), I woke up at 4AM with a swollen sore throat, making it painful to swallow. In a half conscious daze, I stumbled to the kitchen to find a remedy for the ache. A bottle of water and some ibuprofen helped relieve the pain enough to go back to sleep. When I woke later in the morning, the pain was still there. So I decided it was probably a good idea to go on vocal rest.

Funny, I didn't realize how much I talked until I was trying not to. Even though I told my family I was trying to rest my voice, they asked me questions that required more than a nod or shake of my head. I've heard using a notepad is helpful, but I didn't use one. I just tried to answer their questions without speaking loudly. I was motivated to rest my voice, but constantly being around people made it difficult to be quiet. I found the most restful time for me that day was attaching 500 stickers to my Valentine Concert invitations, in a room by myself.

In an attempt to soothe my sore throat, I drank warm apple cider with pineapple juice, and lots of water. I also sprinkled some salt in the back of my throat, letting it dissolve, then gargling. That helped bring down the swelling and temporarily eliminated some of the pain. So during the day Thursday, I tried to treat it with those home remedies.

Friday came around and I woke up with the same symptom. No cough or sinus problems, just a sore throat. So I made an appointment with my Doctor to check it out. Thankfully it wasn't strep, and he said that antibiotics wouldn't help me in this situation. So he advised me to rest my voice, suck on some Sucrets to numb the pain in my throat, and to drink lots of warm liquids. His definition of warm liquids was "hot chocolate". I told him that would not be a problem. ;) Throughout the next few days, I enjoyed hot chocolate to my tummy's content, under the guilt-less "doctor's orders".

Discovering Sucrets made me really excited, and I wondered why I hadn't heard about them before. After using the first one, I said, "Oral anesthetics are awesome! I don't feel anything!" <--- Again, talking while on vocal rest! Tsk tsk. I felt like Jar Jar Binks when his tongue was numb.

Friday night I was supposed to be the opening act for my friends, ExitRight. I had agreed to play three songs, but hadn't sung for two days. I wasn't sure if my voice would work right, but I rested it, then slowly warmed up with humming and lip rolls that I learned from a Brett Manning workshop. The three songs went well and the night was a success. The audience was gracious, and encouraged me to get my rest and not to over do it. So I took it easy for a few more days, and I'm starting to feel better.

I'm realizing that silence is a precious commodity that we should embrace and enjoy. I think our culture is so used to being surrounded by constant noise, that we are almost afraid of silence. Maybe you're like me and hardly ever take a break from the hustle and bustle. But what I've found in the moments of quiet, is that I can collect my thoughts, rest my mind, and open my heart to hear the still small voice that wants to speak healing over me. I believe God calms our storms so He can speak to us in the Silence.