2019 is here and there’s lots of newsy news!

Hey 2019…

Tuesday Jan 1, 2019

icon get over here already!!
Thank you to for the awesome photo! 

Greetings, friends and fellow music lovers — and happy new year!

I love this time of introspection and reflection, and I’ve been doing my share of staring at the fire in my jammies. 2018 was an incredible year, and I can’t wait to see what this next year has in store for us all! While I’m still working on my vision board for 2019, I want to tell you about some things coming right up. As always I hope you’ll scroll down for show details, musings, random photos, gratitude and news!

Thu, Jan 17 – Germantown, MD – BlackRock Center for the Arts

Fri, Jan 18 –  Annapolis, MD – 49 West Coffeehouse & Listening Room w/Marc Douglas Berardo

Sat, Jan 19 – Winson-Salem, NC – Muddy Creek Cafe & Music Hall w/Sarah Siskind

Sun, Jan 20 – Asheville, NC – Isis Music Hall w/Sarah Siskind

Fri, Jan 25 – Duluth, GA  – Red Clay Music Foundry w/Sarah Siskind

Thu, Jan 31 – Lincoln City, OR – Stand and Sway @ Lincoln City Cultural Center

Sat, Feb 2 –  Portland, OR – Stand and Sway @ Doverlaff House Concerts

 

1. GRATITUDE. December was quiet on the touring front, but I am so grateful to all who came out and supported our holiday benefit shows in Eugene and Portland! The Caldera Songwriters and Tsunami Books and the generous people of Eugene raised over $1650 and truckloads of warm things for Egan Warming Centers. And in Portland all of the songwriters and the generous Artichoke folks raised $800 for non-profit Artichoke Music and overflowing bins of socks and warm things for Transition Projects. These two nights resonated with the warmth and generosity and kindness of people who truly care for others, and it left my heart soaring all the way into the end of 2018. Special thanks to KLCC and Dan Plaster, the Eugene Weekly, KRVM, and Steve & Debbie!

2. THE NEWS. The big news around here is a shift of focus for 2019. I am so excited about my new duo project called Stand and Sway with Ara Lee James, and we are both excited to shine a light on this work in the new year. I will still be doing my solo work, but I will be putting lots of energy into this new duo project. Ara is a one-of-a-kind friend, musician, human, and Voice and I am so grateful for this amazing alchemy we have discovered when we merge our musical selves! We recorded an album called DEEP BLUE with the great Steven Tracy at Saint Cecilia Studio here in Portland, and we are getting the artwork together as we speak so that we can do a late spring release! We will be touring regionally and playing festivals and developing workshops and going where the energy is. We were fortunate to get to make a video over at Ear Trumpet Labs last month, and we also got to make two videos at the Rye Room Sessions with poet-goddess Anna Tivel as our special guest. I will share those as soon as they are out! Here is a little preview of a song off the album and our website. We’ve got some really excited shows coming up, and we are still busy making plans. Holler if you have ideas!

Other news involves a new studio space here in Portland! In January, Ara and I will each be offering private lessons from our new studio space at Mt Tabor Music School! I would love to work with you on songs, dynamics, delivery, singing. And I can do Skype lessons if you don’t live here in Portland! Please reach out if you are interested or have questions at bethwoodmusic [AT] hotmail.com.

My new album THE LONG ROAD is out there soaring in the world and I’m so grateful to The Press House, 2Jeffs on Music, and Bill Wence Promotions for helping it fly! The radio campaign is just gearing up and we are focusing on non-commercial, Americana and roots, and smaller country stations. Also I’m so excited that three songs have been picked up by Starbucks and will be played in their retail stores – hopefully starting in January. I will keep you posted on that! You can listen here on Spotify and download at iTunes and Amazon, and if you’re like me and you like holding a CD in your hand, you can order one here!

I’ve been working hard with my friend the great Nathan Brown from Mezcalita Press on my new book FACEPALM: Scenes From the Merch Table! I’m serious, y’all… I really did write these stories down and I’ve had the best time doing it! I’m excited to work with Jen Blair again on the design. Jen did the design for my Ladder to the Light poetry book and I just loved how that turned out. This one will of course be more whimsical and fun…check out one of her illustrations she sent me, ha!

This month I’m excited to do some east coast shows! I will be visiting BlackRock Center for the Arts in Germantown, MD for the first time for a solo show. Then I’m stoked to get to share an evening with Marc Douglas Berardo in Annapolis! After that I will be doing a few shows with Sarah Siskind to help spread the word about the Songsmith Gathering songwriters festival in Brevard the song school that we started there last year! We will be back in mid May for another Songsmith Song School with more workshops, song circles, community building through song! I hope you’ll come see us in Winston-Salem, Asheville or Duluth, GA! (Now listen up, Atlanta peeps. I know Duluth is outside the perimeter, and it defies all logic to drive that far, but it is one of most beautiful venues I have ever stepped foot in and I have seen A LOT of venues! I promise you this evening will be worth the drive!) And to wind the month down, Stand and Sway will be playing at the Lincoln City Cultural Center and here in Portland at one of the most fun house concerts ever – Doverlaff!

 

3. JANUARY SHOWS…life is so uncertain, please call ahead!

Thu, Jan 17 – BlackRock Center for the Arts – Germantown, MD.12901 Town Commons Drive. BlackRock Center for the Arts brings inspiring performing and visual arts experiences to diverse audiences in a welcoming and intimate setting, providing opportunities to explore, celebrate and engage in the arts. Join us for 3rd Thursdays (Singer & Songwriter) Series! $25-$35. 7:30 pm.

Fri, Jan 18 – 49 West Coffeehouse & Listening Room – Annapolis, MD. 49 West brings art, music, and community together with great food and drink in an ambiance inspired by the traditional European coffeehouse. Reservations are strongly recommended, so please call us at 410-626-9796. Co-bill with Marc Douglas Berardo! Tickets $20. Limited seating. Make reservation: http://49westcoffeehouse.com/contact/ 7:30 pm.

Sat, Jan 19 – Muddy Creek Cafe & Music Hall – Winson-Salem, NC. 336-972-8623. 5455 Bethania Road. BW teams up with Sarah Siskind for a Songsmith Gathering preview show! All ages show $20 advance/$25 door. 8 pm.

Sun, Jan 20 – Isis Music Hall – Asheville, NC. EARLY SHOW! 743 Haywood Road. 828-450-5385. Join us at west Asheville’s favorite listening room for an evening of story, harmony and song with BW and Sarah Siskind! $12 adv/$15 at the door. 6 pm.

Fri, Jan 25 – Red Clay Music Foundry – Duluth, GA. 3116 Main Street Duluth, GA. 404-478-2749 . Eddie Owen Presents: Beth Wood and Sarah Siskind at the Red Clay Music Foundry. Eddie Owen Presents is the songwriter’s best friend. It is a music venue, music school, and a home away from home for a performing songwriter and their fans. We are based in Duluth, Georgia at Red Clay Music Foundry – a 260-seat listening room that hosts the most talented musicians on the planet. 7pm doors, 8 pm music. $20 in advance/$25 day of show. 8 pm.

Thu, Jan 31 – Stand and Sway @ Lincoln City Cultural Center – Lincoln City, OR. 540 NE Hwy 101. Along Oregon’s central coast, Lincoln City Cultural Center invites all ages through its doors, with offerings of creative classes, activities, exhibits and events that are designed to enrich the Lincoln City community and to celebrate the artist in each of us. LCCC is a center for learning, with gallery exhibitions, dance and musical performances, poetry readings, film festivals, and other entertainment for all members of the family. BW is delighted to return to LCCC, this time with her duo project Stand and Sway, with Ara Lee James. 7 pm. All ages welcome.

Sat, Feb 2 – Stand and Sway @ Doverlaff House Concerts – Portland, OR. 7326 SE Woodward St. Stand and Sway (BW and Ara James) duo show! Doverlaff House Concerts is a beloved intimate house concert series hosted by Dan & Cheryl in their listening room basement, aka The Tiki Lounge. Join us for an evening of story, song, stomping, laugther, and powerful voices! $20 suggested donation. Please email or call Dan for info at dan [AT] doverlaffhouseconcerts.org or 503-730-3189. 7:30 pm.

 

Oh how it warms my heart to remember this night at Tsunami Books. The Caldera Songwriters and the good people of Eugene ushered in the holiday spirit with warmth, generosity and laughter.

and thank you Dan Plaster for having us on your show The Front Porch on KLCC!

love this pic from the grand finale at Artichoke Music’s holiday concert. Elizabeth Campbell always takes such beautiful photographs and manages to capture the spirit of the moment! 

Ok y’all there have been rumors going around that I have been playing with shoes on and I have to confirm it’s true. Lately I’ve just been feeling like it! So from now on I’m just gonna do what feels good. And sometimes wearing pointy boots feels damn good! 🙂

Oh what fun we had with our family music workshop at the St Johns Racquet Center! My friend Bob Howard created the music program there and invited me to be a part of the fun! We sang and played together and ate some of the most delicious home cooked food I’ve ever had! 

I’m so excited about having a studio space at the Mt Tabor School! They even have a little stage for open mic nights! Stay tuned for the fun stuff we are cookin up… 

and OMYGAWD aren’t these the cutest chairs ever?! Welcome to our new studio!

Love this poster Sarah made for our shows coming up… Sarah is a force of nature, y’all. If you’ve never seen her perform live she’s gonna blow your socks off. And you’ve probably heard her songs a million times on the TV show ‘Nashville’…

and we had such a fun photo shoot with the amazing Michelle McAfee! Ara had always loved this little space at Woodlawn Coffee and they were gracious enough to let us fool around out there. The sun was out for just the right amount of time and it was so magical and fun! 

here’s Michelle working her magic… thank you SO MUCH, Michelle! 

and ohmygosh I love these! 

 hell yeah!

Ok let’s be honest, y’all. This is how I was feeling when December came around. 🙂 Thanks to my buddy Murray for the sweet snuggles and thanks to Shannon for letting me love on this little nugget. You can follow Murray on instagram @murraythepittiepup !

4. THE FUTURE… Often times when thinking about the future, I see where I want to go but I can’t really see how to get there. Part of my work has been trusting that the ‘how’ will reveal itself in time. So the future for me in 2019 looks like this: envision, attract, allow. I don’t want to push, I don’t want to force. I want to work hard and go where there is energy for the work I’m doing. So here’s to new beginnings and cheers to the new year!

I am so grateful for this life in music. I am so grateful for you every day. Thank you for reading, listening, hearing, cheering me on. May your 2019 be filled with joy and peace and ease. I hope to see you soon! With much gratitude from your fan, 

Beth Wood

PO Box 10141

Portland, OR 97296

www.bethwoodmusic.com

www.standandsway.com

Holler at me: bethwoodmusic [AT] hotmail.com

Here I am with my face on Facebook.

I barely know how to use it but I’m tryin’ on Twitter

Find me on Instagram! @bethwoodmusic.com

For the love of Pete, somebody please help me with Youtube!

 

Down the road a piece…

Mar 1 – Stand and Sway @ Concerts at the Barn – Kingston, WA

Mar 2 – Stand and Sway @ Chicken Barn Concerts – Whidbey Island, WA

Mar 3 – Stand and Sway w/The Aurora Chorus – Portland, OR

Mar 9 – Stand and Sway @ House Concert – Medford, OR

Mar 15 – Old Kitchen Rug Brewery House Concert w/David Stoddard – St. Louis Park, MN

Mar 16 – House Concert w/David Stoddard – Waconia, MN 

Mar 18 – Harmony for Mayo in Lips Atrium – Rochester, MN

Mar 22 – House Concert w/Edie Carey – Colorado Springs, CO

Mar 23 – Swallow Hill w/Edie Carey – Denver, CO

Mar 30 – Stand and Sway @ Peninsula Arts Center – Long Beach, WA

Apr 1 – Songwriters in the Round @ The Vault – Portland, OR

Apr 6 – House Concert – Lake Eufala, OK w/Tom Faulkner

Apr 12 – House Concert – Kingwood, TX

Apr 13 – Clear Creek Harbor House Concerts – League City, TX

Apr 14 – Backyard at Gruene – Gruene, TX

Apr 26 – Stand and Sway @ Northwind Arts Center – Port Townsend, WA