Dan's Newsletter
WINTER NEWSLETTER
Happy 2008 Everyone!
2007 was an awesome year and I hope this year will be even better. There has been so much going on in the past few months and I'm glad to finally get the newsletter written for you. Since the last time you heard from me... I have played over 50 concerts in 18 states, taught at Rock and Roll camp for a week, driven more miles than anyone should, written a whole bunch of songs, made some great salsa, slept a little, drank a lot of coffee, and I got some cool new shirts. I have had a great time in all the adventures I've had so far this year... I've hardly been home in the last 6 months and I'm looking forward to actually spending a couple months at home catching up on life, cooking some great food and getting the time to start working on the new record again.
Song of the Week
The Goal is to release 50 Mp3s (5 Groups of 10 songs) in 2008... Maybe I'll even throw an extra couple of songs to make 52... one for each week. Each Song will be only 99 cents or you can save a couple bucks by buying each series of 10 all at once. It will be a fun way for YOU to get more music and an easy way to help me fund new studio records 99 cents at a time.
What Mp3s will be included? New Songs, Old Songs, Unreleased Songs, Stories... all sorts of surprises! There will be lots of songs, stories and versions of songs that haven't been on any album before. I have a lot of ideas of what to do with this series... Feel free to let me know if you have suggestions of songs you'd like to see as part of the song of the week...
The Songwriting Challenge
If you knew me in my late teenage years, you may remember that I often used to write songs every week... sometimes multiple songs a week... and then would usually drive to Mount Pleasant and play the new songs on Tuesdays at the University Cup Coffeehouse and then on Wednesdays at an amazing little open mic at the now defunct Mag's Coffeehouse. It didn't seem like anything special that I was writing so many songs... It wasn't long before I acquired hundreds of songs... At some point I decided to not write as much to concentrate on developing the songs that I had already written, memorizing them, recording them... etc. Basically, I've decided to start writing a lot again and I set a goal that started at the end of August. The goal is to write a new song every week (or equivalent to) for the rest of the year... which basically means 20 new songs! (Everyone likes new songs.) I'm doing well currently and have lots of crazy ideas of what to do with the songs.
The Summer Tour and Rock and Roll Camp
Summer seems so far away... but I want to thank everyone for an amazing summer of touring! This summer was the most amazing tour I've ever done... My favorite ever! I'm still catching up from being gone for a couple months straight... hence this newsletter being posted a little late...etc. I finally got all of the photos and Journals from my summer full of touring posted... Go and Read the JOURNALS to hear stories about Harry Potter, Police Raids, Vampires, Eating Hammers, Car Accidents, Rock and Roll Camp, a Yeti, Good Food, 94 year-old birthday parties and ummm... even some stories about the music I played this summer...
Summer Tour Journals and Photos:
http://www.danvaillancourt.com/journal.php
Rock and Roll camp was great again this year! Check out the photos that I took from at Camp in my Photo Section of Myspace or you can see slideshows on the Journals...
Check out The Rock and Roll Camper's songs, more photos, and more on their Official Myspace Page: http://www.myspace.com/rockcamp2007
Song Camp
-I've always wanted a music camp for adults that is kinda like the rock and roll camp that I teach at. Charlie Cheney answered my prayers and created Charliefest Songcamp. It was more than I could have hoped for... Charlie handpicked a dozen-ish songwriters from around the country that all got together and we all got together and co-wrote songs, recorded them... and ate a lot of great food and had a lot of fun. I co-wrote 4 songs with some great folks! Check out Song Camp: http://www.charliefest.com
MERCH STORE
I had a new online merch store for a couple weeks... Then the company that made it for me went out business. You can still buy my first three CDs at CDbaby.com and find downloads at iTunes and most of the other digital stores. Hopefully I get the Shirts, Songs and Stories 2006 and other merch on the website soon.
Recording the New Record
The recording was pushed aside by the crazy amount of touring BUT I'm looking forward to start plugging away at it again this winter. I'll keep you updated.
Thanks for everything everyone... You are the best, most wonderful friends that I could have and thanks for all the help. I couldn't do it without you. You are awesome... (and don't you forget it.) See you soon.
Many Blessings!
-dan vaillancourt