So now I've know Steve Gardner of Columbia for 4 years, and he'd been pushing me to record in Nashville for 2 of those 4 years. Steve owns his own studio in town, does a great job of recording and mixing, and I knew he was involved in taking clients to Nashville to record with different producers and studio musicians. He felt it would be the right move for my music. He'd had a country producer in mind, which I wasn't sure about since my sound in not patently country, and I didn't want to move it in that direction. Then, just a little over a year ago, on one of his many trips to the country music capitol, while working with some studio musicians he's known for years, the name Matthew Wilder fell upon his ear. Apparently Wilder was a native New Yorker who had moved to Nashville several years prior and begun his own production company. Through sheer fact of his creativity, unique style, professionalism and personality, Wilder was making an impression on these seasoned musicians. Gardner sent Wilder (even their names seem representative of the excitement of my new ventures - the WILD GARDEN of the great unknown music business) some of my older CDs ("The Floating World" and "Come In, Come In: LIVE") and he was immediately interested in working with me.

In the upcoming months, the Hilary Scott Band, in whole or in part, is booked at D'Agostino's Italian Restaurant, the Women's Leadership Conference at the University of Missouri, the Yellow House Performing Arts Center is West Plains, Missouri, and will be putting on a fundraiser for the Officer Down Fundraiser show, at Columbia College's Launer Auditorium on Saturday, February 26th. Doors open at 7:30 pm, show starts at 8:00 pm. Tickets will be sold before and at the door for $10. All proceeds and a portion of CD sales go to the Officer Down Fund. Hilary Scott and the Band are working in conjunction with several school and community organizations, in order to help with medical bills for a recently wounded Columbia police officer. More details to come in the next newsletter.

When I can, I try to use the stage lighting at the show or practice. This provides a number of challenges. When the light levels are low, it is hard to catch anyone standing still! That's what I find interesting in the images, the movement of each of the players. Some more than others, especially that guy on the Djembe - you are lucky if you can find a foot, or anything else, standing still. The challenge now is to try and get fresh shots that don't look like all the others I've already shot before.

I have also been traveling to the various venues that the band has played. For example, the Little Feat opener in Kansas City was great, and it was a lot of fun to see the behind-the-scenes prep. There are venues, like Yellow House, down in West Plains, where you are in a smaller place with candles on the tables, just a totally different atmosphere. I look forward to shooting there again in February. And then, there are the patio performances at Flat Branch and the Twilight Festivals that have their own lighting issues. That's when I say, "Thank God for digital", and that's not something you hear from me a lot! Of course, speaking of Twilight Festival, there is the occasional unannounced guest performer, and I try to catch the moment for what it is.

"The album showcases Scott's strong voice, fluid guitar playing and accessible songs. These same attributes are beginning to garner attention from the music industry. One of Ray Charles' former drummers, Billie Burns, heard Scott's music and was impressed. He began to circulate her tape to his friends and acquaintances in the music business. "When I first saw her picture, I thought, 'oh, this cutesy blonde who's going to have a whispery voice and sing cutesy little songs.' I couldn't have been more incorrect. Her voice is very strong and powerful. It communicates so much in and of itself.' When [Billie} speaks about her music, he grows excited. He sees artists all the time with varying degrees of potential. He took the chance on her because he knew she had 'IT.' 'Not solely her music,' Burns says. 'But her personality has a way of capturing people. You know she is a good person when you see and hear her. That makes her accessible.'"

Hilary also has several people in her corner helping give her demo to record labels, and is 'playing the waiting game' with those prospects. However, her independent career is certainly not 'idle.' Her indie label, Belltown Records, continues to support the up- and-coming artist, and is launching an extensive 2005 radio campaign, looking to secure distribution for her CDs, and assisted her in developing her new publishing company, Metro Gnome Publishing. 2004 was busy, and 2005 promises to be even more so!