Sing with your head up, With your eyes closed, Genevieve, Not because you love the song, Because you love to sing

I've always believed that music can change lives. I want to be a steward of this belief until the day I die. Lately, I've been truly touched by the genuine heartfelt emotion that I've witnessed from musicians and their music. It makes me remember why I decided to pursue my career path in the first place.

I was thinking back to my college days (even though it's only been a bit over a year since I graduated, it seems like ages) and how young and idealistic I was. If only we could all play and listen and make and be involved inmusic and evoke social change through it, we'd all live happily ever after. I've since learned otherwise. Being in the real world and working within the industry has slightly hardened me, yet at the same time there's still that soft glowing spot in my soul that knows music, musicians and the industry that ties it all together, could be so much more.

A few months back, I ran into a friend from music school at a local show. We chatted and caught up. He talked about how passionate he was for the Max Fund, a no kill animal shelter and that he wanted to do something for them. That little voice in my heart started screaming! DO SOMETHING... so I stepped out on a ledge... I offered to book the show and work out details to use the music venue, Swallow Hill, which I work at. He was ecstatic. We continued to coordinate a night with friends and alum from our alma mater. We all were able to play songs, talk about the pets we had and loved and ultimately raise money for a great cause.

Even just last week at Swallow Hill, we had a benefit to raise money fo Amurt, a non-profit that is currently helping in the relief effort in Haiti. It was on a much bigger scale than the benefit I arranged... involving musicians form The Flobots, Devotchka and The Boulder Acoustic Society. The event raised over $2,500 in one night full of music, empathy and hope. As I printed out run of show schedules in my office with Katie Glassman, the coordinator and also one of the performers for the benefit, we talked about how excited we were for the evening. She then began to talk, with tears in her eyes, about how every time Haiti came to mind, she hurt for the people and the disaster they are living in. She said she had to do something for it and that's what inspired the, Give Your Heart To Haiti Benefit. I was deeply touched.

Needless to say with all of these interactions, the jaded ora that had begun to place itself over my heart has now dissipated. I've been inspired! The non-profit that I've been threatening to start, Hear Us Loud!, is back in production and I am making connections with the right musicians and business people to start hosting shows at my house. I don't want to let this dream die... I won't let this dream die.