The Billboard Film & TV Music Conference

It was with some trepidation that Dan and I packed an overnight bag and headed into the Sofitel Hotel for the Billboard Film and TV Music Conference... What to bloody wear? Would we know anyone? Would I feel "like a shag on a rock" !? (That's Australian for "out of place and feeling like an idiot" lol!) I took a deep breath and walked into the crowded lobby sporting my unassuming little laminate that read, "Fiona Kernaghan Music"... Yep, that's us! Before I knew it I was comfortably carried along on the good vibes generated by the eclectic and friendly creatives who'd coughed up plenty of green to be there with an ear to the ground an eye on the future. The overall mood was really positive and pro active. The first panel I listened to included composer Marc Streitenfeld talking about his relationship with director, Ridley Scott. We got the inside goss on Marc's process and checked out samples of his incredible work in films like "A Very Good Year" and "Body Of Lies" (both with Russell Crowe). That was incredibly inspiring! And it set the tone for the rest of the 2 day conference. I was inspired, enlightened and... had a lot of fun. Dan and I ran into a few friends including Jewel Coburn of 10/10 Music in Nashville, rising star composer Kristin Baum and the irrepressible Charlyn Bernal from LA's Ascap office. Here's a pic of us in the green room right before Diane Warren accepted her Billboard Career Achievement Award...

Me and the editors of Billboard magazine - Bill Werde was great!

Daniel Kresco, Charlyn Bernal, me and Brendan Okrent.

I Can't Get The Smile Off My Face!..

Tonight Dan and I are just finishing off a bottle of CA sparkling... To celebrate the arrival of a new era and this historic day. Here's to you, Mr President Obama, and may God bless you and guide us to a brighter future!

Domestic Bliss

I'm sitting in bed typing this this morning... And much to my surprise
and delight it's raining! Raining in LA!? It's been hot, dry and sunny
for so long it was getting, well... boring! lol. So I'm really enjoying
this - some moody gray in the sky, the fresh smell of rain on the
leaves just beyond our balcony and the distant roll of thunder... I'm
getting ready to listen to "This American Life" on my laptop and I can
hear Dan in the kitchen putting coffee on and warming up some
croissants for breakfast. Yay! This reminds me of something I wrote
about in my song, "Taken". It's about how Dan and I got together and
what those days were like. They were actually quite turbulent and
cathartic. I knew I was being swept away and taken somewhere better - beyond my invisible, floating bubble that doubled as wall around my heart. I didn't know then that one of the sweet payoffs in coming down to Earth is this - domestic bliss!

LAWM "Indie Music for Film & TV" panel

LAWM "Indie Music for Film & TV" panel

On the weekend I went to an interesting conference and panel put on by "Los Angeles Women In Music". The panelists included film director Penelope Spheeris, Ascap's Associate Director of Film & TV Music Charlyn Bernal, Publisher Robert A. Case, film producer Amy Salko Robertson and Music Supervisor, Allison Wright Clark. I found it pretty informative - there were a few legal issues covered that clarified some things I'd been wondering about. And it was motivational and encouraging to hear about the volume of indie music still being embraced by film & TV producers! One of the things I love about living in LA is access to events like this where you can get first hand info about what other folks in the music and entertainment industries are up to. To find out more about LA Women In Music you might wanna visit their web site, http://www.lawim.com

My 3rd wedding!

No music industry news this time... We've been traveling a lot lately - after recording in Nashville we went to a friend's anniversary in Vegas and then over to Massachusetts for our third and final and much anticipated "American Wedding". I'll explain!.. When Dan and I were first married in LA back in 2003 we weren't able to bring both our families together from both sides of the world- and we knew it would be more practical to have two more weddings - one for my family in Australia and one for Dan's in the U.S. I did not imagine it would take quite so long for us to get around to our "American family wedding" ... But we just had our third (and final!) wedding (or renewal of vows anyway) at the Spencer Country Inn in central Massachusetts at the end of September. The Inn dates back to the 1700's when it was a stage coach stop on the way to Boston. Daniel's mum and dad, Bob and Claire and his sister, Donna arranged everything. There were 140 guests, mostly family of Dan's who are all from that area. It was gorgeous and we had a ball! I wore the same dress that I wore at our "Australian wedding" in Byron Bay in 2004, but this time I added a two tiered veil with crystal trim. This wedding was much more traditional than our first two! That seemed appropriate, given Dan's family is more traditional than mine and it also felt right in the historical New England setting. Because it's fall (or autumn) in America right now we had a "fall theme" - with lots of flickering spice scented candles and real pumpkin centerpieces. It was foggy and raining on the night of the wedding - and we had our "renewal of vows ceremony" in front of an open fire burning in the huge stone fireplace in the Inn's main hall. Dan and I both love Ireland and I have Irish ancestors, so we incorporated some traditional Irish vows into the ceremony - and that involved toasting our past, present and future with a goblet of wine. Something I really enjoyed! lol.

NEW blog and free songs at www.fionakernaghan.com!

Hi, guys!

Just a quickie from me to let you know that my blog full of musical meanderings and musings on the music industry and songwriting is now online at

www.fionakernaghan.com

Get a FREE song when you sign up to my mailing list there on the "contact" page as well!

Cheers,
F.

New Official Website with free music and lots more!..

(Ross Wilson and I backstage at The Vanguard/and at The Sydney Opera House.)



It's been ages since my last post - but I haven't dropped off the face of the earth! I've been rehearsing for gigs and traveling to Sydney and getting a new web site built... Yay!

At the new web site you'll find all the latest gig info as well as videos, blogs, bio info and podcasts. The video page features the "City Of Angels" video clip, a live acoustic performance on Channel Nine's "Mornings With Kerri-Anne" and even an old rarity... My dad's tv commercial from 1979, with me aged 6 in the intro sitting on our horse, Geronimo, and saying "Hello ladies and gentlemen. I'd like you to take a listen to my daddy's new record..." lol!

We have free podcasts for you to listen to online or download and keep in your ipod etc,. The first podcasts are all about the making of my new record, "Shadow Wine and Truth Lilies" and the inspiration behind the songs on the record. Coming up we'll have conversations with my family where we'll swap notes on the music industry and what it was like growing up in a very non conventional and musical family.

Of course there is an online shop as well where you can buy "Shadow Wine and Truth Lilies" and the "Feeling Fiona" compilation cd. The price is $15 U.S ( a bargain at about $17 Australian!) There is a currency converter on the shopping cart which accepts credit cards from anywhere in the world.

More news!

I just got back from Sydney where I opened for homegrown legend, Ross Wilson, at The Vanguard. What a funky and cool club that is! It's got a sexy, budoir feel to it with red walls and feather trimmed lamps along the bar. I used to drink Jack Daniels on stage a lot but this time we cracked out a box of Lindt Balls and shard them around the crowd before we played "For The Love Of You" (The ChocoIate Song) - it was such fun! I really enjoyed the gig and send out a big thanks to everyone who came along and made it a great night. I know it's a bit testing sometimes to unload a whole set of original songs on a crowd - songs no one knows yet - so it was a joy and a pleasure to feel such a warm reaction from the packed house. Good on ya Sydney siders!

www.fionakernaghan.com