Vote for your favorite picture!

I'm guilty of assuming that everyone in the world is on facebook. In case you didn't know, I've got a facebook fan page & my day to day updates, pictures & videos live there. Almost a week ago, I posted 5 pictures from my latest photo shoot. I asked all of my fans to vote for best image by "liking" their favorite picture. The winning shot will be used to promote my first single off the EP!


If this is news to you, I want your help too! If you're on facebook & we're not friends, please change that! You can find me at www.facebook.com/themelissafuller. Click "like" to become a fan of my page and then check out the photo gallery or just go to this link to vote:


Vote now by "liking" your favorite image!


If you're not on facebook, that's okay too. Go to the link above & look through the pictures. Pick your favorite & leave a comment (describing the picture) here. Or, ask a friend that's already on facebook to vote for you! I'll be announcing the winning picture after the holidays! Thanks for your help & Merry Christmas!

Just for fun - one of the many B-roll shots from the photo shoot!

Decisions Decisions

Have you ever had a really tough decision to make? Each day, you stumble upon a conflicting conclusion. As the opinions pile in, you feel like a pinball machine – like that metal ball bouncing off the obstacles. I’ve felt like that lately. Between picking out pictures from the photo shoot to taking the 6 incredible songs on my EP and choosing a single, I'm going crazy! We’re less than a month away from releasing the first single and shooting a music video. Selecting 1 song is like choosing a favorite flavor of ice cream & having to eat it for the rest of my life. Not to mention the fact that so much is riding on this decision…like my future, the forward projection of my career, if I’ll “make it” as an artist. Okay, I’ll admit, I’m a bit dramatic. 

I had a completely surreal & once in a lifetime experience a few years ago. I was with a dear friend, Billy Joe Shaver, taking him from appointment to appointment while he was in Nashville promoting his latest record “Everybody’s Brother.” Billy wanted to stop by Cowboy Jack Clement's studio and catch up. When we arrived at the studio, Cowboy was nowhere to be found but through the speakers in his office we heard what sounded like a duet with Johnny Cash. We stood there in silence, just listening. I was completely blown away & wishing I had some internal device to record the moment. A few minutes went by & Cowboy Jack appeared. “Do you remember this, Billy?” Billy did. Long story short, Cowboy had unearthed a reel of forgotten recordings that were tucked away in a closet. They were from a session that Billy and Johnny worked on together years ago. We stood there, song after song, and I felt magically transported back to the 1960’s as we listened to the tracks for the first time since they'd been created. As if that wasn’t cool enough, what struck me most was what Cowboy said next. “I remember recording these & thinking they weren’t good enough.”

It's not that I'm doubting my project - I know it's good enough, it's incredible & I'm in love with it! I just wish I could fast-forward 40 or 50 years and look back at this moment with more clarity. Isn’t it ironic that two of the most brilliant musicians in the world and their producer can dismiss some of their greatest work in the heat of a decision; under the pressure of taking their careers to the next level? I hope they release those recording some day soon. I also hope I can get to a point where I feel undeniably confident about my choice – no regrets. In the grand scheme of me, this is probably just a molehill disguised as a mountain. It could be worse, right? I could accidentally bury the EP in a closet & forget about it. Just kidding! I can guarantee that’s not going to happen!

CMT Crossroads – Me & Natalie Cole

I was daydreaming when a major revelation hit me today. If I’m ever invited to be on CMT Crossroads, I would be honored to share the stage with Natalie Cole. We could do “Unforgettable” as a duet, share lines from “Pink Cadillac” and get into a scatting war on “Paper Moon.” Why was I was I thinking about this? Well…2 main reasons. My iPod needed a serious musical facelift. I started going through my cabinet of CD’s only to realize that I’d never put most them into iTunes. I came across my favorite Natalie Cole record of all time, “Unforgettable with Love.” It was literally too worn out to copy into iTunes. I’m sure you can guess what I grew up listening to.

Plus, I was fortunate enough to be in the audience for the taping of Martina McBride & Train’s episode of Crossroads last Saturday (airing November 20) as well as Joss Stone & LeAnn Rimes episode. It’s truly a brilliant show. Occasionally the guest artist sings the begeebees out of the host artists material – not going to name names – but that’s enjoyable too!

I’ve got a few friends at CMT. Hopefully they’re reading this. Yep, put Natalie up on the top shelf, she’s all mine! It's a crazy dream. I know.

Love Confusion (Part 2)

If you read my last post (Love Confusion - Part 1) then you know about this techno music conundrum I’ve been in for the last 2+ years. Obviously, I had to get an attorney & it all boils down to 4 major issues:

1. They took my picture off of myspace & marketed the song using my name and likeness. Without my permission, of course.
2. I was paid to sing a demo & never signed any documentation to authorize the use or release of my voice commercially. I never got royalties from sales or any further compensation. 
3. I’m just going to put it out there: “Like a virgin knows, I take off my clothes.” Sick. The words could not be more distasteful & I was laughing while recording the demo. Damaging to my reputation? I think so.
4. I contributed to the lyric & melodic structure of the song. Thus, I’m a co-writer. Not that I care to take credit for my creative input, but it is what it is.

Here’s where it really gets fun: Thanks to the lack of intellectual property protection or any protection of the creative arts for that matter, my only legitimate legal claim had to fall under “Name & Likeness.” The DJ & his record label Ctrl-Ced my picture and used my name & likeness to sell the song. We filed a lawsuit last February & basically nothing substantial has happened. The DJ filed a motion to dismiss my claim. A judge overruled his motion. That’s it. You’d think that we’d be able to go after this crook with vengeance but now it’s just a waiting game. As to how long I’ll be waiting…who knows.

In the meantime, people around the world can still download "Love Confusion" & twirl their glow sticks around in clubs to its infectious melody. There’s a part of me that can only hope it will eventually help my career – international exposure, crossover audience, etc. At this point, that’s probably a stretch. My attorney tells me to “be patient,” cases like this “just take time.” I’ll be sure to update on the progress of the legal proceedings…but it might be awhile.

Moral of the story: Be careful who you work with & don’t count on the legal system to make it all better!

Love Confusion (Part 1)

When you’re an unemployed, female musician in Nashville, you take on odd jobs. Like house sitting, babysitting, grocery shopping & cooking dinner for busy, wealthy people. You also sing demo’s – songs in which other people have written but cannot or do not sing themselves. It’s great, easy money; anywhere from seventy-five to a couple hundred bucks for less than an hour of work. Beats changing a diaper any day. When you sing a demo, it’s a simple arrangement. Show up, sing the song, get your money, leave. There’s no contract or licensing & you’re basically just helping someone “pitch” their music to publishers, other artists, record labels, etc. 

Two years ago (around this same time of year) I had a #1 song on the dance charts in the UK, Japan, Australia & the United States but didn’t even know it. Fast forward to February of the following year. I’m at home, it’s late, I’m probably drinking a nice glass of red wine. I’m also bored. I google myself (because that’s what you do when you’re bored). I proceed to search for myself in YouTube. I find this:

Watch here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqjLl0wZac8

I begin watching it. That’s my voice. That’s not me. This video has had thousands upon thousands of plays. WTF!? I laugh – it’s a pretty ridiculous video. I get confused. I start a google firestorm & throughout the course of the next several days (with the help of multiple people on multiple computers), we find an astonishing amount of webpage’s in an astonishing amount of languages to download the song. My name, my picture & my voice plastered all over the place. Then I come across this:

The song was #7 on a 2008 “best of” list? What does that even mean - downloads, airplay, sales? At this point, I reached out to the original DJ I sang the demo for (not Danny Coggin). Through a series of phone calls & emails, I eventually talked to Danny. He said a lot of crazy things – “the song was #1 on the charts,” “I’ve made over $150,000,” “I’m traveling all over the world,” “the song made me famous,” blah, blah, blah. Still quite confused by the whole thing, I continued to search the web for anything & everything I could find on the song. Eventually, I found a feature on DJ Danny Coggin, a.k.a. Rising Star. The interview clarified several key issues for me, like the fact that I had a #1 song in 4 countries:

“Two of his most successful releases being, True Feelings & Love Confusion where both of these tracks ran up the dance music charts in several countries including the UK, Europe, United States and Australia with Love Confusion hitting number one in all of these Countries on 2nd September 2008 where it remained for several weeks, over and above some of the worlds best known artists such as Tiesto, Armin Van Buuren, Ferry Corsten, Solarstone, Aly and Fila, and Chicane just to name a few. He has also done several hardcore remixes for some well known artists such Cascada, Liz Kay, Lady GaGa, Jordin Sparks, and Styles & Breeze.”

Yep, it’s true, I'm #1 recording artist in a genre (Trance - Happy Hardcore) that I didn’t even know existed. How hardcore is that? Okay, bad pun.

To be continued…it gets better.

Love Easy - Melissa Fuller

The Mole & the Music

Lately, I’ve been like a mole. Not like the one next to Cindy Crawford’s lip and definitely not like the spy/informant. More like the little mole that’s really busy digging tunnels underground. Expect I’m not burrowing; I’m creating music. So, I guess that’s a bad analogy.

Anyway, my amazing mole tunnel is about to hit the surface. We’ve been recording for the past 3 weeks and are getting closer and closer to having something to share! Tonight, I’m playing several of the new songs at a Writers Round with a few friends in Nashville. If you’re in the area, check it out! If not, I might just be “a dear” (as people in the South say) & post video from tonight’s show. Either way, get ready. I’m about to bust out!

Musical Love Child + Twitter

A couple days ago I released this highly personal information to the entire twitterverse:

I really wanted to make an elaborate family tree – yes, it’s that complicated – but for the sake of not leaving my tweeps hanging in a state of wonder, I gave up on that idea. I also realize this may be jumping the gun on our blogger/reader relationship. If you know me, skip to number 5. If you don’t know me, start here:

1. My name is Melissa. Hi. I’m an artist (the musical kind), songwriter, cowgirl hippie, Martha Stewart wanna be, Wyoming native (hopefully the cowgirl hippie part makes sense now), self-proclaimed gourmet chef, gardener, fashionista, bookworm & lover of many great people & God.
2. I live in Nashville. I create music I love – it’s my job.
3. My parents are amazing & they introduced me to practically every type of music (expect for the “inappropriate” kinds) growing up. More on that later. Yes, I’m foreshadowing an upcoming post.
4. I spent my summers as a teenager traveling around the western fair & rodeo circuit performing. I had the privilege of opening for several incredible country artists & bands that I admire. They shaped me, stretched me & inspired me to do what I do. Even more, I love genuine, honest, hardworking people & if you’re not sure they still exist, go to a county fair. They’re there.
5. This week I am recording an EP. It’s been over 3 years in the making. I have the awesome privilege of working with Chad Carlson (my home boy’s got skillz, a.k.a. Grammy’s) & we are creating something REALLY exciting & different & me. You’re gonna love it!

Okay, now that’s out of the way, onto the baby making. Everyone keeps asking, “what’s your style?” Well… until you can hear it for yourself, I hope this will suffice:

If Nat King Cole & Shania Twain had a love child, it’d be me. Stay focused, it get’s more complicated, we’re a big family. Sara Barellis is my half sister, Chris LeDoux is my uncle (father in-law works too – those LeDoux boys are good lookin’), Sheryl Crow is my godmother, Billy Joe Shaver is my Grandpa’s brother, The Cardigans are second cousins, & I’d like to be Justin Bieber’s mother. #@*!, did I just type that? Too late.

You’re turn. Please humor me. I’d love to know who else you hear in my hypothetical family… I’ll will totally photoshop a family tree too! And baby Bieber was a joke. Seriously.

Blabbing for the Sake of Blogging (or Not)

So… this is it, my first intentional blog post. Intentional is the key word. About a year ago, I started a blog (after months of hearing “you should have a blog”) & published the entry after a generous pour of Cabernet. It was very artsy & quite horrible. I learned 2 important lessons that night. First, don’t drink and type. Second, don’t have a blog if you don’t have anything to say.

Lucky for you (yes, you 3 people that have persistently hounded me about joining the blog sphere), I finally know what I want to write/post/share and wont be blabbing for the sake of blogging! Unlucky for you (yep, same 3 people), you’ll just have to wait for my next entry. Ha!