May 14, 2014
Carson, My All American Boy October 4, 1998 - May 6, 2014
I don't know how many times I have sat down to write and share this. Over the years I have read this kind of email and felt the grief and loss jump right off the screen at me. It's an email that is always hard to read and a message all of us dread to write.
My Carson Boy has gone the Rainbow Bridge. He passed in his sleep last Tuesday night around 10:15.
When Carson and I first met, there was an instant connection and recognition. I had stopped by a friend's who had rescued a puppy from the side of a Cheatam county highway. I walked in, the puppy saw and ran to me and started licking me. And I said, "That's my Carson!!" Needless to say, he went home with me that night, January 25, 1999.
Right off the bat he went everywhere with me - on the horse trails and on the road touring with me. He had his own rider clause in my performance contract and saw more of this country than most people do. I am attaching a picture taken after his first day of going on the trails. He did great with the horses and the other dogs. It was a wonderful day and the photo is one of my all time favorites.
Carson had his own song, My All American Boy, about running agility. Thank you, Nancy, for all the class time and fun together. He was 5 before we even got started, be he reached Performance Dog in USDAA and made it to the NADAC Championships in 2009.
Carson had a profound and enriching influence on me and my life. He was my partner, my buddy and my teacher. As I adjust to the presence of his absence, I do thank God for him.
Since he was rescued, I don't really know his date of birth, but he was born in the fall of '98 so I gave him October 4, feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals, as his birthday.
Thanks for reading this. You all know how hard this is! I would like to share a few lines with you that I wrote for Carson.
"Find St. Francis to play frisbee
Take your long walks with God
And if Heaven has agility
My Beloved Carson, I hope you'll wait for me"
May 6, 2010
Hi Y'all !!!
Just a quick update to let you know all my hairy children and I are fine. Your kind messages and concerned calls have been greatly appreciated. I have been overwhelmed. My access to a computer right now is limited, but I do hope that changes soon thanks to my friend, Chick.
My house took a big hit Sunday as water flowed into it from doors, a/c vents and up through all the floors - a mighty impressive show of power. I felt so helpless watching the force of nature have its way we me and my home.
In spite of all this uprooting, I feel like one of the luckiest people ever. I have a brother, Joe and his family with which to stay and a friend, Sue Ellen and her husband, Van offering space for me and all my hairy children (now that's something for my 3 dogs and 3 cats plus help with my horse!!!!!). Monday, with so many people having an unexpected day off, friends Steph, Kathy, Sue Ellen and Van showing up to help me. AND two women, Angie and Ashley, neither of whom I had ever met, mind you, walking up to see if they could help. Truly the presence of God is everywhere. Angie came back today with a friend named Caroline to help me and my friend Linda. My friend Michelle keeping Keenan and Cooper has let me focus more on my task at hand and given them a safe and awesome place to hang out for a while.
I am here to say, life really is good. -J
November 25, 2009
Thank you all for being on my e-mail list, on my fan list, visiting my web page, facebook, myspace and twitter, coming to my shows, buying my music, letting me sing Carson's agility song for you and your dog, for your support and allowing me to be a small part of your lives. You are a big part of mine and I do so appreciate you. Happy Thanksgiving to you all!! -J
November 12, 2009
Hi everyone!
Hope you all had a nice Veteran's Day yesterday. Thanks to all of you who have served or are serving our country. We need you and appreciate your work.
I can hardly wrap my brain around the fact that it is mid-November!! I have been in the studio doing a bunch of personalized songs of Carson's agility song, My All-American Boy. I so enjoy singing this song for you and your canine partners. It is an honor and the recordings are always sung with love. Big shout out to all of you in Wisconsin who had their songs done. It was great meeting you all at the NADAC Championships 2009 in September.
Did you watch the CMA Awards Show last night? What a great show. I am very glad Taylor Swift did so well. All of the nominees were awesome, but I got to say, watching that young woman's career develop has been wonderful. She is making a big difference in country music and is making a big difference for girls and young women all over the place. So nice hearing Martina sing, I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool. One of the songwriters on that song is long time friend Kye Fleming.
My first CD, Dancing, is now available on itunes. If you are an Indigo Girls fan, you got to hear the first song. Solid Ground. We were touring through New Mexico when Amy and Emily came out to sing the last song of my opening set with me. It was magical and I'm glad we recorded it. There are some of my other faves an that CD as well. Check it out.
Please check out my web site!! We are running some very good deals on there between now and the end on the year. If you've been thinking about that personalized agility song, this would be the time for that perfect Christmas gift for you or someone special!!
More again soon. -J
September 9, 2009
September in proving to be an awesome, awesome month. New to the management crew at Copeland/Tucker to work with me is Nicole Meseke. She has been more than patient with me in getting all our ducks in a row.
One of the first things Nicole has done for me is to set up my twitter account. So please, if you're on twitter or have thought about it, join me there: www.twitter.com/janetsmusic. These messages will always be short and sweet, you know, a tweet.
Some cool shows are coming up this month. As most of you may know, I am into dog agility. Later this month, on the 23rd, I will be competing in the North American Dog Agility Council, or NADAC, Championships. This is an annual event held for those of us reaching this level of competition and it is the first year my boys, Carson and Keenan and I have qualified. We are so thrilled.
The event is in Shelbyville, TN at the beautiful Calsonic Arena. It is free and open to the public and runs from Wednesday the 23rd through Sunday the 27th. I will be performing in the Opening Ceremonies the morning of the 23rd. Come on out and check it out. It will blow you away. Some of the best agility dogs from the continent will be there running their hearts out and having the time of their lives!
Saturday, the 25th, I will be here in Nashville to play a fundraiser for St. Bernard Academy near Hillsboro Village. Joining in the effort will be Jimbeau Hinson, Marc-Alan Barnett, Jay Venali and several more songwriters. This should be a good night of music.
Hope to see you soon! -J
August 13, 2009
Hi Folks!
Hope everyone has had a great summer. I certainly have with a fabulous Florida vacation and shows that were highlighted by a performance for the United Way.
I want to keep this short so I can share an article that just came out this week in Clean Run Magazine, THE dog agility magazine. They interviewed me about Carson's song, My All-American Boy. I am so honored to be a part of this wonderful publication. They have been very supportive of me and my song.
BIG NEWS!!! Carson, Keenan and I will be running in the NADAC Championships next month! We are sooo excited. I'll be a'singing there, too!! We'll send more on that later.
Thanks for all the e-mails and support, Y'all. -J
July 22, 2009
Hey Y'all,
What a fun summer this has been so far.
I am very happy to let all my agility buddies know that my dogs Carson and Keenan have both qualified for the NADAC Championships!! Carson will be entered in three events and Keenan in one. This will take place in September. We are very, very excited to be a part of this fabulous event and to get to run with dogs from all over North America.
I will keep you posted and share more info soon. Keep your paws crossed for us!! -J
March 18, 2009
Hi Y'all,
Thanks to you all who have come out to my shows over the last few months. I especially appreciate the support at my W.O. Smith Community Music School concert. Dinner afterwards was fun, too, for those able to hit Blackstone with us.
Lots of dog agility shows to go to this spring. Carson and Keenan and I went down to Marietta, GA couple of weekends ago. This weekend we'll be in Shelbyville at the K9 Sports event. I'll have little Cooper with us, too.
I've been shopping for a new vehicle. Gonna get a van! Greg Stephens in Hendersonville is helping me get my new ride. His wife, Bobbie, does agility, so he totally gets the idea of what I need in a "dog mobile." My Mercedes found a new home and I am very happy for her. My, or her, mechanic, Ben, bought her and is going to fix her up and surprise his wife with her. They have 2 dogs, so Hannah, my old car, will continue to bring joy to a woman and her dogs.
More soon, I promise! Gotta run... -J
January 31, 2009
Hey Yall!!
My manager has been asking me to write a year in review for some time now. So, as we end the first month of this new year, what better time to sit and visit with you all for a minute.
2008 was a great year for me on sooo many levels. I hope it was for you, too.
The year's first road gig was in Atlanta with EMILY SALIERS of the INDIGO GIRLS and CAROLINE AIKEN, 3/5s HUMAN and GIRLYMAN. What a fun show and wonderful evening at EDDIE'S ATTIC, one of my favorite places to play. Thanks to manager Susan Tucker and friends Tammy Mahew and Rachel Garlin (co-writer on Next Chance I Get) for making the trip with me. A great way to start off a year of shows and performances.
My new CD, SHINE IN THE MOON finally came out. Thanks to Desa Haase and Jane Simmons for buying the first 2 copies. Thanks to all of you who have purchased the CD. Your support is greatly appreciated. You can always get more here, at my official website and at www.cdbaby.com. Getting that project together was a life-highlight for me.
Last February saw the beginning of my monthly shows at Chile Burrito in Brentwood. Those nights have been delightful as friends come out to listen and to play. We cover the BEATLES', STING, INDIGO GIRLS, JIMMY BUFFET, originals and.... well you get the idea. The gig is laid back and good for the whole family. Come on down when you can. We will be sending out newsletters about each show and special guests.
March's SHINE IN THE MOON CD release party at the BLUEBIRD CAFE was indeed fabulous. I love playing this venue. Your turnout packed the place.
The song I wrote about agility, Carson's song, MY ALL-AMERICAN BOY has taken on a life all its own thanks to the dog agility community all over the world. Wow, who knew?! So many contacts on that song alone made it cool for me to re-sing and personalize it for people. How fun that has been!
Big thanks to USDAA for playing MY ALL-AMERICAN BOY at their National Cysport Event in Arizona this past November.
Big thanks to NADAC for your awesome support,especially you, Emily G! NADAC is having their national show right here in Tennessee just east of Nashville in 2009. One of my goals this year is to run in as many trials as we can. Carson and Keenan and I want to be there next September!!
What better magazine to carry my CD than CLEAN RUN! Thanks to Monica and everyone at the magazine for taking a chance with me and my music.
Another level on which this past year was good for me was personally. Maybe most importantly because I felt really back to my normal self the whole year after my sub-arachnoid hemorrhage at the end of 2005. Recovery really did take a while and all the quirky, unexpected fallout symptoms have finally dissipated. As lucky as I have been to have a great team of doctors, I won't have to see anyone again until the beginning of next year! Yip-eeee!
I'd like to think that I have more patience and compassion in life, especially for anyone being challenged by health issues. I'd like to think I am more supportive and caring. But what I really wish is that I did not have to go through such an awful process to get to this point. We all really do need to take care of one another.
This new year, 2009 is already an exciting one. Here in the states we have a newly inaugurated PRESIDENT BARRACK OBAMA and the country has a new direction. No matter your political leanings, it is a good time for us all to come together and support this fresh beginning.
I am sitting here, thinking of all the fun agility trials, performance gigs and friends I spent time with 2008. I feel very lucky and very grateful.
Here is wishing you the best in 2009 from me and mine! -J
December 31, 2008
Hi Everyone!!
All my Hairy Children and I hope you and yours had a Wonderfully Merry Christmas and hope you have a Happy and Healthy New Year! Your e-mails and letters this year have meant so much to me and seeing your sweet smiley faces at my shows has brightened my world!
We all have so much for which to be thankful. Thank you for being a part of my life and reading the e-mails my fabulous friends Susan (my manager) and Sue (my web designer) get out for me each time.
As you gather with family and friends and share hugs with them, your dogs, cats, horses and especially the children, may you embrace the love and wonders of this life and feel the Power of the Season. This time is a Gift and we are given the opportunity each day to Renew the Spirit.
To my agility friends for 2009: May all your runs be fun!!
God Bless You!
Love from me and mine,
Janet, Carson, Keenan, Cooper, Mia, Tyler, Wyatt and Sam
September 29, 2008
September has been such an awesome month with so much going on and so much to do.
M'boys Carson & Keenan and I are happy to let the heat of summer go for a while as we continue our dog agility classes out at with Nancy at Leaps and Bounds. Sorry to see our dear friend Elizabeth and her great dog, Rio, move to Kentucky. They will be missed in our Tuesday class.
We are gearing up for the K9Sports USDAA Music City Classic the last weekend of October here at home. Oh by the way, I will be performing Saturday evening after the last run! I will, of course play the agility song and many other ones as well. If you're coming to the trial, or test, be sure to sign up for our pizza party and join in on the fun and in on the singing! It will all happen right there on the sight at the Williamson County Ag. Center.
Speaking of singing, on September 20th I sang at Dog Days in Nashville. I sang my dog agility song, My All-American Boy, naturally and First Day of Summer, about being out with my dogs and my horse. I was joined on stage by producer, Kim Copeland on vocals and the Sisters Grimm, Rebecca and Jordana, on vocals, banjo and violin. We had a blast! Carson even came up on the stage for his agility song. The weather was perfect. Penny Dionne did a fabulous job co-ordinating the music part of the event and we all raised some buck-a-roonis for Nashville Humane. BIG thanks to all of you who came out to listen to me. It means a lot to see lips moving along with me as I sing!
On a sad note, my website designer, Sue and her husband, Dave, lost their beloved dog, Bernie, to cancer this past weekend. I know we all understand the profound sense of lost they are going through right now. Send them some love and support next time you pray.
For those of us into horses, this is a wonderful time of the year to get out and ride. My horse, Sam, who is on my CD cover, and I are taking in as much time together as we can. We've enjoyed a lot quality riding over the last few of weeks.
This past weekend began Friday night with my going to hear our Nashville Symphony and ended Sunday with my going to see the Tennessee Titans win. Nashville is such a nice place to live. With horse, dog and guitar playing in between, it was a great weekend.
To those of you running dog agility, I wish you Q's, but most of all, a fun and safe time with your canine partners!!
I'll be getting back to you all soon. -J
September 3, 2008�Oh my gosh, everyone, did the summer just kinda slip away on you, too?!
I have been writing a lot of songs lately. My friend Rachel Garlin, co-writer on Next Chance I Get, was down from New York and stayed at my house with me. We finished a new song and got started on several others while she was here. Had a great time together. She has a new CD that just came out.
Recently met manager, Susan and producer, Kim, to hear another friend of mine that is simply awesome, Diana Jones. For those of you into music, she won the top nod at Kerrville's songwriter competition in 2006.
It is time to hit the road and do some agility trials! Yea! my boys Carson and Keenan will be heading down to Huntsville in a few weeks to run in the USDAA test there. More on that later. We have gotten back into our training again now that the temps are a bit kinder for running.
Alright now, hope y'all had a safe and happy Labor Day weekend! -J
July 26, 2008�Hey Y'all! Last night I played in East Nashville at The Big Bungalow Bed and Breakfast. Owner Ellen puts together a nice cozy house concert. Friend Denny Sarokin invited me to join in the round when someone had to cancel, so it was a last minute gig. And boy was it fun! We had a great turn out. With Denny playing and singing on my stuff and Bruce Baxter adding accordion, I was one happy girl.
Tom Acousti, in from Maine, and the Sisters Grimm, new to town from Indiana, rounded out the round. By the end of the evening we were all joining in with each other. And let me tell you, Sisters Grimm are awesome!!
My manager Susan called me yesterday about playing at Dog Days on Saturday, September 20. This is a day to celebrate dogs and help raise some bucks for Nashville Humane. I am very excited to be a part of this. Denny and Sisters Grimm are going to join me on stage. Adding another guitar, a fiddle and a banjo, I'll be playing some of my songs including The Agility Song, My All-American Boy and yes, Carson and his brothers will be there with me, as well as some well-known-fun-foot-stomping-crowd-pleasing songs. Look for the performance schedule to announced soon and plan to come on out with your dogs. -J
July 22, 2008�Wow, what a day I just had. Started the morning at Leaps and Bounds for a seminar/workshop with Stuart Mah. He is awesome - an inspiring teacher and clinician. Met new folks from Birmingham who had come up for the occasion. So cool that they are fans of My All-American Boy!! We all went out for Thai food afterwards. I thoroughly enjoyed visiting with everyone and learning more about running my dogs in agility.
After an afternoon of guitar, my evening was spent at a friend's house where we meet each Tuesday to learn Spanish. Ten of us are working with a woman from Columbia that we lined up through Metro schools here in Nashville. We are having a great time doing this together.
Well, now it is time for a beer (ok, another beer!) before calling it a day.
Buenas noches. -J
