Doggie Blog Day!

Updated at 6:25: The list has spoken - thanks to you all for comments and emails! The winners (I couldn't pick just one!) are the Dancing Doggies and Mr. Jordan & Doggie Jordan! Honorable mentions: Cuddle Buddies and Abby & Marley.

Shoot me your addresses and tshirt sizes at: kristen@kristengraves.com!!

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As many of you know, my sweet Chip (he’s ok, and on the mend!) was hit by a car at the end of the summer.

I’m so happy that he’s ok!

He’s made many appearances at shows, on Facebook, on Instagram, he’s pretty much everywhere that I am. He’s been on tour with me throughout the country (he’s been to a LOT of states), he’s spent summers with Simply Smiles on the Cheyenne River Reservation- this dog has no shortage of life experiences.

If only he could write a book…

Anyway, I post a lot of silly pictures of Chip. I love to pose him in shirts, or with funny hats, he endures, and I laugh.

So, to celebrate Chip’s recovery - I have challenged all of you to send me your best funny/cute/weird puppy pictures, and the response has been amazing!

Here I’ve included some of my favorites, and I don't know what I was thinking when I said I'd choose the winner. I have some ideas, but am having a hard time choosing (I don't even like to decide what to eat for lunch!) so - I'm open to suggestions!

Leave comments here, send me an email: kristen@kristengraves.com, leave comments on Facebook, twitter or instagram, and I'll announce the winner tonight before my show in New Paltz!

And thanks for all of the photos - this was really fun.

Chip leaving his mark

bearded pup

Kerri's dog

Toby and Lady

Buddy

Billy

Charlotte

Belle

Abby and Marley

Karma

Wendy's dog

Dancing dogs

Debi's dog

Xena & Disney

Dexter

Doggie Jordan

Avery

Cookie

Quesa

Maggie

Gabby

Charlotte's dog

Sandy

I hope you had as much fun looking through the photos as I did - now - help me pick a winner! Use the caption or description in the comments below, or email me your choice!

We'll definitely be doing this again - maybe for Halloween?

Thanks for sharing, Kristen

Family

I talk about this idea a lot- the idea of chosen family. Spending time with people that you love whether you're linked legally/genetically/adoptively/etc- that's your family. So some people are your family and some people are your chosen or soul family. It's all good. It's all family.

What's so cool in my family, is that I choose them!

We're cut from the same proverbial cloth.

So Friday night, when five of my flights on two different airlines were cancelled, and I was faced with either canceling two shows or driving through the night to make it on time- guess who made the roadie with me??

Good ole mom and dad.

And it's been an adventure.

We've had a lot of laughs, there's been some backseat driving, and we've mastered the most efficient way to swap drivers/get gas/use the restroom.

And as a team- as a chosen and born family, we've made a road trip in 16 hours, that requires well...16.5.

And arriving at gig #1 for the day, Gaby was there with a list of things that I was hoping to have time to prepare (which is why I was flying in a day early, United & American) but didn't. Life-saving.

I made it to the CT Folk Fest stage with five minutes to spare- with a lot of hugs and a lot of, 'I can't believe you made it!', and just as we started, the rain joined in...

So after a brief rain delay, we played our set- and I had to take off for my next adventure.

We drove through the rain to Teaneck, NJ, where I was playing a Pete Seeger Tribute at the Puffin Foundation. With only slight rain delays, I pulled up to the door, walked in, and got started- yet another perfectly timed entrance.

Did I mention that we're driving back to Wisconsin...today??

So my family rocks. I am so lucky and so grateful. And I hope I get to return these favors.

Love to you and yours, Kristen

5 am. Somewhere in Ohio!

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Made it!!

SeegerFest = HopeFest

I have been talking about SeegerFest for over a month. I’ve been processing the opportunity that I was given, and I’ve been sharing stories with folks one by one…all trying to figure out how to write about it. I’ve spent the last month on the Cheyenne River Reservation - a place with a big sky, and working with people who have big hearts.

Last week, my friend Glenn Roth was here. He’s a finger style guitar player, and the kids in music camp really loved hearing him play.

It was a week filled with music. Glenn and I have played together for years, and what made our live performances out here more special is that we were joined by our friend Tiokasin Ghosthorse - a traditional Lakota flute player. We had a blast. We played my songs, we played old folk songs, we played 80’s rock songs - we played it all.

And we played every day, whether it was an informal jam session in our music tent or a performance for the town, we played because we wanted and needed to.

And that feeling, that amazing feeling that comes when you’re all in synch, and the music is flowing between each person playing, and passes out into the audience who may be singing along, and is fully engaged - that feeling of truly sharing a moment…

That was the feeling I got to enjoy all week, and at the end of the week it dawned on me: That was how it felt to be at SeegerFest.

Amazing things happened while I was at SeegerFest -

- I got my name in the New York Times as a member of ‘the new generation of folk singers’.

- Peter Yarrow (of Peter, Paul & Mary fame) told me that my performance at Lincoln Center was ‘spectacular’.

- I got to sing at all five days of the festival- Lincoln Center, Hudson River Park, Hunts Point Park, the Bardavon Opera House and SummerStage in Central Park.

- I shared the stage with tons of amazing people: Peter Yarrow (Peter, Paul & Mary), Fred Hellerman (The Weavers), Dar Williams, Guy Davis, Tom Chapin & The Chapin Sisters, David Amram, Adira & Alana Amram, Emma’s Revolution, Kim & Reggie Harris, Mike & Ruthy, The Owens Brothers, Amanda Palmer, James Maddock, Aurora Barnes, and many many other wonderful performers.

- I made friends with amazingly talented people who I’ll stay connected with throughout my career and life.

- Most importantly - I participated in a festival where egos were put aside and people were happy to simply make music and celebrate an amazing man and the folk music movement.

This idea of singing for something other than furthering your career, is how I’ve always felt you should approach each gig.

Unfortunately, there are times when I’m working with folks who are very clearly seeing a show, or sometimes me, as a step on the ladder. People get so focused on numbers - how many people are listening, how many cds/tickets/t-shirts/facebook likes do I have, that they forget that it’s about the music.

Spending time at SeegerFest with musicians confident enough to realize that it’s all about the music, and spending time out here on the Cheyenne River Reservation with selfless musicians like Tiokasin and Glenn who live for the music, made me realize that to spend time in this environment, I need to create this environment.

I need to demand this environment.

The feel at SeegerFest and our shows on the Reservation (which I’m now calling HopeFest) was so positive, so encouraging, and so hopeful because nothing else was getting in the way.

I will be pursuing that same feeling of joy, purpose and love at every single show of mine from now on.

I’ve always pushed for it - but I’ve never been able to clearly define and articulate what I’ve been trying to create until today.

I thank SeegerFest for that, and I thank the Cheyenne River Reservation for that.

And of course, this all goes back to Pete Seeger. A new friend. A man who met a young folk singer, and spent one of his remaining hours with her. I’ve been told by folks that Pete didn’t play games and he didn’t sit with fools. At SeegerFest, one of his dear friends told me, ‘if Pete took the time to sit with you, it’s because he saw something in you.’

And for that, I'm grateful.

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So so grateful

These last weeks have been a blur, and while I've been trying to remind myself to slow down, breathe and enjoy- I find I'm saddled with this sense of urgency. I'm not sure where this comes from, but I know that I have this drive to do as much as I can with the time that I have.

I'm not dying or anything, I just think this way.

So many great shows and visits have already happened this month, and the biggie- the culmination of an 18-month project - was my CD Release Concert on Saturday night. It was amazing.

I was pretty flipped out for the days before. I had rented a large room, had paid a large amount of money, and was hearing from more and more people that couldn't come.

This led me to start freaking. I even developed a twitch in my left eye for the two days before the show. Not great. Also- really hard to focus on things with your eyeball shaking.

Anyway, I tried to keep reminding myself that there were elements I could control- like the music. I had asked some friends to play with me, and I knew that as a trio, we were going to put on a great evening of music.

I just had to trust that the rest could fall into place.

And it did! I am so grateful- it was a beautiful evening. And I paid attention, breathed, and enjoyed each moment of each song.

It was a great night of music, I sang new and old songs for new and old friends, and we raised money for a wonderful local charity- Operation Hope.

Thank you to all who came, and all who wished they could be there, your support means so much to me.

Love, Kristen

Ps- if you want to order the new album, click here!

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St. Olaf

I'm not sure I knew how good I had it when I was at St. Olaf. I knew it was great, and I felt lucky to be there, but visiting this weekend just reminded of how wonderful those four years were for me.

At St. Olaf I was encouraged and challenged to write and put out my first CDs. What other musicians get to spend the first four years of their songwriting careers in such a supportive environment?

I also took my first service trip to Oaxaca as a first-year at Olaf. At 19, I met Gaby, Nacho, Flor...my entire Casa Hogar family.

Going back to St. Olaf was a full-circle moment for me. My passions were inspired, nurtured and encouraged there. I am so fortunate to have had such a wonderful college experience.