We made it through January!

Hello!

By about the third month of January, I begin to begin wonder what it’s all about. I’ve never liked it, I probably never will, and so I busy myself with the nuts and bolts of life. Taxes, medical visits, my desk; I do it all in January. I hibernate and wait for February like it’s a light in the dark. And here it is. So, hello, friends. Sending you love from the alarmingly cold state of Tennessee. I hope you’re doing okay.

One great thing happened in January, though! On the last day, the Let’s Talk Memoir podcast published my conversation with its wonderful host, Ronit Plank! I loved talking with Ronit about the Conversations with My Other Voice album and book, the tools I used to choose what was included in the work—and whom, and which part was the most difficult. Plus, we laughed a lot. It’s a good listen! I hope you’ll check it out.

I’m so happy to report that my band Friendship Commanders will release our third album this year! It’s a body of work that I’m so proud of, about language, memory, and the state of Massachusetts. In advance of the music, I’m publishing some short prose snapshots of my time there in a series called Massachusetts Memories. I shared the first ten last year, and have begun sharing the second half in recent weeks. I hope you enjoy them! The next time you hear from me, I will have word of the first single from the record. Can’t wait.

Last, today is the first Bandcamp Friday of 2023! I have sold out of freestanding copies of Conversations with My Other Voice (thank you!), but I have a handful of the t-shirt and book bundles left. All copies purchased through Bandcamp are signed and come with the custom bookmark! Just let me know if you want me to sign it to you or someone else.

Huge thanks for being here. I appreciate each of you more than you know. Here we go, 2023. Here we go.

In gratitude,

Buick Audra

Conversations with My Other Voice is out today!✨

Today is the day, friends! Conversations with My Other Voice—the album and the memoir—are in the world today. Took me years to put all this together, but it took me a lot longer to grow into the person who could tell these stories without abandoning myself in the process. Without making it better for others. Without making it sparkle. That’s over now, but I couldn’t have done it until I did.

I thank everyone who touched this work with their talents, intention, and care. They’re listed below.

This work is for anyone who ever felt like they didn’t belong, who lost themselves for a time, who dared to speak up when the cost was high, or who doubted their own voice. Fucking same. May the work be of some comfort and encouragement. It certainly has been for me.

The other day, someone asked me how I feel about my release. I don’t love that question, to be honest. It’s big, it involves labor, and I tend to feel 50 ways about everything. But what I said in response surprised me.

I said, “Proud.”

And it was true. That’s new!

The book and album received a beautiful feature in The Nashville Scene yesterday; writer Edd Hurt said, “Conversations is a first-rate rock album that’s melodic and riff-savvy.” He said many other awesome things, too. Read here!

As for the products:

STREAM HERE

BUY HERE

The physical books arrived about a week ago, and when I tell you I cried, I’m not exaggerating. It didn’t seem real until I held one in my hand. But now it’s very real, and if you pre-ordered one, you likely already have it in your possession. My hope is that the book and the album will be consumed in tandem, as they were created as companion works. However, they each hold up on their own.

BUY HERE

That’s it! Thank you for being on this journey with me! Thank you for the support, the attention, the kindness. I hope you enjoy the work!

And The official album release show is this Wednesday, September 28th, at the Basement here in Nashville! Hope to see my local community there!

Thank you again! Turn the music up!

Buick Audra

"Simply Said" is out today - two versions! ✨

Hello, friends!

We’re two weeks out from the release of Conversations with My Other Voice and I have one last single for you today! She’s called “Simply Said,” and she’s a meditation on what is mine to carry and what is not. For this video, I did a solo live performance at Sound Emporium, the legendary Nashville studio where I made the album. What a pleasure to return to this sacred space.

Read more about the song and video here in the Music Mecca premiere/interview! Jerry Roe shot the video; Justin Francis recorded and mixed the audio, Dan Shike mastered it. Assistant engineering by Skyler Chuckry.

Conversations is a back-and-forth between a younger version of me, and me now; it pairs five songs from who I used to be with five songs written in response, from here. “Simply Said” is one of the original songs and one that I love dearly. It was written at my brother’s house in a very transitional season of life, during which the song served as a light in the dark. I tell the full story in the essay collection I’ve written to accompany the album, Conversations with My Other Voice: Essays. The book comes with a download of the album, and both will be released on September 23rd.

For the album track, I invited eight women in the Nashville music community to join me on the refrain. We tracked these vocals during a lunar eclipse, a night I will never forget. Please enjoy the beautiful harmonies of Sally Jaye, Alicia Witt, Cynthia Cárdenas, Stephanie Jacques, Anna Haas, Kat Jones, Samantha Frances, and Amoretta Layne.

✨This album is almost here. Please pre-save it!

✨The official album release show is on September 28th, at the OG Basement here in Nashville! I’m thrilled to report that Jaimee Harris will be opening the show. I’ll have signed copies of the book, too! Please join us.

That’s it for now! Huge love and appreciation to you for your attention and support. I hope you enjoy the new song! Talk to you in two weeeeeeks!

Buick Audra

"Deadbolt" is out today & the album release show is on 9/28! ✨

Pals! My song “Deadbolt” has been set loose into the wild! The third single from my forthcoming album, Conversations with My Other Voice, is out today. So happy to be sharing it with you.

LISTEN HERE

Conversations is a back-and-forth between a younger version of me, and me now; it pairs five songs from who I used to be with five songs written in response, from here. “Deadbolt” is the first “from here” song to be shared so far. It is a sung boundary, loud and proud. If I were to get a tattoo of any line from the entire album, it would absolutely be:

My attention doesn’t come with your privilege

Read more about the song and video here in the Glide Magazine premiere! The video was directed and edited by Jerry Roe; shot by Jerry Roe and Roger Pistole.

Conversations with My Other Voice is a memoir-in-songs. I thought, why not write a memoir-in-essays to release alongside it? And so I did. Both will release on September 23rd.

Pre-order here!

✨The next (and final!) single is called “Simply Said,” and it will be yours on September 9th! Pre-save here! I have something special in store for you with this one.

✨The official album release show will be on September 28th, at the OG Basement here in Nashville! I’m thrilled to report that Jaimee Harris will be opening the show. It will be a night to remember. Get tickets now!

✨My beloved Friendship Commanders are playing two festivals in early September: one in Chicago on September 2, and one in Louisville on September 3rd. Join us!

That’s it for now! Huge love and appreciation to you for your attention and support. I hope you enjoy the new song!

Buick Audra

"The Melody" video and single are out! ✨

Friends! My song “The Melody” is in the world today! This is single number two from my forthcoming album, Conversations with My Other Voice. This is one of my favorite songs on the record, and one that holds a foundational story in my life. Here’s a snippet:

He said, “It’s not like the songwriting is rocket science or anything.” So I kept my songs and got rid of him. But not before we spent years going around that same tree.

Some of that story can be read here, in the feature in Guitar Girl Magazine! You can also read about the recording process and my beloved guitars (all of which have names).

Conversations with My Other Voice, is a back-and-forth between a younger version of me and me now. The idea to make the record was inspired by five songs I didn't get to record in my previous solo music chapter; I thought I'd track them and quietly release them as an EP, but when I sat down with them again, I found that I wasn't the woman who wrote them anymore. The stories had changed, and so had my feelings about them. So, I wrote five songs in response and updated the perspectives. It ended up being a set of conversations, hence the title. It is a memoir-in-songs. I am publishing a collection of memoir-style essays, with the album. Pre-order here!

Both will release on September 23rd.

The next single is called “Deadbolt,” and it will be yours in August! Pre-save here!

The video for “Afraid of Flying” is making its DittyTV debut this weekend on The Curve! Tune in at 10 PM CT to catch it!

The official album release show will be on September 28th, at the OG Basement here in Nashville! More details about that soon, but save the date!

I think that’s everything. Who knows anymore. There’s a lot going on. I love you and value your presence here; thank you. Talk soon!

Buick Audra

"Afraid of Flying" video and single are out! ✨

Friends! Happy Friday to you, and happy release day to “Afraid of Flying,” the song that I wrote during a Nashville Blizzard on the same day that someone texted me from the pre-televised Grammy awards and said, “Congratulations, you just became a Grammy winner.” When I tell you that the path to releasing this song and its corresponding album has been long, I’m not kidding. Today is a big deal for me; thank you for sharing in it!

Rock and Roll Globe has premiered the video and published an interview with me about the story of this song. You might be surprised by it; that’s all I’m going to say. This and other tales will be told in the book of essays I’m publishing with the album. Pre-orders are open!

If this is the first you’re hearing about the album:

Conversations with My Other Voice, is a back-and-forth between a younger version of me and me now. The idea to make the record was inspired by five songs I didn't get to record in my previous solo music chapter; I thought I'd track them and quietly release them as an EP, but when I sat down with them again, I found that I wasn't the woman who wrote them anymore. The stories had changed, and so had my feelings about them. So, I wrote five songs in response and updated the perspectives. It ended up being a set of conversations, hence the title. A memoir-in-songs. “Afraid of Flying” is one of the original songs! The full album will release on September 23rd.

While I’m thrilled and proud to report that Conversations is the first of my solo albums to be entirely written and produced by me, there are some invaluable contributors that need to be acknowledged here. The band on this album is absolutely part of the story, and without their presence in my life, I might not have made this particular project at all. Here are the geniuses who lent their time and talents to the work:

The next single comes out on July 15th! Pre-save “The Melody” and have it show up in your music feed as soon as it’s released!

Thank you so much for being here,

Buick Audra

Hey I’m afraid of flying up in the air, but I do it anyway

Hey there! I’m so glad to be able to share this news with you! The lead single from my forthcoming solo album is releasing on June 17th! The track is called “Afraid of Flying,” and I’ve been waiting a long time to sing it to you.

My new album, Conversations with My Other Voice, is a back-and-forth between a younger version of me and me now. The idea to make the record was inspired by five songs I didn't get to record in my previous solo music chapter; I thought I'd track them and quietly release them as an EP, but when I sat down with them again, I found that I wasn't the woman who wrote them anymore. The stories had changed, and so had my feelings about them. So, I wrote five songs in response and updated the perspectives. It ended up being a set of conversations, hence the title. A memoir-in-songs. “Afraid of Flying” is one of the original songs! The full album will release on September 23rd.

Photo by Anna Haas

I wrote “Afraid of Flying” during a Nashville blizzard; I was at the end of a years-long collaboration with another woman and was ready for the next chapter to begin. It’s about looking at what belongs to you from the pile of rubble and getting on down the road with it. If the courage and the songs were yours, take them with you. Leave the rest.

You’ll have the opportunity to get more of the story in the book of essays I’m publishing with the album!

Until then, pre-save the single if you’d like it in your new music feed the day it comes out.

This project has been a quiet dream for yeeears, waiting for its moment. Here she comes.

Thank you so much for being here,

Buick Audra

Nashville show opening for Will Hoge on October 8th!

Hey, friends! Thank you all so much for the “Lullaby of Loathing” love! I appreciate all who have listened, watched, shared, added to playlists, and spun on the radio! I made my own Spotify playlist for the song if you’d like to check it out. It’s a work in progress. Also, I did actually have “I think I hate you” pins made. I did. An outgoing message to that special misogynist in your life. You can get them on Bandcamp, and they come with a download of the song!

My shows earlier this month were a great time; I’m so glad I went. And speaking of shows, I have one more very soon! I’m pleased to announce that I’m opening for awesome Will Hoge on October 8th, at one of his two Nashville shows! You can buy tickets for the show here! I’ll have Lex Price, Jerry Roe, and Kris Donegan on stage with me. Join us if you’re in town!

9.12.21 // Westside Bowl, Youngstown OH // Photo by KM Creatives

I’m sure I’ve said it one million times, but it’s been so meaningful for me to release this series of songs in recent months after ten years away from the solo work. Thank you for receiving them. My full-length album, Conversations with My Other Voice, will come out next year. Can’t wait for you to hear it. I did an extensive interview with The License Lab over the Summer, in which I discuss the album. Check it out if you’re interested!

In the meantime, my band Friendship Commanders has some cool stuff coming up this Fall! Please follow what we do for those announcements, but I can tell you that there’s new music very soon, and also some tour dates!

Thank you for your support and attention! As always, I wish you courage, clarity, and fire.

Buick Audra

"Lullaby of Loathing" is out today & shows begin tonight!

Hello, friends!

My new single “Lullaby of Loathing” is now on a streaming platform near you! You can watch the video for it via Music Mecca who have kindly premiered it today! They have also published an interview with me about this single and how it fits into the bigger picture of the solo work I’m releasing right now. I hope you enjoy it!

The video was lit entirely by candles, and features Kris Donegan, Lex Price, Jerry Roe, and myself. Jerry Roe directed, shot, and edited the video. Shout-out to my fellow witches of the world!

If you would like to purchase the single, you may do so via Bandcamp.

I’m celebrating the release of “Lullaby” by playing some shows out of town, starting tonight! I’m so looking forward to playing a full band set—and I can’t wait to see Aaron Lee Tasjan, too! All dates below.

September 10 - The Outpost, Knoxville TN - full band show - supporting Aaron Lee Tasjan

September 11 - Buzzbin, Canton OH - solo show - Femme Fest

September 12 - Westside Bowl, Youngstown OH - solo show - with Jay Byrd

September 24 - Americana Fest, Nashville TN - panel - A Conversation on Substance Abuse and Addiction Resources in the Americana Community // With Lilly Hiatt, Megan Barry, & Dr. Pete Harris; moderated by Chelsea Crowell

Thank you for your support and attention! I wish you courage, clarity, and fire.

Buick Audra

September events & a new single announced!

I’m pleased to announce “Lullaby of Loathing,” coming to you on September 10th! This is the third and final of the freestanding singles to be released before I start releasing work from the forthcoming album. This one concludes the series, with fire. When I wrote this song, I thought, I can’t release this. People don’t want to hear a woman say these things. I very nearly put it on the shelf. But I’ve had a change of heart. Whether or not anyone else wants to hear me say these things, I want to say them.

When I walked away from my solo work years ago, I did so for a number of reasons. Some of them were internal, but some of them weren’t. Some of them had to do with toxic behaviors of other people, not the least of which were unfit men in gatekeeping positions in the Nashville music community. They’re everywhere. Throw a stone, you’ll hit one. This is my stone. Please pre-save the single!

Photo by Anna Haas

I’m also thrilled to share these September solo events! I’ll be celebrating the release of “Lullaby of Loathing” at these shows, along with the other singles I released earlier in the year. Details below!

September 10 - The Outpost, Knoxville TN - full band show - supporting Aaron Lee Tasjan

September 11 - Buzzbin, Canton OH - solo show - Femme Fest

September 12 - Westside Bowl, Youngstown OH - solo show - with Jay Byrd

September 24 - Americana Fest, Nashville TN - panel - A Conversation on Substance Abuse and Addiction Resources in the Americana Community // With Lilly Hiatt, Megan Barry, & Dr. Pete Harris; moderated by Chelsea Crowell

That’s the news for now! I appreciate your attention and support. Can’t wait to share the new song with you. More soon,

Buick Audra