300th Entry Pheaturing Alumni Jennifer McKee

Ready your breakfast and eat hearty... For tonight, we dine in hell!

Hello, welcome to the 300th entry of the Phile! Tonight Today's guest will be Jennifer McKee who was the second person I interviewed, and the first musician. I apologize to Gabrielle Louise... her interview will be posted in the next entry on Saturday. Anyway, 300 posts. That's almost a years worth. According to doctors, marijuana use among the elderly is at an all-time high. Apparently, senior citizens are moving very slowly, making crazy statements, and going out to dinner very early. The new credit card regulations started yesterday, which is good news if you’re in credit card debt. Americans owe $874 billion to credit card companies. To be fair, most of that is Mel Gibson’s bar tab. Okay, speaking of 300, did you see the inspirational 300 posters?
It's like March of the Penguins meets 300. Did you ever see the original poster for 300, with the original title? If not, the Phile happens to have it. Check it out.

Alexander Meigs Haig
December 2, 1924 - February 20, 2010
No longer in control.


303
Roman Emperor Diocletian issues an edict to suppress Christianity, "to tear down the churches to the foundations and to destroy the Sacred Scriptures by fire". Further edicts require that church officials engage in animal sacrifice to appease traditional Roman gods.
1885
The British hangman at Exeter Gaol tries three times to hang John Lee of Devonshire, for the murder of Emma Keyse. The trap refused to open. His sentence was commuted to life, and he was eventually released.
1915
Nevada enacts a law reducing the "quickie divorce" residency requirements down to six months, a figure further reduced in 1931 to six weeks.
1942
The first Japanese attack on the U.S. mainland occurs when an I-17 submarine fires 13 shells at an oil refinery near Goleta, Southern California. $500 damage was inflicted. It was not clear why this target was chosen until much later, when it was found that the commander of this particular submarine had visited the site in the 1930's and stumbled into a field of prickly pear cactus. Captain Nishino never forgave the ridicule he received from his American hosts that day.
1981
Right wing members of the Civil Guard storm the Spanish Parliament with machine guns, taking every important elected official in the country hostage. The coup collapsed 18 hours later.
1996
The "Freeway Killer" William G Bonin executed at San Quentin. For his last meal he chose two pepperoni and sausage pizzas, three coffee ice creams, and fifteen cans of Coca Cola totaling a rather unhealthy 6391 calories.

Alumni Month is scheduled for August again like last year, but for my 300th entry of the Phile I wanted to pheature someone who I interviewed before and I chose Jennifer McKee as she was my second interview and first musician. Her new self-titled three song EP is now available for download at iTunes. Please welcome back to the Phile... Jennifer McKee.

Me: Hello, Jennifer, welcome back to the Phile. Alumni Month is due in August, but as you were my first musician I interviewed I wanted you to be on the 300th entry of the Phile. So, how are you?

Jennifer: I'm doing great! It's great to be on the Phile again... it was fun last time. :)

Me: Did you get much feedback from the last interview?

Jennifer: I had a lot of my friends and fans check it out and they loved your blog! I also had great feed back from your faithful readers too! I think we converse quite nicely via email, don't ya think? I was a little nervous last time because I'm such a people person, I wondered if I would be able to be myself and come across as "me" in a email interview but it was fun, and it's good to be chatting with you again.

Me: Are you still living in Washington, Jennifer? I bet it's been cold there, right?

Jennifer: My home base is still Washington state. I know some people think it's weird that I'm based from the Pacific Northwest, but I have such a good support system here and love it that I don't have any immediate plans for a big move to Nashville or Los Angeles. I had considered it a while back but after much thought I decided to stay put in Washington. I love being close to Vancouver, B.C. because of the huge country music scene up there, as well as the movie/film scene too (a little secret: I'm starting to branch into acting and I'm having a blast with it!). Also, Los Angeles is a short plane ride which is convenient. So, I'm a west coaster until further notice. I don't want to worry the southern readers of the Phile who may wonder how a Northwest girl can sing country music. Well, Loretta Lynn is from my area and got her start here and although that should be enough to ease everyone's mind, I will also add that I am originally from southeast Alabama and am a southern girl at heart. :) I'm not sure if I want to tell you how great it is living up here because it's kinda the best kept secret around, but the weather is quite mild here all year long. The rest of the country is battling snow storms and we had 60 degrees and sun today... in the middle of February! It's not 60 degrees all winter long, but it's not freezing either. So, shh... let's keep this between you and me.

Me: How is your family doing? Kids get big fast, don't they? Is your son still rocking the guitar?

Jennifer: My family is amazing. Working in the music industry is so very tough and even though it seems glamorous, those moments are few and far between. So, my family is my rock when I feel discouraged or wonder what the heck I'm doing. They are along on this journey with me...we are a team. I'm finding it hard to put into words just how hugely important my husband is to my career. He is my co-writer, producer, keyboardist, back-up singer, cheerleader, biggest fan, I could keep going and going. I wouldn't be doing any of this without him, that's for sure, so, I'm thinking he's a keeper. My kids make me smile every day and they are growing entirely too fast! I have 3 little boys and each one of them are musicians. My oldest son plays electric guitar and drums. He's a songwriter and had his first song copywrited, published and became a member of ASCAP at the age of 6 years old! My middle son plays keyboards and drums... he's a machine on the drums and can out play most adults... it's a sight to behold and videos of him playing are being posted and shared on facebook like wildfire (he writes songs and sings too). My youngest son plays drums and loves to sing. We joke that one day they will be my band but with the talent they have, it may be a reality one of these days.

Me: Let's talk about your EP that is now available on iTunes. I must've been one of the first people to download it as I did the first day it was released. You mentioned last time that you are working on an album. So, is the EP just a taste of what the album will be?

Jennifer: Thanks for downloading it! That means a lot. The EP is definately a taste of what the album will like. One of the great things about signing with an indie label (and having ownership in said label), is that I don't have to follow the "rules" of the game that bigger labels and the country music industry set. It seems to me like a lot of times an artist gets pigeon holed into a certain style or sound and I don't want that for my music. Over all, my CD will be have a "New Country" sound, but I have some tracks that will lean towards southern rock, blues, gospel, and pop. It will be an eclectic mix that will have a similar vein of country running through it.

Me: How did you pick those songs for it, Jen? And did you write them all?

Jennifer: I wrote or co-wrote every song that will be on the album. I write a ton of songs and so sometimes it's hard to narrow down which ones make the cut, so how I usually choose what will make it on the album is by picking the ones that really speak to me or strike a chord within me, emotionally speaking.

Me: You must be relieved you finally have music up for people to purchase. Does that wet your appetite for more?

Jennifer: I am relieved to finally have music up for people to purchase! It seems like things in the music industry move so sllloooowww sometimes and it can be very draining and make you lose heart at times, but slow and steady wins the race right? So, I try to be patient and let things happen when they are supposed to happen. I fully believe that God has it all under control and I just need to chill and enjoy this journey. And the answer to your question about if it wets my appetite for more? Well, that would be a big YES. :)

Me: Do you have a favorite track you recorded? I like them all, Jen. Last time you told the readers what the story is about the song "Happily Ever After". Can you tell the readers this time what the story is about "I See Your Daddy".

Jennifer: As for a favorite track, that's a very difficult question! I guess it depends on the day and what mood I'm in. The song, "I See Your Daddy" is probably the most emotionally charged song of the three because of the background. My Mom was killed in a car accident when I was 13 and my sister was 16. My Dad wrote a song for us called "I See Your Mama." When I heard it, I knew that someday, someone needed to record it. It's the kind of song that tugs at your heart strings. With my Dad's blessing, I reworked it, rewrote some parts of it to make it fit and not be so specific to our situation and to make it from a woman's point of view, then recorded it. It's a very special song to me and my family and I hope that it touches other people as well.

Me: I know you want to tour, Jen. Any shows planned yet? I am trying to figure out where you can play down here in Central Florida.

Jennifer: I am dying to get out on the road! We are in the planning stages right now for a possible summer and/or fall tour. Nothing is nailed down yet, but I will keep you posted. I would LOVE to go to Florida. Florida in the fall would be ideal because that's my favorite place to be that time of year... nothing beats it. Keep your fingers crossed. Thanks for checking on venues. I fully plan on meeting you in person one of these days. :)

Me: I have to ask you about you selling organic lotions again. Do you and your sister still have that business? How is that going?

Jennifer: Yes, my sister and I do still have that business: www.keyeduplifestyles.com. It is going very well. I spend much more time on my music career so even though we have plans for expanding and growing the business, we are taking it a step at a time and trying not to rush into anything. I'm a creative person, and I always have to be creating so this company is just another outlet for that creativity. It's fun working with my sister. Other than my husband, my sister is my best friend and partner in crime. I'm so fortunate to be able to be surrounded with and work with people that I love.

Me: You have friends who run a charity to help the victims in Haiti I think. Am I right. Go ahead and give us that website and info, in case the Phile fans want to help out.

Jennifer: I support an organization called "Convoy of Hope." It is an organization that feeds millions of people in need in the United States and around the world through children's nutrition initiatives, city wide outreaches, and disaster response. Convoy of Hope has worked in Haiti for years and since they already had operations going before the earthquake, they were already there, prepared with a warehouse of food and ready to go imediately following the earthquake. They were among the very first organizations helping and feeding people after the earthquake. The link to their website is www.convoyofhope.org. I know the people who run it and have full confidence in the character and integrity of this organization.

Me: Jen, thanks again for coming back onto the Phile. When the abum comes out you are welcome to come back of course. Continued success and take care.

Jennifer: Thanks so much! It's always an honor to be on the Phile and I look forward to next time.

That's about it for the 300th entry. The Phile will be back on Saturday with Gabrielle Louise for real this time. It would've helped if I knew how to read or count. I was off by one entry. Anyway, thanks to Jennifer McKee for coming back on the Phile and thanks to Wikipedia and Worth1000.com. Like I said, the Phile will be back on Saturday with the announcement of the 6th Peverett Phile Book Club book and Gabrielle Louise... so spread the word, not the turd. Bye love you bye.