Mindy Gledhill Singer Songwriter

We might have gone overboard on the pies. We might’ve.

There was my pecan and sugar cream. Plus two pumpkins. Plus a lemon sour cream. And a chocolate cream.

Quite honestly, there was more pie per capita than Thanksgiving turkey. But by golly, come Friday morning, I was sure glad to be greeted by a gratuitous slice of leftover pecan for breakfast. Fav.o.rite.

After morning pie (akin to morning to prayer), we traipsed up the mountainside, like we do every year, looking for the perfect tree. Oddly (gratefully) it wasn’t very cold with only a light, snowy mist in the air.

We weaved in and out of the firs and evergreens, up this way and then back that way, when quite fortuitously, and rather quickly (compared to years past), we found her. The perfect mix of whimsy, fullness, and Charlie Brown.

And just like that, Christmas had begun. Hip! Hip!

In honor of the newly opened yuletide season, I wanted to share the music video debut of “Winter Moon” by my friend, indie-singer/songwriter Mindy Gledhill. She just released a Christmas album, of the same title, and I’m in love love love with the whole darn thing. The collection, to me, is reminiscent of simple Christmases, dreamy and playful, with hints of delightful quirkiness. Her rendition of “Christmas Waltz” (Track 2) is hands down, my new favorite Christmas song. I had it on repeat for, oh, 2 hours or so last night. So I am quite confident when I say that I think this should be your 2011 Christmas CD purchase.

Find the album here (hard copy, on sale for $11.24 today) and here (iTunes, $9.99).

And if getting to share the music video wasn’t exciting enough! I have a copy of Winter Moon to giveaway to one of my readers! Just leave a comment below telling me your Christmas wish and I’ll randomly draw the winner next Friday night. ***This GIVEAWAY has ended: The winner is Brenda Taylor! Congrats Brenda!

Oh, but there’s more! I’m hosting a private house concert featuring Mindy and her stellar band (who are flying in all the way from LA for the show!) on Monday, December 12 at 8:00 p.m. You’re coming right?! The artist donation fee is $10 until December 12, or $15 at the door.

I’m over-the-Winter-Moon excited about this concert and am already scheming-dreaming the decorations and refreshments! Oh, how I hope you can come. If you have any questions, send me an email.

Now without further adieu, may I present Mindy Gledhill (+ a few surprise guests) singing the title track of her new album “Winter Moon” …

There are some people in my life that I would do just about anything for. Mindy is one of those people. So when she called last week and said, “can you?!” I said, “most definitely!” It was only two days away, but I’d move hell and high water (or is it hill and high water? I never know.) to road-trip it with MG. And though I’m constantly reminded of my un-cool-ness when I’m with her (She really is so much cooler than me. I mean hello. I still use the word “cool”.), she makes me laugh and feel creative and I find my dreams growing wings just from being around her. I feel so lucky that I can call her friend.

I went as “manager,” which means I was the go-to for publicity, set up, travel & lodging, venue contacts, all tour/show related questions/needs, etc. and just generally kept things running smoothly. The key to being a good manager/publicist? Think ahead. Imagine every possible scenario for how things will go (good and bad) and have solutions at the ready for all of them. And then everyone will love you. And everyone will be happy.

So the tour started off in Rexburg, Idaho in the Kirkham Auditorium which we totally sold out the day before the concert. Hello 1,000 screaming fans and a standby line that wrapped around the building! Awesome–is an understatement.

I’ve been with Mindy since she debuted her first album seven years ago. I’ve seen her shows; I’ve seen the audiences. And I can say, unequivocally, that this was my favorite show ever. The band rocked. Mindy rocked. And the crowd–mm hm–rocked. Oh and the orchestra! Did I leave out that detail? Yes. Mindy and her band were backed by the fantastic Teton Chamber Orchestra. And they too–you guessed it–rocked. I mean … as much as an orchestra can “rock.”

It is so fulfilling to help make a live show (that I also happen to personally love and adore) come together and then have an audience come to it that boomerangs the energy pouring off the stage right back up up there. And I’ve said this before, but Mindy’s music makes me so happy. Like I’m dancing on clouds. It was such a fun night.

Guitarist, Joe Corcoran, was incredible–what a talented musician. I was in awe. He was the guitarist who actually recorded on the album and came up from LA to play these shows.

Andrew Burton was on bass and might just be one of the nicest guys I’ve ever met. Not to mention a fantastic bassist.

And Jay Tibbitts, our drummer, is, to quote myself “one of the best drummers I’ve seen in a long time.” And, as I’m sure you can see in the pictures below, he’s absolutely darling. If he were like, oh, ten years older, I might’ve gotten a wicked crush on him this weekend. But as it stands, I think I’ll just be the president of his fan club. (He’s also the drummer for Parlor Hawk–another band definitely worth checking out.)