Whew. I'm overwhelmed. I'm trying to figure out how to start this to kinda explain what's been going on, but even I am at a loss for words. But I'll try so...here goes... GMA Week in Nashville is just a week where all the Christian music artists come for some radio/magazine/tv interviews and have some showcases and just talk about what God has been doing through them. Or it's a time for new artists to come and check out the whole scene and dip their toes in the music industry pool. That is pretty much the story for me and Cait when we went. It was April 20th-23rd and we were in Nashville the 19th-26th. It was UNBELIEVABLE!! Seriously, it was one of the best weeks I've ever had in my entire life. Don't worry, I'll post pics. Sunday was the first day. It started out at the Echo Awards which were awards to radio stations but some artists were performing: David Crowder, Group 1 Crew, Leeland, Brandon Heath and 33Miles. The management company we're technically "with" also manages Building429 and 33Miles so all the events 33Miles did, we did as well  So we met up with Gabe and JT of Thomas-Vasquez Entertainment and he gave us a couple guys from the Building429 road crew's badges so we could get into anything all week. Score. After that awards ceremony we went downstairs to an artist meet and greet which is supposed to be with just radio/magazine people and artists...and yet, we got to go! It was freakin crazy being in this huge room and walking through and being like, "Oh..there's Chris Tomlin. Hey there David Crowder." but I almost peed my pants when we walked past Natalie Grant. She's one of the biggest influences in my life. Of course I had to get JT to introduce me and Cait bc I couldn't just do it myself. She was extremely nice and of course I kept my cool. Cait was especially dorky while she met Phil Wickham..but we're sure he secretly wanted to date her. ha. We became pretty much besties with Travis the bass player for Addison Road. He's so cool and we hung out numerous times that week! At this little shindig we got to meet a whole bunch of artists but we spent a lot of time talking with the 33Miles guys. Jason, the lead singer, knows my brother Todd and Todd had already talked to him and gotten his advice on this whole group thing I'll be doing. Jason talked to me for awhile about the music industry, working with Gabe/JT, being on the road, and just how crazy their schedule has been lately. He gave me some great advice too and told me to let him know if I ever needed anything. "Yes, I'd like to sing a duet with you on your upcoming album..."...of course I didn't say that..yet. Then that night we went to the Songwriter's Showcase where all the songwriter's from the year's top songs sang the song themself. Some of the writers were the actual artist but it was INCREDIBLE. Me and Cait felt completely inspired to go write 20 songs haha. Leeland was pretty much the best. He sang their song 'Tears of the Saints' which you should go listen to RIGHT NOW. Travis joined us for that showcase as well. That was my favorite showcase of the week. Monday morning we went to a Q&A thing with all the CEOs of the record labels and it was alright except we missed some of it. We couldn't find where the room was in the Renaissance Hotel in downtown Nashville. I mean, that thing is HUGE! The questions people were answering were kinda irrelevant and pointless. Needless to say, we didn't get too much out of that hehe. After that we went to the Green Hills Mall where I'll be working at the JCrew. My first day is June 16th. She said I can push it back which I'll probably do since I'm not done watching Gavin till June 10th. Monday night we went to a showcase called Food for the Hungry where Leeland, Sara Groves, and 33Miles played. It was awesome as well (duh) and we had SO much fun!! Tuesday we got to sleep in because we didn't have anything scheduled. We spent that day thinking of song ideas and writing some melodies. We wrote three songs. Not complete ones just mostly first verse/chorus and melody. We definately compliment each other in our song writing. Cait is good and thinking of the melody (which I'm not) and Cait says I'm good at thinking of ideas and keeping them throughout the whole song..which I've never heard before haha. We had fun writing together too. Saweet! That night we had plenty of showcases to choose from so we chose one that StorySideB was playing at. My friend Matt used to be in that band and the guys actually remembered me! Random considering I only met them once about 2 years ago haha. But I went up to Jordan and he was like, "hey Hannah!" I was impressed They played with The Wedding(who was really good)..they scream a lot and it makes me wonder how they don't blow their voice out. Day of Fire, Kevin Max, and Salvador. After that showcase we went to the Flicker showcase which apparently was the showcase to go to of the week. This new rocker girl (whom I don't remember her name) sang and after her was my new favorite band Tenth Avenue North. They freaking KILL! SOOOO GOOD! We left after they played bc my throat was killing me and I didn't want to stay longer hehe. Wednesday was a Jeff Roberts Booking luncheon. That agency is, you guessed it, 33Miles booking agency. A lot of people performed at that luncheon. After Edmund, Mikeschair, Michael English, 33Miles and someone else I can't remember hehe. When we left there we got all their cds for free! Score baby. I think Mikeschair was my favorite (after 33Miles of course) After Edmund was really good too. We went and visited Belmont Univ after that and just walked around campus. It was good to be on campus while students were actually there haha. That night was supposed to be the Dove awards but we didn't get to go. It's ok because instead....we got my nose pierced! It was totally spur of the moment. I mean I've wanted it for awhile but didn't plan to get it this week. My parents love me and my random tattoo and piercing adventures. Thursday morning we went the Simpleville Music where a LOT of people have written and met Matthew West's brother Joel who was a writer there. This is where we were meeting Sam Mizell for our writing session. He's supposedly the biggest writer in Christian music right now and good thing I didn't really know that till the day after we wrote with him bc I wouldn't been SO nervous. It was awesome though. We had an idea for a song, he played out a melody on guitar and just started writing lyrics to it right there. I was like, "how the heck do you do that?" and he said, "I have NO idea!" haha well God bless him for it. The song we wrote is called Take it Back and the original idea is about a girl losing her virginity before she is married and feeling that God could never forgive her. So she's asking God to take it back and forgive her. The first verse is about that but I think with the second verse we just wanted to talk about the general mistakes people make and they think that they can't even forgive themself so how could God forgive them? Friday morning I woke up with no voice. Not good considering we were recording our song we wrote. But Cait brought me back a hot tea with honey from Starbucks and that helped a lot. We recorded for 4 hours. My voice wasn't perfect during that time but it held out. And an hour after we left there...my voice was GONE. God is so good hehe. He kept my voice intact for the recording. Which is all I needed  Gabe and JT stopped by the studio for a listen to us and they talked to us about how we like singing/writing with each other and our ideas. They mostly just wanted to talk to Cait and get her opinion on everything. ESHK! She's gonna be praying about this whole thing and see if God wants her doing this. So Saturday we came back and didn't want to hehe but it was such a good time! We're going back in May for a few days for more writing and possibly recording. I'm so in shock at what God is doing and the people he's bringing into my life. I'm entirely and eternally grateful! Here's a few pics! 
with our "magic" passes 
Natalie Grant! 
Phil Wickham 
Our new friend Travis from Addison Road 
Steve Fee and Lincoln Brewster 
Meredith Andrews who went to Liberty Univ and is now a Word recording artist...and her fiance 
good ol David Crowder! 
Jenni! The Thomas-Vasquez assistant and an AWESOME chick! 
we're pretty. 
Carmen the chick who pierced my nose Nashville is so wonderful. | 
I just can't afford to go out there for two weeks when I'm gonna be living on my own. It's REALLY lame bc I was totally looking forward to it. There will be other times....
