That always makes
you feel good as a songwriter when people want to use your song for
something that is really special to them. I used to think people's
wedding's was the ultimate but I think the baby room might be now.
Now that I have Lauryn I realize how important the baby's room is to
a parent. What a special part of the house it becomes......and how
everything in it seems to matter more than any other "thing" in your
house.
The only thing that could make the room better to me..... is if
she'd actually go to sleep in it for more than a few hours at a
time. That'll come I guess.
All the best!
--Aaron
April 17, 2008
Hey everybody......just
thought I'd check in. I've been busy these days writing songs. I'm not planning
on having a new CD out for at least another year...but I always like to get a
jump start on it. I find if you leave it to the last minute...the songs will end
up sounding like you left it to the last minute. It's been fun....I have a few
months off now before the summer festival season so I have a little extra time
to sit down with my guitar. I find it hard to write while out on tour because my
mind ends up being scattered....it's hard for me to focus on songs out there.
Songwriting has always been a very interesting craft for me.
Some days it comes very easy and other days I don't come up
with anything at all. It really is a love/hate kind of thing
for me. I do love writing but it wears on you sometimes when
you go a few days without coming up with anything worth
recording. These days I come at songs a lot differently.
When I was younger I would write just to write. I would make
up stories if I had to...just to write a song. These days I
only write when I feel inspired. I've written so many songs
over the years that it doesn't interest me to write songs
that don't connect with me personally. Also...if the idea I
have isn't something original (hasn't been said 3 billion
times before) I find it not worth writing. Maybe it's
because I'm a little older now.... but I feel like if
something has been said before ...
there's no reason for me to say it again.
Songs should be a window into your life I think....whenever I hear a
song on the radio that doesn't give you any insight into who the singer
is as a person...or his/her views...I feel like it is just
another song. I'm not saying I've never put songs out like that....but
generally i want listeners to know a little more about me after they
hear me sing a song. That's why I'm really glad my latest
single "Moments That matter" has been doing well (it hit top 10 this
week). I feel like that song shows people what I'm like and what I
believe is important.
Anyways...enough ranting about songwriting. As I write this I'm watching
my baby girl Lauryn sleeping in her swing. She is hugging a teddy bear
and making me feel like the luckiest guy alive. She reminds me that as
much as I love music...there are more important things in life. I
imagine you'll hear a few songs about her on my next CD.
Hope to see ya out on the road!
--Aaron
April 8,
2008
My Juno
Weekend...
Not sure if any of you had a
chance to see the Juno broadcast last night
but it topped off a really fun weekend for
me. It all started with a performance at
the Jubilee Auditorium in Calgary. I played
an acoustic show there on Thursday night.
It was really great... got to hand out with
some old friends and play for a packed
house. My 2 nephews (Andrew 7 years old and
Aidan 4 years old) came to the show which
was fun... they hadn't seen me play in a
while.
Friday started with a
rehearsal for the TV show. It was
scheduled to start at 9 am and started about
11 am. I can't think of one rehearsal
for a TV show I've done that's actually run
on time. It was fun through.
Gave me a few more hours t hang out with
Paul, Shane, Johnny and Gord. We had
some laughs and it was the first time I'd
seen them in a little while.
After the rehearsal
I had the Juno cup later on Friday evening.
It was great... you guys know how much I
love hockey so any chance I get to play I
take it. I sat beside a hero of mine in the
dressing room... Mr. Tom Cochrane. He's
always been one of my favorites... and he
was a really great guy. Also got to see
another really cool guy that I'm a big fan
of ... Jim Cuddy. For those of you who
don't know that name... he's the lead singer
of a great band called Blue Rodeo. I met
him for the first time at the Juno's in 2004
in Edmonton. We played hockey together
there as well and have seen each other at
different events since then. He is a good
hockey player and a great singer/songwriter.
During the Juno cup I also
got to meet and hang out with some hockey
heroes of mine. We played against some
retired NHL players and got to have some
drinks afterwards with them. The main ones
were Doug Gilmour, Lanny MacDonald, Bob
Probert and Paul Coffey. I grew up an Oiler
fan so hanging out with Paul Coffey was
probably the highlight. All the guys were
great though.
Saturday I took part in
Fan Fare which was autograph signing for
fans. It was an hour long and gave me
a chance to meet some great people.
Sunday started off a
little rough. I woke up sick as a dog. I
remember opening my eyes and the room
spinning. It felt like I was really sea
sick... I couldn't stand up without feeling
sick. I thought I had the flu because I
hadn't been drinking the night before. The
real problem was I had dress rehearsal for
the Juno telecast at 11 am and thought I may
have to cancel. I was so sick I couldn't
really get off the floor. After two hours
of getting sick, I managed to feel good
enough to get to the dress rehearsal. I
actually had to get a ride down because I
didn't think it was safe for me to drive.
When I got to the arena....they put a
garbage can on stage for me just in case I
felt sick and couldn't get off stage in
time. It was a pretty rough 2 hours there
and on the ride home I still wasn't feeling
well. This may be too much info. for some of
you but... When i got home I had about 3
hours before I had to leave again for the
red carpet interviews and show. I quickly
grabbed an hour nap and luckily I woke up
and was fine. I guess I must have had food
poisoning...seemed like once my stomach was
completely emptied everything was back to
normal. So luckily I felt fine for the
show....well about 80% but good enough.
Had a great time playing
and watching the show. Went to a few after
party's late into the evening and that was
it. Now I've got a few days off before a
show I play this weekend in Ontario.
Hope you guys enjoyed the
Juno Show as Well! See you soon.
--Aaron
April 1,
2008
Last few
shows on the "Moments that Matter songs and Stories Tour"
I just got home from playing
a few shows this weekend in Alberta. One in
Spruce Grove (a city near Edmonton) and 2 up
in my hometown of Fort McMurray. Things went
great. It was the final leg of my "Moments
that Matter Songs and Stories Tour" which
had me traveling to small town Canada. I
decided to do this tour cause it had been 7
years since I had the chance to visit the
smaller communities in Canada and play
music....and I really enjoy the audiences in
small towns. They are very appreciative and
supportive. I guess I'll always have a soft
spot for small towns because I grew up in
one. The tour took me all the way across
Canada playing broken down (acoustic)
versions of my songs.
For
those of you who came out to one of the
shows on this tour you know I was playing a
new song I wrote for my daughter Lauryn.
It's called "I haven't even heard you cry".
When I played the shows in my hometown I was
lucky enough to have my wife and daughter
travel with me......unfortunately it's not
always possible for them to come along. When
I played the song at those shows I brought
Lauryn out and showed her off to the
audience. It was really fun as a dad to get
to have her come out after I sang the song.
I've attached a picture of Lauryn and myself
on stage.
As for this week.... I'm busy getting ready
for the Juno weekend which starts on
Thursday and ends on Sunday night. I'm
playing a show on Thursday night in Calgary
at the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
which should be fun. On Friday I have a
rehearsal for the tv show (I'm lucky enough
to be playing on the show again this year).
I play in the Juno Cup Hockey game that day
as well and then I'm part of fan fare on
Saturday. Hopefully we'll get to see some of
you at that. After the Junos wrap up I will
be preparing for this summer.
I's playing a lot....from B.C to Nova Scotia
so it will be a busy one but summer is
always my favorite time to play. Everybody
is in a good mood and you don't have to
worry about driving or flying through snow
storms.
All the best to you and yours. Thanks for
all your support...see you out on the road I
hope!
--Aaron
March 9, 2008
Aaron Lines is the
2008 Indie Award WINNER for "Favorite
Country Artist/Group/Duo of the year"!
"Just wanted
to say thanks to all the fans for voting for
me for the "Independent Favorite Country
Artist of the Year". I was really blown away
when I heard I had won...... and I know it's
because of you taking the time to vote. I
really appreciate you being so great to me.
See you all soon.
--Aaron
The 8th
Annual Indie Awards took place March 8th in
Toronto, ON during Canadian Music Week. For
more information on the awards check out
CMW.NET
Monday,
June 04, 2007
Grande Prairie show
Just
wanted to say thanks to everyone for coming out to the Grande Prairie
show on Saturday. We had about 4 thousand people show up and everyone
was really good to me and the band. It was scorching hot in there but
a lot of fun.
We
tried out a lot of new songs and people seemed to really respond to
them...especially "Cheaper to keep Her" and "Let's Get
Drunk and Fight".
Looking
forward to seeing all of you out in Ontario next week at the shows.
Have a good one.
--Aaron
Friday,
June 01, 2007
Grande Prairie
Just spent the day today getting ready
for my show tomorrow night in Grande Prairie. I went and did some shopping
and got some cool shirts I like for the summer shows this year. I really
can't stand shopping and would much rather have someone else do it for
me but i find with every stylist I've had through the years....they
just don't quite get me what I want. I guess it's true that if you want
something done right you gotta do it yourself.
Looking forward to seeing some of you
tomorrow night in Grande Prairie.....I've been told they've sold about
4000 tickets so it should be a nice big, fun crowd. I'll tell you all
about it when I get back Sunday.
--Aaron
Thursday,
May 31, 2007
CD release promotion
Getting
ready for my shows this weekend. I rehearsed with my band last night
and everything seemed to go alright. I play in Grande Prairie this weekend
which should be fun. It's been a while since I've been there and the
people are always good to me.
I
leave for Ontario for a few weeks starting June 8th. I have a shows
in Guelph, Burlington and Waterloo that week. Should be fun. I'll also
be visiting a number of radio stations in Ontario promoting my new CD
which comes out June 12th. Looking forward to egtting out there and
telling everybody about it.
I
found out yesterday that I am playing the most shows of any country
artist in Canada this year. My new agent has been great and has me booked
for a lot of festivals this summer as well as a cross-Canada theatre
tour in the fall.
Please
let me know what you think of the new CD if you get a chance to hear
it. I always like hearing people's opinions and thoughts.
Have
a great day!
--Aaron
Tuesday,
May 15, 2007
Getting ready for June 12th
Hey
everybody! Hope you're all doing well. Just thought I'd let you know
what was happening in my world.
I've
been busy these days preparing for my summer and fall tour. Just trying
to get all the scheduling together and working with my management on
the logistics of it all. I try to make sure that I'm only gone from
home a few days at a time these days. I love being out on the road but
realize that if I'm away from my wife and family for too long that it
effects my mood and how much fun I'm having out there. Gotta keep my
life balanced...not like the old days.
I'm
also working with my management on the promotion of my new CD which
will be out on June 12th. I'm gonna do a tour across the country visiting
radio stations, doing tv interviews and newspaper interviews to let
people know that it's in stores and to let them hear some of the other
songs as well. I'm really looking forward to it as it's been a while
since I've got to visit all my radio friends across the country.
So
as of June 9th the promotion will begin and will last 3 or 4 weeks.
Hopefully i'll get to see some of you while I'm out there on the promotion
trail.
Talk
to you again soon. Thanks for all your continued support!
--Aaron
Friday,
February 09, 2007
My chile trip
I
got back last Sunday after a 36 hour trip back from Temuco, Chile and
got so busy catching up on things that I forgot to do a blog about my
trip. So here goes. Hope you enjoy.....
The
trip was.... as you can imagine...life changing. I met some great, great
people down in Chile. People that would do anything for you....even
though they had nothing. Giving out the gift boxes was a chance of a
lifetime. Getting to see the smiles on their faces was incredible. Seeing
how they react to something as simple as a toothbrush......acting as
if they won the lottery.
I
came back a changed person after seeing the kids and their families.
Living with nothing...sometimes not enough to eat and no heat to stay
warm....gives you a real appreciation for what we have back here in
North America. I feel like I was always pretty grateful for what I have....but
I am now exponentially more grateful. The fact that I get to live here...and
play music for a living is something that would be unimaginable to those
people down there.
I
spent 9 days in Chile and in some ways felt like I never left home.
The landscape was a lot like Canada. Lots of lakes and forests....temperature
of about 25C (it's summer there) Seeing the volcanos was the only obvious
reminder that we were in a foreign country.
There
were 38 of us on the trip. My wife and I, Paul Brandt and his wife Liz
and people from all over Canada. Everywhere from Victoria to Newfoundland.
Everybody was just great and we became really good friends with most
of them by the time we left. Staying in bunk beds in one big bedroom,
sharing bathrooms,etc will do that to you I guess. I already miss some
of the people I met and hope to get to see them this summer and fall
while I'm out on tour.
There's
too many things to mention about the trip in one sitting....it truely
would take me all day. It was a fantastic trip though and I hope to
do more of them in the future...and I would recommend doing a trip like
this to all of you.
Have
a great day!
--Aaron
9/16/2006
CCMA Weekend
Hey everybody. Just wanted to check in and let you know how my CCMA
weekend went.
I was supposed to get to Saint John,
New Brunswick on Friday evening but didn't get there til Sunday afternoon
because of a last minute opportunity in Toronto. I was asked to be a
part of a writing camp for Canadian Idol. It was really fun...writers
from all over the world came (about 15 of us) and we sat and wrote songs
for 2 days. We started early morning and ended very late evening....we
were writing specifically for the Canadian idols record that will come
out in a few months. It was very interesting because we didn't know
who the winner was. Anyway, the Idol finalists came by and said Hello
and so we got a feel for their personalities,etc. I must admit I haven't
watched much of the show and so didn't know a whole lot about them til
meeting them. They were great though...and great singers as well.
It
was also a lot of fun at night because of the Toronto film festival that
was going on. A few of us writers went out to some of the parties after
writing. Friday night was a Chanelle party...which was great. Penelope
Cruz, Paul Haggis and a bunch of other actors, directors were there.After
that we went to another where Tommy Lee was the guest DJ. It reminded
me of the old days when I lived in Los Angeles and went to those kind
of things a lot.
On
Sunday I left Toronto and landed in Saint John, New Brunswick about
12:00pm. I went right to rehearsal for the tv show and then had some
interviews...CMT, CBC. TV rehearsals take a while so we were there for
a few hours....hurry up and wait. After that I quickly had a shower
and went for a walk down by the water. I was staying right downtown
and was close to the water so I made a point of taking in some of the
sights.
That
night..I went to some of the parties that were going on in and around
downtown. There's always a lot of partying going on at the CCMA's and
this year was no exception. People really have a good time and get a
lot of business done as well.
Monday
morning I was up early to do more interviews. This time for radio stations.
A lot of the radio stations from around Canada will come to the CCMA's
and set up booths where they interview artists and they are aired live
back in the cities they are from. I then visited the Saint John radio
station which was just up the street from my hotel. I just hung out
with the DJ on air and answered some questions.
We
then had another rehearsal for the tv show which was later on that evening.
This time it was a full dress rehearsal and they get all the camera
angles,etc solidified for that night's show. That took a few hours and
then it was back to the hotel for a short nap before getting ready for
the show.
Not
sure what you all thought of the tv broadcast...some people liked it,
some people didn't. I haven't got to watch it yet (when you're playing
on the show you miss a lot of what's going on because you're backstage
for a long time). I was happy to be there though and to get to play
my new single "Seeing Things". It's a fun, uptempo song to
play live so I'm always happy to play it.
There
were more parties til all hours that night and then I got about an hour
of sleep before I had to get up and head to the airport. My flight was
at 6:30 am. I often have my record label book early flights like that
after being away from home for a few days. The sooner I get back the
better.
So,
there you have it. That's what my CCMA week consisted of. Hope you guys
had a good week as well.
--Aaron
7/26/2006
Hey Everyone,
The spring and summer has been crazy busy with shows, writing trips and
recording. I just got back from a trip to Nashville where I did a bunch
of writing for my new record (I'm hoping it will be out by early 2007).
I also recorded new songs. It went really well and got me excited about
making a new record. It's always very cool to finally hear songs with
a full band after writing them with just an acoustic guitar. I've also
been spending a good amount of time with my family....just hanging out
and catching up. My parents came with me when I toured the Maritimes in
June which was a lot of fun.
Me and my band have played from coast to coast this year and it's been
great to see all of you fans at the shows. I've been testing out some
new songs this summer..just to see what kind of reaction you all have
to them. So far they seem to be going over well. Let me know on the
forum which ones you like and don't like so I can take your comments
into consideration when I'm picking songs for the new record.
I almost forgot to mention my tour of Europe. My wife and I went over
for almost a month and visited 12 different countries. We had a great
time and met some great people.
For
any of you out there who are a fan of my song "Seeing Things"....it's
gonna be my next single. It should come out within the next few weeks.
I think it'll make for a fun summertime song on the radio...what do
you think? When we wrote that song I was in Florida with a few friends
and we were hoping to make it feel like summer. Anyway, I hope you all
are doing well and enjoying your summer as much as me.
--Aaron
4/2/2006
Hey everyone,
For all of you that were able to make it to the Fan Club party this
year.....I just wanted to say thank you. I had a great time hanging
out with you all and I'm glad we've got it documented by CMT. Should
be fun to revisit when we see it on T.V in 2 weeks. I also wanted to
especially thank Brenda McKeever for all her hard work. She is the reason
that the Fan Club party was able to happen and is the reason the Fan
Club is as great as it is.
I also wanted to let you all know how much I appreciate the gifts you
gave me. The camera is something I've been using a lot already and will
continue to use most everyday. Luke really likes his new Bowl as well
(I think he'd probably like anything that has food in it...but still
he likes it). And thanks to everyone else who gave me gifts...like the
chocolate and the framed pics. I hope you enjoyed the shows this weekend
and I'll see you all again real soon.
--Aaron
3/14/2006
Hey Everybody,
I wanted to say hello to you all and talk about one of our friends that
we lost last week. Amy Walker...as you all know...was a great person.
She was a sweet and soft spoken woman whom I feel lucky to have known.
I met her about 5 years ago when I was in Dallas Texas and ever since
have kept in touch with her through the Fan Club. She always had a positive
attitude and always made me smile when we spoke. She will be dearly
missed. My thoughts go out to her family. As a small gesture of my friendship
with Amy and her support of me and my music....all the shows I play
this month will be dedicated to her. I hope this finds you all are safe
and doing well.
--Aaron
11/28/2005
Holiday Greeting
Hey everybody....
Just
wanted to say Happy Holidays to all of you! I hope this message finds
you happy, healthy and among loved ones. I'll be spending Christmas
with my family up in Alberta and am really looking forward to it. I
have 5 nephews and 2 nieces now so there will be plenty of Star Wars,
Power Rangers, Dora the Explorer and Spider Man memorabilia scattered
around the house this Christmas. I'm sure a lot of you will have the
same type of stuff around your house.
I also wanted to thank you all for your birthday emails. I really enjoyed
reading them. I spent my birthday in Alberta visiting friends so it
was a lot of fun.
Anyway.....I
better go but I look forward to seeing you all in 2006. Til then....
--Aaron
10/29/2005
Trump Taj Majal - Atlantic City, New Jersey
Tonight I played at the Trump Taj Majal in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
I opened the show for Leann Rimes and Phil Vassar. I was supposed to
play a 30-35 minute set but because the show was running late..Brian(my
guitar player) and I only played for 20 minutes. It was a lot of fun.
the crowd was great....sometimes Casino crowds can be a little dull
but this one was incredibly good. I ran out of CD's at the merchandise
table and had a long line for autographs after the show. I always love
when people come up and say Hi after the show. I thought about buying
a cheap wig and wearing it on stage. One that would make my hair look
a little more like "The Donald's" but my better sense won
the argument and I went out on stage wig-less. It's my first time in
Atlantic City and I spent most of the afternoon walking the boardwalk
and talking to family and friends on my cell phone. It was cold and
damp....and a lot different than I expected. Not sure what i expected..i
guess a little more like Las Vegas with the Bright lights and giant
hotels. It was our last show with Phil Vassar for a while so I said
goodbye to those guys before we left. I've had a chance to play a lot
of shows with him and his band over the last 6 months and they've all
been really good to me and I think of them as friends now. I also know
Leann Rimes' bass player really well so it was good to get to see him
for this week. We played shows together a few years back when i was
still trying to get a record deal. I'm looking forward to going home
tomorrow as I've been away for 6 days and it's been really busy. It's
a long flight back home but I'm hoping to sleep most of the way. My
nephews are coming to visit next week and I know I'll need the rest
to keep up with them.
6/14/2005
CMA Music Festival!
For those of you who couldn't make it to Fan Fair (CMA Music Festival)
this year....it was a really busy time for everyone. As for me...I started
the week off at a charity bowling event that raised money for St. Jude's
children's hospital. It was put on by Lonestar and they asked me to
be a part of it. It was a great night where myself and 20 or so other
artists bowled with fans, mingled and signed autographs. I had a really
good time getting to know my bowling team. On Tuesday, I played the
IFCO (International Fan Club Organization) show at the legendary Ryman
Auditorium. I played 2 songs..... "Waitin on the Wonderful"
and my new single "It Takes a Man". It was another great night
with 10 or so artists playing a few songs. Thursday started with interviews
with radio stations at 6:00 am. It is something that happens every Fan
Fair. A lot of radio stations from around the country come to Nashville
and set up in a hotel convention center.Me and a bunch of other artists
spent 2 or 3 hours doing interviews with each station. All live on the
air back in their home city. I went from there to my 2nd annual Fan
Club party. It was fantastic. I played 6 songs acoustically and talked
about how I wrote them,etc. I had fun hanging out with everyone there
and getting to know them even better. It was held at a mansion on the
outskirts of Nashville which was amazing in itself. After the party
ended I went and signed autographs at the GAC booth for about an hour.
Friday started with more interviews and autograph signings. In the early
afternoon I played the riverfront stage which was a lot of fun. The
weather was great....thank god it didn't rain. I played 5 songs....Seeing
Things, You Can't Hide Beautiful, American Way, It Takes a Man and Waitin
on The Wonderful. The fans were great and made us wish we could have
played a full length show. After the performance it was off to more
interviews and autograph sessions. Saturday I spent at the Opry. A good
friend of mine, Paul Brandt, was performing and I brought some family
to see him. We sat back stage and had a really good time. That's about
it. It was a really busy but fun week. For those of you who experienced
it.....I hope it was all you expected...for those who didn't...maybe
we'll see you next year!
--Aaron
3/31/2005
San Francisco...
Today I spent the day in San Francisco. I didn't get into town until
early afternoon as I was playing a show in San Jose in the morning.
I had 4 hours before a dinner meeting with the radio station so I spent
3 walking around downtown San Francisco. What a great town. It's one
of my favorite places in all of the U.S....and a very good town to walk
in if you aren't afraid of climbing the odd hill. When I got back to
the hotel I showered and got ready to visit the folks at the radio station.
Today was especially great because our dinner meeting turned into a
San Francisco Giants game. What I mean by that is instead of going to
dinner we decided to go watch the San Francisco Giants play the Oakland
A's. We had 7th row seats right behind home plate and had ballpark hamburgers
and hot dogs for dinner. The radio station folks in San Fran are some
of my favorites so we had a great time catching up with each other at
the game.
--Aaron
1/23/2005
Hey Everybody...!
Hey everybody! I'm writing this letter from on the road. My brand new
single is out on January 31st and what that means for me is a whole
lot of promotion and traveling. I'm going all around the country playing
the new songs for radio stations...and it's been going great. Many stations
are playing the new song already and many others have promised to in
the coming weeks. The new video is now playing on CMT and doing very
good as well. I do still need as much support from all of you as possible
though...so if you like the new song please let your local radio stations
and CMT know about it. Together I'm hoping we all will be able to celebrate
a #1 song and video for "Waiting on the Wonderful" at the
Fan Club party this year. I will be doing a tour with Phil Vassar next
month in the Northeast and Midwest United States. Look for the dates
on my website. Hopefully some of them will be in your area and I will
see a lot of you guys. I guess that's it for now. Thanks for all your
continued support. I hope that this year we will have a lot of things
to celebrate together. Looking forward to seeing all of you out there
on the road!!!
--Aaron
Lines
