Hello from a train somewhere between London and Manchester, England!  Left Paris early this morning and heading to Lancaster for a show this evening.  We are on the final leg of our European tour and wow, what an adventure this has been.  From the Hard Rock Cafe in Prague, to Balcony TV in Vienna and lots more in-between I can honestly say it’s the people we’ve met on this tour who have made it memorable.  

Before we left the USA I was interviewed for a morning talk show radio program.  The host asked if it stinks coming back to Iowa to play shows after we’ve been all over to “cooler” places.  My answer... no way!  It’s all about the people.  

So to our new European frans (friends/fans) thank you for making our first European tour a blast!  We’ll be back! To our UK frans, see you tonight and for three more shows this week and to you US frans, (shout out to Iowa!) we are looking forward to getting home to you.  

Had the scariest car experience of my life this week.  Tuesday, I was driving just as it was starting to snow.  I was on the phone with my mom and actually said “Mom, I need to let you go, the roads are getting bad...”  Less than two minutes after I hung up with my mom I was in a ditch, not a scratch on myself or my car.  Considering what happened this is shocking.  

As I crossed a bridge the back of my car began to fishtail. I skidded across the entire bridge before completely losing control of the car.  The car flew through the median and across the 4 lane highway into oncoming traffic.  I remember seeing cars speeding towards me and bracing myself for impact.  Next thing I knew I was sitting, right side up in a ditch next to the road thinking... “omg, what just happened?!”   

I seriously cannot believe that I didn’t harm any other drivers or myself and didn’t end up in the river.  As I was waiting for the tow truck, I had two ambulances stop and see if I was ok and two different police officers check in.  I was seriously impressed with our rescue workers.  Had I been in harm’s way, help was ready.  Thankfully, I didn’t need anything other than a tow out of the ditch and a good carwash.  

Eerily enough, this was almost the same scenario that happened to my mom and I in a car almost 20 years earlier.  That time, a near miss with a semi during another icy drive.  We were actually on the way to my piano lesson.  My mom told me that my 4th grade self was apparently very calm during the situation.  

So here I am, thankful no one was harmed.  Others that night weren’t nearly as lucky.  As I drove home I saw an SUV flipped over, a four car pile up, and a separate two car collision with glass and busted cars flung around on the road.  

My mom gave my younger brother a guardian angel clip he kept on the visor in his car.  It said “never drive faster than your guardian angel can fly.”  Somehow I ended up with the clip in my car and recently, it was just passed on to my sister.  I guess it didn’t matter that I no longer had the angel clip with me in the car... I’m pretty sure I had the real thing instead.  

Something cool happened this week!  We had the opportunity come up to play on the main stage for The Heartland Jam music festival.  This is a two day festival in Davenport, Iowa with three stages and acts including Dierks Bentley, Eric Church, Phil Vassar, Gretchen Wilson, Danielle Peck, Justin Moore, The Dirt Drifters and more.  

We expressed our interest in being an opening act on the main stage.   However, after hearing nothing back from the talent buyer we decided to take matters into our own hands and let The Heartland Jam know we were serious!

So, around 4AM on Wednesday we launched an impromptu facebook campaign.  The idea was simple.  We asked our fans to post to Heartland Jam’s page “Bring Danika to the Heartland Jam!”  By 8:00 that evening nearly 100 people had posted to Heartland Jam’s page showing their support for us.  It was really awesome if I do say so myself!  

By 9:00 that night I got an email from the festival promoter Michael Arp saying “Wow! Your fans have surely spoken!”  And guess what?  The next day we were booked as the main stage opening act for the festival!  Talk about the power of the people.  We have you to thank for your support and are so excited to be a part of the Heartland Jam lineup!

Are you still with me?  I hope you’re still reading because there is a very touching story behind how The Heartland Jam festival came to be you should know about.  Heartland Jam began as a dream of Loren Arp in 2007.  On October 1, 2010, Loren was severely burned in a combine explosion, landing him in the University of Iowa’s burn treatment center for 40 days before succumbing to his injuries.  While in the hospital, he expressed his desire for the festival to still take place.  Loren’s family established “The Loren Arp Memorial Foundation” with the mission to assist children in the University of Iowa’s burn treatment center and their families with the financial burden of going though such rigorous treatment.  

A significant portion of the net proceeds from the Heartland Jam Music Festival will go directly to the Loren Arp Memorial Foundation to assist with the goal of the Foundation. 

So what are you waiting for?  Head to Heartland Jam’s website to get your festival tickets today!   

I’m a reading fanatic.  Books, magazines, blogs... you name it, I love it.  I spent most of the morning reading “best of” blog posts from 2011 from music industry pros and 2012 predictions for the music industry from the same group of experts.  The conclusion I came to is one most of us already knew... the music industry is changing at a crazy and rapid speed!  Some love and embrace change, others avoid it like the plague.  One thing the experts did all agree on was the importance of relationships in the industry.  Again, we already knew that though didn’t we? 

We rung in the new year with a sold out show in our hometown at The Grape Life!  As I was on stage singing, looking out at everyone laughing and dancing I realized I couldn’t think of any other way I’d rather be starting a new year.  We have some exciting things happening in 2012... over 170 shows including a national tour and a European tour.  We’re also making and releasing a 2nd music video and the album “Living Your Dream” drops worldwide on March 6th.  

On a personal level I feel blessed by the team of people I have surrounding me.  Support and love from so many keeps me inspired on a day to day basis.  I keep plugging away at trying to better myself musically, physically and mentally.  Trying my hardest to eat less processed food and stick to my regular workouts.  Wish me luck!  We’ll be seeing you in 2012!  Hugs :) 

Danika's 2011 Blogs!