I knew going into 2015 there was no way I was going to top 2014, playing 100 shows in 15 states.  But then again, 2015 was the year I got engaged and bought a house in my hometown, so I’m gonna go ahead and mark this year as a good one. Here’s the playlist that carried me through it:

Year-End Lists

I already know I’ve left stuff off here that I’ll wish I’d included, but damned if I’m about to let that vicious internal critic hold back yet another “2015 in review” blog post!  Lists are in no particular order, and if I think of anything else I’ll probably post it on Twitter.

In 2015, I got to play my songs…

…at 74 events.
…in 4 states.
…at 4 festivals.
…at 3 Butte Fire Fundraisers that raised a combined $32,000.
…on top of the Marriott in LA Live.

…for the first time.

Played in New York City…
A barn party line-danced to my songs…
Was asked to honor someone at a memorial…
Had a gig at Sundance Film Festival…
Hosted an open mic…

I shared the stage with…

…Jimbo Scott, The Black Pack, Morgan Snow, Hanna & Sofia Lundgren, Steve Key, Jill Warren, The Hot Dark, Risky Biscuits, The Little Fuller Band, The Brothers Strong & Co., The Magnolia Rhythm Trio, Bill Welles, & Alice Wallace.

I’m really excited and thankful that…

…over 11,000 independent users listened to my music on Spotify in December.
…with three days’ notice, Stevenot Winery & I put on an event that raised $3,000 for people affected by the fire while it was still burning.
…I got to play the Poster Room at The Fillmore in San Francisco before a Punch Brothers show.
…so many people came out to see me play in Brooklyn.
…our radio stations have been massively supportive of local music this year.
…since The Optimist was added to Pandora, Led Zeppelin & Ray LaMontagne are on Grover Anderson Radio.
…I got to play so many Songwriters At Play events.
…collaborative shows and events featured so prominently on my schedule this year.
…there are already 11 shows on my 2016 calendar, including mini-tours to SoCal, Oregon, & Washington.

My favorite albums from this year include…

…Sermon on the Rocks by Josh Ritter
…I Love You Honeybear by Father John Misty
…The Bearer of Bad News by Andy Shauf
…The Desired Effect by Brandon Flowers
…Live Young by The Hot Dark

The best concerts I saw in 2015 include…

…D’Angelo at the Fox Oakland
…Elton John in Vegas
…Broods at Outside Lands SF
…The Watkins Family Hour at Freight & Salvage Berkeley
…Brandon Flowers at the Fox Oakland
…Father John Misty at some random gymnasium in Sonoma

My favorite singles from this year include…

…”The Ceiling” by Idea the Artist
…”A Beginning Song” by The Decemberists
…”The Parklands” by Jimbo Scott
…”Street Lights” by Ruby Amanfu
…”I Know Theres Gonna Be Good Times” by Jamie xx

Artists that I discovered and fell in love with this year include…

…Little Brutes
…Natalie Prass
…Trout Steak Revival
…Broods
…Austin Lucas

Music I liked this year and have to include because I fancy myself a mildly hip dude…

…”Everybody Does” by Julien Baker
…Surf by Donnie Trumpet the Social Experiment
…Art Angels by Grimes (only not on my faves list because I haven’t had enough time with it)
…After by Lady Lamb
…Nowhere Now by Waterstrider

Thank you so much for sticking around for another year. Got some exciting new music in the pipeline. See you soon!