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Rachael co wrote and recorded a new duet with her friend Dan Wilson. "You Take My Troubles Away" is available now, on the soundtrack album for the film, "Dear John." Click here to get it on iTunes.

Cayamo Cruise Feb 21st-26th!

Rachael will be performing as part of the Cayamo Cruise Feb 21st-26th. There’s still space available on the ship, so visit cayamo.com for details. If you’ve already booked your trip we can’t wait to see you!

Click "Read More" To Get More Info About Cayamo Cruise

Cayamo is just two months away and although it might be too early to start packing bags it’s never too early to start getting excited! Four days on a floating musical wonderland, sailing into the warm Caribbean with all of our favorite friends and artists, who could dream of a better vacation?

We’ll be leaving Miami February 21st, 2010 and cruising to beautiful Belize City, Belize and Costa Maya, Mexico aboard the Norwegian Dawn. Your days will be spent enjoying performances around the clock from Lyle Lovett, Emmy Lou Harris, John Hiatt, Steve Earl, Brandi Carlile, Robert Earl Keen, and more than a dozen other singer songwriter favorites. Not to mention your home for 5 days features world-class restaurants and lounges, pools and whirlpools, a comprehensive fitness center and luxurious spa. In addition to all the great performances, there will be onboard activities and workshops for your entertainment and enjoyment.

Sounds amazing, right? It’s no surprise there are less than 60 cabins left for Cayamo 2010, and these last ones we know will go quick! If you’ve already booked into your Cayamo cabin, we can’t wait to see you! If you haven’t yet reserved a cabin and there’s still a chance you can make the trip, we would like to extend a final invitation to join us. Select cabins are still available at cayamo.com or by dialing 1-877-SIXTHMAN. Come spend this one-of-a-kind music experience with us and create memories that will last a lifetime!

Tune in to One Tree Hill on Monday, December 7th to hear 'Horizon' by Rachael Yamagata.

CLICK HERE to hear "Meeting Across The River" now!

we covered this as a part of a tribute WXPN in philly was doing for the boss. they've got more at their site so check em out! this was no easy task, but just proves the beauty of fumbling. we had dan and chris come up to kev's studio in upstate ny and as firm believers in 'first takes are often the most inspired', we just started playing the song with no previous listens for the band whatsoever. they didn't know we were recording and it felt really fresh to me. you really have to listen and just 'feel' in a situation like this and they were great. we caught a vibe. they wanted to go back and rerecord when after 15 min kevin and i declared 'we're done', but i wouldn't let them. i got a little boss in me too. ;)

produced/ eng/ mixed - kevin salem
vox, piano, glockenspiel - ry
electric guitar - kevin salem
drums - chris giraldi
bass - dan carlisle

Here's another new song that was just posted in the music player!

"He Loves You Deep Inside": this song was my lyrical attempt at something optimistic. go positivity! it started as a bit of a diversion from a standstill in the studio where another song just wasn't hitting it. everyone just started 'jamming' on it et voila. it's more of a vibe than a fully fleshed out song perhaps, but it kept us inspired that day... started in the studio with john alagia and finished it up with kevin salem

produced by - john alagia and kevin salem
engineered by - brian scheuble and niko bolas
mixed by - niko bolas and kevin salem
vox, piano, acoustic guitar - ry
drums - jay bellerose
bass - jen condos
electric guitar - mark goldenberg
violin - becky doe
cello - oliver kraus

Rachael is now featured on a great compilation of cover songs from the Greenwich Village music era, and performs Joni Mitchell's classic "Both Sides Now." You can get the album (The Village - A Celebration of the Music of Greenwich Village) by going to Amazon right now!

Hi all. As i'm writing the new ones, here are some songs of the past to share. they'll be in rotation with whatever spur of the moment la di das that i think you'd enjoy. xo ry

"Jonah": I had a really hard time with whether or not to put this one on the past record. I love it and it's one of the only songs I've written with 'characters.' There's a tribal vibe to it that I really like. We've only attempted it a few times in a live show, but may bring it out of it's shell again. It's a good one as it's getting colder outside...

jonah
rachael yamagata

produced and mixed by mike mogis
engineer - matthew cullen
add'l engineer - brian smith (glockenspiel)

vox/piano/acoustic guitar - ry
drums - jason boesel
upright bass - catherine popper
nylon guitar - mike bloom
melatron - nate walcott
marimba - nate cambell
glockenspiel - matthew cullen
marimba arranagements - nate walcott

mastered at sterling - ted jensen

5:44 am. Blog time. Pitch black in woodsville and my cats are confused. If I let them out this early they’ll find mice/ coyote find cat. (click "read more" to see the whole thing!)

It’s been a long hot summer. It hasn’t, but I’m getting back into the ‘this is my blog I get to say what I want’ mode. Summer actually flew. Went to loads of weddings this summer. Summerlove in fact long lasting/ Oli’s had the best cake frosting. I’ve learned that I’m a wedding crier. It used to be those mastercard commercials and now it’s weddings. The walk down the aisle, the speeches, toasts – I am no longer safe. Tears upon tears. So much love. And I’m supposed to be writing a record. Dare I let my summer into my song?

The first night I got up here to my little creative hideaway, I heard the slaughter of what I think was a rabbit. Ten minutes of horrid squealing. Coyote won. Not a good sign. Yesterday I caught one of my cats scraping my new song sheet music, that I’d left on the floor, and settling in for a good pee. Not a good sign.

Seriously though, it’s record writing time again and songs are coming. I’m not one to write on tour, so it’s a funny task to sit down and say ‘ write… write now’. It doesn’t work. Or rather, it gets you writing, but not necessarily anything that should ever see the light of day. So, I run down the mountain (that’s how I got ‘elephants’ – don’t worry – no more animal songs, only animal blogs), watch dvds (sex and the city – 2nd time through the whole series), venture to town (when I’m not feeling agoraphobic), read books, watch the news and finally bed by 8pm. 987 unanswered emails haunt me daily through all of this and I’m getting old enough to know that I am just not a multitasker if writing is on the docket. Dwindling friendships hang in the air because of this and I fear most folk assume I’m roaming sunset blvd at fancy parties and hipster bars. I’m not. I’m biting my nails and staring at trees. Image be gone I’ve said too much.

I hate the phone. I haatttteee the phone. My cell phone died three days ago and I have no desire to get a new one. I mistakenly dropped it out a 5 story window and it still survived, but thankfully it’s now dead. I fear the phone. I cannot even order take out. Seriously, someone else has to do it. I can tweet, but no take out eat. I fear the ‘mean’ stranger at the other end. Ridiculous, but true. Something about stranger anger that really gets me. A few weeks ago I was driving and someone yelled out ‘asshole’ as I was going through a stop sign. For the blog record – I got there first, it was my turn to go. I almost drove after the guy to get closure. Not road rage. More like road depression. Let’s make up now so this doesn’t haunt me in the middle of the night stuck in the woods and surrounded by coyotes.

Back to the music, I’m loving the new Bat for Lashes record as well as Regina Spektor’s. Regina has a song about god that I would’ve traded a cat to have written. I’m watching Salem Witch trial specials and wondering if I could write something as compelling about the Puritans.

And that’s the news from this end. I wish I could hint to you more about my own next record, but so far it runs the gamet from a rap about trinkets to a poem about healthcare. A toast to all who are in love, and maybe a tear – hooray for the lightest of blogs in a world overcome with fear. Keep loving your cats, keep eating your cake, and come out with a record – whatever it takes.

Xoxoxo
R

Tune in to ABC this Thursday night at 9pm to hear "Brown Eyes" on this week's episode of Grey's Anatomy.