Finally, The RTL Project is here! What is the RTL Project? It's the coming together of music and musical ideas through collaboration. With the art of integrating different styles like, hip hop, rock, blues and even the urban sounds that come from Jazz. The RTL Project consists of four upcoming artists, California producer Brian Bennett, who has taken this project and many others to a new profound level. Jay Tablet from Cloaked Characters, who continues to write abstract lyrics with honesty being the leader and voice of the words. Engineer Rory Restani from Cloaked Characters, who utterly captivates and controls each sound as it is delivered by its creator. And last but not least, Songwriter and musician Reed Thomas Lawrence AKA RTL out of which was created, “The RTL Project.” Get the pre-release by clicking on Zonkedout Entertainment page below:

I've had the pleasure of writing w/ Bek Phillips and she is an incredibly talented singer songwriter. She recently wrote the song "My Angel" as a tribute to the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. The song has an incredible message and I wanted to share the lyric video w/ everyone. Please download the song for free at http://www.reverbnation.com/bekphillips and make a donation to the Sandy Hook Charity of your choice.

Last chance to lend your hand to the global fight against hunger by purchasing a song I wrote w/ Franchot Tone "Never Pays" or the entire album in stores featured on Solutions for Dreamers : Season 3, the latest benefit compilation CD from Oniric Records. All of the albums proceeds go directly to the World Food Programme (WFP) and its effort to fight global hunger. Visit OniricRecords.com to purchase this album or individual tracks.

I'm very excited about the release of Franchot Tone's new album "Thanks for This." I had the opportunity to co-write a dozen songs w/ Franchot, two of which he put on the new release. If you are unfamiliar with Tone, he is a California based singer/songwriter/producer who's best known for his work as one half of the band Culver City Dub Collective, the critically acclaimed band he shares with drummer Adam Topol. Tone has worked in the studio and on stage with names like Ben Harper, Jack Johnson, Money Mark, The Used, Tom Dumont (No Doubt), Fredo Ortiz (Beastie Boys), and Michael Franti and Spearhead.

The new album will be out very soon, but until then, head over to his site, sign up for his email list and get a free track! http://www.franchottone.com

Saw this video on YouTube and thought I'd post it up and share this talented, young, upcoming songwriter I used to co-write with. The artist is Kayleb James and the song we wrote a while back is titled "Wrong With Me." Check out more of Kayleb's stuff on Reverb Nation: http://www.reverbnation.com/kaylebjames

A film short I put together for upcoming singer songwriter/surfer/artist Steven Abernathy.

Working on demos w/ Steven Abernathy.

For more on Joanna, check out here Reverb Nation page here: http://www.reverbnation.com/joannaleemusic

Playing w/ Jynette Lynell Tomorrow Night, 9pm @ "That's Cool." It's a really vibey place to come hear original music. So swing by if you are in the Nashville area - 2309B Franklin Pike, Nashville TN 37204

Incredible song that I had the pleasure of working on titled "Right Now" Featuring hip hop Lyricist of the year 'Braille' as well as JTab & Rory Restani from the critically acclaimed underground hip hop duo "Cloaked Characters." Check out each artist here: http://humblebeast.com/artists/braille http://www.cloakedcharacters.com

This was a great live recording in the studio with Franchot Tone on Highway 97 with Jay Carlson!  Enjoy:-)

In the studio with w/ Will Stout and Elizabeth Thompson work on her song, "Lonely Night.". It's a hit!

Incredible dreamy folk pop that combines neo-classical, organic gothic and a bit of earth pop on the new release by Laurel Brauns, titled "House of Snow." Laurel is friend of mine from Bend Oregon and she is one, very talented songwriter that we will all be seeing/hearing a lot more of in the near future. Check out her new release on iTunes by clicking below.

Merry Xmas and Happy New Year to everyone! What a great year and 2012 will be even better:-)

Massive storm building-up on the way back from Mahalia Thtr, LA and we literally just missed it. You know it's a serious storm when they interrupt all radio channels to warn you.

Here's a pic of Dean Butterworth and I @ Studio City Sound when we were working on my Self Titled EP. Check out the EP on iTunes: "Reed Thomas Lawrence Self Titled EP"

Everyone, meet a very talented friend of mine - Mr. LAZ Glickman.  I had the pleasure of meeting Laz, his dad, Marshall Glickman, and his mom, Lisa Glickman, a few summers back in Bend, OR and over the last year I have kept up with Laz and his "just beginning" musical career.  I'm not kidding around when I say that my friend Laz is going to be a very successful musician.

I had the chance to sit and jam with Laz before I headed to Los Angeles, and I had a hard time keeping up with him and his playing (that's how incredibly good this kid is).  He was teaching me some really cool jazz changes and I was teaching him some harmonic movement techniques and lyric techniques for songwriting.  We were in our own musical world and totally got lost for a while trying to make up a few songs.  Then I just asked Laz to play for me because it's really amazing to watch someone at that age connect with music like he does. It's like he's been playing music all his life and he tunes-in to that channel where it flows through him and that's how I know he's got it!

I really admire his dad, Marshall, and mom, Lisa, for encouraging his talents and nurturing them as he grows into a professional musician.  But with that said, he's still just a regular kid and that's what makes him and his talent so special is the balancing of it all.

At 11-years old, Laz Glickman has travelled the world, lived in four different cities and has developed into a young man with a bright future. Born in Portland, Oregon, Laz has lived in Barcelona, Boston and, today, Bend, Oregon. As a result, Laz has learned to embrace people from multiple cultures and believes his humor, passion and competitive spirit will take him wherever he wants to go.

On most Sundays, he shuttles from a morning of alpine race training on Central Oregon’s Mt. Bachelor to rehearsal with a jazz combo, where he is a fine pianist. Laz plays ice hockey every week. He is a dedicated baseball player, showing a strong arm on the pitcher’s mound. In the summer, he mountain bikes and hikes. In the fall, he excels at tackle football, playing quarterback and middle linebacker. On the side, he occasionally plays tennis, golf, soccer and rock climbs.

As a student, Laz has achieved straight A’s as a 6th-grader at Cascades Academy. Each week, he studies Hebrew with his teacher in Portland, via Skype, preparing for his Bar Mitzvah. A die-hard member of the Red Sox Nation and avid fan of the Oregon Ducks, Laz is a young man of many passions.

Imaging his future, Laz says, “I want to be the world’s first professional baseball playing, ski racing, jazz pianist!”

On the music front, Laz has written six songs, topped by his signature “Laz Jazz.” He performs regularly at guest appearances throughout Bend, and has shared the stage with Tom Grant, Ron Steen, Michael Allen Harrison and other mainstays of the Northwest jazz scene. In Spring 2011, Laz was one of 10 pianists selected for Harrison’s “Ten Grands For Kids” concert, where he performed in front of nearly 9000 people over three shows at Portland’s Schnitzer Concert Hall.

Laz Glickman is a young man of many passions and whether we will see him on the big screen as a baseball player, ski racer or jazz pianist, we will for sure be seeing more of him so keep your eyes peeled and on the lookout.  But I have a feeling we will be seeing him on his Piano with his sunglasses on, and his head back feeling the music like the legends do:-)

For my friend Laz!

On stage at The Gorge Amphitheater.

It's been a long trip across the country to Nashville TN and I've been fighting a cold which is not conducive to having great vocal tracks!  But other than that, I feel like the new material is really starting to take life with each track forming it's own individuality.  I love the way music is made in TN, it's laid back, fun and has been my best experience yet in the studio.  I'm super blessed to be working with such talented musicians on this project. 

I'm proud to announce that my track "Never Pays" is featured on Solutions for Dreamers : Season 3, the latest benefit compilation CD from Oniric Records. All of the albums proceeds go directly to the World Food Programme (WFP) and its effort to fight global hunger.

WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency, fighting hunger worldwide. In emergencies, WFP gets food to where it is needed, saving the lives of victims of war, civil conflict and natural disasters. But WFP also works to prevent hunger in the future by implementing programs that use food as a means to build assets and create more dynamic communities.

I'm honored to be a part of such an important project as this benefit album and encourage you to do what you can to support the incredible work done by WFP. Visit OniricRecords.com to purchase this album or individual tracks, and lend your hand to the global fight against hunger.

In the vocal booth, shot on my Nikon D3S.

Meet a good friend of mine, Chuck Greenwood, CEO of HumanCar® Inc. If you haven't heard of Chuck and his father, Charles Greenwood, I can guarantee that you will sometime in the near future. HumanCar® Inc. is an industrial design firm deep in the forest of Oregon (can't tell you where, it's top secret). They make the 189mph biofuel research rod, the iconic FM4 'Troublemaker' and the new Imagine_PS™ LMV (mobile power station/low mass vehicle plug-in hybrid), and let me tell you that these guys are currently making history so you might want to keep your eye on them before you miss the making of these guys becoming legends of their own.

Please check out their website and support what these guys are doing: http://www.humancar.com

Last year Reed caught the attention of Myspace Records through his songwriting & musical style - he is now being featured on the Myspace Music Artist Discovery program - check it out here:

http://www.myspace.com/artistdiscovery

It's getting better all the time...looks like I made it on the front of the Myspace music home page! Click on the screen shot below to see the feature.  ~ Cheers

I recently had the opportunity to meet and work with the critically acclaimed Northwest hip hop producer "Terminil," who currently just released "Cut Em or Pay Em" by Northe'n Lights. Featuring the talents of Punchline (NYC), Illmaculate (World Rap Champion), Toni Hill, Luck One, T Soprano, Mikey Vegaz, Arjay, Dubble 00, Pricy, Top Shelf, Grynch, Knuckles, and Element.  The release is doing incredibly well and was featured on the top hip hop blogs in the US, called "2dopeboyz," below.

Click on the blog below and give the album a listen.  I'm featured on "All My Life."   Track number two!

Last chance to download our track "Music" for Free! Just click on the Tankfarm Clothing website below and download our track "Music" for free (4th track down) and a ton of other great artist downloads from Myspace Records & Tankfarm Clothing...

This little one is a Rockstar all on her own. Just after eating an entire rack of Baldy's famous ribs, we still had room for dessert. Give it up for Whitney Tone, AKA munky.

Well, we finally did it, we made the lineup for the Rothbury Festival. There are not many words I can use to illustrate the feelings that materialize when you get word you are sharing the same stage with legendary artists you grew up listening to, it's just kind of a fortuitous feat! This is an accomplishment that I have achieved through my good friends, family and partners in crime (my band). I give thanks to all!

Meet Culver City Dub Collective (CCDC) who are ultimately assembled, produced and creatively grounded by two individuals: drummer/songwriter Adam Topol and guitarist/engineer Franchot Tone who is also the engineer and lead guitarist on my record.

Watch the video

You don’t have to look past the name of BendFilm to ascertain where the festival originated. While the non-profit independent cinema festival is, of course, rooted in our mountain town, this month will see BendFilm cross the Cascades for its first ever out-of-town event. If you are in the area of Bend, Oregon then you can't miss this special event. Come down, have some local wine and brews and hang with my friends and family. I will be playing an acoustic set on Thursday October 9th from 7:45pm-8:30pm @ the Tower Theater located in the heart of beautiful downtown Bend Oregon Tower Theatre -835 NW Wall Street.

More info: bendfilm.org or call: (541)317-0700

Everyone, meet Ben. He is one of those rarities among human beings who just connects with everyone, and they connect back. Ben just gets it! Like any other form of art, Ben is an artist that is super honest and doesn't try too hard to capture what is already there. You know, art is all around us, but sometimes we try too hard to see it and we just miss it.

Ben's work, always seems to debilitate the eyes which gaze back and forth from a brief sojourn through his very unique, very off the beaten track style of predicting life through a lens.

One of my personal favorites, a genuine artist.

www.benmoon.com

The first weekend back from LA and it's cloudy here in Bend, Oregon.  We've had a super long winter and I was getting a little worried that we might not see summer.  Sky, from Rage Productions gathered up everyone for the video shoot and we gave it our best shot.

Everything went super smooth.  Everyone arrived on time and everyone had a blast.  Thanks to Sky and the rest of the crew @ Rage Films. The team never ceases to amaze me when it comes to motivating the unmotivated, THX.

Thanks again to all the people who participated in making this happen.

I'm on a plane flying back from Colorado and I think its getting easier! "Unproblematic," you say?? Yes, trouble-free. Oh, flying that is. I utterly hate to fly. I'm not going to fabricate the truth on this one. Even though, I always say "oh flying, I love to fly", I'm speaking to you now from 27,000 ft. above solid earth so that is completely trumped-up when I say I love to fly, I'm not gonna lie to you!

And let me say this is serious and it just came to me. I am flying back on 9/11 and my heart truly aches for those who lost loved ones on that horrible and terrific day I will never fail to remember that day as I'm sure every person on the globe will never forget the day our lives would change dramatically forever.

There are two great observable things that happen when you fly. One, you are so scared shitless that you will talk with anyone, the person next to you, the guy in the front or the sweet flight attendant who normally you wouldn't have time to connect with but in this situation you appreciate the little things. Two, you always find out what your true dreams are when flying. Yes that's right, at least I do. Every time I fly, I'm so scared shitless that I start telling the person next to me everything that I want to experience in my life in the next 20 or 30 years. It's funny though, because the person next to me always looks at me like "wow, this kid is ambitious," and I am to a certain extent, but in all honesty, flying is my inspiration.

Just recently I had the opportunity to play on the same stage as Sheryl Crow and it was in the town I spent a majority of my youth in, playing small blues pubs and dreaming about moments like this at my hometown amphitheater in Bend, Oregon. Sheryl was late for the democratic convention and the stars somehow aligned for my band and I.