Local Artist Lauren Alexander Leaves for Nashville With Texas-Sized Dreams

Lauren Alexander is no strange face to the East Texas music scene. She has played at festivals, concert halls, underground shows, local television stations ... if there's a place for a musician to play in East Texas, chances are she's played there.

All that changes this week, because the Lauren Alexander Band are heading to Nashville.

We shared with you an interview we did with Lauren last year not long after she returned home from Nashville after going through songwriting sessions with legendary country music songwriter Jim Collins.

Eight months later, she's going back to the home of country music, but she's not going to write this time. She's going to play.

The four-piece Lauren Alexander Band is playing seven shows in eight days in Tennesee, six in Nashville and one in Memphis, starting Wednesday (Jan. 23).

This opportunity, Lauren said, is the first time her band will get to really tour, and they're doing so with the dream -- the dream of being "discovered."

"It's a lot of work, but we know that up there you're making real connections. No matter where you play, there's someone there who knows someone," Lauren said Tuesday, hours before setting out on the road to their first show at Kudzu's in Memphis.

The band also will play at The Honest Pint, Ri'chard's Cafe, The National Underground, Tootsie's World Famous Orchid Lounge, Belcourt Taps and The Rutledge.

Chris Vinn, Townsquare Media

Lauren booked all the shows herself, something which she said "makes you really appreciate booking agents. It's a lot of work."

"But it's all worth it once you get up there and get to play," said Lauren's guitarist, Richie Kindle.

Lauren obviously wants her band to be seen by that one person who can make all their dreams come true, but simply gaining fans is priority No. 1.

"This is our first time to really go outside of East Texas, so we just want to gain new fans. We want to reach people who like the music and want to support us, whether it's booking shows, signing us, buying a CD or even a like on Facebook."

But, the most important date on the band's tour schedule might just be a day where there's no show scheduled at all.

That's Monday night. And anyone who wants to make it in Nashville knows Monday nights are Open Mic Night at the historic Bluebird Cafe, where superstars' careers have been launched on many an occasion.

"We're just going to wing it and see what happens, because that's what happens in Nashville," Lauren said.

Lauren's musical influences are eclectic, much like her music. But her approach is honest, and quite honestly, perfect for what Nashville needs these days. Lauren molds influences from the likes of Stevie Nix, Kacey Musgraves and The Black Keys, to JB and the Moonshine Band and Miranda Lambert, into a musical style that many can appreciate.

And it all starts with her songwriting, a phenomenon Lauren had a hard time explaining except that when inspiration for a song comes, she drops what she is doing and focuses on just that until the song is done.

"It's like when you dream ... dreams tell your subconscious what to take from a particular situation or moment in your life," Lauren said. "Songwriting to me is the same thing."

Below you can listen to one of Lauren's original songs, "My Way" and "Gypsy Blue Tattoo." Keep up with her tour schedule and news on the band on her website or on the band's Facebook page.