Tuesday, February 21, 2006

Real Estate Moms - It pays to follow your dreams!

It pays to follow your dreams. I love it when old coaching clients keep me posted on what is happening in their lives. I received an email from one Real Estate Mom in Minnesota with exciting news about what was happening in her life. Yes, it really does pay to follow your dreams!

~Coach Cheri

Minnesota's Singing Realtor, 'Jenny True' Album Inspired by Johnny Cash-June Carter Cash Connection
Jenny True, Minnesota's singing realtor is in Nashville studio with Legends Hall Of Fame Producer, Robert Metzgar working on her first country album. Jenny True who auditioned for the Hall Of Fame Producer on his cell phone, winds up with record deal in Nashville. Her inspiration is reflected in Johnny Cash-June Carter Cash connection after sending Oprah Show an email.


Hollywood, Nashville, New York, Mankato, MN (PRWEB) February 17, 2006 -– Jen “Jenny True,” Lyons who works for Century 21 Atwood Realty in Mankato, Minnesota had a spiritual epiphany on New Year’s Eve two years ago. The tall willowy blonde who would pass for a supermodel in a Vanity Fair Magazine advertisement, realized she had always wanted to sing country music. That night alone in her home, she had a spiritual encounter while singing at the top of her lungs for 4 hours. “This music just came pouring out of me. I just felt like this was something that I should do,” Jenny said in her interview with Sr. Editor, Mikel Gore from Entertainment Headline News in Nashville.

I have always had a song in my heart, ever since I was a little girl. My dad, Charles Quentin True, sang all the time. He was the one who inspired me to become a singer. One night, I was watching Gretchen Wilson’s story on CMT. I was overcome with such intense emotion, that right there with tears streaming down my face, I decided that I had to do something about my dream of singing country music. Later, like most people, I had lots of doubts and fears come creeping into my mind. I hesitated about coming down to Nashville. So, I prayed about what I should do. That night I had a very real dream. I was riding a bicycle down a very steep hill. I lost my brakes, the bike went completely out of control, and I was afraid I was going to die and leave my sons without their mother. I have two boys, Tyler who is 12 and Tanner who is 8. In my dream I was headed for a terrible accident.

Suddenly, I looked over my right shoulder in my dream and saw my father. He was riding a bike beside me in my dream. My dad said, “Keep going, don’t stop, everything is going to be OK. Just keep going, keep going and don’t stop. “ At the bottom of the hill, I was safe and my dad was gone. (Jenny’s father passed away from complications of bone cancer in 2003). Somehow that dream gave me the strength and courage I needed.

I love the Oprah show on television. I watch it every day. I tape her show so I can stay up and watch it at night after I get home from my day job. I was inspired to email her after watching her show called, “Wildest Dreams Come True.” I wrote her a long email. I asked her staff, how to get an audition with a known country music producer. The main thing that I wanted to know was if I had any talent at all. I really needed a reputable opinion. After getting Jenny’s email, a staff member at Oprah.com recommended that Jenny True contact Legends Hall Of Fame producer and veteran hit-maker Robert Metzgar in Nashville for a consultation about her music. “Mr. Metzgar is one of those very hard working, humble people who will actually take time to discuss your career with you and give you some direction, “ she was told.

Jenny didn’t want to give up her day job. She works at Century 21 Atwood Reality, in Mankato, MN which is the #1 Century 21 real estate office in the State of Minnesota. So, she sent Mr. Metzgar an email inquiring about people who are in the real estate business and who also sing country music. Mr. Metzgar told her, “ Tommy Cash” is one of the most successful realtors in Nashville. He also happens to be the younger brother of Johnny Cash. So, I think you might be on the right tract if you followed in the steps of the Cash-Carter family,” Metzgar said when he wrote her back. After realizing that Tommy Cash sold real estate and also pursued a country music career, that connection was her inspiration to do both, real estate and music. In August of 2005, Jenny finally got up the courage to come to Nashville.

Jenny was accompanied by a friend and together they decided to just “drop in” on Mr. Metzgar and see if he would talk with them. And, when they came in that afternoon, Mr. Metzgar did take time with them and he discussed the music business with Jenny. Metzgar told them about his own Cash-Carter family connection. Johnny Cash’s sister, Joanne Cash Yates and her husband Dr. Harry Yates who pastor a church in Nashville (Cowboy Church) were some of my earliest contacts in the music business. They came to Plainview, Texas and held a revival in our church. Little did I know that I was going to meet them in Nashville in my future, Metzgar said. “They invited me over to Johnny Cash and June Carter’s home and afterwards I had the great privilege of meeting “Mama” Cash. Eating dinner with the Cash family was the only time in my life that I ever drank iced tea, out of 24 carat gold goblets. It was an experience I’ll never forget,” Metzgar said.

Mr. Metzgar explained to Jenny that, “Everyone in this business needs a guide to help them with their initial recording, and give them direction.” Metzgar has done that for Jenny True. He asked her about her background. She told him that she grew up on a horse farm, out in the country side of rural Minnesota. Her dad, who was a Marine Corps Vietnam veteran, taught Jenny to yodel. “ There aren’t many people today who can still do the Jimmy Rogers, Blue Yodel #9,” Metzgar said. I think that’s certainly in your favor. Jenny grew up listening to her dad sing around camp fires. She worked hard on a horse farm doing all the things that country girls do around a farm, from baling hay and cleaning stables, to trail rides and tending to her horses.

Jenny True has a Cash-Carter Family connection. “I loved the Johnny Cash-June Carter story told in the movie, Walk The Line,” Jenny said. There has always been that special connection in my heart to the Cash-Carter family. I admire Mother Maybelle Carter so much for the music that she brought to my dad’s generation. Then Johnny Cash brought his music to millions of people in my generation and I am hoping to bring my own music to future generations of country music fans. Somehow I feel this special spiritual connection to the Cash-Carter family. The thing I loved about Johnny Cash was that he was never judgmental. I loved the kind of person that he was in country music. The Cash family inspired me to finally put into action my dream of singing. Now, I’m doing what I’ve always dreamed of doing. You have to always follow your dreams. It’s wonderful for my two boys, Tyler and Tanner, to see me do this, because it teaches them to follow their dreams.

Meeting with Mr. Metzgar was exactly what I had always dreamed about. After taking quite a bit of time with me, he said, “O by the way, you need to practice up a song and call me and sing it for me. Just sing for me over my cell phone and let me listen to you when you’re ready. “About two weeks went by, and I did just that. I auditioned for Mr. Metzgar on his cell phone. I just called his voice mail and sang him a song. I was scared and nervous, but I left him my song on his voice mail,” Jenny told us. He must have liked it. He said he would look for songs and record me. And, he did just that in November of 2005.

Mr. Metzgar helped me find music from some of Nashville’s top songwriters. Tom Shapiro, Lonnie Wilson, Gretchen Wilson, John Rich, Dennis Morgan, Dewayne Blackwell, Don Goodman, Royce Porter and other great writers all sent me material. I was especially impressed with the cooperation of Sony/ATV Music in Nashville. They have been the #1 country music publisher for the past 27 years in a row in Music City. Recording in the studio was one of the most exciting things I’ve ever done in my life. No wonder Tommy Cash enjoys his real estate and music at the same time. It’s like having gravy on your mashed potatoes or biscuits and honey. The combination is unbeatable. Thank you Tommy Cash for all that inspiration!

Jen, “Jenny True” Lyons is doing something she has wanted to do for a life time. And, it was her audition on a simple cell phone that brought her to Nashville. “People send you demos, sing for you in person, and in Jenny’s case, she just found a very unique way to impress me with a Mary Chapin Carpenter song.” Metzgar replied. Sometimes it’s that easy to find the right person for a music career. Jenny True’s new album should be finished sometime this year with her new CD project and video out in early 2007. For further information on how to contact the singing realtor from Minnesota, just go to any of the following:

Jen “Jenny True” Lyons
Jenny True Fan Club
209 S. Second Street, S#200
Mankato, MN 56001
800-767-4984 (direct)
615-321-0600 (wk)
615-321-0182 (fax)
http://www.jennytrue.com