The last time that indy singer/songwriter Mindy Gledhill played Jammin’ Java, she tweeted afterwards “this is the best venue I’ve ever played,” saying the staff and customer service was the best she ever dealt with.
With four albums and a Christmas disc under her belt—including the critically acclaimed “Pocketful of Poetry” from last year, the 10-year music vet understands how important that can be.
“I just loved playing there,” Gledhill says. “The sound engineer was the nicest one we have ever worked with, so we are just huge fans of Jammin’ Java and happy to be going back this week.”
Gledhill returns to the venue this Friday, Sept. 26, with a 7 p.m. start time with Jess Penner serving as the opening act.
“We have a new, exciting show with a couple of new songs that we didn’t play last time,” Gledhill says. “It’s a mix of things from the records and some surprises.”
Those coming to the show might notice the 1979 vintage tour bus in the parking lot, which Gledhill bought and renovated so she could travel with her three young sons on the road. A film crew is also chronicling the family adventure to turn into a web travel series.
“The position I’m in is unusual because I’m an independent musician and I power my own career, so I’m at the helm of my ship,” she says. “I wear many hats—a mom, a wife—it can be tricky to balance when on the road and apart from one another. I felt like the bus was literally and figuratively a vehicle to have my family join me and have these adventures with me.”
Besides, she loves to idea of her kids getting to see the country and how the music business works.
“I pitched the idea to a network and now we’re filming a documentary about the tour,” she says. “This is the maiden voyage and we’re excited about what’s to come.”
One of the new songs Gledhill will perform at the show is a fun little number about the bus, which will be played on stage for the first time ever.
Gledhill had spent most of her youth in Eureka, Calif., and studied music at Brigham Young University. She was 21 when she signed her first deal with a record label, releasing “The Sum of All Grace” in 2004, but soon realized that the indie route was more her style.
“I learned so much from watching people business-wise, and I felt like I had a mind for business, and I could do what they were doing on my own and on my own timeline,” she says. “I think one of the issues with record labels is there’s a lot of waiting and approvals that need to be met, and that can kill the momentum of what you’re trying to create.”
The singer decided to take her career in her own hands and has released her other albums independently.
“Ultimately, that waiting game is not something I am willing to put up with,” she says. “From the time I was 13, I knew I wanted to pursue a career in music. I loved the feeling of sharing music—it resonated with something in my heart and never left me.”
While Gledhill has done some licensing for television, her goal is to get a song in a feature film, while continuing to perform on stage.
“It’s magic and a rush and this great participation of sharing between me and the audience,” she says. “It’s so fulfilling, it makes me feel whole and complete as a person.”
For more about the singer or to hear some of her music, visit Mindygledhill.com.
