Today Friday, October 14th marks my 3 years without alcohol. I clearly remember that I had been thinking about giving it up for months before and took the time to evaluate my habits and how they were linked to my emotions.  I had been through some traumatic experiences along with the compound effect of insecurity & imposter syndrome it was clear that alcohol was not the best idea when I was in much need of some healing. I realized how much it held me back in my musical life as well.  

Luckily my musical sister and friend Vanessa (Goodnight Sunrise)  had posted on Facebook how she just celebrated her soberaversary of one year and shared her story. I was so inspired that I reached out to her. She called me right away and we talked about our experiences. She told me how she came to the decision and set a date to give it up so I did the same thing and picked October 14th.  I had one last hurrah on the 13th by going out and getting good and drunk, woke up hungover for the last time!  

Since that day I have constantly affirmed that I made the right decision because I have seen such an improvement in all facets of my life from my emotional, financial and professional life. When I look back I know that my relationship with drinking wasn’t a problem till it was. Although I didn’t fit the description of a textbook alcoholic it was progressing to a point where I could see it was a form of alcohol abuse that had been building up. Previously I spent time with other people who drank, a lot, and probably stayed in that environment because of some co-dependency and not properly dealing with my trauma. I knew it was time to take it all on and get myself back to a place where I was being my fully authentic self but to do that I had to FEEL all the feelings.   

As a bonus to kicking that habit, within three months of giving up alcohol I managed to kick my smoking habit. It was so associated with drinking/being drunk. I would not smoke through the week sometimes and then come the weekend if I was having a few, I’d convince myself that it was ok if I was drinking then it led back to full-time smoking so when I removed the catalyst I wasn’t tempted to smoke.  I was staying out way too late, had spent time with questionable people and on top of that, the money I would spend on drinks wasn’t serving my financial goals. When you look at how much one night out costs with drinks and cigarettes I’d drop $50 to $100 and not have an issue with it at the moment but yet claimed I couldn’t “afford” certain things.  

I can’t finish this blog without telling you the truth about how it affected my music career. If you are not familiar with my industry as a musician, well we have a lifestyle that is associated with it that defiantly involves booze.  We play in bars, have liquor and brewery sponsorships, free drinks all the time, etc.  These are not bad things it's just the way it is. I honestly didn’t drink much when I performed. I’d have a sip or two but that was it.  It was more so after and including being at some of our conferences where I’d be there for a few days and exhaust myself from staying up late and partying with various people. That would mess me up if I had meetings and showcases.  There was one year in particular that I think I stayed up till 5 am and fell asleep in someone else's hotel room and because I had barely any sleep, was dehydrated and smoked most of the night…..I sounded like garbage…at my SHOWCASE!  

I was embarrassed, disappointed, and frustrated yet carried on for a few more years, and guess who hasn’t showcased at that conference since?  Is it connected? I’m not sure but regardless if anyone from the industry was in that room that night I don't blame them for not jumping at the opportunity to work with me. 

I finally woke up and realized all of these things…I was mad at myself because I have two kids who deserved better than that. It was time to step up and put my family first and to do that I had to get myself to a healthier headspace!  

So that being said, I feel like I have had to work twice as hard to get back to the real level of my ability as a creator and with my most recent work, I know that none of it would have been possible without kicking the booze habit. I have had a lot of personal successes this year and want to keep the momentum going so you likely won't see me picking up a drink for a very long time if ever unless its a delish Libra non-alcoholic beer or mocktail!  I drink a lot of sparkling water and coffee anyway.  

If you are an artist on the East Coast there is an incredible peer support program through ECMA Wellness that meets bi-weekly you can attend and it is a safe space if you are looking to reduce your usage or give it up completely and Unison Benevolent Fund has resources for you free of charge as well and also please reach out to me directly if you ever have questions or want some encouragement of your own and I would be more than happy to personally be there for you.  (contact link below!)

XO - JR

Here we are a few days into August and I am just very much unwinding from an incredible July. It was SOOO busy with music for me with some stellar shows! My heart is super happy with my band and all the humans who came to see us. I had a bit of a line up change in early June but ended up with a serious upgrade as fans are saying! 

I had 3 great shows lined up so especially for these I welcomed a bassist Chuck Teed, Keys player Huey Lord and also Amanda Doucet who is now doing beautiful backup vocals and percussion. They have been a wonderful addition to my lineup as they are joyful and professional so I'll use them whenever they can be on stage with me!  

Most recently with this new dream team, we played AREA 506 and honestly it was all fantastic. My band backing me up was amazing and it was one of my favorite performances to date!  

These Humans are super photogenic and its impossible to take a bad photo of them haha. I f you missed it well there have been loads of photos and videos from the weekend and See more photos and I’m LOVEING all the great posts from our set and the whole festival.  

Here are two of my favorite photos (so many tho)!!!  Check it out and let me know if you were there in the crowd!  All of these from Mathieu Savidant at AREA 506 because um ya he's incredible. 📸✌️

So now what's up? 

You can find me solo acoustic at the following festivals and events!  

(Tonight) August 4th 
Saint John NB 
Night Market Saint John 
6:00PM - 9:00PM  

Saturday August 13th   
Alma NB 
Rising Tide Trails & Tunes: Women in Song at the Molly Kool Centre 
7:00pm - 8:00PM 

Saturday August 25th  
Moncton NB 
Patio Fest - St. James Gate 
5:00PM - 7:00PM  

I hope to see you around this month!  

Love - JR 

P.S. I’m loving the spins on my music and the sweet playlist adds keep em coming! 

www.linktr.ee/jaclynreinhart for all streaming links (or simply search “Jaclyn Reinhart” on your favorite platform.  

Let's face it, social media is an amazing tool but also very throttled by the algorithm, cluttered with ads, memes and there is only so much room in a news feeds and FYPs for information along with notifications for invites that we end up ignoring or checking after the event has passed!!! Oh no :(

To help to make sure that those of you who enjoy my music and updates I am inviting you to join my email list and start a contest to help encourage you to share your email with me!!! 

Yeah, I know some will say email is not the way to go but honestly I check my emails hourly, and even if I don't read it right away, it's there until I do something about it!   

This way you have information direct to you not combating all the other social media noise! You can reply to me at any time if you have questions or want to say hi AND there is no obligation to stay signed up if you wish to unsubscribe.   

My goal for the month is to discover 100 people who want to be a part of my music community and ultimately over the coming year if I can connect with 1000 people through my email list then that will be a great accomplishment. 

So I am inviting you to sign up for emails at www.jaclynreinhart.com/contest and your name/email will be entered to win. 

It's simple just sign up for my email updates on live performances & live streams, new music, new merch, blog post updates, and more. 

Entries from January 24 - February 24th will be put into a draw!   

*Win a signed copy of  “Sleep with Ghosts”  
Or  
*Private online performance  
(approx 20 mins) Zoom or FB 

How to enter:  
*Sign up for email list  
*Reply to my email (current subscribers)  
*Share this link or social media post with hashtag #SleepwithGhosts 

Just for signing up, you will also receive a free download of my song “Takes a Little Time” 

At the end of the contest, I’ll draw two email addresses one from my current subscribers and one from the new contacts as of January 13th.  I’ll contact the winners and post the results on my socials.  

Thank you in advance and good luck!! 

#behindthemusic 

“Sleep with Ghosts” is not only is this the name of my newly released 5 song EP it is the Title Track of the record. I wrote it with Tyler Lombard while I was in Toronto during a session at SOCAN Music the songwriters mothership, back in 2018. From the moment we started this song I knew it was special and became the theme for the whole record. 

I had always felt like this track deserved strings but didn't plan it in pre-production because it really didn’t fit in my budget. After we laid down bed tracks I just had this ongoing feeling that I should try and make that happen so I reached out to Christopher Buckley of the world-class Saint John String Quartet. He consulted with the other members David Adams, Sonja Adams & Danielle Sametz who all agreed to take on the project. My recording engineer, John McLaggan who is also an incredibly gifted artist/musician etc. agreed to write the arrangement and so we scheduled them to come in to perform. 

That day will always be near and dear to me because I’ll never forget how I felt listening to them perform on one of MY songs (and Tylers). I still get emotional because it's such an honor and even if no one else ever heard this song I would be fulfilled because this was captured for my own personal happiness. BUT it deserves to be heard because they sound INCREDIBLE!!! Please take a few moments of your time to listen. 

Thank you to the members of the SJSQ for being a part of my musical journey. I am so grateful for your involvement. 

Love, 

Jaclyn 

For all streaming platforms visit https://smarturl.it/SleepwithGhosts

I am now home from five days in Ontario, 3 gigs, and 817.7kms in a rental car! 

This was my first out-of-province tour with two solo shows and a full band performance too. 

What a whirlwind! 

My band flew in for one show!  It was our third gig ever and an absolute highlight performance for me. 

It was an incredible way to celebrate the release of my brand new EP Sleep With Ghosts "Sleep with Ghosts" 

Thank you to Kortni, Sebastian, and Andrew for your dedication and hard work to present my music as if it was your own and looking stellar while doing it. #stagecandy what a great team we have created. I love our band The Fire Signs! 

Many months ago, when the opportunity came up to perform in Toronto I took it. There was no way to know what might happen financially to fund the trip along with covid and traveling. I took the chance but not without help! 

First off, it wouldn't have happened without Sebastian Cook The BEAT Network  I have been working with him as my consultant and also he's the one who booked this mini-tour for me along with many other tasks. He is an industry Swiss Army knife! He does everything and does it with the artist in mind! Your hard work has been very appreciated. A big shout out for being my merch girl, roadie, working doors, promoting and selling tickets, travel buddy, and food companion! Our eyes were bigger than our stomachs at times and I didn't want to stop eating haha. I'm so lucky to be working with you and keep building out my career path with your guidance! 

Also, I am so grateful for the opportunity to perform with Suzie Vinnick Music. Thank you for sharing the stage with me, it has been a blessing. 

If you don't know her well she is top-notch as a performer and an overall beautiful human being. Every moment spent with her was like having a big sister to look up to. She is so thoughtful and caring. I see why so many people love her because she emits a warmth that I'll never forget. Also a big thank you to James, Suzie's sweet hubby! Thanks for taking some videos of the shows, I can't wait to see the footage. 

Nicole Léger is always amazing and such an important part of this tour. Her grant guidance and support are always appreciated. 

This was also made possible with financial support from the Government of New Brunswick and Music / Musique NB

through the MID Program. Thank you for investing in me and I hope that I did you proud in Ontario

A big thanks to my co-writers Tyler and Kim Williams Music for coming out to the show. It was amazing to perform Sleep with Ghosts and Rearview to you with my band! I'm so proud of these songs and they would have never been the same without you!! 

I am happy to have got to meet my publicist Jason Schneider who came to the show too. It was fantastic to have him see what I do live! 

Jason has been working hard on my release and I'm grateful for all the press and media attention he's been able to help me with! www.Jasonschneidermedia.com 

Thank you to all who came out to the show, buying albums, and for grooving along to my music! 

I did have a day to unwind in London before heading home.  From there I drove out to grand bend to visit some friends and just happened to meet a Brewery ow er who books live music at Bad Ape Brewing.  I tasted some hot sweet apple Cider and bought some delish artisan chorizo, hot sauce, and kombucha. 

Although I was all packed and ready to go last night feeling proud of myself I had made a mistake.  When I got to airport security.....the kombucha (along with my water and craft sodas from Anderson Craft Ales) didn't make it because apparently, I should have packed it in my checked baggage. I hope airport security gets to enjoy them and the lesson learned to read all the info when you check-in. 

Regardless the place looks like a great stop when I'm one to the area again and I'll just drink it before I fly or check it. 

In London, I took myself put on a date to Waldos Bistro.  I met two very hilarious men who made me laugh the entire time.  They were like Statler and Waldorf from the muppets.  Here's a selfie. 

Also big thanks to all who contributed to my fundraising campaign for my Tour Top-up!! 

Your support means so much and is helping cover costs on this trip. Thank you for $600 to go towards expenses not covered by my grant for hotels, flights, rentals, and transportation (25%). 

My goal is $1000 and I hit $600 last Tuesday. I'll keep it open until November 1st if you'd like to help out! Or email jaclynreinhart@gmail.com for e transfers since that seems to be the preferred method. 

I will have a special private video viewing and exclusive trip content on my website www.jaclynreinhartofficial.com after I close the fundraising campaign on Nov 1st. 

Thank you to the venues Heartwood Concert Hall the Supermarket and Anderson Craft Ales for having me! 

I can't wait for more shows and to come back to Ontario! 

Please check out my new EP when you have a chance! https://smarturl.it/SleepwithGhosts 

Here are some photos were taken by the wonderful Cassandra Popescu. She captured some great shots of my band from our show at the Supermarket in Toronto on Saturday night.

I have so many great things to reflect on in the creation of my upcoming EP "Sleep with Ghosts" Now that I have released the first single "Rearview" I can talk about it a little more openly!!! 

This album and song in particular came to life when I needed it! I almost gave up on recording and pursuing music professionally in early 2020 but one person, in particular, pulled me out of it and I'm forever grateful for her advice, support, and guidance to take the next steps. You see I went through a really, really rough patch and wasn't sure I could recover emotionally or financially for a long time. This was right before the pandemic struck! I had to decide my artistic future to push forward to leave it in my Rearview.... but I chose music.  

What a time to start recording an album when we weren't allowed to breathe in the same room as other humans we didn't live with! I launched a crowdfunding campaign on Feb 24th and 3 weeks in we got shut down. I managed to complete the project and raised 107% of my goal thankfully. I had some pretty amazing people behind me! Now I can finally show you all the work that went into this! The team I built around me helped me grow exponentially on so many levels and some are still helping me on this path.  

Everything that happened along the road to making these 5 songs seemed to come together in just the way that served them well. John McLaggan helped me create the sound I was looking for and suggested some incredible musicians to work with. From my long-time friends and even bounced some tracks down to Nashville to bring together the songs in my new Americana Roots Rock vibe that well flirts with country a bit...I dunno maybe it's because I wear a hat now. I just hope Sheryl Crow and Tom Petty would approve!  

I'll speak to Rearview for this entry. This song came to life because I needed to fill a spot that I didn't want to leave empty. I reached out to a co-writer I had met through the Songwriters Association of Canada's Master Class during the lockdowns. Kim Williams and I had a chance to write together and became friends pretty quickly. We had been talking about doing more writing more together but I didn't think it would be for this record because I already had the songs picked...or so I thought. I ended up dropping a song that was intended for the record so I reached out to her to work with me she gladly obliged!  

When we first started talking about writing together we started a folder. She dropped in a list of potential titles. Rearview popped right out to me!  We had both been in some less than desirable relationship situations and had a cathartic discussion about that then started writing this track. 

We worked so well together and it turned into one of my absolute favorite songs that I've written/co-written. It's about the moment you find the sense of confidence to put an unhealthy relationship behind you and begin the healing process. I think we have all been there and know when it's time to move on, it just takes a little time. 

Now "Rearview" is beginning its journey as it has been officially released to the world for potential listeners who need to hear what we have to say. I have already made it onto some pretty sweet playlists so far like Exclaim!'s "Eh, List" debuting at #47, Canadas Music Incubators "CMI Supported" and more. I am very interested to see how it progresses. 

I hope you will take a few moments to check it out. Please hop onto your favorite streaming platforms to start playing and adding this brand new track to one of your playlists, share on socials and tag me @jaclynreinhartmusic or just tell a friend if you like what you hear! 

More music coming at you soon! 

Love, 

JR

www.rootsmusic.ca