Alapaha Station Celebration

Hello, friends! We are thrilled to announce that we will be playing the Alapaha Station Celebration on Saturday, November 14th, 2015, at 2:30 PM in Alapaha, GA. This is a historic event offering fun for the entire family, a stellar lineup of musicians (including Danny Dawson and headliner Buddy Jewell), arts and crafts, parades, old cars, and (of course) plenty of food! We hope you'll come out and join us, and we look forward to seeing you all there! 

Lots of love,

B + L

Changes in the Weather

For those of you who have been counting, when we wrapped in studio on Tuesday night (TECHNICALLY Wednesday morning at 3 AM!), we saw the culmination of a whopping month and three days of studio time, numerous pizzas and smoothies, countless pots of coffee, and a few battles of wit and HORSE (we did rather well in the wit department; HORSE, however, is an entirely different story). 

When we first stepped into the music business, we learned very quickly that pursuing a career in music is just that: a pursuit. There isn't a magic place where you can set out your lawn chairs, make camp, and then expect to find success. Every step along the way is one step closer to making a dream a reality, and in a relatively short time, we have started new chapters, dug deeper, grown leaps and bounds as artists, and broken new ground. The past month has been one of the most challenging times in our career as of yet, but as we walked out of the studio with our suitcases, we had something else: satisfaction. Pride, even, in what we had created, and excitement to share it with the world. We have never been worked harder, and we have never felt better about our work. 

Wednesday morning was the end of one project (one that we hope will be the first of many), but the start of a whole new chapter in our lives and our careers. As we move forward, we hope to share even more with you guys, to open up our lives and our hearts even more through our music, our shows, and our feeds. We want to thank each of you who have so loyally liked, shared, followed, attended, supported, encouraged, loved, and prayed for - and with - us over the past few years, and to welcome with open arms and hearts everyone who is new to the BEAU + LUCI family. We have been blessed beyond our wildest dreams, and our hearts are so full. 

xoxo,

B + L 

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Last Friday, we did something we've never done before: performed a livestream concert, live from the Historic Plant Cafe! It was one of our biggest productions, and we couldn't have done it alone. It went off smoothly, both at the Plant Cafe and through StageIt, thanks to the hard work of our production and technical crew (Jim Parker, Trey Pearson of Millennium Sound, David and Braeden Turner, Chris Karle of Vyve Broadband, and the tech support at StageIt). We had an incredible venue, one that we always love playing, and we're so grateful to Steve, Marla, and Stevie Howell and Ashley Watson for inviting us back and taking such good care of us. We want to thank our guest MC, Mr. Walt Eddings, for the time he spent preparing for the night and doing such a spectacular job, and Heather Cox for her support and patience. 

We can't do what we do without an incredible band (who played SO well Friday and put in hours of hard work, as well as endured the painful experience of a photo shoot). We've got a great group of guys and are so proud of them, and blessed to be able to work with them. Thanks to Logan Inman on lead guitar, Drew Crawford on bass, Austin Lane on drums, and Ryan Middleton on slide and rhythm guitar and mandolin. 

To everyone who came out and cheered us on, thank you! It was so nice to see old friends and make new ones. We love all of you and are so grateful to share this journey with so many beautiful souls. 

Finally, we want to thank our sponsors and promoters: The Plant Cafe, StageIt, Vyve Broadband, The Georgia Music Channel, Millennium Sound Productions, J. Smith Lanier & Co., Eddings Enterprises, Petroleum Services Group, Salon Cheveux, Splash!, Friendly Express, Feys II, VTACT Security Management, Solar Trendz, Lewis & Raulerson, Inc., and Lewis & Raulerson Carrier Group LLC. We have been surrounded by such love, support, and encouragement at every step of the way, and we're so grateful for it. We couldn't have done it without each and every one of you. 

Lots of love, and a massive thank you, from everyone here at Team BEAU + LUCI xoxo

We're Back in Black (and White and Read All Over)

2015 has been incredible so far, packed full of excitement and big opportunities that we can hardly believe ourselves, so let's have a quick recap before we look forward. We kicked off the year with a sweet acoustic show and a packed house at the Plant Cafe, then spent a week in Music City, taking it all in, handling a few meetings, and eating more than a little good food! We left our hearts in Nashville, and we're more than ready to go back (check back later this week for a full travel journal!). 

We only had a few days between playing the tourist in Nashville and playing shows in Daytona and New Smyrna Beach, FL over Speedweek. The love and support we got from you guys during a week packed full of shows and appearances, and capped off by a once-in-a-lifetime experience in the pits at the NASCAR XFINITY Series Alert Today 300. 

Following the race, we played two weekends back to back at Moccasin Creek Offroad Park, sharing the stage with our new friends Young Sullivan at the Muddin & Music for Makinley Rain Nobody Fights Alone Benefit, and then the next weekend, first at the Blackshear stage dedication, and then back at MCORP with The Steven Flowers Band. 

We headed back to New Smyrna Beach for the New Smyrna Balloon and Sky Fest, where we played a four-song set before getting rained out. The weather didn't pass in time for us to go back on, but we did get to hang around and watch the lovely and talented Brad Sayre blow our minds, and then Jared Blake and his awesome band rock the stage. Finally, we played at the historic Annual Blessing of the Fleet in Brunswick, GA. It's always an honor and inspiration to play with people who are driven, dedicated, and passionate about what they do, and, as always, we had a fabulous time. 

While in Daytona, we released our EP, Long Way Home, with three songs: Fire, Uncaged, and Long Way Home. We've been anticipating such an exciting event since we started writing our own music, and we've been thrilled at the reception it's received, as well as the release of Fire to radio on April 20th! It's been so cool to see all of your feedback, and to hear how much you guys love a song that we've put our heart and soul into. Keep letting us know where you are when you hear it. It's such a humbling and encouraging thought to know that our music is being played all over the world and touching the hearts of people we may never meet face to face, but that's why music is so special: it's a universal magic. We're just glad to be a small part of it.  

Also...WOW. We're so close to hitting TEN THOUSAND LIKES, a huge milestone for us. We're so blown away by the love and support you've given to us, and we want you to know how grateful we are to every single one of you, whether you were here from the very beginning or hit that "LIKE" button yesterday. Either way, keep liking and sharing, and let's get to 10,000. As soon as we do, you'll be entered into a raffle, and one lucky winner will get a really cool prize. 

Lots of love, 

B + L

A Time of Thanksgiving

The holiday season has always been a special time for our family, despite the business that comes with it! We always find ourselves spending a bit more time together, laughing at jokes that might have gotten eye rolls a few months earlier, and, of course, putting in quite a few hours of decorating for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

Christmastime is our largest undertaking, but there's something peaceful about bringing down the boxes full of autumn leaves, smiling scarecrows, and pumpkins that are just too pleasant to be included in the Halloween decorations. It only takes us a few hours to finish up, but we're always glad to have spent it together, with no sense of chaos and no deadlines to meet. 

At this time of the year, it's easy to get caught up in the rush. There are meals to prepare, family coming in, presents to buy and wrap (hopefully before Christmas Eve, though we've all been there!), and something always goes wrong, whether the turkey is still frozen when it's time to eat, or there's a squirrel in the Christmas tree, a la National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (fingers crossed none of us have to deal with such a thing, though it would add some excitement!), and without fail, we all have our "Cousin Eddie" adventures over the holidays. 

Even if nothing goes wrong at all, we oftentimes find ourselves at New Year's, wondering how November and December flew by so quickly. After all, it's supposed to be August, right? But whether you're so full of holiday spirit that you've been playing Christmas songs nonstop since November 1st at 12:01 AM, or if you're still insisting that "It's only November, turn that off!", we hope that you'll take a moment in the middle of the hustle and bustle and realize that, hey, life is good, family is crazy (but that's okay), and there's really so much to be thankful for.  

It is the most wonderful time of the year, after all. 

November, It's Nice to See You

Well, it's been a rather dreary Monday for us, but sometimes it takes a bit of rain to make us settle down for a few minutes and take a breath! The BEAU + LUCI team has been busy this weekend, working (and, of course, playing!) hard in Gainesville, Georgia and Miami, Florida, with more travel on the horizon! 

First off, we played at the Okefenokee Regional Fair on Thursday (November 13th), and we had an absolute blast! The crowd was awesome, and the view of the Ferris Wheel from the stage wasn't that bad, either! Once again, we are so grateful to our band for being so incredible and making things so much easier, funnier, and more interesting. 

              

     

After the show Thursday, we hit the road. We were in studio Friday evening and Saturday morning, where we began working on new music! We always have a blast at Rivercrest Music Studio, working with Mark and Graham Dowdy, and this was no exception. We can't wait to head back up and finish up! 

We only wish we could have been in two places at once, so we could have gone to the Homestead-Miami Speedway Nationwide Race and cheered on our favorite driver, Jeremy Clements (#51). We cheered him on from the studio, though, and in Athens later, and Brian did a fabulous job representing the BEAU + LUCI team in the pits, alongside our incredible publicist and sponsorship director, Kari! We can't wait to meet Jeremy in person, and to partner with him and his team in 2015!

We spent Saturday night between the hedges at Sanford Stadium, cheering on the Dawgs and doing a little bit of freezing! It was a great game, though, and we're always grateful for the time with our family!

We hope you guys have a wonderful week! Wishing you lots of love and holiday cheer (yes, we know it's only November, but it's practically Christmas, at least in Luci's mind!), 

BEAU + LUCI

The Farm Benefit at The Club at Bennie's Red Barn

We had an awesome time last Sunday, July 20th, when we had the opportunity to play at a benefit for The Farm, which is located on St. Simons Island, hosted by The Club at Bennie's Red Barn. The Farm is a rescue, rehabilitation, retirement, and hospice home for animals who need a healthy, happy place to live and be loved and cared for. We had an absolute blast, and knowing that we were doing something to help these innocent creatures who spend their entire lives loving their humans only made it more fun!  

The Farm has animals of all sorts, including horses, cows, goats, geese, chickens, sheep, cats, dogs, and rabbits, and the volunteers and kind souls who run the place dedicate their time, energy, and resources to caring for these animals. Volunteers are always welcomed at The Farm to give some love to these sweet animals! They also have an open house most Sunday afternoons from 2 - 4 PM Eastern time, though other visits are by appointment only, so you can get to know some of the animals on The Farm. 

And of course, we would be remiss not to mention Tunsis himself! Tunsis is a very large goat who runs The Farm on his own terms and schedule. If he's in the mood, you might be able to meet Tunsis while visiting The Farm.  Tunsis is very opinionated and lets everyone who enters The Farm know that they are on his turf and must do things on "Tunsis Time," as the fundraiser T-shirts showcase - all in good humor - because Tunsis is loved by all who visit and volunteer.

However, if volunteering doesn't fit into your schedule, or if you live too far away to make it to the island, you can make a tax deductible donation to make sure these animals get the love and care they deserve! And if you just aren't an animal person, The Farm utilizes many skills of volunteers for keeping it running smoothely, safely and effectively, so think outside of the box and put your skills to work at The Farm. We can't wait to head over and volunteer ourselves. 

We're so grateful to Wayne Thompson and everyone who made it possible for us to be involved in such an incredible event for this great cause. The Club at Bennie's Red Barn, did a fantastic job putting this event together, and we can't wait to head back down to St. Simons to play again!  Make your plans now for 2nd Sunday at Gascoinge Bluff on Aug. 10th, 2014 from 1pm - 7pm; we'll be there for another great fundraiser! 

Lots of love,

Beau + Luci

Beau + Luci: Family, Friends, and Music

Originally published in the Spring/Summer 2014 Issue of the Waycross Magazine.

Down at the Market

Article originally published in the Waycross Journal Herald on June 25, 2014.

Upcoming Events

Hey, guys! We hope your week has been lovely, and that you're looking forward to a relaxing weekend! Make sure to clear your schedules this Friday, June 13, 2014, and join us at the Downtown Waycross Market, at the Gazebo at Doughboy Park! We'll be playing from 6 - 8 PM, though the Market runs from 5 - 8, but come early or stay late and have dinner with us at Waycross's best kept secret, The Plant Cafe! The menu is awesome, and the company is even better. Not only will you get to try out their famous chicken salad, pimento cheese, and hamburgers, but you'll learn more than you ever thought possible about Waycross's rich music history! It's one of our favorite places to hang out, so we hope to see you there! 

Also, we'll be playing at the Waycross Chamber of Commerce Business After-Hours event next Thursday, June 19, hosted by the Downtown Waycross Development Authority at the Historic Rail Depot. The DWDA is the group that puts on the Market and keeps Downtown Waycross vibrant and beautiful. We're honored to have been asked to play, and we can't wait! 

Check back over the next few weeks for more information about future events. We're so excited about our performance schedule, and we hope to see you guys there! 

Lots of love,

Beau + Luci

Sister Act Beau + Luci Entertains at Twin Lewis & Raulerson Milestone Celebrations

Waycross, Georgia’s very own sister-singer-songwriters, Beau + Luci, performed recently at two important Waycross events - Lewis & Raulerson, Inc.’s 75^th Anniversary Celebration on May 1, 2014, and the Friendly Express, Inc. 25^th Anniversary Celebration on May 17, 2014.  Despite the forecasted scattered showers that turned into severe thunderstorms for the Lewis & Raulerson, Inc. celebration and high winds during the Friendly Express, Inc. event, Beau + Luci, both agreed that they had a blast and learned a great deal about outdoor performances.

“If this is any indication of how the coming summer schedule is going to be, then we’re really excited about what’s ahead,” Luci explained as Beau added with a grin, “And we seriously hope it is, because we had a great time.” The sister duo kicked off their performances with a musical mash of “Radioactive” by Imagine Dragons and “Pumped Up Kicks“ by Foster the People.  Beau + Luci performed sets of cover songs from a mix of classic rock, pop, indie, and modern country genres and closed out the afternoon with an almost prophetic Imagine Dragon’s hit, “It’s Time.” 

“It was a privilege to have been included in these two milestone celebrations and an honor to know the two companies placed such confidence in us.   We respect and appreciate what Lewis & Raulerson, Inc. and Friendly Express, Inc. stand for within the community, because of their business reputation, rich history, and the importance they place on family, community, and integrity,” explained Luci.  “They’ve [referring to Lewis & Raulerson, Inc. and Friendly Express, Inc. employees and owners] all been a huge part of our entire life, since our Dad has worked within the corporate establishment for nearly 20 - years,” continued Beau, “and we’re just so happy to begin our 2014 performance schedule at home, with family and friends, and with a company that means so much to us.”

The Lewis & Raulerson, Inc. 75^th Anniversary Celebration was a reception-style gathering held outside on the grounds of the home office located at 1759 State Street, Waycross, Georgia.  A catered buffet of an old-fashioned fish fry with all of the trimmings was the main course, along with a special edition 75^th Anniversary cake for desert.  Beau was sure to point out, “We also really enjoyed Waycross Coca-Cola Bottling Company’s own Mr. Terry Murray’s famous grilled chicken legs and sausage dogs!  Lucky for us, he managed to save a few drumsticks for us.”  Luci agreed, “That man is a grill-master, and we always look forward to seeing him, especially seeing him behind a grill!”  Despite the bad weather, it certainly didn't dampen any spirits, as everyone enjoyed the food, live music, and reminiscing with friends and business associates, while the rain delay provided Beau + Luci an opportunity to meet guests and to enjoy the food and memorabilia on display.

Accordingly, it was a beautiful day of outdoor fun at the Friendly Express, Inc. 25^th Anniversary Celebration, which was held at Gary Sellers’ farm in Hortense, GA.  Every one enjoyed the family-style picnic with a barbeque buffet complete with southern sides and desserts catered by Smoke Rising BBQ of Blackshear, GA.   Throughout the day various activities included some friendly competitions, music and dancing, along with some outdoor relaxation and old-fashioned fellowship as guests ambled around the Sellers’ farm enjoying the display of historical memorabilia including farming and general store collectibles and antiquities.  

Lewis & Raulerson, Inc. President, David L. Turner & his wife Allison Taylor Turner are the parents of Beau + Luci (locally known as Anna Caitlin & Sara Brittin Turner) and their younger brother Braeden Turner.  As special guests, Beau + Luci were privileged to have their great-grandfather, Mr. A.G. Fowler, and their grandparents, Mr. & Mrs. James L. “Jimbo” & Marcia Taylor, and Mrs. James H. (Betty) Turner in attendance for the 75^th Anniversary event along with their great uncle and aunt from Prosperity, SC, Mr. & Mrs. Fred & Shirley Kingsmore, in attendance for the 25^th Anniversary picnic.

 

“We also want to graciously thank Lewis & Raulerson, Inc. and Friendly Express, Inc. for allowing us to be a part of these two milestone celebrations, for supporting the Beau + Luci OneHeart Project, and for being a partnering sponsor in the Beau + Luci musical journey,” Luci said.  “Without these fine businesses and the wonderful people in the area supporting and encouraging us, none of this would be possible,” agreed Beau.  With many more exciting announcements on the horizon, as the Beau + Luci team begin working with and promoting upcoming events with Masterlab.com Super-producer, Trace Thomas and continuing to partner with local businesses through sponsoring opportunities, investments, and promotions. 

Events like the Lewis & Raulerson's 75th Anniversary Celebration and the Friendly Express, Inc. 25^th Anniversary Celebration give this dynamic duo the opportunity to talk about the Beau + Luci OneHeart Project.  You can also partner with Beau + Luci by getting your special edition Beau + Luci OneHeart shirts produced locally by Spencer Kelly of KellyInk with all proceeds being used to help increase awareness for and support grassroots efforts to fight poverty and offer encouragement to those in the Waycross-Ware County area.   

For more information, or just to stop by and say hello, bookmark the Beau + Luci website and sign their friends’ list at www.BeauAndLuci.com; also, be sure to follow Beau + Luci on Facebook.com/OfficiallyBeauAndLuci and Twitter.com/BeauAndLuci. Through your social media interaction and words of encouragement, you will be helping Waycross’ very own dynamic duo,

Beau + Luci, change lives by doing the small things with great love and perseverance – Create Hope, Inspire Joy, Encourage Faith and Share Love – OneHeart at a time.

Article originally published in the Waycross Journal-Herald on June 6, 2014.

Happy Monday!

Hey, guys! We hope you all had a wonderful weekend. The weather was beautiful down here: clear skies, a nice breeze, and relatively mild temperatures for this time of year! We played at the Downtown Waycross Market Friday evening with our favorite guitarist, Frank Sikes, then enjoyed "the best hamburger in Waycross," courtesy of the Plant Cafe and Steve, Marla, and Stevie Howell. If you've never been to the Plant Cafe, we definitely recommend it; the food is delicious, the owners are great, and the whole place is packed full of antiques. If that's not enough for you, then the local legend is that Elvis Presley himself at there when he played at the Waycross Auditorium, so you might sit where Elvis once sat!

On Saturday, we spent the entire day at Gary Sellers' farm in Hortense, and we had a blast! We watched a few volleyball games, did a lot of dancing, enjoyed a "Friendly Idol" with our very own Simon, Paula, and Randy, listened to a few good friends play, and then rocked out ourselves. There was also a lot of ice cream, barbecue from Smoke Rising Barbecue in Blackshear, and a little bit of sunburn, which makes for a perfect spring day. 

We finished the weekend off by celebrating Mom and Dad's 23rd anniversary at our favorite restaurant in the world, Bennie's Red Barn on St. Simon's Island. All in all, it was a great three days, and Monday didn't seem so bad after all. 

Enjoy the pictures we've added, and join us tonight on Ears Radio for the Pat Stone Show. We'll be in the chat room from 7 - 10 EST, so swing by, say hello, and join us for some great music. 

Lots of love, 

Beau + Luci

Upcoming Events

Hey, guys! We hope everyone's having a good week and looking forward to an enjoyable spring weekend. We'd like to share a few events going on this weekend that we're really excited about! Check them out, and join us if you’re in the area!

• Friday, May 16, 2014, from 5:00 to 8:00 PM, we'll be playing the Downtown Waycross Market at The Gazebo at Doughboy Park.  We have the privilege of opening up the first market day of 2014, and we're so excited to be a part of an event that supports local farmers, gardeners, craftsmen and artisans by offering fresh, local produce and handmade arts and crafts. We are passionate about a healthy lifestyle based centered on fresh, organic fruits and vegetables, and there's no better place to stock the pantry than a farmer's market, complete with a treasury of handmade arts and crafts.  We've attached a flyer below, so come enjoy beautiful downtown Waycross with us and check out our OneHeart Project, and sing along to our set of classic rock and modern pop favorites.
• Saturday, May 17, 2014, we will be playing at the 25^th Anniversary Celebration for Friendly Express, Inc., an employee family picnic at the Sellers' farm in Hortense, Georgia. We are looking forward to a day filled with good music, friends, and a delicious barbecue meal courtesy of Blackshear's Smoke Rising Barbecue, along with a few friendly competitions between co-workers, friends and family! This is an awesome event celebrating a Waycross-family owned business that has been at the heart of local communities in the southeast area for 25-years now.
• Saturday, May 17, 2014, is the 1st Annual Mattie's Mission Bass Tournament, starting at 6 AM with Weigh-in at 4 PM and is hosted by the Ware Co. Farm Bureau. More information can be found here, here, and here, along with rules and registration information. We won't be able to attend the tournament, because of a scheduling conflict, but our thoughts and prayers are with Mattie's Mission family, our church-family and friends, and all the men and women joining together to support a foundation that is extremely close to our hearts.

Also, we are joining forces with Mattie's Mission over the coming months in various opportunities to help and encourage families who have had childhood cancer impact their family’s lives.  During the month of September 2014, another family friend and Mattie's Mission board member, Jason Rogers, prepares for a 33-day, 3,100-mile, cross-country triathlon - Tri4Mattie - starting in Seattle, Washington and ending in Jacksonville Beach, Florida.  Tri4Mattie, Jason’s third cross-country trip for raising awareness and funding for various charities, is a triathlon - cycling, running and swimming - which is an added physical challenge to his previous two cycling trips.  We will be sharing more information about the triathlon, and all events surrounding Mattie’s Mission, as dates draw closer, and we ask that you keep the members of Mattie's Mission in your prayers and offer your support by liking the Mattie Goble's Prayer Team Facebook page.  The fight against childhood cancer is one that involves us all, and it is our hope and prayer that one day, we will see an end to all cancers. 

Once again, we want to thank you all for your love, encouragement, prayers, and patience as we take these steps in our musical journey! Anything and everything we accomplish is because of you, and we are eternally grateful!

Lots of love,

Beau + Luci

Happy Thanksgiving!

I love Thanksgiving. It's a perfect complication of the Three F's: family, food, and football. My grandmother makes more food than any one family should ever eat and we don't do the whole "eat in moderation thing." We don't even eat until we're full. We eat until we hate ourselves, then we take a nap, and then we do it again. It's a family tradition.

In honor of the second best day of the year (Christmas being the first), I'm going to share The First Thanksgiving Proclamation, published on November 26, 1789 . May we, all these many years later, remember how blessed we are, not just today, but everyday. No matter how little we may have, as long as we have each other, we have more than we will ever need. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!


"Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and

Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.

Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted' for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have show kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the third of October,
in the year of our Lord 1789.

(signed) G. Washington"

Let's Catch Up

Wow, guys! I can't believe it, but November is already almost over. We've had a wild month so far. We've been all over the South in just a few weeks: from the studio to the mountains to Sanford Stadium, down to Jekyll, up to Charlotte and Gatlinburg, and back down to the good ole swamp in time to put up some Christmas decorations, play Michael Bublé's album forty-seven million times, and dig out our stretchy pants for Thanksgiving. I spend the entire summer wishing for the fall, and when it gets here, it flies by! But I'm not complaining; we've had a great time, and we've been able to travel as well as begin the final stages of our first full-length album. Woohoo!

We got to do some work with Lewis and Raulerson and Friendly Express, a group of wonderful people we love dearly! We were so honored to be included in both the annual Charity Golf Tournament and the first annual Friendly Express Family Turkey Run! We had a great time, and our brother Braeden ate a grand total and a personal record of 9 of Mr. Terry's jumbo grilled chicken wings. The golf tournament raised a record amount of funds to be distributed to several grassroots charities in and around the area, and the Turkey Run was a hoot (or should I say a gobble?)! We're looking forward to next year's golf tournament and race. I've added some pictures from both the tournament and the race, as well as the Lewis and Raulerson family wearing their "Feeding Families on Friday" shirts. Remember to go down to your local Friendly Express on Fridays to buy fountain drinks and coffee; ten cents from every purchase is donated to local food pantries. It's a great cause, and we're thrilled to be so close with a company that does so much to give back to the community.

But the fun doesn't end there! In January 2014, we will be releasing our first full length album, including brand new music and all sorts of fun songs to (try to) dance to. We've had such a blast making this album and can't wait to share it with you. Actually, we're so excited to share it that we're going to be releasing a series of videos called "Making Breaking the Rules," which will give you a behind-the-scenes look at the making of our album, including the writing, recording, and mixing process, as well as the general method of our madness, and an exclusive look at our past as we move into the future. Keep checking back for more details and exclusive content only available to our biggest fans.

And there's MORE news! With the launch of the OneHeart Organization, we will be offering one-of-a-kind merchandise to support and fund the OneHeart Team. You can buy t-shirts and sweatshirts to show your support towards creating hope, inspiring joy, encouraging faith, and sharing love through the OneHeart Organization. This is a dream come true for us, and we can only hope that we can use this incredible opportunity to make some other dreams come true.

One more thing! We've created a Tumblr account (www.lbeausandfroyo.tumblr.com) so we can get to know you guys better, and you can see the side of us that's hard to express in 140 characters or less! (Disclaimer: there is a lot of Loki. We do not need your judgment. If you're not Loki'd, you're not living right.) So follow us, reblog us, ask us questions, and let's all take a moment to admire the god of sass and fabulous hair. That being said, remember to follow us on Twitter (@BeauAndLuci), like our Facebook page (/OfficiallyBeauAndLuci), follow us on Pinterest (BeauAndLuci), and share us with your friends. 'Tis the season to be generous, right?

Finally, in this season of love and thanksgiving, remember to keep those who have lost loved ones in your thoughts and prayers, and always, always, always take the time to say "I love you." Tomorrow is never a guarantee, and you can never tell someone you love them too much. The holiday season isn't for reminding us to wish for everything we don't have; the holiday season is for reminding us that we already have everything we could ever wish for. Say I love you, take the time to appreciate the people around you, and count your blessings instead of calories (FYI, the average Thanksgiving meal contains between 3,000 and 4,500 of them. Focus on the blessings and eat the turkey. And a second helping, because it only comes once a year.)

Fully Dressed

Once again, Rick Bragg has written an article that made me laugh aloud. In this particular feature, he details the subtle differences between stuffing and dressing. With Thanksgiving rapidly approaching, I truly believe that knowledge is power when faced with the inescapable question: What is stuffing, and why would anyone stick their hand up the back end of a raw turkey to make it?

You can keep your stuffing. My favorite Thanksgiving side is just that—on the side—and we call it dressing.

The word “stuffing” had a lot of connotations when I was a boy. None of them had anything to do with food.

Sofas had stuffing. But then again, I rarely heard the word “sofa.” We sat on “couches.” The first time I heard the word “sofa” I thought it was “Sofia,” and I never did figure out why anyone had to sit on the poor woman. Once, I heard someone say they had to restuff their Sofia. This haunts me still.

I digress. Teddy bears had stuffing for insides. Baseballs had it. We were urged to “knock the stuffing out of it.” If you caught a big fish, or shot a deer, or even a big gobbler, you could have them “stuffed and mounted.” I was mightily confused.

Thanksgiving turkeys, however, did not have stuffing, though sometimes my aunt Jo did shove a whole stick of margarine in there. Stuffing, I would be educated, was another word for dressing. And our dressing, as God intended, was cooked separately, in a shallow baking dish or pan.

It was not something the great cooks in my family were willing to debate.

“Stick your hand up the back end of a raw turkey?” said my aunt Gracie Juanita, shaking her head violently from side to side. “That is not natural.”

“Ain’t even human,” my mother said.

But the word stuffing was everywhere, come November. I heard it on the television, usually accompanied by images of a massive turkey with a golden cascade of breadcrumbs tumbling from its insides. Was I missing out? Why didn’t we have stuffing if they had stuffing on Father Knows Best?

“You ain’t missing nothin’,” my mother told me.

I would learn that, like so many things I struggled to understand, it was a Southern thing, like why a faucet inside the house was a faucet but outside the house it became a hydrant. And Southerners, especially mine, did not tolerate in-the-bird dressing.

“It was kind of like dating a Catholic,” said a very Southern friend. “Thank you, but, no.” I dated many Catholics. I never had stuffing.

I would learn it stemmed from a generational fear of undercooked poultry. How could the turkey cook all the way through, my people reasoned, if the heat could not swirl around inside the bird? Onions, lemons, butter, and other seasoning were allowed, but a thick gob of breadcrumbs was salmonella waiting to happen. But even if bacteria were not an issue, the cooks in my family would have shunned stuffing for one simple reason: taste.

Our dressing started with an iron skillet of cornbread, mixed with onion, sage, and the fatty, golden nectar from boiled turkey or chicken, usually the pieces that would otherwise be thrown away. It was baked until a golden crust formed on the top, leaving the inside firm but creamy. Too dry and it set up like cake. Too wet and it was a watery mess. It had to be perfect, and usually was.

Years ago, I stood in a supermarket, staring at a “stuffing mix” of spices and prepackaged breadcrumbs—tiny, hard little cubes. Mama, I thought, was right again. But when I mentioned that we were having turkey and dressing at my house, my Yankee friends looked confused. You mean, they asked, the stuff you put on salads?

It is a miracle we fought only one war.

All credit goes where credit is due, to the wonderful writer Rick Bragg and Southern Living magazine. I only hope that this extremely scientific approach at explaining the differences between stuffing and dressing has finally alleviated the hysteria, stress, and insanity that has plagued you ever since you learned that stuffing, to some, is not the foamy stuff in the couch or whatever is inside a baseball. May you have peace and uninterrupted sleep for the rest of your days, now that the mystery has been solved. The only stuffing that will be at our table will be the act of eating until we hate ourselves, as it should be. Happy Thanksgiving, y'all!

Can't

Can't is the worst word that's written or spoken;
Doing more harm here than slander and lies;
On it is many a strong spirit broken,
And with it many a good purpose dies.
It springs from the lips of the thoughtless each morning
And robs us of courage we need through the day:
It rings in our ears like a timely-sent warning
And laughs when we falter and fall by the way.

Can't is the father of feeble endeavor,
The parent of terror and half-hearted work;
It weakens the efforts of artisans clever,
And makes of the toiler an indolent shirk.
It poisons the soul of the man with a vision,
It stifles in infancy many a plan;
It greets honest toiling with open derision
And mocks at the hopes and the dreams of a man.

Can't is a word none should speak without blushing;
To utter it should be a symbol of shame;
Ambition and courage it daily is crushing;
It blights a man's purpose and shortens his aim.
Despise it with all of your hatred of error;
Refuse it the lodgment it seeks in your brain;
Arm against it as a creature of terror,
And all that you dream of you some day shall gain.


Can't is the word that is foe to ambition,
An enemy ambushed to shatter your will;
Its prey is forever the man with a mission
And bows but to courage and patience and skill.
Hate it, with hatred that's deep and undying,
For once it is welcomed 'twill break any man;
Whatever the goal you are seeking, keep trying
And answer this demon by saying: "I can."

-Edgar Guest

May we always remember we are capable of anything. Nothing is impossible for the hopers and dreamers who are crazy enough to believe their far-flung hopes and improbable dreams can come true. Go out and be brilliant.

Xx, L.

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas!

...well, maybe not around here, but we are coming up on Halloween, which means that Christmas songs will start playing in stores shortly thereafter. Not that that's a bad thing, if you're like me, but if you spend the most wonderful time of the year trying to figure out a way to make Christmas music illegal, you're probably not looking forward to it. Beau's that way; she tries to eat Christmas but finds she can't stomach all the cheer and goodwill to mankind. I like to sing "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch" at her, especially the part about the 39-and-a-half-foot pole (note: this sentiment is true any time of the year before 11 AM, not just during the Christmas season).

Anyways, no matter how you feel about Christmas, everybody likes free stuff, right? 'Tis the season to be jolly, and we plan on making somebody very jolly indeed. We're offering a $25 prepaid Visa card to anyone who goes here (https://www.facebook.com/OfficiallyBeauAndLuci?v=app_126231547426086&) and suggests some Christmas songs for our set in "The Sunday Night Show" at BCOG on December 15, 2013. By helping us out and giving us some ideas, you'll be automatically entered to win free money. Easy enough, right? Right. Piece of cake...er, pie.

Also, you can sign up for the email list, which will keep you up-to-date and on top of everything Beau + Luci. You might know things before we do. Who knows? You'll also know about upcoming events, prizes, and exclusives before anyone else. I don't know about you, but I like knowing things before other people. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Remember to "like" us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, subscribe to our YouTube channel, check us out on Spotify, and share us with your friends! Have a wonderful week, everyone!

Much love,

B + L

Find us on Pinterest and Instagram!

It has finally happened. Like any girl, we couldn't fight the draw of Pinterest and have given in to all our pin-ful desires. You can find our profile here (http://www.pinterest.com/beauandluci/boards/) and check out all the pictures of models wearing moto jackets and superheroes eating schawarma we've pinned.

Also, we've felt compelled to present our life to the public in vintage-inspired filters, so check us out on Instagram at beauandluci!

Check us out, and if you haven't already, follow us on Twitter (BeauAndLuci), like us on Facebook (/OfficiallyBeauAndLuci), find the California cuts of our debut album "Rules of Society" on iTunes, and sign up for email alerts on the website (www.BeauAndLuci.com). Stay connected so you don't miss out on the exciting things coming up for Beau + Luci!

Lots of love and chocolate cake,

B + L xx

An Example of the Various Ways 26 Letters (and A Few Numbers and Symbols) Can Be Combined

I don't know about you guys, but I have always been one of those ridiculous people who gets absurdly excited when I've just learned something that is completely and totally useless and irrelevant in any way, shape, or form. I've got more useless information stockpiled in my mind than I would ever care to admit, and I count myself as very lucky to run across a particularly frivolous fact before sitting down to write this blog. According to Mental Floss's blog (which is one of my favorite websites and a fabulous place to wile away the hours), the melody of Vladimir Putin's favorite Beatles song "Yesterday" came to Paul McCartney without any words. Until he could find the words that have since become the stuff of legend, he walked around his house humming, "scrambled eggs, baby, I love scrambled eggs," so he wouldn't lose the tune. (You can find the entire article, "11 Fun Facts about the Beatles" in the link listed below). It seems that genius and madness truly are separated by a very thin line.

Anyways, as promised, this is the first edition of our monthly newsletter thingamajig that will really do nothing but give you lot an inside look at how dreadfully delightfully uncool we are. Since this is the first go, it will be pretty experimental until we figure out what works and what doesn't.

What We're Doing
1. Scales. I sing scales in my sleep, I kid you not.
2. Writing/recording/writing/writing/recording. This is the fun stuff! It's such an incredible experience to see something that we created in our minds become a tangible object. We've truly been blessed to find a producer who is beyond talented and so passionate about his work. He has a gift for getting inside our mixed-up minds, finding the root of the song, and coming up with something that blows us away. We'll be hitting the studio again in a few weeks, and I'm getting more impatient everyday!
3. Scales.
4. School. For Beau and Braeden, September brought about the beginning of the school year. For me, it brought about the joy of reminding both of my younger siblings that I don't have any school to do because I have graduated and I'm taking a semester off. They grow less tolerant of this every time it's mentioned, but it's hard to hear their complaints over the fun of being free.
4. Scales.
5. Wrangling little monsters two- and three-year-olds at church. I love this age group. Their noise level is spectacular, their ability to love unconditionally is inspiring, and their enthusiasm and thoughtless expression of emotions are contagious. I never knew how much fun it was to build a tower of blocks and run at it, full speed ahead, with my arms flung out to the side and a battle cry on my lips. There is as much fun in the destruction as their is in the creation. Plus, their constant need for the answer to "Why?" make it even better. These kids will believe anything!

What We're Listening To
(I have to start this off by saying that the grammar fanatic in me wanted very much to revise this title and make it say "To Whom We're Listening," but the obsessive-compulsive desire for continuity and parallel structure won out. It took five minutes of great internal struggle before I could get on with this post.)
1. Paramore's self-titled CD. Beau and I have always been fans of Paramore and the band's leading lady, Miss Hayley Williams. It's impossible to dislike her, thanks to her magnetic, charismatic performances, her killer vocals, and her fiery red hair. She is the embodiment of a highly caffeinated energy drink, with all the charm of a red velvet cupcake with sprinkles on top. I just love her, and this album has made me love her even more.
2. Daughter. I happened upon this band very early one morning while I was on YouTube. I can't remember what songs led me to them, but I'm very grateful they did. Elena Tonra has the voice of an angel, and it pulses with more feeling than Ron Weasley could ever believe any one person could possibly feel. If you've heard of them, you are an honorary member of some lofty, enlightened club. If not, you have now, so go check them out.
3. Imagine Dragons. This band is the greatest. It's Time caught my attention, Radioactive gives me the desire to break through the windshield of the car and go all Rambo on a tree, and everything else is beyond criticism. A++++++++.
4. Ed Sheeran is the second ginger to make this month's list and will most likely be mentioned in every month's list. I love this guy. He's short, he's a Lego enthusiast, and his cheeks can turn the color of his hair. Don't get me started on him, because I will go and go and go and go.

What We're Watching
1. The Avengers. We are superhero freaks in this house, so anything that Joss Whedon created that includes Iron Man, Loki, and Captain America (Beau is his biggest fan, though I think that Iron Man is much more better* than Spangly-Butt Tight-Pants)is bound to be a hit with us. I think we've watched it at least a dozen times, and unlike Thor (which is also a fabulous movie that we all love), I paid attention to the whole thing, not just the first thirty minutes. (I like to watch them and pretend it's a short film called Loki.)
2. Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Iron Man 3, Iron Man deleted scenes, Iron Man bloopers, Iron Man behind the scenes. Ok, so what? I'm a big Iron Man fan. Sue me.
3. Sherlock. We've recently been introduced to the brilliance (and emotional trauma) that is British television. Feeling good, life going well, everything looking pretty nice? Don't watch anything offered to you by BBC. Run. Run. But seriously, if Robert Downey Jr. insists on being happily married, Benedict Cumberbatch and Tom Hiddleston are very nice consolation prizes.

What We're Reading
1. Harry Potter, or Emotional Trauma in Book Form by J.K. Rowling. Still no letter. Still waiting. Always.
2. The Perks of Being a Wallflower, or A Study of Emotional Trauma and Extremely Nonfictional Feelings for Fictional Characters in Fangirls by Stephen Chybosky. This book is powerful in a way that very few books are nowadays. It hits me every single time I read it, no matter how many times I've read it before, and I'm left speechless and feeling a bit confused in finding once again that Charlie is in fact not a real person.
3. The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare. Don't talk to me about these books. I still can't think about them.
4. Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut. This book surprised me and actually turned out to make the list of my favorite books. It's just weird enough to keep me turning the pages while driving home a very real point about something that I've yet to figure out. I'll get back to you when I do, though.

Well, to make up for the length of last week's post, I'm going to cut this one off. Enjoy your weekend, remember to tell someone you love them, master a new form of martial arts, and either be very grateful it's actually cool enough to wear sweaters or turn the air conditioner on and pretend it's not 80-something degrees.

Xx, L.

P.S. Here is the link for the article I mentioned above! Very cool to read. http://mentalfloss.com/article/51566/11-fun-facts-about-beatles

*I am aware that "much more better" is not correct grammar, but quoting Capt. Jack Sparrow (the only real captain) has proved to be the only way to get some points across.