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Meet Lisa Sanders of Lisa Sanders Maya Jade Music

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisa Sanders.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Lisa. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’ve always had music in my bones. From nine years on I’ve been making up my own songs. Sometimes silly.

Sometimes serious. At the age of fourteen, I thought I would be a songwriter and set along the path of learning as much as I could about songwriting. In high school, however, I began to date a boy who would become my husband and father of my two daughters Aundrea and Korren. So I got blissfully off track to the idea of being a songwriter to the stars.

Around about the time of my divorce in the late 80’s the idea of writing music began to really surface. The more I tried to push it back in my mind the more it came to the fore. Being now a single mom and having so much responsibility of caring and providing a good life for my girls was sometimes overwhelming. Just the thought of having a career in the entertainment business seemed like a financial impossibility. It would take a huge amount of commitment to embark on such a journey with no absolute outcome. So I thought.

However, with the help of my family, I embarked on my journey as a songwriter in spite of being terrified of facing the possibility of failure. So I adopted the mantra “No Expectation No Failure” and “Failure is not and the option”. With that I wrote, recorded and started to present my songs to the Los Angeles music publishing community in the hopes of getting a major singer to sing them. I even met with Michael Jackson’s father, Joe Jackson. All of them said that I should be the one singing my songs. You see I was the singer on all of my demo’s. And my voice was what was getting me noticed. In spite of the idea that I probably would make a great singer I felt defeated I stopped presenting my songs in LA. And instead wrote a few short-lived commercials with a jingle writer here in San Diego.

Remembering my mantra’s, No room for failure I got the idea to try some music out at a local coffee house to see what kind of response I might get for my songs. I landed in Java Joe’s Coffee House in Poway and there met some amazing San Diego singer and songwriters. Including Jewel, who was working there at the time. I became a regular on the open mic and soon the crowds started to really respond to my music even though at the time I could barely look at the audience for great fear of performing. I just kept performing and soon I had my own show there and then other offers from other coffee houses and venues started to come in.

By chance, I was approached by a new producer from LA in town. Josquin Des Pre. He wanted to produce an album with me. At first, I refused. In my mind, I was a songwriter more than the singer. And how could I do that with two young daughters to care for?

Well, he persisted for months until I said yes. I was signed to Cargo Earth Music an Indie Record label based here in San Diego who had a lot of success in Indie music. My first CD came out Isn’t Life Fine with a dream team of musicians. Then another CD Life Takes You Flying for Cargo Records. They Did so well I got picked up for a distribution deal from MCA records than a publishing deal with Windswept Pacific a highly worldwide successful publishing company.

Isn’t Life Fine and Life Takes You Flying also garnered me two San Diego Best Acoustic Artist Awards. Then I began opening for major music stars Like BB King, Spots on stages for Sting, James Taylor, Bonnie Raitt, A spot on the last Lilith Fair tour with Sarah McLaughlin the Dixie Chicks and many more. I also won San Diego Reader Poll Best Acoustic Artist. The Telluride Bluegrass Festival Troubadour 3rd place Songwriter award, The International Women’s Association Living Legacy award and the National Association of Business Women’s Legacy Award.

Now I have my own label Maya Jade Music. I’ve released 6 CD’s on my own lab. I tour the country with my duo partner Karen Brown Sugar Hayes and we play multiple venues here in San Diego. Twenty years have passed and I can say that it has been a journey to get here but have so much going on in the way of projects and growing. Today I feel so blessed to have listened to that voice in my head that wanted me to move ahead with my dreams. I can honestly say I am living my dream of being a songwriter and in the process found my voice as a singer and a spreader of joy through music.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
No, not at all. Had many! The biggest thing to overcome for me was the feeling of self-doubt although I didn’t realize this until much later in my career. I just keep moving.

The lessons of always stepping up when the opportunity presents itself with balanced confidence and humility. And overcoming the sometimes overwhelming fear of failure to the point that it may have at the times made me overcompensate and miss the mark of getting what I truly wanted because I pushed too hard.

Big lessons. I made not so healthy choices for my business in choosing the wrong managers. But chose them because I was in fear of not having what I thought I needed at the time. Obstacles… finding great help on a sometimes limited budget.

I’ve lost contracts to the tune of thousands of dollars. Didn’t get opportunities that I really thought I deserved and wanted. Had major financial struggles with my business as far as needing financing for CD’s and tours.

All while juggling responsibilities of being a mother and partner in caring for my family.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Lisa Sanders Maya Jade Music story. Tell us more about the business.
My business, Maya Jade Music is in the business of releasing high quality, moving, life relevant, inspirational beautiful music that feeds the soul. I am the president, Artist and administrator. We specialize in Singer-Songwriter, Americana, Jazz and Pop music.

I am known for my voice and my songs. It is said my music moves people to goosebumps and sometimes tears and laughter.

I am most proud that I am still here over 20 plus years performing and putting out excellent music across the country and throughout the world.

What sets us apart is that there is no other duo Lisa Sanders and Brown Sugar that sounds like us or looks like us as a duo. As a solo artist. What sets me apart is the way I express the world through my music.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
Luck has always played a big part in my career. One serendipitous occurrence to another. The fact of being in the right place at the right time to be seen by the right people is truly remarkable and continues to inspire me to this day. It is I believe a spiritual journey more than luck.

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Image Credit:
Chris Woolley, San Diego Tonight, Cathryn Beeks, Chuck L

Getting in touch: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.

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