A Loopy-Loopy 2025: Trials and Triumphs

Reflecting on 2025: Health Scares, Car Wrecks, and a Whole Lot of Drama (aka “Where's Deb and Why Haven’t We Heard From Her?”)

2025 had me seriously considering trading in my guitar for a soft, plushy teddy bear.. Between health issues, car accidents, and even a rogue cat bladder emergency (more on that later), I learned a lot about resilience...and not just from my hernia surgery (fun, right?). This year’s newsletter is a chaotic mix of struggles, bright spots, and my hopes for a drama-free 2026. Buckle up, here we go!

The Struggles

It all started at the end of December 2024 when my Nissan Leaf was 

totaled. A  commercial Snap-On Tools truck backed up into me for no reason. Car was a total loss- frame was bent. Thankfully, I was uninjured as the Leaf crumpled in all the right spots.January started with the loss my best friend from high school, Laura, to cancer. Even though I knew it was coming, it hit harder than expected. Very few people have known me since I was 14, and Laura was one of my touchstones. Also an ardent supporter of my music, bought five of my CDs for gifts right before she passed. Saying goodbye was tough.

A heart scare followed that... thankfully, it that turned out to be an anxiety attack. most likely from helping clear out Laura’s apartment and the grief. The ER trip was real, though, and so was my canceled appearance at the Glendale Folk & Heritage Festival (heart monitors are picky about flights). Then, my cat Morpheus decided to have a bladder stone emergency. A mad dash to the vet ensued.

As if that wasn't enough, exactly a week after the mad dash to the vet, my intestines decided they were done and escaped via an umbilical hernia. Surgery followed, but complications led to an unplanned hospital stay (My bladder went on strike and my sodium levels crashed. Yup. Nice,  eh? Don’t worry- it’s fixed now!). Did I mention I also had to cancel my Tucson Folk Festival appearance because of all this fun? Score illness: 2, Arizona festival appearances: 0.

The Bright Spots

Amid all the chaos, there were some serious highlights. My  first trip to Atlanta, Georgia  and a house concert  there was a huge success—thank you, Corey-Jan Albert and Joel Deitch, for the peachy vibes! In June, I hosted a house concert with Arizona songwriter Mark Bishop Evans and local songbird Lynette Hensley in Seattle (since I couldn’t make it to Arizona, Arizona came to me). The Tumbleweed Music Festival in Richland, WA, was another win, where I headlined, got paid, and felt like a rockstar.

I also performed at a house concert in Denver (rain held off, yay!) and got to reunite with old friends. The cherry on top was  in performing in England (yes! England! at the Orpington Liberal Club, where I finally met online friends and got to play with the legendary Ross Jacques. Thank you, Paul Green, for making that happen!

Looking Ahead to 2026

After the whirlwind of 2025, I’ve decided 2026 needs to be slower. I’m scaling back performances and focusing more on writing and creativity—less hospital gowns, more time for reflection. I’m planning a year of recovery, with just a couple of performances sprinkled in for fun. And, of course, I will still be broadcasting my Sunday show “Brunch w/ Deb” on Facebook, Youtube and Twitch TV.  Can’t do without my weekly meetup with my “Deb-Heads” 

If you want to support me during this  fallow time, the best ways are:👉Subscribe to my YouTube channel. It’s free  for you to do  and will help me reach 1000 subscribers. Once I hit that, I can finally monetize  the channel…again, at zero cost to you! 

👉 Come to Brunch! Join me online at “Brunch w/ Deb!” every Sunday at 10 AM Pacific. It’s a1/2 hour  show of my whimsical originals mixed in with classic covers. Show is free… but there are tip jar links if you are so inclined. 

👉Take advantage of my Winter Sale at my online shop!  All CDs and digital downloads are 20% off through February 1. This is agreat time to start or fill out your Deb Seymour Music Collection!

Thank you for staying with me on this crazy journery called music-making. Heck: staying with me through the ups and downs of my funny little life. I couldn’t do this without all your loving support- remember, it’s YOU that put the “u” in music!

🎹 Love, Deb ♥

P.S. Special shout-out to my husband, Jason, the true gem of this story. He deserves all the kudos getting me through last year. And also to  my cat, Morpheus, well, for being Morpheus! 🐯