Lily might be singing the blues on AS THE WORLD TURNS, but her portrayer Martha Byrne couldn't be happier now that she is getting back into singing and performing in real life.

"I've been writing a lot of music with Allison Smith (Mallory, THE WEST WING), who has been a good friend of mine since we were in ANNIE [on Broadway] together," states Byrne, who adds that music has always played an important part in her life. "I love it 'cause it's yours. You don't have a boss, you do your thing and it's your own. Whether people like it or they don't doesn't really matter. It's your own expression. It's been a good thing for my head. I could sit there and write music and sing all day long and be content."

Byrne plans to release her new CD in 2005 after testing songs in front of a live audience. "It's time to play it out and see the response," declares Byrne. "Everybody has an opinion but I want to see reaction. I'm interested to see what people gravitate to."

Byrne is particularly excited "Saved," "a song that Allison has written herself that I've loved for 10 years," she relates. "When I was doing this record I called her up and I said, 'Can I have your song?' It has a good story behind it because it was the single she wrote to submit to get into an ASCAP program for writers and her future husband was the teacher of the class."

Byrne is rescheduling her appearance at Triad originally scheduled for Dec. 22, and hopes to play at more venues soon. "I'll start playing around intimate settings in the city," she reveals. "I want the fans' opinion. I want their input, their thoughts. They're so supportive and they've been so good to me and I want them to be a part of it. They'll be the first ones to get sounds bites of the songs [on my Web site]. They'll be the first ones to get invitations to anything I do because they've been so great."

Byrne admits she's her own worst critic. "I've been really hard on myself," she shrugs. "It has to be right. I'm the one who has the final say on it. It's like acting in a way — there are no real mistakes, just choices. Not every note has to be perfect. Just let it be and you know when it feels right. Then you just have to let it go and see what happens."

Check the Events Calendar at the SOAP OPERA WEEKLY/Soap Opera Digest Web site, or Byrne's own Web site www.marthabyrne.net for upcoming appearances.