NEWS FEATURES, all August editions to date, Acoustic Americana Music News, 2008

NEWS FEATURES for August, 2008
From most recent to oldest… editions posted August 22, August 16, August 10, August 4 (with more to come in August).
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NEWS FEATURES, August 22, 2008
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http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2008/08/news-features-august-22-edition.html

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"Tied to the Tracks"
ACOUSTIC AMERICANA
MUSIC NEWS
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NEWS FEATURES for Aug 22, 2008
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copyright (c) © 2008, Larry Wines. All rights reserved.
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WELCOME to the ACOUSTIC AMERICANA MUSIC NEWS, our weekly news feature companion to the ACOUSTIC AMERICANA MUSIC CALENDAR. Here, you’ll find news for artists and music fans alike, ranging from the immediately useful to the merely informative, from gig opportunities and festival deadlines to early bird discounts, from venue openings and closings to career tips, and hot tips for acoustic music fans.
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The Acoustic Americana Music Calendar with frequently updated posts of upcoming events well into 2009, is available at http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com and various other places around the web. We post links for current editions on our Myspace page, but new editions of the calendar are no longer there. Myspace has made changes that limit the size of posts, and that makes it far too time-consuming and ponderous to post the calendar there in far too many small pieces.
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Our myspace site, www.myspace.com/laacoustic is still the place to go for news of the syndicated “Tied to the Tracks” radio show, and its new TV counterpart that launches soon.
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LATEST NEWS FEATURES always post separate from the calendar. Recent editions are available on Blogspot at http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com; older archived editions are available on the myspace page (www.myspace.com/laacoustic), by using the “View All” button and scrolling, and if you don’t see what you want, then journey farther back by using the “older entries” button and scrolling, as many times as necessary. You can go all the way back to when acoustic music was made by trees crashing to the floor of the primeval forests when the dinosaurs got too rambunctious.
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MOST RECENT previous News Features posted AUGUST 16, 2008 at http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2008/08/news-features-august-16-edition.html
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COMMUNICATE WITH US about anything related to the Acoustic Music Calendar & News, or “Tied to the Tracks,” at tiedtothetracks@hotmail.com.
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NEWS FEATURES:
August 22, 2008
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1) NEW FILM ON HURRICANE KATRINA DEBACLE & COURAGE, OPENS AUG 22
Sometimes our news extends beyond the wide world of acoustic music. Some of you know that your editor was among the volunteers who went to New Orleans, Southern Louisiana, and Mississippi in the wake of Hurricane Katrina to volunteer with the grass roots relief effort that received nationwide support. So, we pay attention to the disgraceful lack of governmental assistance that continues to deny citizens there of the kind of assistance that Californians received after the 1994 Northridge Earthquake.
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Now, BARBARA COLLIN of Collin Artists (www.collinartists.com) tells us, “On August 10th, I was invited to a special screening of the film, ‘TROUBLE THE WATER,’ at the Fine Arts Theater in Beverly Hills. I was proud to have been among the first in Los Angeles to see this special and important film. I was privileged to speak with the filmmakers, CARL DEAL & TIA LESSEN and meet the heroes of the film, KIMBERLY RIVERS ROBERTS & SCOTT ROBERTS, along with the great actor and executive producer, DANNY GLOVER, who was lending his voice and profile to support this film and its amazing story. The film was followed with a panel discussion including DANNY GLOVER, CARL DEAL, TIA LESSEN, and KIM & SCOTT ROBERTS, moderated by TORRENCE BRANNON REESE (of FAMLI and Renaissance). ‘Trouble the Water’ is an extraordinary story about courage; powerful, moving, disturbing, yet inspirational, and a must-see documentary about Hurricane Katrina and its impact. It is not only about the tragedy of Katrina, but the underlying issues that remained (and still remain) when the floodwaters receded.”
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Barbara continues, “The filmmakers fought to make this film, and were told people would not go to theaters to see it. We want to prove them wrong! I urge you all to support ‘Trouble the Water’ by attending opening night on August 22nd at Laemmle's Sunset 5. If you can't come to opening night, be sure to check it out during its run in Los Angeles, or if you are not in Los Angeles, when it comes to your city or state.”
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She offers the following description, which she says, “sums it up best...”

"Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival, this astonishingly powerful documentary takes you inside Hurricane Katrina in a way never before seen on screen. Incorporating remarkable home video footage shot by Kimberly Rivers Roberts - an aspiring rap artist trapped with her husband in the 9th Ward – ‘Fahrenheit 9/11’ and ‘Bowling for Columbine’ producers Tia Lessen and Carl Deal weave this insider's view of Katrina with a devastating portrait of the hurricane's aftermath. ‘Trouble the Water’ is a redemptive tale of self-described street hustlers who become heroes - two unforgettable people who survive the storm and then seize a chance for a new beginning."
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“When the hurricane struck the Gulf and the floodwaters rose and tore through New Orleans, it did not turn the region into a Third World country… it revealed one.” – from DANNY GLOVER’s narration.
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See a list of theatres screening the film at www.troublethewaterfilm.com, and you can watch the trailer at www.troublethewaterfilm.com.
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2) SONGS ABOUT LOVE SOUGHT FOR “HIGH PROFILE” WEB RADIO STATION
From time to time, we get requests from AirPlay Direct to help them get artists’ original music into the hands of radio people who want their songs. We play no role other than to make you aware of these things. This time, AirPlay Direct is assisting a radio Program Director searching for songs about love. They’re ”Looking for songs about love gone good, or love gone bad. Romantic, heart-broken, joyous or sad, they want varied points of view on the subject of love. Looking for all genres of music; country, rock, jazz, blues, R&B, Americana, folk, pop, reggae, metal, indie rock, dance, electronica, etc. If you have music that fits this call, please submit your AirPlay Direct DPK / Digital Press Kit to office@airplaydirect.com ASAP. Please make sure to indicate that you are submitting for the radio show on ‘All Things Love.’”
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AirPlay Direct will require you to establish your free EPK on their site. (Like SonicBids, but free to you.) More info on that, and AirPlay Direct, at www.AirPlayDirect.com.
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3) TUNEFULLY NOTABLE: TRIBUTE SONG THAT BENEFITS A CHARITY
BRAD COLERICK is a guy who has been there, done that. Brad’s songs were recorded by the late JOHNNY CASH, he performs around the country with SUZY BOGGUSS, he’s had a successful decade of writing music for TV commercials, and you already knew those things if you caught one of his live performance-interviews on radio’s “Tied to the Tracks” or one of his other live radio gigs somewhere in America. He’s got great stuff. Brad is a guy whose name you expect to hear in stratospheric circles. But the latest message from him reads, “Please visit my website and order a CD single of ‘There.’ It’s a song I wrote for Michael & Cora Betts – a couple of great kids who died in a tragic car accident on I-80 near Kearney, Nebraska in January. Proceeds will go to the MICHAEL & CORA BETTS LEGACY FOUNDATION. You can preview the song on my myspace page, www.myspace.com/bradcolerick.”
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Most of us support causes and charities, and play for, or contribute to, benefit shows. Brad’s fine song isn’t some morose paen, and it can serve as a reminder that we don’t need causes with banner headlines to lend our art to helping others. If you’re in the L.A. area, Brad does have a few shows amidst his nationwide gigs: Sun, Aug 24 Brad plays the Beckett House Concert series in Altadena; reservation gets directions from Sharon Beckett at 626-791-7954 x11; Sep 15, he plays Arnie’s Café in Tujunga, with schedule & lineup tba; Oct 21, Brad performs w/ KENNY EDWARDS & GYPSY SOUL, in South Pasadena, with all specifics tba; Nov 30, he’s at the Coffee Gallery Backstage in Altadena at 8 pm. You can also catch him at the FAR-West Folk Alliance Conference in Mesa, AZ, Oct 24-26. Meanwhile, while you’re at his myspace page, listen to “Juarez” and “Paper in Heaven,” both of which he debuted live on TttT, both exceptionally fine songs. (We still wonder why he’s not one of the biggest names in music.)
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4) USA TODAY SPOTLIGHTS "BRILLIANT" NEW CD FROM AMERICANA ARTIST
He’s been heard on radio’s “Tied to the Tracks” and on many other radio shows, and now DARRELL SCOTT (www.darrellscott.com has a new album “Modern Hymns.” Released Aug 19 on Appleseed Recordings, it’s hailed in “USA Today” as "Brilliant" in last week’s “Playlist” column. The nationally-distributed newspaper raves about Scott’s take on JONI MITCHELL’s “Urge For Going,” and more. Find the USA Today story at www.kingeasy.net/records/images/usatoday.jpg.
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For those too busy to go read all of it, here’s a highlight of what they had to say: “Brilliant songwriter salutes his idols on his forthcoming ‘Modern Hymns’ album, here revamping an exquisite Joni Mitchell song in energetic bluegrass fashion.”
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The album is Scott’s tribute to his own Mt. Rushmore of songwriting, reworking songs from JONI MITCHELL, PAUL SIMON, LEONARD COHEN, KRIS KRISTOFFERSON, and more. You can check-out “Urge For Going,” as well as “Modern Hymns” tracks “American Tune” and “Joan Of Arc” at: www.myspace.com/darrellscottmusic.
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Scott gets help on the disc from some of Nashville’s Americana heavy hitters, including DEL MCCOURY, ALISON KRAUSS, MARY GAUTHIER, SAM BUSH, TIM O’BRIEN, DAVID GRIER, THE FISK JUBILEE SINGERS, and STUART DUNCAN. The record has already debuted at Number 21 on the Americana Radio Chart.
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Darrell’s on a roll, as is listener hunger for something more substantial than Nashville’s trite, soundalike “pop-country” (or as we characterize the usual Nashville stuff, Red State trailer park rock.) Congrats to Darrell for collecting and performing substantial songs with substantial lyrics, and all-star artists to record them with him. Current and upcoming press & radio on “Modern Hymns” includes “Billboard,” Aug 16; “Vintage Guitar” Magazine, “Pro Sound News,” “Boston Globe,” “Tennessean,” “Country Weekly,” “E-Town,” “Woodsongs Old Time Radio Hour,” Sirius, XM, WFUV, and Americana & folk radio activity.
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5) CELTIC MUSICIAN FIGHTS “WAR ON ART”
Monty Python was famous for the phrase, “And now for something completely different.” Whereupon, you might get a trashing of Proust or mechanical puppets devouring well, anything. That serves as a bit of context here. Multitalented artist ADRIEN RAIN BURKE is the faux field general of the “War on Art,” and she is also our chief source of info in the fight to save Tara, the historic hill in Ireland, from being chopped and buried by a highway interchange. She’s well known from music circles at the CELTIC ARTS CENTER, where she has designed CD covers and much more.
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Now, we’re almost ready for “part one” of the story sent to us by Adrien. Perhaps you caught it when KEITH OLBERMANN talked about it on his MSNBC show. Either way, we’ll just let you read it yourself. Adrien tells us, “If you haven't visited the ‘WAR ON ART’ lately, you might want to drop in and check out the latest ‘TRUE ATROCITY IN ART:’ a giant, inflatable dog turd (described as 'big as a house'), the tasteless creation of artist PAUL McCARTHY, which escaped its tether in a Swiss Sculpture garden and crashed into a children's home.”
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Adrien isn’t done yet, and “part two” isn’t for the squeamish. She writes, “Also, I have added the name of Richard Dadd to my ‘victims of art’ page, although it was HIS dad who was actually the victim in this case - victim of a mad, art-crazed son who, not content with poisoning the minds of children with his 'fairy art,' dismembered his father (he actually had planned a series of such performance art events, but was stopped by the police, who came to advise him of the sad loss of his parent), and was remanded to an asylum where he was provided with art materials and free beer for the rest of his life!”
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Adrien is actually going for the trifecta. Time for “part three.” She continues, “And don't miss the page on ‘TERRORISM - THE ART CONNECTION.’ The page on ‘Discouraging Art Among Children’ now has some neat suggestions for things kids can do instead, including the patriotic ‘Torture Me Elmo doll.’ Help stamp out Art - we can all live without it!” Immerse yourself in Adrien’s satiric observations at www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Trailer/8989
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6) MICKEY MOUSE, CRUELLA DE VILLE, HANDCUFFED IN PROTEST
Members of the arts community were among 28 arrested in what the Orange County Register newspaper called “a protest in force” against Disney hotels across the street from Disneyland in Anaheim. Disney hotel service workers, with their families in tow, and “an armada of labor union” leaders and members shut down a busy intersection in front of Disneyland Park during rush hour on Thursday, August 14. They were protesting for higher wages and better medical benefits for employees at Disney’s hotels. Arrested protesters included some who were convincingly dressed as Disney characters, including MICKEY & MINNIE MOUSE, PRINCESS SNOW WHITE, ALADDIN, and Disney villain CRUELLA DeVILLE. The OC Register fielded two photographers, Joshua Sudock and Drew A. Kelley, who captured a gallery of 27 images. Look for people you know: http://www.ocregister.com/slideshow/union-police-disney-2125361-disneyland-leaders?pos=10
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7) LAST MEMBER OF HANK WILLIAMS BAND IS GONE, AT AGE 81
DON HELMS, the steel guitar player for HANK WILLIAMS’ DRIFTING COWBOYS band died Monday, August 11 in Nashville. He was 81. Helms was the last remaining member of the original Drifting Cowboys band. He played on the recorded HANK WILLIAMS classics “Cold, Cold Heart,” “Your Cheatin’ Heart,” and “I Can’t Help It (If I’m Still in Love With You).” He also played on PATSY CLINE’s “Walkin’ After Midnight,” LEFTY FRIZZELL’s “Long Black Veil,” and STONEWALL JACKSON’s “Waterloo.” Don Helms was a member of the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame.
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8) WANT TO “SWEETEN THE APPEAL” FOR A HOUSE CONCERT BOOKING?
We caught DAVE MORRISON’s full-house house concert last weekend, where he was joined by LISA TURNER, DANIEL McFEELEY, D. WHITNEY QUINN, and others. This week, Dave thought to do something most of us don’t: he sent a “thank you” to everyone who attended the show. That much, in itself, might be a good tip for artists. But Dave’s inclusion of some practical self-promotion is really useful. He memorably concludes his thank-you note with this: “If any of you is flirting with the notion of putting on a concert in your home, I want you to know that I come complete with a subtly applied PA system and thirty-five chairs. Really.” Dave, all those folding chairs are part of YOUR gig package? That’s brilliant. More on Dave, and some of his music you can preview on-line, at www.davemorrisonmusic.com and www.myspace.com/davemorrisonmusic. Catch him on YouTube: "Times Like These," at www.youtube.com/watch?v=vD-G11Eeg7s and "Almost A Relief" at www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zZl-nEEEwk&feature=related and "Standing By The Bridge" at www.youtube.com/watch?v=Li0VDr8cMG0. The album is available on Trough Records, at http://cdbaby.com/cd/davemorrison.
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9) THIS WEEK’S (OTHER) PRIZE FOR CLEVER SELF-PROMOTION GOES TO…
Lovely singer-songwriter / keyboardist composer / vocalist / guitar player MARINA V, for this, in the new edition of her monthly fan newsletter / e-zine: “Someone asked me - why don't you put some new awesome collectible items on your site? I asked myself the same question and decided there is no reason I shouldn't! So..... drumroll please.. here comes the 7x5" hand-written custom-made lyric sheet in a picture-frame mat!! I hope you like!!! Each one is unique and custom-made (by me.) You can even pick your favorite Marina V lyrics and I will create this special collector's item just for you (or leave it to me to choose the lyrics). Autographed on the front and signed to you on the back. Perfect for framing! Go to www.MarinaV.com to buy!! Yay!!! [color photos are in her e-zine…] You can also win a lyric-sheet like this by being one of the most-active members of www.MarinaVKomrades.com Sign up today and we'll let you know the details!! Somebody also asked me - why don't you sell your early demos or B-sides on your site? And I said... I do!!! but for big fans only :) http://www.marinav.com/secret-buy.html.” The only one she missed in all that is this one: www.myspace.com/MarinaV
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10) DESCANSO GARDENS CALLS FOR VOLUNTEERS
It’s in La Canada Flintridge, not far from the foot of Angeles Crest Highway, and it’s home to memorable concerts in delightful settings. Our calendar lists the folk-Americana performances on the “Under the Oaks” stage, where the series includes folk-Americana, from cowboy music to blues and other genres, and the PASADENA POPS concerts on the main lawn (like one this season with MICHAEL MARTIN MURPHY), as well as other events at the Gardens that include acoustic music. It’s a rich, active, and diverse place, accredited by the American Association of Museums. Of course, it’s a world-class garden, with many programs in horticulture and well, green things. This is the time of year when they recruit volunteers to assist in all those activities. Volunteering starts with attending a fall orientation session. Whether you are an adult or a teen, Descanso Gardens can use your help with plant care and propagation, family and school programs, festivals, tours, clerical work, and lots more. To learn about the possibilities, attend a fall orientation session on Sep 20, Oct 18 or Nov 15. Reservations are not necessary. Meet at the Visitor’s Center. Adults meet at 9 am and teens at 10 am. For more information, see their website, www.descansogardens.org or call 818-949-7978.
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11) THIS WEEK’S MUSIC VIDEO PICKS
First, we have TWO from the INFAMOUS STRINGDUSTERS, who played the Culver City Summer Music Festival on Aug 21. One features SAM BUSH joining the boys at the Otis Mountain Festival (www.otismountain.com), in Elizabethtown, NY, taped Aug 18, 2007, at www.youtube.com/watch?v=puAclKsCbes&feature=related .
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The other is the INFAMOUS STRINGDUSTERS at the 2007 Telluride Bluegrass Festival (www.bluegrass.com), and it’s distinguished by its focus on a dancer who would appear quite ordinary doing anything else, but with those nimble feet, he must be half-filled with helium. It’s at www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pdTc2KjeR4&feature=related.
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Second, this is a must-see. It’s WILLIE NELSON‘s recording of “MY HEROES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN COWBOYS,” set to an astonishing gallery of visual images of Hollywood cowboys all the way back to silent films, plus some western art, many rare movie posters, and stunning photos of western landscapes. Whether your touchstone is TOM MIX, GENE AUTRY, CLINT EASTWOOD, “HIGH NOON” or “BONANZA,” you’ll love seeing these images, and the sense of anticipation with each one, as Willie’s song flows in a perfect match, at www.greatdanepro.com/Western%20Stars/index.htm. Enjoy!
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NEXT WEEK, we’ll bring lots more news.
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copyright (c) © 2008, Larry Wines. All rights reserved.
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Be sure to check EVERY WEEK for
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+ the extensive and always huge ACOUSTIC AMERICANA MUSIC CALENDAR’s event listings at http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com, or at www.myspace.com/laacoustic.
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+ news of the “TIED TO THE TRACKS” radio & TV shows coming soon in syndication.
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+ the latest NEWS FEATURES from the acoustic music universe!
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WANT TO CONTACT US?
tiedtothetracks@hotmail.com
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NEWS FEATURES, August 16, 2008
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http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2008/08/news-features-august-16-edition.html
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"Tied to the Tracks"
ACOUSTIC AMERICANA
MUSIC NEWS
.
NEWS FEATURES for Aug 16, 2008
.
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copyright (c) © 2008, Larry Wines. All rights reserved.
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.
WELCOME to the ACOUSTIC AMERICANA MUSIC NEWS, our weekly news feature companion to the ACOUSTIC AMERICANA MUSIC CALENDAR. Here, you’ll find news for artists and music fans alike, ranging from the immediately useful to the merely informative, from gig opportunities and festival deadlines to early bird discounts, from venue openings and closings to career tips, and hot tips for acoustic music fans.
.
The Acoustic Americana Music Calendar with frequently updated posts of upcoming events well into 2009, is available at http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com and various other places around the web. We post links for current editions on our Myspace page, but new editions of the calendar are no longer there. Myspace has made changes that limit the size of posts, and that makes it far too time-consuming and ponderous to post the calendar there in far too many small pieces.
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Our myspace site, www.myspace.com/laacoustic is still the place to go for news of the syndicated “Tied to the Tracks” radio show, and its new TV counterpart that launches soon.
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LATEST NEWS FEATURES always post separate from the calendar. Recent editions are available on Blogspot at http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com; older archived editions are available on the myspace page (www.myspace.com/laacoustic), by using the “View All” button and scrolling, and if you don’t see what you want, then journey farther back by using the “older entries” button and scrolling, as many times as necessary. You can go all the way back to when acoustic music was made by trees crashing to the floor of the primeval forests when the dinosaurs got too rambunctious.
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MOST RECENT previous News Features posted AUGUST 10, 2008 at http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2008/08/news-features-aug-10-edition-acoustic.html
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COMMUNICATE WITH US about anything related to the Acoustic Music Calendar & News, or “Tied to the Tracks,” at tiedtothetracks@hotmail.com.
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NEWS FEATURES:
August 16, 2008
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1) FIDDLE CAMP FOR LABOR DAY WEEKEND?
Word arrived late from our friends at the Topanga Banjo Fiddle Contest of a Fiddle Camp in the OZARKS that’s said to be the best in the nation. Early bird registration ends at noon, Aug 16, so if you’re interested, read on, and act promptly to register while spaces remain (whether or not you make the early bird date).
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It’s the JANA JAE FIDDLE CAMP, held at the Civic Center and at Snider's Camp, on beautiful Grand Lake, in Grove, OK, on Aug 29, 30 & 31, Labor Day Weekend. It’s a nonprofit event dedicated to preserving and promoting musical heritage. Go to www.grandlakefestivals.com for details about the great fiddle coaching, jamming, and online registration, or call 800-526-2523.
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2) “CALIFORNIA LAWYERS FOR THE ARTS FILM & MEDIA BUSINESS SEMINAR 2008” is a series that runs Aug 27, Sep 10, & Sep 24; the first session was Aug 13. All sessions are 7-8:30 pm at The Ken Edwards Center, 1527 Fourth St, Santa Monica 90401. You may register for, and attend, one or all seminar sessions. Adv registration strongly advised, by calling California Lawyers for the Arts at 310-998-5590, or email them your contact info, specifying workshop dates, at UserCLA@aol.com. Here are the offerings:
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> Aug 27: Speaker Elsa Ramo, Esq., presents “Show Me the $$$,$$$!: Keys to Financing Your Film Project.” This workshop will address the various means of financing a film project, including LLCs, investor financing, and debt financing, as well as distribution deals.
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> Sep 10: Speaker Jeffrey Winter and Orly Ravid, Film Independent, present “The Down-Low on Distribution: How to Set Up the Right Film Distribution Deal.” Distribution agreements equal profits. But the lingo in distribution deals is complex and confusing. PFD agreements, negative pick-up agreements, pre-sale agreements, rent-a-system deals - this seminar will decode the different distribution deals so that you can get the best rights in your agreement. Topics include terms, territories, language, media, exclusivity, and assignment rights.
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> Sep 24: Speaker Glen L. Kulik, Esq, presents “Going, Going, GONE?: How to Pitch Your Idea and Protect It.” A straight-forward, jargon-free presentation on the law of copyrights and idea protection that will help you understand complex IP concepts and the practical concerns and ways you can try to protect your intellectual property.
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General admission, $20 for each seminar, or all four for the discounted price of $60. (Members of C.L.A. get-in for $10 per seminar, or all four for $30.)
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3) “FOLKTACULAR” TO RETURN LABOR DAY SUNDAY
Robert Morgan Fisher’s semi-annual “FOLKTACULAR” single-stage minifest returns Labor Day Sunday, Aug 31, 4 pm-midnight, with DAN BERN, MANDA, JOYCE WOODSON, MOTHER NATURE’S ARMY, CHAD WATSON, LEE DOMANN (from Albuquerque), SEVERIN BROWNE, DAVE MORRISON, DALE LaDUKE, TIM TEDROW & TERRY VREELAND, ALLAN COMEAU, PAUL ZOLLO, PIPER-GREY, and ROBERT MORGAN FISHER, at Writers Boot Camp Auditorium at Bergamot Station in Santa Monica, Bldg. i, Santa Monica. Robert says, “We expect a pretty big response due to the stellar lineup, which includes (as Ed Sullivan used to say): “A fine balladeer, causing quite a splash with the young people … DAN BERN.” And Robert adds, “Yes, 4-12 is a long show – but this is a luxurious auditorium with couches and everything.”
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Many of these artists have performed live on radio’s “Tied to the Tracks,” including SEVERIN BROWNE, LEE DOMANN, CHAD WATSON, DAVE MORRISON, DALE LaDUKE, TIM TEDROW & TERRY VREELAND, PIPER-GREY, and ROBERT MORGAN FISHER. The event includes food & beverages with admission: beer, wine, soda, hors d’oever munchies, tacos and burritos. More info in the calendar listing. Adv tix encouraged, so they know how much food to get. $15 adv, $20 door. To purchase $15 adv tix, email robert@robertmorganfisher.com.
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4) EXTREMELY ENTANGLING “PERSONAL” MARKETING?
San Diego-based singer-guitarist ALEX WOODARD has a self-titled album set to release on August 19, and he is promising “to write a personal song for every person that pre-orders” his album. This self-titled release features Grammy-winning SARA WATKINS of NICKEL CREEK fame and FOUNTAINS OF WAYNE's BRIAN YOUNG on drums. Preview songs from the new record at http://myspace.com/alexwoodard .
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His promo opens with, “want ALEX WOODARD to write a song about you?” and says, “Storyteller Will Pen Personalized Tune For Everyone Who Pre-Orders 'Alex Woodard,' Out 8/19.”
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Alex is an L.A. Music Awards Singer-Songwriter of the Year and San Diego Music Awards nominee. His new CD is on the Woodshack Music / Adrenaline Music Group label. How serious is his offer? The promo from CHRIS TAILLIE (ctaillie@shorefire.com) at Shore Fire Media assures, “Woodard will be penning personalized tunes for each and every patron, contacting fans himself to get the details he'll use to write their unique, one-of-a-kind songs. In addition to the special tune, each pre-order will come with a limited-edition t-shirt and access to an exclusive section on Woodard's website (www.alexwoodard.com/) called "The Woodshack," where fans can check out photos, videos and never-heard demos, and get details on special meet-and-greets.
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Chris says, “Alex has been getting a reputation for changing the way an artist connects to the fans, by playing in their living rooms. ‘The Woodshack’ will be another opportunity for fans to register for these ‘personal’ concerts. Woodard is drawing comparisons to Tom Petty for his story-driven, country-rock sound and honest, gritty lyrics. Allmusic.com raves, ‘Like John Cougar Mellencamp, Woodard pens tales instantly recognizable, for they're American stories we've all lived and shared, with the album holding a mirror to us all.’ Download.com observes that Alex's ‘cool folk melancholy sounds especially fine next to gleaming country-pop guitars,’ and Today's Country Magazine says: ‘Woodard crafts [his lyrics] in a way that delivers the stories perfectly.’
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So, Chris, will Alex see daylight between now and 2010?
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If you want to take Alex up on his offer, the pre-order link is www.adrenalinemusicgroup.com/CD_AlexWoodard_PreSale.php .
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5) MUSIC LEGEND DOES REVOLUTIONARY NYC TALK RADIO SHOW
Last Sunday, ERIC LOWEN (Lowen & Navarro) did live radio on “STRONG AT THE BROKEN PLACES” on WABC in New York City. Eric's ongoing dedication to fostering awareness, enlightenment, and hope to the mysteries of ALS (aka Lou Gehrig's Disease), is an ongoing profile in courage. Eric was interviewed live by WABC-AM radio correspondent RICHARD COHEN, on Richard’s weekly program about coping with serious illness. In 2005, Eric chose to go public about his own battle with ALS on radio’s “Tied to the Tracks,” to promote a benefit show for ALS research. Eric, with the full support of his family and his musical partner DAN NAVARRO, has continued to be an eloquent and effective voice for awareness and understanding of the disease ever since. The New York City radio show ran a full hour, and it’s archived on the Lowen & Navarro web site, at http://lownav.c.topica.com/maal8AAabJzZYbPhQnzbaehoil.
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WABC (www.wabcradio.com) added Cohen’s show to its lineup this summer, and if you were in New York, it could completely change your opinion of talk radio. Fortunately, you can catch it live, anywhere, via the station’s web simulcast. As Eric says, “This isn’t a show about left vs. right politics, or the stock market…or anything else you have ever heard. This is a show about coping with illness. ‘Strong at the Broken Places’ will take listeners to a world they hope they will never enter. What happens when you or a loved one is hit with a traumatic illness or injury? It changes your world, but not too many people like to talk about it. Author Richard Cohen is not afraid to talk about it, and that is what he does in this program. Richard, a former producer for CBS Evening News, is himself going through a set of issues that would make any normal human being worried. He was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and lost his sight, but Cohen, who wrote the book ‘Blindsided’ in 2003, about illness, is unafraid to tackle this new show that will help thousands cope with similar concerns. Cohen is the husband of NBC-TV/Today show correspondent Meredith Viera, and he has also faced colon cancer.” The show is on the web every Sunday, 3-4 pm Pacific time.
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LOWEN & NAVARRO’s new CD, “LEARNING TO FALL,” is their long-awaited sixth album of new original material, with 11 tracks, performed by L&N with a stellar lineup of PHIL PARLAPIANO on pianos, organs, mandolins and guitar, TARAS PRODANIUK on bass (Lucinda Williams, Richard Thompson), RAFE BRADFORD on bass (their Chicago bassist, also works with Michael McDermott), HUTCH HUTCHINSON on bass (Bonnie Raitt, Brian Wilson, Paul Simon), GREG LEISZ on guitars (Dave Alvin, Joni Mitchell, many others), DOUG PETTIBONE on guitars (Lucinda Williams, Jewel), PHIL HURLEY on guitar (Stonehoney) and backing vocals by STONEHONEY, WENDY WALDMAN, & JULIE CHRISTENSEN. Info, and CD or track downloads available at http://lownav.com.
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6) NEW “ALT_BLUEGRASS” CD CAPITALIZES ON NATIONAL TV EXPOSURE
CLIFF WAGNER & THE OLD #7 (www.oldnumber7.net) have just released their brand-new CD, “ Hobo’s Lullaby,” following their triumphant appearance on “American Idol’s ‘NEXT GREAT AMERICAN BAND’” show. The CD includes all the songs they played on the show, including “Honky Cat,” “Don’t Think Twice,” “and “You May Be Right,” together with new originals that showcase Cliff Wagner’s song writing talents and the band’s musicianship. Now, we don’t usually announce CD releases here, because there are sooo many of them every week. But this is an exception (and not because Cliff has performed live on radio’s “Tied to the Tracks”).
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The album, like the band’s success on TV - all the way to the final round of competition - shows that the conventional wisdom is wrong, as usual. What’s the band’s genre? They’ll tell you they’re “A cross between bluegrass, alt-bluegrass, alt-country, and Americana.” That’s not the “one-thing” answer the industry will tell you it requires, just to let you in the door. And it’s certainly not Britney-Lohan sh-thump-thud, revolving-door-rehab, pop-tart-du-jour, soundalike crap, or Nashville’s single paradigm of “country” as red-state-trailer-park-rock. The new CD and individual song downloads are available at the band’s web site. For a limited time, orders get free shipping, and they tell us that “ Box Sets” come with a free picture. Smart marketing to stand-out even more after the national TV exposure.
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7) ASHLEY MAHER TO RECORD IN AFRICA
She’s a unique presence on the L.A. music scene, where she is at home doing her originals in a folk-Americana setting, or playing with her “Global Band” and joining her dancers in blindingly fast African dance. Ashley Maher has performed live on radio’s “Tied to the Tracks,” had Top Ten hits on the BBC, and was a big hit at the “Ash Grove 50th Anniversary” concert at UCLA in April.
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Ashley tells us that “Westerners recording with West African musicians have mostly tuned-in to Malian blues - Ry Cooder, Bonnie Raitt, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Taj Mahal, Toubab Krewe - but few have tapped into that magic middle ground between Western music and Senegalese mbalax, since YOUSSOU NDOUR sang on PETER GABRIEL's “In Your Eyes” in the '80's.”
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She continues, “In 2007, Senegal's Youssou NDour recorded a song I co-wrote, ‘Boul Bayekou.’ This was one of the great honors of my professional life. Then, last April, Youssou flew me to Dakar [and Europe] to rehearse, as a dancer, with his seven Senegalese dancers for two weeks before performing in two enormous shows, first in Dakar and then before 20,000 people at Paris' Bercy Arena.”
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That led to a new opportunity. Ashley explains, “it deepened my ties with Youssou's musicians. Simply put, they are free this September and enthusiastic about recording with me … it is an opportunity I've GOT to take! This development is a big surprise. By last February, having raised the money to record CD #5 in Los Angeles, I began working on it with ANDRE MANGA. I never imagined this chance would arise to record in Dakar with Youssou's musicians. Now, we have more-than-an-album's-worth of excellent new material, backing tracks ready to go, a downpayment made on Dogo Studios, and our 'round trip tickets to Dakar in hand. However, the cost of recording will add a minimum of $15,000 to our current budget.”
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Ashley is seeking help from fans who believe in her music. Check her web site for details, www.ashleymaher.com.
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8) VENTURA MEDIA COVERS SINGER-SONGWRITERS (EVEN IF L.A. DOESN’T)
Rachel Sedacca tells us, “I was thrilled to wake up this morning to several phone calls and later emails about the huge picture of me on the front of our local paper, the Ventura County Star. This story talks to several Ventura artists including my friend NATHAN McEUEN.” It’s at http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2008/aug/07/fuel-pump-blues.
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Rachel continues, “They did a story on gas prices and interviewed me on the phone, sent a photographer out to do a photo shoot and then sent a cameraman to interview and video some of my performance at this cool house concert in Ojai in late July. The video is here on my website where you can also sign up on my email list from the home page.” Video at www.rachelsedacca.com/press.html .
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Check out Rachel’s music, including her 2008 CD, "Patience Pays," at www.rachelsedacca.com/music.html and www.myspace.com/rachelsedacca .
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9) MORE GOOD PRESS FOR THE HOUSE CONCERT MOVEMENT
Russ & Julie, of Russ & Julie's House Concerts (www.houseconcerts.us and www.myspace.com/russjuliehouseconcerts) not only deliver a fine lineup each season, but they also continue to help others learn the ropes to present their own house concerts. A local newspaper in their area, Agoura Hills/Westlake Village, ran a story on them, available on-line at www.theacorn.com/news/2008/0814/On_The_Town/069.html.
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You might also enjoy the YouTube video of the transformation of their living room for concert night, at www.youtube.com/russjuliehousecncrts.
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10) “ACOUSTIC FRIENDS” SITE EXPANDS OFFERINGS
It’s been awhile since we told you about the acoustic music alternative to myspace, at www.acousticfriends.com. They just announced that that www.acousticdownload.com is now on-line on their site, as “a place where you can purchase individual digital tracks or albums from aspiring, unsigned, independent and established artists specializing in acoustic roots music.” They continue that the new feature “provides another venue for aspiring, unsigned, independent and established artists to showcase their music.” You can establish your own page for free at Acoustic Friends.
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11) SONS OF THE PIONEERS LEADER TAKES HIS LAST RIDE
It’s been a year of sadness, fond remembrances and memorials in the Western/cowboy music community. Word arrived that DALE WARREN, the man who had been the leader of the SONS OF THE PIONEERS longer than any other member, passed away in Branson, Missouri, on August 9. He had suffered from heart problems for some time. Dale joined the Pioneers in Dec, 1952. Thanks to his leadership, the group did not fade away when LLOYD PERRYMAN, the man Dale referred to as “Mr. Pioneer,” died in 1977. Dale became the leader that year, and saw the SONS OF THE PIONEERS become the longest-running singing group in history. He brought their music into the 21st century, to the delight of audiences of all ages.
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12) ORIGINAL ONE-ACT HOLIDAY-THEMED PLAYS SOUGHT FOR PRODUCTION
The Lancaster Performing Arts Center (LPAC) is seeking original, one-act play submissions for its 2009 holiday production to be performed December 2-5, 2009 on its Main stage. Scripts must be submitted no later than February 10, 2009 and adhere to the submission guidelines. The winning playwright will be announced March 10, 2009 and receive a stipend of $500 after the play is performed. Send submissions to Mary Tanner at Lancaster Performing Arts Center, 44933 Fern Av, Lancaster, CA 93534 or deliver in person to the LPAC box office at 750 West Lancaster Bl. For submission guidelines and inquiries, contact Mary Tanner, Performing Arts Manager at or 661-723-5950 or mtanner@cityoflancasterca.org.
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13) THIS WEEK’S MUSIC VIDEO PICKS
Our first pick is by DAVE MORRISON (www.myspace.com/davemorrisonmusic & www.davemorrisonmusic.com) a fine performing songwriter whose songs have been recorded by many others for at least a decade. When Dave finally recorded his own CD (on Trough records), he gave radio’s “Tied to the Tracks” the world premiere, then came on the radio show to play much of the album live. Now, the CD gets airplay all over the planet. Our pick is Dave doing his original, "Times Like These," with GREG KREUGER on mandolin, LISA TURNER on backing vocals, and DAN McFEELEY on harmonica, recorded live at last spring’s semi-annual “FOLKTACULAR” in Santa Monica. It’s on YouTube at www.youtube.com/watch?v=vD-G11Eeg7s.
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DAVE MORRISON is playing a house concert Sunday, Aug 17, in Altadena; see the calendar listing. AND, Robert Morgan Fisher has booked the next “FOLKTACULAR” show for Sunday, Aug 31, where Dave will again perform, this time along with DAN BERN and a great lineup, so see that calendar listing and get your advance tix.
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Our second pick, for the first time ever, isn’t acoustic(!) but this must-see video does come to us from AcousticMusic.net founder George McCalip. It’s by WALT HANDLESMAN at New York Newsday, it’s animated, it’s called, “Bored, Tubby, Mild,” and it’s hilarious, regardless of your musical preferences or your age. It’s at www.newsday.com/news/opinion/ny-walt-babyboomers-blurb,0,1036393.blurb
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NEXT WEEK, we’ll bring lots more news.
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copyright (c) © 2008, Larry Wines. All rights reserved.
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Be sure to check EVERY WEEK for
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+ the extensive and always huge Acoustic Americana Music Calendar’s event listings
at http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com, or at www.myspace.com/laacoustic.
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+ news of the “TIED TO THE TRACKS” radio & TV shows coming soon in syndication.
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+ the latest NEWS FEATURES from the acoustic music universe!
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WANT TO CONTACT US?
tiedtothetracks@hotmail.com
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NEWS FEATURES, August 10, 2008
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http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2008/08/news-features-aug-10-edition-acoustic.html
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"Tied to the Tracks"
ACOUSTIC AMERICANA
MUSIC CALENDAR & NEWS
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NEWS FEATURES for Aug 10, 2008
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copyright (c) © 2008, Larry Wines. All rights reserved.
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The Acoustic Americana Music Calendar with updated posts and our popular “anniversaries” of things that happened each day in the history of music, entertainment, and the rest of the world, is now at http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com. Myspace has made changes that limit the size of posts, and that makes it far too time-consuming and ponderous to post the calendar there in small pieces.
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Our myspace site, www.myspace.com/laacoustic is still the place to go for news of the syndicated “Tied to the Tracks” radio show, and its new TV counterpart that launches soon.
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FUTURE EVENTS are all moving to our Blogspot page. Archived NEWS FEATURES are still found on our myspace site, where you can also peruse radio playlists and other old things, back to when acoustic music was made by indigenous natives pounding on hollow logs with rocks.
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MOST RECENT previous News Features posted August 4, 2008.
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NEWS FEATURES:
August 10, 2008
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1) TALKING STICK FINDS NEW HOME
The Talking Stick has been a popular, if Lilliputian, coffeehouse and acoustic music venue for several years, in it’s now-vacated location across from Santa Monica City College. More than a year ago, word came that a mega-developer had bought-up the entire block of small retail and office businesses and their expansive parking lots in back, and that all would be demolished to create yet another of those lookalike, relentlessly generic strip malls for corporate America to occupy with the same things they put everywhere else. Alas, the new development would not accommodate any of the individualistic little landmark establishments, including The Talking Stick.
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Several times, end-of-business dates were announced, but the developer encountered delays that enabled the tenants to stay. Meanwhile, the developer, as new landlord, sought to extract rent until the tenant businesses were demolished. That delay enabled The Talking Stick to find a new location, where they have resumed business, at 1411 Lincoln Bl, in nearby Venice, 92091.
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Happily, monthly series like ERNEST TROOST’s “Juke Joint Gang” and other popular musical offerings continue uninterrupted. Other singer-songwriter and acoustic band events, including DANIEL McFEELEY’s series, will resume soon.
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Check the venue’s website (www.thetalkingstick.net) and our Acoustic Americana Music Calendar, and plan to drop-by for good coffeehouse fare, sandwiches, and live music.
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2) INDIE ARTIST’S SMART & GREEN PROMO
UK-based singer-songwriter KRIS SEARLE arrived in L.A. this summer, and recently released a CD. He tells us, “This month you can WIN a SOLAR CHARGER for your MP3 player, laptop or phone, with the 'in Power' Portable Solar charger, donated by REAL SPIRIT USA. If you are somewhere without electricity, and you desperately need to charge your portable device, you can now, with your own portable pocket power charger. Just lay it in the sun and plug in your device and you will have power. You can get a lot more solar products from here: www.advancedpureliving.com/inpower.htm. I will definitely be using one when I go to the Burning Man Festival this year. ... so if you buy my album before 31st August you will be put into the draw for a SOLAR CHARGER worth $100…!” Find details of that, and Kris’ music, at www.myrecordlabel.net and at www.reverbnation.com/krissearle. He’ll be playing Oct 16 at 8 pm at the Whisky in West Hollywood, and Nov 20 at 7 pm in the Music Box at the Henry Fonda Theater in Hollywood.
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3) TOGAMAN’S WEIRD INSTRUMENTS FEATURED IN FILM, TV SOUNDTRACKS
JONATHAN WILSON (togaman@bowedguitar.com) runs TogaMan Guitars (www.togamanguitars.com) where he makes “bowed string instruments for guitarists.” There’s some innovative stuff happening there, with popularity proven by their current move to larger quarters. Jonathan tells us, “It seems that a [TogaMan] GuitarViol was unofficially used for the soundtrack of ‘IRON MAN.’ I say unofficially because they seem to have omitted any credit on the Soundtrack CD. (Yeah, I have a copy). LOGA TORKIAN mentioned to me over the phone, a couple months back, that he contributed some queues. (Perhaps ‘Mach I’). Why he was not credited, that's a mystery. I saw the movie with my family and recall hearing some familiar sounds. I blew it off because I was really into the movie itself. I was contacted by (composer) RAMIN DJAWADI'S assistant, several months back, before the production of ‘Iron Man’ began. It was uncertain [whether I would be] able to get one built in time due to my backlog. I followed-up because I began building full time, and the turnaround was then feasible. No response. I figured they may have walked down the studio hall to find out that HEITOR PERERIA had one handy. Not the case. Turns out that LOGA TORKIAN (Niyaz/Azam Ali) was called in to do the queues with his. Alright Loga!”
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He added, “Speaking of Loga and Azam, there is a new double CD from NIYAZ, ‘Nine Heavens,’ featuring the GuitarViol (which Loga calls his ‘Kamaan’). One disc is electric and the other has unplugged versions of the same songs. What a concept!.”
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Jonathan continues, “Some interesting other things have been coming to pass. JOHN SWIHART, ‘Napoleon Dynamite’ soundtrack composer, has been using his [GuitarViol] for ‘FEAR ITSELF’ on NBC. JULIO REVUELTAS, grand-nephew of classical composer SILVESTRE REVUELTAS, the ‘Stravinski of Mexico,’ has been quite prolific on You Tube with his ‘Viotarra’ (his name for GuitarViol). His technique is as astonishing as his music. Definitely go to his You Tube channel and watch / listen. One of my favorites, [is] ‘Czardas of V. Monti,’” at youtube.com/watch?v=Op7GsUAiRnM .
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Finally, Jonathan says, “Okay, for those of you who have ACOUSTIC GuitarViols on order, I am very close to bending and carving your instruments. I appreciate your patience all of these months.”
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4) WESTERN MUSIC & COWBOY POETRY TROTS ONTO MYSPACE
We reckon it’s true, we hear more often from our western / cowboy / western swing music friends than we do from anybody else that the fingers that can braid ropes and pick instrument strings and shoe They give each other a good ribbing, with song lyrics like, “I’m no cowboy dot com.”
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Riding to the rescue is the international WMA – the WESTERN MUSIC ASSOCIATION (www.westernmusic.com). In addition to the organization’s newly-upgraded website (we reported on that on July 19, and it’s still adding features), WMA has jumped-aboard the myspace wagon.
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WMA’s member artists are all receiving instructions on getting their original music and cowboy poetry posted on the myspace page, and anyone who enjoys the music can go there, as with any myspace page, and listen free to the posted selections. The url is www.myspace.com/westernmusicassociation .
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WMA plans to rotate featured artists through the available spots, so as more is posted, you’ll want to bookmark the page.
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In addition, we’d like to remind you of three other web resources for western music and cowboy poetry. We’ve shared these before, and continue to recommend all three:
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a) www.cowboypoetry.com which is a huge resource and database from the “Bar-D Ranch” (get it? Poets, Bar-d?) it’s a nonprofit that’s growing by leaps and bounds.
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b) The Bob Nolan website, which has featured music and film clips each month. The August Song of the Month is "The Wind is Warm Again" by Bob Nolan & Robert Wagoner. The url is www.bobnolan-sop.net
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c) HPR2: The Western Music Channel, on web-based Heartland Public, and the only place in the world featuring 24-hour-a-day Western / Cowboy music. The url for music and playlists is www.hpr.org.
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5) ONE OF OUR VIDEO PICKS HITS #1 ON AMAZON
Last week (Aug 4 edition), we recommended three videos, two from well-known political satirist-songwriter ROY ZIMMERMAN (he plays Aug 10 & 11 at McCabe’s and Coffee Gallery Backstage, respectively). Our third pick was from cowboy artist CLYDE LUCAS.
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Now, that music video that CLYDE LUCAS created around his original song, “John Wayne - He's America,” has reached NUMBER ONE on Amazon.com.
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We wrote, “Whether to balance things, or simply to remember that we are the sum total of all our experiences as individuals and as a society, we recommend his original. It has plenty of clips and images from The Duke’s films, and offers a fine microcosm of how and why a Hollywood figure can become a larger-than-life heroic icon from the roles he plays. It is now playing on the ‘American Cowboy Magazine’ site (videos) and on the Official John Wayne website. Congratulations to indie artist Clyde for those recognitions.”
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Clyde wrote to say, ”Wow, THANK YOU so much for the nice article. You capture what I was really trying to say. Not that Mr. Wayne was an actor, but he lived his dream. It was Mr. Wayne who used to sit in a theater as a kid and watch Harry Carey, [and] he dreamed of being a cowboy on the screen, too. I had hoped the song said that...We must all live out our dreams! Thank you again - Clyde Lucas.”
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Clyde’s fully-produced, now NUMBER-ONE Amazon video, “John Wayne - He's America,” is at
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www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-music&field-keywords=john+wayne&x=12&y=12
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and it’s still available at http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1630415417
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6) THIS WEEK’S MUSIC VIDEO PICK
It’s an all-star music tribute to the late PORTER WAGONER performed as the finale at the Americana Music Awards in Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, on November 1, 2007, with LYLE LOVETT, PATTY GRIFFIN, BUDDY MILLER, JOE ELY, JIM LAUDERDALE, DARRELL SCOTT and others, and it’s on You Tube, at
www.youtube.com/watch?v=odAR3GzW1b8
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We also received a nice note from Nicole Poulos of Sideways Media, with an MP3 track from indie singer-songwriter JIM BOGGIA (www.jimboggia.com). Now, we don’t ordinarily use our video pick to tell you about an audio-only MP3 selection, but we’ll make an exception. It’s a track from Jim’s new album, “Misadventures in Stereo.” Nicole tells us, “He actually recorded on analogue, straight to tape with a live band, so you really are able to hear all those imperfections that end up being the gems of the song. The track below is about a solider in Iraq and is an incredibly poignant and powerful track. Jim vocals almost tell the story just as much as the lyrics do. You can hear the raw emotion in his voice, and keeping in mind that it was done in practically one take really shows the level of how organic it is.”
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Jim’s song, “Three Week’s Shy,” (audio-only) is at http://bluhammock.com/asset/JimBoggia_ThreeWeekShy.mp3
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An in-depth special feature:
7) FANS, SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, MARKETING, AND THE BLOGOSPHERE
As longtime journalists, we often struggle with the ubiquity of countless blogs that randomly spread “news” and “information” without observing the rules of journalism (citing sources, multiple sources where necessary, fact-checking, verifying accuracy, and all the things that Fox News doesn’t bother to do, anyway). We also recognize that mainstream media, since its consolidations into corporate mega-giant empires, has failed us miserably (beyond Fox, which is too biased to be considered mainstream).
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The vast public realized too late that Big Media marched to the beat of the White House drum to invade Iraq, and even now, there’s insufficient cynicism about Big Media’s blind acceptance, as truth and gospel, of the proclamations and “expertise” of Big Oil.
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Certainly, we know that the rise of the blogosphere is largely a product of the failure of mainstream corporate media, where even “investigative news” shows are sponsored by the Wal-Marts of the world, to assure their sponsors’ immunity from being investigated (i.e., don’t bite the hand that feeds you.)
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Recently, we heard an artist fall into a rant, claiming the World Trade Center Towers were “brought down” by demolition charges, and that an airplane didn’t hit the Pentagon on 9/11. He said he has blogged about all that. Yikes.
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The same state-of-flux that exists in the music business generally has a dimension in the blogosphere. There’s no denying that many indie artist and band websites reach plenty of fans, and often, they are read by an audience that isn’t reached by mainstream media that’s lost (or among certain age groups, never had) the attention and respect its news divisions once commanded.
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For artists, the situation presents an opportunity, and one that comes with a social responsibility. It’s the performance stage as a soapbox, or what Teddy Roosevelt would have included in his characterization of a “bully pulpit.” You have a stage. You have a mic. When you’re off stage, you have the cyber extension of that, with your blog. You can use all of it to gratify, entertain, and try to build your fan base it, to educate or enlighten it, or you can decide to do what the Dixie Chicks did, awaken fans to your outrage, and risk getting Dixie-Chicked for your words (whether spoken or printed on-screen). Yes, your blog IS an extension of your stage presence. Some artists see that and use a unified approach, where everything is mutually-supportive of everything else, and that kind of connectivity can maximum results. Others compartmentalize their lives, ranting in one context, being sweetness and light in another, and they risk being seen as contradictions, or as unauthentic.
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This week, some major Nashville country performers are using the country music video channels to present world premieres of de facto (or overt) McCain campaign or anti-Obama songs, without fear of being Dixie-Chicked. Will their blog entries fess-up to their politics? Funny that some genres and aspects of the music biz allow for contradictory outcomes, but they do. Nashville country is, of course, very Republican, and it practices retribution on the careers of those who are not. They enjoy characterizing bitter and violent rap diatribes as representatives of all that they are not, and by extension, painting their opponents as anti-family, and anti-“goodness” - even as their own country songs are often about divorce or shootings after catching cheating spouses.
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Makes you want to ask them whatever happened to the socially-conscious folk artists who are no longer welcome in Nashville. They probably talked too much between songs. That emphasizes the point of spoken and written words vs. song lyrics. Regardless of your politics, as an artist, your songs are not subject to the same scrutiny as words you say on stage or a rant in essay form that resembles journalism (i.e., a blog).
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Back to the Dixie Chicks. Their bitter experience, after letting audiences know they saw the US government was being run by a dufus, and being banned from corporate country radio for saying it, caused them to proclaim they would “Shut Up and Sing.” (They haven’t shut-up, though they became satirical and clever.) Other artists were, and remain, undaunted, properly asserting the age-old traditions and purposes of folk music to protest war, abuse of power, denial of human rights, society’s absurdities, and to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.
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Make conscious, aware, decisions what you say on stage; remember, people come to see you because they expect you to entertain them, even when that includes informing them. And apply the same criteria for conscious decisions to the extension of the stage, in your blog. It’s not just stray remarks that bring you trouble or cause potential fans to see you as a hero or a nut. One key decision is what to present as humor, and what to offer outside a humorous or satiric context. Here are notes on each:
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SERIOUS STUFF? Act responsibly when presenting anything as news or information, both as a matter of social responsibility, and to protect your own credibility with your fans and those you want to add as fans. Learn the rules of journalism and apply them if you want to be an effective spokesperson for any cause, even a charitable one that you support. Be genuine, informed, knowledgeable, and credible. (Remember the fable of the boy who cried wolf…)
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COMEDIC & SATIRIC STUFF? Many artists’ blogs are great places for satire and humor, so we’ll offer a good example of something that operates in that realm. Here’s the latest in a series of “Letters from America” from the blog written by the L.A.-based band, THE SORCERERS (www.the-sorcerers.com). The band’s members have known considerable commercial success. They’ve been around awhile. Some of their humor works, some doesn’t. The way they use their blog is often very effective, as it is here:
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“The Sorcerers were laid low and distracted by financial concerns, personnel changes, delays in surgeries, identity theft, automobile accidents, the gas / food riots, the rotting of the American economy, the last minute stab at profits from all corporations aligned with the dunderheads in Washington D.C., a failed two-pronged war, the Big Sur wild fire, the price of food, another Adam Sandler film, the West Nile Virus, general confusion and malaise, humidity’s effect on guitar strings, gray tree squirrels, the bloody price of gas, other nonspecific stuff including speed bumps and anti-inflammatory lozenges, plus The Sorcerers’ oft reported fitful nature and gleeful distain.”
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They continue, “Even so, The Sorcerers have returned to form and now will concentrate on the ‘Western & Country’ project in which The Sorcerers’ dependable view of Americana will be re-focused on life in the West, life from a Western point of view and a view of life from points West. In other words, The Sorcerers’ will write what they know, life, as seen from California, the home base of The Sorcerers, the music entity that works from within a female Black Labrador doggie and will not come out. There are, apparently, only two ways out of The Sorcerers’ Lab and The Sorcerers do not, at this juncture, approve of either. Owners of female Black Labradors will explain the details to the rest of you. Owners of cats and forest dragons can make their own diagrams and come very close to the problem facing The Sorcerers, vis a vis a coordinated, convenient, dignified exit from The Lab.”
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Scatology aside, they are effective at creating a context of satire that enables them to make their points without the burden of following any rules of checking facts or accuracy. To wit, they write, “There have been several ‘Letters From America’ compiled and not circulated because they were too angry and sad … EXAMPLE:”
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“The Oil Men have one last great evil moment of wild, unbridled profits before the general election, before the troops are called to their corporate offices, before they are dragged from behind their desks and properly dealt with in the streets. It is a modest proposal whose time has come.”
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They follow that with, “So, rather than continue in that vein, The Sorcerers decided to go back to work and also to conduct a product sale, which seems the only sensible thing to do in these times of awkward American decline. The Sorcerers’ first release, “AMP, American Musical Portraits,” previously priced at a reasonable, $2,999.99 per disc, is now on sale for the hilarious price of $6.99 which includes shipping to anywhere in the known world. Buy now, safely and securely at www.the-sorcerers.com .”
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Did they hook you all the way through to their marketing pitch? Did they make you laugh? Did you identify with their concerns and complaints, without being depressed? If you answered yes, then you just saw an effective use of an artists’ blog.
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NEXT WEEK, we’ll bring lots more news.
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copyright (c) © 2008, Larry Wines. All rights reserved.
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=====================
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Be sure to check EVERY WEEK for
.
+ the extensive and always huge Acoustic Americana Music Calendar’s event listings
at http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com, or at www.myspace.com/laacoustic.
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+ news of the “TIED TO THE TRACKS” radio & TV shows coming soon in syndication.
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+ the latest NEWS FEATURES from the acoustic music universe!
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WANT TO CONTACT US?
tiedtothetracks@hotmail.com
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NEWS FEATURES, August 4, 2008
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http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2008/08/news-features-august-4-edition-acoustic.html
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"Tied to the Tracks"
ACOUSTIC AMERICANA
MUSIC CALENDAR & NEWS
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NEWS FEATURES for Aug 4, 2008
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copyright (c) © 2008, Larry Wines. All rights reserved.
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The Acoustic Americana Music Calendar with updated posts and our popular “anniversaries” of things that happened each day in the history of music, entertainment, and the rest of the world, is now at http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com. Myspace has made changes that limit the size of posts, and that makes it far too time-consuming and ponderous to post the calendar there in small pieces.
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Our myspace site, www.myspace.com/laacoustic is still the place to go for news of the syndicated “Tied to the Tracks” radio show, and its new TV counterpart that launches soon.
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FUTURE EVENTS are all moving to our Blogspot page. Archived NEWS FEATURES are still found on our myspace site, where you can also peruse radio playlists and other old things, back to when acoustic music was made by indigenous natives pounding on hollow logs with rocks.
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MOST RECENT News Features posted August 4, 2008 [original edition erroneously listed July 23, 2008].
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NEWS FEATURES:
August 4, 2008
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1) SPECIAL OLYMPICS BENEFIT AUG 30, WITH CHILI & INDIE WESTERN MUSIC
The band WESTERN STATE OF MIND is playing Aug 30 for a Chili Cook-Off / benefit sponsored by the L.A. County Sheriff's Department. Money raised will be donated to Special Olympics. The event starts at 11 am at the Castaic Equestrian Center, located near the County Animal Shelter off I-5 and Pitches Rd. The event is open to the public, with free admission, and money is raised by charging for some fine hot chili. The band will set a western tone by the entrance area.
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2) FIRE AT RATTLESNAKE SLIM’S CLOSES VENUE FOR REPAIRS
For those of you who may have booked a gig, or planned to attend a show, at Rattlesnake Slim’s, 23127 Lyons Av, Newhall, www.myspace.com/rattlesnakeslims, 661-877-4165, the venue suffered damage in a recent fire and is temporarily closed.
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The Newhall venue opened earlier this year, has rapidly gained popularity, and has been coming into its own as a home for significant concerts by local and touring artists. One recent benefit show, for arts education, starred western music queen JUNI FISHER.
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Before inviting your friends and fans to a show there, check with Gordon, the proprietor, for the latest estimate of when he will re-open. Meanwhile, if anyone has a suggestion for the Western Music Association, for where to hold the first & third Wednesday night jams, please contact Buck Corbett at 818-288-7745 or JCorbett1@socal.rr.com. WMA moved the jam from Vincenzo’s Pizza to Rattlesnake Slim’s in June, and had reported that artists and fans alike were enthusiastic about the saddle & tack shop / coffeehouse ambiance. Here’s wishing Gordon and his staff a rapid recovery and early reopening!
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3) STEVE GOODMAN BIO BOOK TOUR, WITH MUSIC, A BIG SUCCESS
We were privileged to meet author CLAY EALS (www.clayeals.com) while he was in Southern Cal. His hefty bio, "STEVE GOODMAN: FACING THE MUSIC," is the definitive work on the late singer-songwriter who is best remembered for writing “City of New Orleans,” a big hit for ARLO GUTHRIE. But Goodman was so much more, as anyone who saw him perform, or has seen one of his shows on TV’s “Austin City Limits” can attest. Appropriately, the nationwide book tour includes concerts by today’s artists, singing Steve Goodman songs. (We told you, a few weeks ago, about the opportunities to perform at the Steve Goodman events, arranged by Alyssa Archambault, www.panioloproductions.com; we’ve worked with her to host live performances on radio’s “Tied to the Tracks” by BILL TAPIA for his 100th birthday, and by DAN JANISCH.) Clay Eals’ book on Goodman is hefty and formidable, packed with photos and interviews with well-known artists who tell of their interactions with the superbly-talented Goodman. Our review will appear when we finish reading it, and we’ll let you know where you can find that review. Meantime, for those who don’t want to wait, the book is available in all the national book chains, independent bookstores, and on the author’s website.
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4) NICOLE GORDON SINGS NATIONAL ANTHEM AT DODGER STADIUM
No sooner did we tell you about ANGIE STEVENS singing the anthem for a Dodgers – Rockies game in Denver, then the Boys in Blue were back at Chavez Ravine, and NICOLE GORDON sang the Anthem for the home game on Sat, July 26. Nicole has twice performed live on radio’s “Tied to the Tracks” with her “Songs of Shiloh” songwriting partner MARTY AXELROD, and their thematic album scored a “Listener Favorite” on TttT with their song, “The Boy from Crooked Creek.” Nicole tells us the call came from Dodger Stadium without a lot of notice. And alas, the L.A. TV broadcast didn’t include the National Anthem. But those who were there cheered wildly for Nicole. See www.myspace.com/nicolegordonmusic for more.
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5) R.I.P. JOSIAH ESTELLE, FINGERSTYLE GUITARIST
This summer has had far too many losses in the acoustic music world. Last week’s note from Greg Atkin, president of the Association of Fingerstyle Guitarists, told us, “I have sad news about AFG member Josiah Estelle. His sister called me today and told me that Josiah had died in a car accident this week. Needless to say, I am shocked and very saddened by the news. It was just about a month ago that we all gathered at the Fret House in Covina and Josiah entertained us by performing on stage. This performance was only his second for an AFG event and he played wonderfully. Josiah was a fine composer and songwriter, too. He was just the creative type that AFG values in the membership.” There was a memorial gathering on July 27. Those who missed it and knew him, and wish to send a message to his family, may contact Greg Atkin at gatkin@strum-n-comfort.com. Greg added, “Josiah would always end his email messages like this: ‘Your Ever Well Wisher Om Namo Bhagavata Vasudevaya – Josiah.’”
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6) BIDDING FAREWELL TO ARTIST FRIENDS
Hollywood would have you believe that cowboys (even cowgirls) are rather stoic. But when something needs to be said, especially words to find meaning or comfort for those in distress, the figure beneath the big hat, who arrives on horseback, is a welcome and often eloquent visitor. And all those who have discovered cowboy poetry probably see this coming.
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This July, we, in the acoustic Americana music community, lost Jim "Okie" Adams of the Topanga Banjo Fiddle Contest and Old Time Fiddlers; L.G. Ravare of the local zydeco dance scene; fingerstyle guitarist Josiah Estelle; and a BUNCH of fine people in the western music world: Frederic Fridborg, husband of mega-award-winning singer-songwriter Belinda Gail; Jane Richardson, wife of cowboy poet Pat Richardson; Ken Griffis, author of books on the Sons of the Pioneers, Sons of the San Joaquin, and the Reinsmen; Wilma "Willie" Schooler, a founder of the Western Music Association; and Velma Spencer.
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Many writers who are unaccustomed to penning obituaries have been working overtime to note the contributions of so many lost in such a short time. Then came the transcendent effort of a cowboy (er, cowgirl) poet.
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KAREN GOGOLICK of Madison, Wisconsin, and the band, KG & The Ranger, wrote to tell us, “I wrote a poem I'd like to share with everyone. Each of us carries a unique wealth of individual memories, and the loss of any one person touches the world by the loss of that person's accumulation of experience, wisdom, and knowledge. Following the latest round of sad news in our community, this poem kind of wrote itself. There were many more folks in my heart as I wrote this, but sadly there are too many to try and name them all. I'll just dedicate it to all who have gone on before us....”

FAREWELL DEAR FRIENDS

The old guard all are leaving us
One by one, they are no more
And taking with them when they go
An unknown wealth of lore.

Treasure vast, although its worth
In dollars can't be counted
It's only made of memories
And tales left un-recounted.

By the long lives that they lived
They stored for us the past,
And made a bridge to newer times
With younger friendships fast.

So now, torchbearers we must be
Our duty comes alive –
Keepers of the memories,
That cowboy song may thrive.

(© Karen Gogolick, July 22, 2008)
KG & The Ranger are Karen Gogolick & Rick Roltgen
www.kgandtheranger.com
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7) THIS WEEK’S MUSIC VIDEO PICKS
We live in times that make it obvious why the ancient Chinese admonition, “May you live in interesting times,” was considered a curse. The most thoughtful among us still find some kind of uneasy balance between the sometimes irreverent humor that allows us to keep going despite the absurdities, while discovering things that still command our reverence and give us hope. Most of us plan to vote in this election year, because, after all, “America – it just might work,” as the lyrics say in one of our picks this week. Accordingly, we offer you three songs from two different indie artists.
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First, ROY ZIMMERMAN is one of the best political songwriters of our time, acclaimed even by Tom Lehrer. In Roy’s song, “Thanks for the Support,” we hear a perspective from U.S. troops deployed in Iraq for the third time. Roy gave “Tied to the Tracks” the world radio premiere of the song last year. It’s now on Roy’s newest CD, and a live performance version is at www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlUyNmUABbc
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Also from ROY ZIMMERMAN is his song “America,” one that he performed live on TttT. A live version is at www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDSAmQ_AqEU
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Cowboy artist CLYDE LUCAS created our third pick. Whether to balance things, or simply to remember that we are the sum total of all our experiences as individuals and as a society, we recommend his original, “John Wayne - He's America.” It has plenty of clips and images from The Duke’s films, and offers a fine microcosm of how and why a Hollywood figure can become a larger-than-life heroic icon from the roles he plays. It is now playing on the “American Cowboy Magazine” site (videos) and on the Official John Wayne website. Congratulations to indie artist Clyde for those recognitions. His fully-produced video is at http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1630415417
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Finally, L.A. folks have two chances to see ROY ZIMMERMAN perform before the November election, one on Sunday, Aug 9 at McCabe’s, the other on Monday, Aug 10 at the Coffee Gallery Backstage. (See the calendar listings.) He’s shared the stage with such diverse talents as GEORGE CARLIN, ARLO GUTHRIE, KATE CLINTON, BILL CLINTON, ARIANNA HUFFINGTON, BILL MAHER and PAUL KRASSNER, and played a series of shows swapping songs with The Pixies' FRANK BLACK. Zimmerman founded and wrote all the material for the satirical folk quartet THE FOREMEN, who recorded for Warner Reprise throughout the Nineties. As a solo artist, he’s released five albums. A video of Roy’s performance of his song “Creation Science 101” made the front page of YouTube recently and got over 730,000 views, and 11,000 comments - many of them coherent. You can find that one when you view our picks from Roy.
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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NEXT WEEK, we’ll bring lots more news.
.
=====================
.
copyright (c) © 2008, Larry Wines. All rights reserved.
.
=====================
.
Be sure to check EVERY WEEK for
.
+ the extensive and always huge Acoustic Americana Music Calendar’s event listings
at http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com, or at www.myspace.com/laacoustic.
.
+ news of the “TIED TO THE TRACKS” radio & TV shows coming soon in syndication.
.
+ the latest NEWS FEATURES from the acoustic music universe!
.
.
WANT TO CONTACT US?
tiedtothetracks@hotmail.com
.
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.