Invitation: YOU Can Join Artists & Hollywood Celebrities this Sunday to Make a Difference!

    
    
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A NEWS FEATURE SPECIAL EDITION, Acoustic Americana Music Guide, December 2, 2011
    
Special edition, with only ONE FEATURE...
    
Invitation: YOU Can Join Artists & Hollywood Celebrities this Sunday to Make a Difference!
    
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    This section is the NEWS – you can find ALL THE EVENTS in the Guide's companion section – SPOTLIGHT EVENTS – at
   
http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2011/12/spotlight-events-acoustic-americana.html  
   
   
Let's get started!
   
   
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    Tied to the Tracks' 
   
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          ACOUSTIC
                    AMERICANA
                              MUSIC GUIDE
                                        NEWS FEATURES
                                                       Special Edition
                                         
                                                       December 2, 2011 edition
   
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Our #1 (and only) Special Feature:    
    
INVITATION: YOU CAN JOIN ARTISTS & HOLLYWOOD CELEBRITIES
THIS SUNDAY, TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
    
Something in L.A. vs. not in L.A.? This is BOTH! If you are NOT in L.A., this same thing happens in 22 other cities across America over the next three weeks, so check it out at www.HolidayMusicMakingADifference.com    
    
If you ARE in L.A., have we got a good time, great opportunity, and personally moving and meaningful experience for YOU this Sunday!
    
Yeah, LOTS of things compete for your attention.
    
THIS one lets you meet and perform with TOP artists and Hollywood celebrities for a few hours to bring a special holiday experience to shut-ins. The love you feel and share is amazing! Afterward, you get to enjoy dinner with your fellow-music-making new friends.
    
Interested? GOOD! Read on!
    
Each year, the Acoustic Americana Music Guide ENTHUSIASTICALLY endorses this and humbly receives thank-yous FROM ARTISTS WHO TAKE PART after learning about it here. (All credit goes to Vincent Leinen, the event's founder and impresario.)
    
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[from the Acoustic Americana Music Guide]
Sunday, December 4:
4 to 9:30 pm: 30th annual “ARTISTS & STARS HOLIDAY CAROLING FOR SHUT INS” in the West SFV, with MANY stars of music, screen, TV and stage, all taking part, and room for YOU to join in! Bring your unplugged instruments and voices!
    
    Participants – professional artists, some with top awards – join others to perform songs of Christmas and Hanukah for folks who otherwise would have no celebration of the holidays. And year after year, it's the best show available to anyone, ANYWHERE.
    
    THIS YEAR HAS EXPANDED to visit TWICE as many places on parallel tour routes, so there's PLENTY OF ROOM FOR YOU to join in!
    
    Your guitar (or other unplugged portable instrument) is welcome, along with your VOICE! Songbooks are provided for everyone!
    
    Some of this year's participants are:
* CARL VERHEYEN, world acclaimed guitarist of SUPERTRAMP
* FLORENCE LaRUE, six-time Grammy winner & original member of THE 5TH DIMENSION with mega hits “Aquarius”, “Wedding Bell Blues”
* ALAN O’DAY, pop singer performed #1 hit “Undercover Angel”
* BILL DEMPSEY YOUNG, actor portrayed variety of roles on “Passions,” “General Hospital,” ”Days of Our Lives,” ”Young & The Restless”
* DON PEAK, Musicians Hall of Fame member, guitarist with MARVIN GAYE, EVERLY BROS, RAY CHARLES, JACKSON 5
* PATRICIA ZAPPA, singer, author of “My Brother was a Mother: A Zappa Family Album”
* DONNA CHERRY, singer-comedienne; former Miss California, opening act for BARRY MANILOW
* BOB MALONE, New Orleans blues concert headliner, piano-keyboardist for JOHN FOGERTY
* LISA HALEY, Grammy-nominated Cajun-zydeco fiddler and vocalist
* ALEX DEL ZOPPO, keyboard player of SWEETWATER band, performed at original Woodstock Festival; baby in the film “It’s A Wonderful Life”
* MIKE PINERA,. Guitarist for IRON BUTTERFLY, ALICE COOPER, BLACK OAK ARKANSAS, * BLUES IMAGE with hit “Ride Captain Ride”
* MIRIAM HERNANDEZ, member of the ABC 7 Eyewitness News team in Southern California
* JOANIE FAGAN, actress/comedienne; on ABC's "The Drew Carey Show” she played Faith (president of The Optimists Club)
* PATRICK WASKIELIS, drummer for popular group HAMILTON, JOE FRANK & REYNOLDS, which performed Billboards #1 single “Fallin’In Love”
* PRESCOTT NILES, bassist of THE KNACK, performed #1 hit “My Sharona,” and MISSING PERSONS
* SHEREE “CHERYL” GREEN-ADAMS, Original Mickey Mouse Club Mousketeer
* KEVIN JONES, keyboard player for OZZY OSBOURNE
* REBEKKA ARMSTRONG, Playboy Magazine Playmate Centerfold - Miss September, acclaimed advocate for HIV/AIDS awareness
* TREY CARLISLE, actor who portrays “Earl Jr.” on TV series “My Name is Earl”
* LAWRENCE WINES, music journalist, songwriter, radio host, Acoustic Americana Music Guide editor
    
    ADDITIONAL INFO, schedules, maps for the two routes in L.A., info on Caroling in 22 other cities, and an expanded list of even more artist and celebrity participants, is at www.HolidayMusicMakingADifference.com    
    
    SCHEDULE: Room-to-room caroling for residents followed by two stage shows in dining halls at two senior care facilities; a cast dinner party follows in a nearby restaurant.
    
    SIGN-UP, TAKE PART! Contact Vincent Leinen at 818-342-9336, or BD754@lafn.org    
     
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We hope to see you there and to get your comments and quotes for our upcoming magazine feature story on the event!
    
PLEASE FORWARD THE ABOVE (or this entire edition) TO OTHERS WHO MAY WANT TO PARTICIPATE. (The foregoing content is Copyright cleared.)
    
    
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RECENT EDITIONS of The Guide's NEWS FEATURES are still available!  
  
    Just check our archive! Read the contents bar on the left side of the page at www.acousticamericana.blogspot.com and click the appropriate month.   
   
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The MOST RECENT past editions (last 30 days) are easy to find! Just use the direct url's provided below, PLUS many recent feature stories and reviews are available individually at their own urls...
    
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Special Features from the Guide, at individual addresses...
    
“OCCUPY WALL STREET / OCCUPY EVERYWHERE” – our series of special Feature Stories, are available as individual items including READER FEEDBACK.
    
    The Guide's special series examines events with an emphasis on the roles being played by artists, and / or the implications for the future of the arts and for arts & music funding. Each part and our recent related features are still available – and still receiving (and posting) your comments.
   
   Listed from most recent to earliest, here's how to find them:
    
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>  SO, WHAT'S UP WITH THE “OCCUPY / 99%” MOVEMENT? IS A “LEAGUE OF NON-VOTERS” COMING? IS MUSIC PLAYING A ROLE? from the Guide's Nov 11, 2011 News Features edition, is available by itself, with YOUR COMMENTS. Here are a string of excerpts: “This protest movement is different in its modes of expression.” - “Is it a political or an economic or a social justice movement? Yes.” - “Could the masses that comprise the 99%, in and out of the movement, be induced by manipulators to feel deeper disillusionment, and “guided” to see no point in one thing in particular – voting? Yes.” - “An ultimate irony is coming: during the Civil Rights Movement, the disenfranchised fought for their rights to vote. Now, disillusioned masses might, in droves, give up entirely on the notion of bothering to vote.” - “The net effect isn't to make everyone fight for their rights. More people than ever are simply disgusted and sensing futility.” - “We may soon be governed by people who literally do not represent us, because too many of us see no point in fighting the overwhelming spending by corporations that purchase politicians to do things their way. With that conclusion reached, why vote? It's not individual or group apathy. It would be an intentional act, driven by entrenched and widespread disgust. It's the electoral equivalent of a sit-in. It will be tantamount to an organized 'League of Non-Voters.' ” - Of course, there's plenty more. Read it in full at
    http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2011/11/so-whats-up-with-occupy-99-movement-is.html   
    
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>  ARTISTS JOIN “OCCUPY WALL STREET” AS UNEMPLOYMENT, ECONOMY WORSEN, The Guide's Oct 7, 2011 feature story, with YOUR COMMENTS, is available by itself. Here's an excerpt: “We should be talking about the exact form and structure of a new WPA and a new CCC to re-employ Americans with projects that will give us all a future legacy – like that we inherited from the enduring public works projects of the '30s. We could be building high-speed rail and alternatives to gas-guzzling automobiles and alternatives to polluting coal-fired power plants. We could be leading the world in high tech investment and encouraging math and science education with a vigorous space program, aimed at Mars, instead of pouring money and blood into the sands of Afghanistan. We could be creating jobs so that the 24% of the military enlistees, who go there because there are no other jobs, could find career work in improving our society and rebuilding it for their children's future... Instead, we are told that a tepid jobs bill is dead on arrival in the House of Representatives, even as we see record profits for companies that took our money to employ people overseas, but not here. We see money being used to make money without creating any jobs or benefits for our society in a time when meaningful, career-track jobs should be our key national priority. We're not building for the future. We're not even doing required maintenance on the gifts we received from our parents and grandparents. We hear politicians rant that government must charge the rich no taxes and make Capital Gains profits off-limits to taxation, altogether. We see bonuses paid to money manipulators who exported America's jobs even as they took bailouts from taxpayers. Rome is burning. They're buying Stradovari violins with our money.” Plus, there's a “Memo to those wallowing in Wall Street bonuses and bank bailout billions.” read it all at
    http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2011/10/artists-join-occupy-wall-street-as.html  
    
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>  OF AUTOHARPS, JOBS BILLS, AND A VISION FOR OUR FUTURE (OR THE LACK OF IT) a feature that PRE-DATES the Occupy Movement by just two days, examining ways artists can oppose the “I've got mine, f--- you,” attitudes of the power elite, and fight against “a corporatocracy or an intolerant theocracy or a place of ruthless end-game capitalism.” It first ran in the Guide's Sep 15, 2011 edition; it's available by itself at
    http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2011/09/of-autoharps-jobs-bills-and-vision-for.html  
    
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>  9-11's LEGACY: THE PART PLAYED BY ARTISTS, AND WHAT'S STILL TO BE DONE, is our feature that PRE-DATES the Occupy Movement, but presents several of what would be its focal points. It ran in the Guide's Sep 9, 2011 edition. Here's an excerpt: “Together, military over-commitments and a select few no-bid civilian defense contractors bankrupted our economy, cost us our space program, cost us any chance for spending on arts education, cost us renewal of our decaying bridges / highways / city streets / utility infrastructure, cost us building any major new public works projects, and essentially cost us our vision for the kind of 21st century future promised by '2001: A Space Odyssey.' Meanwhile, our drone-based wars have cost our troops unprecedented numbers of re-deployments to war zones, record numbers of suicides, and record numbers of PTSD cases that all but assure us a tragically plentiful supply of homeless disturbed individuals for decades to come... It's a fitting time to ask our politicians whether contrarian intransigence is worthy of their silenced constituents... or worthy of their constituents who rushed to help that day and in the days and months following, and who now suffer as a result, yet receive little or no help from what should be a forever grateful nation.” And, “Just as Congress appears unable to help 9-11's surviving first responders, both political parties appear bereft of any real vision for a better future for all of us.” It's available at
    http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2011/09/acoustic-americana-music-guide-news.html  
    
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>  CALLING STEPHEN COLBERT: HELP! WE'VE BEEN COMPROMISED! is the Guide's Aug 4, 2011 feature that PRE-DATES the Occupy Movement by six weeks. It looks at the ability of Super PACS and big money to control politics. It's a scathing and satirical piece on the devastating and maddening manipulation of the people's money and what was and was not evident in the Debt Crisis, with MUCH reader feedback. It's available by itself at
    http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2011/08/calling-stephen-colbert-help-weve-been.html 
    
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>  IS THE FUTURE OF ARTS FUNDING GONE IN AMERICA? is, for us, the feature story that started it all. It's the Guide's pioneering, in-depth July 18, 2011, feature, that PRE-DATES the Occupy Movement by two months, with analysis beyond Washington's maddening politics. It debunks the Debt Limit, spending cuts, and budget battles and examines the roots of issues that motivated Occupiers. It's available by itself, with a then-record-number of comments, at
    http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2011/07/is-future-of-arts-funding-gone-in.html    
    
    
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OTHER recent SPECIAL FEATURES, available as individual items...
    
>  PENN STATE, HERMAN CAIN, LINDSAY LOHAN: THE CULTURE OF CELEBRITY VS. THE AMERICAN CREED, a special feature from the Guide's 11-11-11 edition, is available by itself at
    http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2011/11/penn-state-herman-cain-lindsay-lohan.html  
    
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>  MUSIC GOT US TO THE MOON – WHERE MIGHT IT YET TAKE US? a special feature from the Guide's Oct 27 edition, on the eve of NASA's final Mars lander, is available by itself at
    http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2011/10/music-got-us-to-moon-where-might-it-yet.html  
    
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>  KEN GRAYDON MEMORIAL CONCERT BRINGS FITTING ADIOS ran in the Guide's Sep 15 edition. Ken was the best history-based songwriter we've ever known, bringing places and people and events to life with the freshness of a spring breeze. It's available by itself at
    http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2011/09/ken-graydon-memorial-concert-brings.html  
    
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>  IN MEMORIUM: JOEL OKIDA, MUSIC JOURNALIST EXTRAORDINAIRE, a consummate writer and all-around great guy, ran in the Guide's July 28, 2011 edition, available at
    http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2011/07/acoustic-americana-music-guide-news_28.html   
    
    
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RECENT REVIEWS, available as individual items including READER FEEDBACK...
    
>  REVIEWS – NEW SERIES TAKES A FRESH LOOK AT OLD RECORDINGS,
“ACROSS THE DIGITAL DIVIDE...” new ongoing series – fresh reviews of pre-digital era recordings; series explained, from the Guide's edition of Nov 3, 2011, available at
    http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2011/11/reviews-new-series-takes-fresh-look-at.html  
    
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>  REVIEW – ACROSS THE DIGITAL DIVIDE... “HOME SWEET HOME,” A CASSETTE TREASURE, from the Guide's edition of Nov 3, 2011, is available by itself at
    http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2011/11/review-across-digital-divide-home-sweet.html  
    
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>  REVIEW – ACROSS THE DIGITAL DIVIDE (# 2)... “LIKE DESPERADOS” - JOHNNY CASH, WILLIE NELSON, MARTY ROBBINS, CHARLIE DANIELS BAND, OTHERS, from the Guide's edition of Nov 11, 2011, is available by itself at
    http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2011/11/review-across-digital-divide-2-like.html  
    
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Recent reviews of NEW releases:
    
>  CD REVIEW – DAFNI, “SWEET TIME” from the Guide's News Features edition of Nov 3, 2011, is available by itself at
    http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2011/11/cd-review-dafni-sweet-time.html  
    
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>  CD REVIEW – “MOODY BLUEGRASS TWO...MUCH LOVE” WITH VINCE GILL, RICKY SKAGGS, SAM BUSH, & MORE, GETS CRITICAL ACCLAIM is in the Sep 30, 2011 edition at
    http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2011/09/news-features-acoustic-americana-music_30.html  
    
    
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COMPLETE WEEKLY EDITIONS
    
...from the past 30 days, including everything as published, though NOT including reader feedback received on any feature published individually.
    
(All past editions are available, by digging in the archive at acousticamericana.blogspot.com)
    
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November 11 FULL edition is available at
    
http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2011/11/news-reviews-acoustic-americana-music_11.html  
                       and the stories are:
   
  1) It's the Century's Only Perfect Palindrome Day, 11 11 11  
  2) Giant Civil War Reenactment and Period Music this Weekend in Moorpark  
  3) Veteran's Day Premiere for New Video, “I'll Go (A Soldier's Oath),” & a Sunday Event  
  4) This Weekend's Quick Roundup of Events  
  5) Extravaganza for Recording Artists this Weekend in West L.A.  
  6) “Put The Fork in Hunger,” Pasadena's Largest Food Drive, is this Weekend  
  7) ROLAND WHITE BAND Plays this Week, with Top Bluegrassers East & West  
  8) REVIEW – Across the Digital Divide (# 2)... “Like Desperados” -
    Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Marty Robbins, Charlie Daniels Band, others  
  9) So, What's Up with the “Occupy / 99%” Movement?   
    Is a “League of Non-Voters” Coming? Is Music Playing a Role?  
 10) Penn State, Herman Cain, Lindsay Lohan: the Culture of Celebrity vs.
    the American Creed 
    
    
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November 3 FULL edition is available at
    
http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2011/11/news-reviews-acoustic-americana-music.html  
                       and the stories are:
   
Late additions, added after publication:
> “JOE HILL NIGHT,” Sunday, November 6
> "GIVE ME THE BANJO - Arts from the Blue Ridge Mountains" premieres Friday, Nov 4,
    on PBS - TV.
November 3 edition, as originally published...
  1) Bluegrass on DAVID LETTERMAN Thursday Night  
  2) ROSS ALTMAN Performs “SONGS OF JOE HILL” Friday Afternoon 
  3) Saturday is Folk Concert-Crazy in Southern Cal... 
  4) GRAM PARSONS 65th B'day Tribute at Ronnie Mack's Barn Dance, November 7
  5) GORDON LIGHTFOOT Playing Local Shows November 8 & 9 
  6) Nominees THE TUMBLING TUMBLEWEEDS and JOYCE WOODSON to Perform Together En-Route to Western Music Awards 
  7) CD Review – DAFNI, “Sweet Time” 
  8) Reviews – New Series Takes a Fresh Look at Old Recordings,
    “Across the Digital Divide...”  
  9) Review – Across the Digital Divide... “Home Sweet Home,” a Cassette Treasure
    
    
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Questions? Comments? Contact us through our Blogspot site or by email at   
  
                          tied to the tracks@hotmail.com  
  
(just remove the spaces in the above address – we're trying to cut-down on spam)
  
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YES, we invite you to add YOUR comments!
    
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You can always find the LATEST EDITION of THE ACOUSTIC AMERICANA MUSIC GUIDE, with separate links for:
  
1) the latest NEWS FEATURES, with feature stories / reviews / editorials / current acoustic music happenings / "heads up" notices to buy advance tickets for shows likely to sell-out / news you can't find anywhere else from and about the world of acoustic and Americana music and artists;
  
2) the latest SPOTLIGHT EVENTS section, with new and updated info on festivals / artist workshops / schedules and calendars for concerts, club gigs, live music happenings, acoustic & Americana music-related events / and more;
  
3) The Guide's VENUE DIRECTORY of over 500 acoustic music-friendly venues in Southern California – the places TO HEAR MUSIC, or CONTACT TO GET GIGS.
  
It's all available 24/7 (& frequently updated!) at ~  
  
             www.acousticmusic.net or at   
             www.acousticamericana.blogspot.com    
  
- or follow any of the links in the fifteen web sites and web groups that carry the Guide’s weekly News Features.  
    
      
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 All archived contents copyright (c) 2011, Lawrence Wines & Tied to the Tracks. All rights reserved.  
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