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Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Live cyber music on a subdued St. Patrick's, and more. March 17 edition, 2020

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Whoa up, thar', pard! While You'll find good stuff here, this is NO LONGER THE LATEST edition.

Last UPDATES were added to THIS edition on March 18th (bunches of 'em), at 9:10 pm.

There's plenty of variety within. If you're "sheltering in place," or "self-quarantined," or worried because you're out of toilet paper and Fox News doesn't have a print edition, well, we can offer you delightful diversions and distractions, and hopefully a few "gee, I didn't know that!" discoveries.

Let's get started!
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Oh, by the way...

Learning and using all the practices of "social distancing" and practical protective measures (republished at the Very end of this edition) is basic social responsibility.

Hoarding toilet paper is pandemicamonium. We'd slap the people doing that, except we'd need to touch them.


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LATE ADDITIONS, March 18th... up-top where you'll see 'em...


"Keep The Music Playing" Free Livestream Concert Tonight Features Nashville Stars

Amid national uncertainty, SHENANDOAH vows to "KEEP THE MUSIC PLAYING" with special LIVE ONLINE CONCERT


Live Broadcast TONIGHT, Wednesday March 18, at 5 pm Pacific (8 ET/7c), featuring special guests
 

Concert hosted by "Inside Edition" host Megan Alexander;
Sponsored by Foundry Records

WATCH HEREsmarturl.it/KeepTheMusicPlaying

Nashville, Tenn. (March 18, 2020) — During a time of national uncertainty, GRAMMY® Award-winning country music group Shenandoah is looking to brighten spirits with a special online concert. 


Though the presenter-of-record is "Facebook Live," don't worry. Those of us whose devices are not infested with Facebook spyware can use the url above to enjoy this performance event. So it truly can bring music to the masses.

Early today, the legendary country band announced "Keep the Music Playing," as their free live-streamed concert set for tonight, Wednesday, March 18, at 8/7c. 


Amid concert postponements nationwide, the event will provide a tuneful opportunity for fans to enjoy live performances from the comfort of their living rooms.

Shenandoah has enlisted an impressive lineup of Nashville musicians to join them tonight:

☆ Michael Ray
☆ Aaron Tippin
☆ T. Graham Brown
☆ Austin Merrill
☆ Katie Austin


These folks will all join Shenandoah during the live web broadcast. The event, sponsored by Foundry Records and hosted by Inside Edition's Megan Alexander, will take place at Nashville's SIR Rehearsal Studios with no live audience and minimal staff.

"The main mission here is to hopefully, with music as only music can, bring some sunshine to the gloom," says Shenandoah frontman Marty Raybon. "We'll be taking all of the recommended precautions to ensure everyone's safety."

Butch Spyridon, president and CEO of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp, is thrilled about the event. "We are happy to see artists doing everything they can to 'Keep the Music Playing' during these challenging times as we try to keep the virus from spreading," he says. "Seeing all the ways that live music is still being shared is part of the creative spirit in Music City."

Though the event is free to view online, the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp Foundation / Music City, Inc will be accepting donations throughout the live broadcast. All donations will aid Middle Tennesseans who have been affected by COVID-19 and the recent tornadoes that ravaged the area.

"It has taken an army of people to put this event together in less than 24 hours," notes Foundry Records/Johnstone Entertainment's Cole Johnstone. "I want to give special thanks to SIR Nashville, Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp, 2911 Media, TNDV and Nic Dugger, Mama Sue, Absolute Publicity, Shenandoah's band and crew, all of our guest artists, and the Foundry Records staff for making this possible."

"Keep the Music Playing" will be live streamed on each artist's Facebook page and can also be viewed at smarturl.it/KeepTheMusicPlaying

How to donate:
Donate online at www.visitmusiccity.com/nashvillestrong/donate
Text NASHSTRONG to 615-551-5122
Check: payable to Music City Inc. at 150 4th Avenue North, Ste. G-250, Nashville, TN 37219

* Music City Inc. is a 501c3 non-profit organization

About Shenandoah:
Shenandoah originally formed in Muscle Shoals, Alabama in 1985. The band has charted 26 singles on the Billboard Hot Country charts, including No. 1 hits "The Church on Cumberland Road," "Sunday in the South" and "Two Dozen Roses" from 1989, "Next to You, Next to Me" from 1990, and "If Bubba Can Dance (I Can Too)" from 1994. The single "Somewhere in the Vicinity of the Heart," which featured guest vocals from Alison Krauss, won both artists a GRAMMY®, Award for "Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal." To date, the group has sold millions of albums worldwide and is a recipient of the Academy of Country Music's coveted "Vocal Group of the Year" award. More on Shenandoah at: www.shenandoahband.com

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Also online tonight...


ROBYN HITCHCOCK  and EMMA SWIFT play a LIVE ONLINE BENEFIT CONCERT, 5 pm (Pacific)




5 pm (Pacific) - ROBYN HITCHCOCK  and EMMA SWIFT play a LIVE ONLINE BENEFIT CONCERT from their home today, March 18.
*   Song requests welcome.
*  "LIVE FROM SWEET HOME NASHVILLE, WHERE WE ARE IN QUARANTINE"
*  "Due to the recent tornado in East Nashville followed by the closure of bars/clubs/restaurants as a result of COVID-19, many in our local community are hurting. We want to do as much as we can to raise funds for those who now find themselves homeless and/or jobless. Please join Robyn & Emma to help us help those in need." ~ Yep Roc Records
*  Any tips received over 100 dollars will receive handwritten lyrics to a song of the donor's choice.
*  Concert at 5 pm Pacific (7 pm CT, their time)
*  TIX (GET 'EM NOW) at: https://www.stageit.com/robyn_hitchcock_with_emma_swift/east_nashville_community_fundraiser/69864


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Another option for tonight, added March 18th...


"Dylan Brody's Zoom Room for Writers" is FREE online


Wednesdays, 7 pm-9 pm (Pacific) - "DYLAN BRODY'S ZOOM ROOM FOR WRITERS" is a FREE online meeting place.
* Dylan Brody is a storyteller, writer, & radio commentator on KPCC's "Offramp."
* He tells us, "I'm opening my ZOOM weekly Q&A for Writers up to anyone who wants to attend.  All the info and links are below, but the main information is this: I answer questions and discuss all things writerly and writing-related with anyone who shows up and asks questions.
*  "If it gets to be too nutzo, I'll figure out limitations and controls as we go," he continues, "but for now, everybody's invited. No charge. We all need social contact."
*  Dylan concludes, "I would like my ZOOM room to become the  place where minds meet and talk about language and writing, process and product, formatting, structuring, and whatever else you guys tell me we should be figuring out together.  Cool?"
*  Join the Zoom Meeting at: https://zoom.us/j/4290511445
*  Meeting ID: 429 051 1445
*  Find your local call-in number: https://zoom.us/u/aeqeXXDJ5G

"In the past week or two, I have been bombarded with ads from companies finding ways to profiteer on this tragedy. I get ads for bidets because, you know, the great, upcoming Covid-19 toilet-paper shortage. All the ads seem tone deaf and ugly to me. Maybe, at heart, I'm the crazy, self-righteous father in East of Eden. Maybe I just naturally focus more on helping than on profiting. Perhaps this is why I have failed very well under Capitalism. Perhaps not having done very well under Capitalism is not a failing at all.  In any case, it soothes me to give away things that I think are or may be helpful so here you go." ~ Dylan Brody.


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MORE, added late, on March 18th...


    The 3-day "Stay at Home Festival," online, 
     March 20, 21, 22

Alasdair Fraser wrote to tell us, "...my son Galen Fraser and his colleagues Diego and María San Miguel have come up with the amazing #StayAtHomeFestival! Delivered directly to your home this coming weekend!"

Time to say, "Oh, Wow!" Roots-Americana master musicians taking part include some old friends and some whose careers we've followed and supported for a long time. They include Moira Smiley, fiddle wizards April Verch and Lissa Schneckenberger, Hanneke Vessel, and the legendary Alasdair Fraser himself!

Take a look...


What a lineup, eh?! In Galen and Maria's words: "As the lives of touring musicians all over the globe become immensely complicated and stressful due to the coronavirus, we have decided to raise morale and support live music."

How? "...by starting an online festival where groups or solo musicians can stream direct to peoples' homes in an effort both to encourage people to stay in their houses to prevent further virus spread AND to give musicians an opportunity to make up for canceled events and lost incomes."

Broadcasts will be organized via Instagram Livestream NEXT WEEKEND, March 20-22. Please consider making a donation on their webpage.

Many of these artists have had to cancel all events until JUNE and the ramifications of COVID-19 will have a very negative effect on future arts and music budgeting and funding. 

It's looking to be a long road for touring musicians.


Check out the FULL SCHEDULEhttps://stayathomefestival.com

Folks, here at The Guide, we bring you word all the time of musicians doing benefits for which they do not get paid, where they donate their time and travel, their chance to play a different gig where they would get paid, and of course, their positive energy and talent and practiced skill and everything else that goes into their best performance, all to support somebody else's cause.

We always encourage you to go and support those benefits, as any longtime reader can verify.

So now, it's time to give back -- and to pay it forward for the next time they are asked to play a benefit. Plus, YOU'LL get to "attend" that Spring Music Festival that you longed for all winter -- not where you expected to go, but instead, in the tuneful realm of Cyberia, aboard the spacetime machine of your favorite chair! BYOB, snacks, popcorn, and favorite foods that wouldn't have done well if you'd taken them on a long car ride to some other festival (that got cancelled).

Stayin' hunkered down suddenly got a lot more appealing, now, didn't it?

Watch, listen, enjoy, AND SUPPORT!


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STILL MORE, added March 18th...


Experience the Autry's annual Western Art Show online

Through March 22nd, you can still view -- and purchase -- original art


The Autry National  Center / Autry Museum of the American West in Griffith Park / Los Angeles is closed for the same reason as everything else. But they've taken the current exhibition online.

PETER ADAMS

Let Masters of the American West® Art Exhibition and Sale Come to You!


While the museum is temporarily closed to the public, the folks at the Autry want you to know you can access the works from Masters artists in a number of ways.


Artworks Available for Purchase

You can see Masters works available online through March 22. To inquire about pieces for sale, contact Janet Reilly at jreilly@theautry.org.
>Available Artworks

Masters Catalogue

Copies of the exhibition catalogue are available for $42. You can buy your own today by contacting Jasmine Aslanyan at jaslanyan@theautry.org.

Masters Online

Hear from Masters artists themselves. Watch videos of talks by Billy Schenck and Kim Wiggins, from the exhibition's opening weekend.

>Billy Schenck, Origins of Western Pop Art
>Kim Wiggins, The New West

You can also take a tour of the gallery online by following the Autry on Instagram and checking out their Story.
Proceeds from Masters supports the Campaign for the Autry, which helps provide essential support for the Autry’s educational programs, innovative exhibitions, and over 100 public events annually.


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And STILL MORE, added March 18th...



Art from Your Couch


Our friends at the delightful little two-stage theater-with-a-music-series, Boston Court in Pasadena, CA, have assembled cyber arts / virtual tour resources for you. 

It's an ongoing project, and YOU CAN ADD things for others to see as their project grows. 

Here's what they have so far.

BOSTON COURT PASADENA

ENJOY THE ARTS RIGHT FROM YOUR COUCH

From opera and musical theatre, to painting and drawing. Here are some of our favorite ways to explore the arts from your comfy couch.
THE METROPOLITAN OPERA


"The famed opera house, a pioneer of live-streamed theatrical performances, is mining its vault to help all those Verdi and Donizetti fans cope with their cabin fever..." - FastCompany

The performances will go live everyday at 7:30 pm ET (4:30 pm our time) and will remain active for 20 hours.


THE ACTORS FUND: STARS IN THE HOUSE



Playbill correspondent and SiriusXM Broadway host Seth Rudetsky and producer James Wesley will produce a daily live streamed concert series, Stars in the House, to promote support for The Actors Fund.

New shows will air daily at 2 pm ET and 8 pm ET, (11 am & 5 pm Pacific) featuring performances by stars of stage and screen and conversations with Rudetsky between each tune.


THE LOUVRE



The famed Paris landmark offers a virtual tour through its Egyptian antiquities department and the recently restored Galerie d'Apollon.

Want more fine art? Madrid's Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, has its Rembrandt and Portraiture in Amsterdam, 1590-1670 exhibit on virtual view
DO YOU KNOW OF ANY OTHER FUN VIRTUAL ART EXPERIENCES?
LET US KNOW!
SEND ANY RECOMMENDATIONS TO SOCIAL@BOSTONCOURTPASADENA.ORG.

RESOURCES FOR ARTISTS
We understand the enormous financial impact that COVID-19 is having on all of the freelance artists in our community. We are working on compiling a list of organizations that are here to help in this time of uncertainty.
Do you know of more artist resources? Send them our way at social@bostoncourtpasadena.org.

The above "non-fund-raising" poster is also from Boston Court. If you want to contribute information for them to add to their new "Virtual Art Experience" cyber resource series -- or contribute funds to them for their sustenance, use the email address above.
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Here at The Guide, we're already seeing financial appeals from a number of venues.

One particularly touching one came last night from Little Fish Theatre in San Pedro. They are contractually obligated to pay the actors from the shows that were currently in production and rehearsal. They're doing that, but it comes at the expense of being able to meet existential obligations like rent and utilities.

Then there's Paul Kulak at Kulak's Woodshed, who is perpetually struggling financially, but now is trying to decide whether to present live online shows with no audience for the chance of a positive revenue stream, or whether it's ethical to get the artists to come out and risk exposure along the way, while playing for free to support his venue.

Our friends at the Coffee Gallery Backstage in Altadena, at McCabe's in Santa Monica, at the Fret House in Covina, at Boulevard Music in Culver City, at the Folk Music Center and Museum in Claremont, the trio of San Pedro venues -- the Grand Annex, Warner Grand, and Alvas Showroom -- and MANY OTHERS, are all small businesses that present concerts, and these "pandemicamonium" times (yep, we came up with that one) are financially scarey for all of them.

We'll leave it to each artist / arts organization / arts presenter to make their own appeals.

(Latest from one of those venues: Paul Kulak is preparing to re-broadcast archived Kulak’s Woodshed shows on the Kulak’s Woodshed Facebook Live page -- https://www.facebook.com/kulakswoodshed/. Viewers would be encouraged to make a donation to the artists' PayPal and/or Venmo account/s. It would be the artists choice to share a portion of their donations with the Woodshed.)

In the meantime, keep the high-and-dry musicians and the empty-pocket venues in your thoughts.
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Still more, added March 18th...




"Our doors may be closed. Our mission isn't."


Grammy Museum's online programs begin today


"This is about our community, nationwide, even globally," says Michael Sticka, President of the Los Angeles-based GRAMMY Museum.

He continues, "I believe the core of everything that we do at the GRAMMY Museum is to engage our community through music. In the span of two short weeks, however, we've had to re-evaluate what this engagement looks like through a new lens of 'social distance.'"

Starting today, the GRAMMY Museum will be making available to everyone, for FREE, never-before-released content from the Museum's collections and archives.

Sticka tells us, "Each day will spotlight a different pillar of our Mission." Here's the program and release / activity schedule:
  • Sunday and Tuesday: Music Education Lessons and Activities
  • Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday: Opening our Public Program Archives
  • Thursday: Member Engagement Nights
  • Friday: At-home Exhibit Exploration
Watch, learn, and engage — no subscription, no sign-up, no payment required.

He concludes, "We'll also be sharing daily playlists and thoughts curated by our staff, including the guest services and security team members in an effort to continue keeping all employees engaged during this closure. And, of course, we want to hear from you through our social media channels."

You can access all these soon-to-be released videos at www.grammymuseum.org

To learn more, you can watch this video that he "filmed at home, while responsibly practicing social distancing."


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THURSDAY, March 19, online concert...


Dylanfest hosts Andy & Renee play live online Thursday






Thu, Mar 19, LIVE ONLINE CONCERT:
7 pm-9 pm (Pacific) - ANDY & RENEE do a Facebook live streaming concert.
*  You can view the show at www.facebook.com/reneesafier
*  We don't know if you can watch the show if your device isn't infested with Facebook spyware. (If you have have a Facebook page, ALL of your devices are infested with their spyware.)
*  Andy & Renee have performed all over the world, as leaders of the Bob Dylan tribute band HARD RAIN, and performing their originals has won them awards, too.
*  Renee says, "We'll take some requests, and if you'd like to 'Tip' us, you can do so via Paypal or Venmo using my email, reneesafier@hotmail.com"
The 30th annual "DYLANFEST" with dozens of artists and performing hosts Andy & Renee is still scheduled for May 30th. "SUPER EARLY BIRD" TICKETS are ON SALE NOW, $30 til March 30th. The price jumps to $35, March 31st-May 29th, and it's $40 at the door. A $100 VIP Package includes your ticket, this year's Dylanfest T-shirt, a mug with event logo, a shaker egg for you to assist the percussion, a CD, and your invitation to both the Rehearsal and the VIP After-Party. Dylanfest info and TIX at www.andyandrenee.com


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If you missed it... Here's how this edition originally started...



Today is Tuesday, March 17, 2020.

Three states are conducting primary elections today -- Illinois, Florida, and Arizona. A fourth, Ohio, was set to be the day's biggest delegate prize. But last night, the Buckeye State's governor postponed voting there until June, citing fears of the pandemic.

Of course, what always defines March 17th, and transcends whatever else is happening in the world, is that it's ST. PATRICK'S DAY.

America's connection to Ireland goes way back.

In the midst of the American Revolution, today in 1780, George Washington granted the Continental Army a holiday "as an act of solidarity with the Irish in their fight for independence." Being that patriots both plsces were fighting against the same British Empire that exacted taxation without representation on the Emerald Isle, too.

Still, it's a peculiar thing that this is the day the whole world becomes honorary Irish folk.

Because history tells us it should be "Bloody Roman Empire Day." To wit:

■   Today in 45 BCE, in his last victory, Julius Caesar defeated the Pompeian forces of Titus Labienus and Pompey the Younger in the Battle of Munda, gaining control in one of Rome's many civil wars.

■    Today in 180 AD, just 225 years later, Commodus became sole emperor of the Roman Empire at the age of eighteen, following the death of his father, Marcus Aurelius. (The latter is regarded as the last great emperor.)

■    Today in 455 AD, Petronius Maximus became, with support of the Roman Senate, emperor of the Western Roman Empire; right awsy, he forces Licinia Eudoxia, the widow of his predecessor, Valentinian III, to marry him.
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But then, March 17th is full of all kinds O' things.

There's a Women's History Month milestone.
     Golda Meir became the first (and so far, only) female Prime Minister of Israel, today in 1969.

There's a milestone of human freedom and dignity.
     Today in 1992, just 28 years ago, a referendum to end apartheid in South Africa is passed by those allowed to vote, 68.7% to 31.2%.

There's the spaciness.
     Today in 1852, Annibale De Gasparis, observing the skies from Naples, disvovers the asteroid Psyche from the north dome of the Astronomical Observatory of Capodimonte.
     One hundted six years later, today in 1958, and after several embarrassing explosions, the US launched the Vanguard 1 satellite into space.

Cold War antics gravitate to March 17th.
     Today in 1960, US President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the National Security Council directive on the anti-Cuban covert action program that will ultimately lead to the disastrous Bay of Pigs Invasion during the JFK presidency.
     Today in 1966, off the coast of Spain in the Mediterranean, the DSV Alvin submarine finds a missing American hydrogen bomb.
     Two years later, today in 1968, over 6,000 sheep are found dead as a result of nerve gas testing by the U.S. Army Chemical Corps in Skull Valley, Utah.

And those who believe in a utopia took a real hit.
     Today in 1891, SS Utopia collided with HMS Anson in the Bay of Gibraltar and sank, killing 562 of the 880 passengers on board, 21 years and about a month before the Titanic hit an iceberg.

Still, we can celebrate the arts.
     Today in 1941, the National Gallery of Art was officially opened by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in Washington, D.C.

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THOUGHT FOR TODAY from one born on this date...

"We open our mouths and out flow words whose ancestries we do not even know. We are walking lexicons. In a single sentence of idle chatter we preserve Latin, Anglo-Saxon, Norse: we carry a museum inside our heads, each day we commemorate peoples of whom we have never heard."

~ Penelope Lively, writer (born March 17, 1933)


(our thanks to A.Word.A.Day)

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There are birthdays to celebrate today, and homage to paid to musicians and other influencers born on this date who are no longer with us. We'll do that, right after today's main features.

Perhaps you recall a book a few years back titled, "Laughing through the Apocalypse." We never read it, but the title certainly comes to mind. Hence, how about this: let's seek something positive (other than the wrong kind of "positive," as in test results that nobody can get because there aren't any test kits in America. No, we said we were getting away from the worryful and headed to the joyful. So let's go, already!)


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TONIGHT: Live online concerts: going viral


Okay, we really do want that goofy term permanently retired. It was always awful to refer to anything good as "viral," and the present state of affairs ought to be enough to get everybody screaming, "Make it stop!"

But even that succeeds? What won't, and shouldn't, stop is the delightful trend of "going" to a concert while everyone -- including the performing musicians -- is maintaining proper "social distancing." These live shows from the Cyberian realm are also a perfect demonstration of why social distancing and emotional distancing are not the same thing.

So tune in and see if good tuneage can still move you to laughter and tears, to motivation to support a social justice cause, or to plan to get out in front of a movement to make things better. Even if doing that will also be a Cyberian venture -- for now.

Here are two, happening tonight.
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Tue, Mar 17; LIVE ONLINE CONCERT:
6 pm (Pacific) - BETTMAN & HALPIN, the fabulous Denver-based Americana multi-instrumental and vocal acoustic duo, brings you a one-time-only live online performance tonight from the foot of the Rocky Mountains.
*  Only problem is, it is on Facebook. We are not certain whether everyone can watch, or only those whose devices are infested with Facebook spyware. (If you have your own Facebook page, your devices are infested with their monitoring spyware.)
*  Of course, Stephanie Bettman and Luke Halpin are wonderful musicians who write and perform fun and intricate originals. So if you can get past the Facebook thing, they're there tonight for you.
*   The url is:
https://m.facebook.com/BettmanHalpin/


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Tue, Mar 17; LIVE ONLINE CONCERT:
7 pm (Pacific) - MARINA V brings her splendid vocal prowess, keyboards and guitars to her ongoing online concert series.
*  Marina tells us, "...never thought I'd see product shortages like we see now. Growing up during the demise of the Soviet Union with empty shelves and long lines was my reality then. But experiencing some if it now brings back a lot of long-forgotten feelings for sure. Meanwhile, I'm grateful we have the tech to stay connected with you all. I love our online concerts!"
*  Streaming concerts live all this month, every Tues at 7 pm & Sundays at 12:30 pm.
*  WATCH atwww.twitch.tv/MarinaVmusic
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We'll bring you more cyber shows, as we dig-through the six-hundred-and-some emails that probably bring word of more.


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FEATURE ITEMS


For openers, we had a short blurb ready, telling you about the musical phenomenon manifesting across Italy. Then our friends at Deering Banjo in Spring Valley, CA, published the following piece today in their periodic newsletter. This, by Jamie Latty, includes Italy as part of the tapestry that includes all of us. Thus, it is much better than a mere blurb. Once again, we thank the folks at Deering for ongoing permission to share their content with you.


PLAYING MUSIC CAN HELP 

IN CHALLENGING TIMES

by Jamie Latty


Scanning through my Instagram feed late on Wednesday evening, I stumbled upon a simple quote; 'While times may feel uncertain, the joy and solace of music and making music can always bring us together." It became clear why music is so important right now. 
The quote came courtesy of the NAMM Foundation - the charitable arm of the National Association of Music Merchants, via their latest Instagram post.
We certainly live in strange times. This week was definitely up there as one of the strangest I can remember, and so I would like to start by saying that on behalf of everyone at Deering, our hearts and prayers go out to all of those affected, both directly and indirectly.
We understand that it is hard not to be concerned. I am sure many of you, like me, are seriously beginning to question if this is the Twilight Zone. But it is going to be okay. Say it with me. It is going to be okay. We will absolutely get through this and if you are so inclined, playing your banjo can help. [Or whatever instrument you've got - ed.]
As I watch the events unfold, I am reminded of how significant a role playing a musical instrument has been in my life. I have played an instrument of some kind since the age of 10. Without a doubt, having this outlet has helped me tremendously in simply being able to cope in difficult, sometimes unbearable times.
And I am not alone. A survey from 2017 by data analytics firm YouGov revealed that "71 percent [of respondents] said they agreed that music had helped them through a difficult time in their lives." [Source]

Jewelry maker Gogo Borgerding enjoying the sound of a Deering White Lotus banjo. Follow her on Instagram @ilovegogojewelry or ilovegogojewelry.com
As the media reports doomsday on the hour, every hour, a few glimmers of musical hope have begun to emerge. Italy has been in the news these last few weeks after becoming the first European country to order a complete shutdown of the country. Stores and restaurants are all closed and residents allowed to leave their homes only to get basic items and medical supplies. 
It wasn't long before videos began to emerge on social media of defiant Italians singing from their balconies. Often there are no people in view. Only their somber voices serenading one another through song as the night rolled in.
Turns out, these videos are the coordinated result of Italy's #flashmobsonoro, which is encouraging people to take to their windows and balconies and make music together. Just click on the #flashmobsonoro hashtag in the graphic below to see more amazing videos like this one. 
People of my hometown sing a popular song from their houses along an empty street to warm their hearts during the Italian .


And as the last few days have come, more videos have surfaced. Only now, they have energy. They have that famous Italian passion and most importantly, they have musical instruments. Like a quarantined neighborhood jam session. Not only are these players using their instruments for themselves, but they are entertaining the masses. 

So does music really help in bad times? I think we can all recount a time where a song or a musical memory bought us comfort. For sure, doctors and clinicians began to realize the healing power of music when observing the effects of travelling music groups who would frequently visit veterans during both world wars.
The idea has even evolved into something called Music Therapy which Goodtherapy.org describes as "a type of expressive arts therapy that uses music to improve and maintain the physical, psychological, and social well-being of individuals—involves a broad range of activities, such as listening to music, singing, and playing a musical instrument.
As musicians of all levels of experience and ability, we possess a unique ability to play and communicate through music. We possess something truly powerful that has the ability to not only help us through bad times, but others around us, too. The power of playing music, I believe, is a remarkable healer. So let's have some fun doing what we do and play some music! Play your banjo. Jam with fellow musician friends and neighbors from across the street. Let your music be heard by your non-musician neighbors, as they will surely enjoy the respite from the fear and the unknown and take solace in something "normal". We have the power to uplift people's minds and spirits. 
Nobody really knows how this will all play out, but I urge you to turn off the TV, put down your phone and keep your banjo (or guitar, or mandolin or fiddle) close by and play it.  Let your soul and your mind become invigorated, if only for a short time, and remember how important music is.
Do it now. Do it often. Play music.  
Please take care of yourselves and your loved ones and together we will overcome current events. Let's play our part in being the soundtrack of hope.


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With venues closed, you can still discover hot artists and find new music



The Americana Music Association publishes two weekly music charts, with rankings based on radio airplay and sales (downloads and physical cd/record sales).

We've brought you the singles charts from time to time. Here are both charts. Let us know if you'd like to see them as a regular feature.

Left column codes: LW = last week's standings; TW = This week's stsndings.

Singles chart


Albums chart


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Remembering the people of March 17th

Happy birthday today to...

Gary Sinise, American actor, director, bass player, and leader of the Lt Dan Band

Hozier, Irish singer-songwriter and musician

Caroline Corr, Irish singer and drummer, The Corrs

Paul Overstreet, American singer-songwriter and guitarist

Billy Corgan, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, pianist, and producer

Scott Gorham, American singer-songwriter and guitarist

Janet Gardner, American singer and guitarist

Paul Black, American singer-songwriter and drummer

Vicki Lewis, American actress and singer

Melissa Auf der Maur, Canadian-American singer-songwriter and bass player

Yury Chernavsky, Russian-American songwriter and producer

Tamar Braxton, American singer-songwriter and actress

Adam Wade, American singer, drummer, and actor

Gene Ween, American singer-songwriter and guitarist

Nicky Jam, American-Puerto-Rican singer and songwriter

Grimes, Canadian artist, musician and music video director

Torquil Campbell, English-Canadian singer-songwriter and actor

Justin Hawkins, English singer-songwriter

Miles Kane, English singer-songwriter and guitarist

Clare Grogan, Scottish singer and actress

Puneeth Rajkumar, Indian actor, singer, and producer

Rico Blanco, Filipino singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer, and actor

Eri Nitta, Japanese singer-songwriter and actress

Ken Mattingly, American admiral, pilot, and astronaut. In 1970, he was bumped from the Apollo 13 flight crew due to exposure to measles. From a duplicate Apollo spacecraft in Houston, he played a key role in getting the crew home from space after an explosion en-route to the Moon.

Robin Knox-Johnston, English sailor and first person to perform a single-handed non-stop circumnavigation of the globe.
___

In memoriam to musicians and influencers born on this date...

Nat King Cole, American singer, pianist, and television host (1919-1965)

John Sebastian, American folksinger-songwriter and guitarist

Paul Kantner, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (1941-2016)

Alfred Newman, American composer and conductor whose creations include many film scores (1901-1970)

Ladislav Kupkovič, Slovakian composer and conductor (1936-2016)

Paul Horn, American-Canadian flute player and saxophonist (1930-2014)

Stephen Dodgson, English composer and educator (1924-2013)

Betty Allen, American soprano and educator (1927-2009)

Stephen Gately, Irish singer-songwriter and actor (1976-2009)

Zola Taylor, American singer (1938-2007)

Dana Reeve, American actress, singer, and activist (1961-2006)

Rudolf Nureyev, Russian-French dancer and choreographer (1938-1993)

Bayard Rustin, American activist for blsck and gay civil rights (1912-1987)

Ray Ellington, English drummer and bandleader (1915-1985)

Alcide Nunez, American clarinet player (1884-1934)

Harry Clarke, Irish stained-glass artist and book illustrator (1889-1931)

Sayed Darwish, Egyptian singer-songwriter and producer (1892-1923)

Josef Rheinberger, Liechtensteiner-German organist and composer (1839-1901)

Jim Bridger, American fur trader, explorer, and one of the greatest of the Mountain Men (1804-1881)

Roger B. Taney, American politician and jurist, 5th Chief Justice of the United States, a pivotal figure whose record on racial injustice is terrible (1777-1864)

Élisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre, French harpsichord player and composer (1665-1729)


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Finally, if you're desperate for a taste of St. Paddy's Day -- and FESTIVAL TIX for fall


To-go Corned beef and cabbage, and word of their IRISH MUSIC festival in September...

Way out in Murrieta, the Shamrock is closed, but their kitchen is open for to-go orders. They've postponed or cancelled all live music events until Sep 25 & 26, when they've planned "Get Shammered" as "the biggest two day party the pub has ever seen," utilizing the parking plot and area around the pub  2 stages and 10 Bands.

FESTIVAL TICKET sales began today, St Patrick's Day, at:

https://www.purplepass.com/#199293/The_Shamrock_Irish_Pub-Get_Shammered-The_Shamrock_Irish_Pub-September-25-2020.html



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More soon, as we get to and through it. Which is pretty much the way it is for all of us these days.

See ya soon. Stay Tuneful!

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☆  THE ENTIRE CATALOGUE of all past editions of The Guide is available (and searchable!) FREE, in our archive. If you don't see the navigation pane on the left side of your screen, just click "view web version" and it'll magically appear (along with the correct photo, art, and page formats that you've been missing if you don't see that left-sidebar.)

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_________________________________________________

We have lots of MUSIC NEWS
features in the works, and they'll
be along as we get them dressed,
shoes tied, cowlicks combed down,
bowties cranked straight, 
and strings tuned.

Find a comfortable spot by the 

wood stove, play a round or two 
of checkers, and we'll be along...
directly.
_________________________________________________

On to the necessary boilerplate...

Boilerplate? What "boilerplate"? Where's the main pressure gauge? And the firebox? How do you add water so it won't blow-up?

Who came up with that goofy term for the basic essential informational stuff? ...obviously some dumbass...

Alright already, it's right down there...

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LEGALESE, CONTACTING US, 'N SUCH...
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Direct to the Guide's current editions /

MOBILE-DEVICE-FRIENDLY

editions load quickly at


Or at

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CONTACT US -- Post Comments / Send Questions / say Howdy at:

Tiedtothetracks (at) Hotmail (dot) com
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OR USE THE COMMENTS FUNCTION on the Blogspot site.
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Entire contents copyright © 2020, 

Lawrence Wines & Tied to the Tracks.

All rights reserved.

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♪ The ACOUSTIC AMERICANA MUSIC GUIDE endeavors to bring you NEWS – and views of interest to artists everywhere – more specifically to musicians and the creative community and music makers -- and fans of acoustic and Folk-Americana music. That includes both traditional and innovative forms. From the deepest roots to today’s acoustic renaissance, that’s our beat. We provide a wealth of resources, including a HUGE catalog of acoustic-friendly venues (now undergoing a major update), and inside info on FESTIVALS and select performances in Southern California in venues from the monumentally large to the intimately small and cozy. We cover workshops, conferences, and other events for artists and folks in the music industry, and all kinds o’ things in the world of acoustic and Americana and accessible classical music. From washtub bass to musical spoons to oboe to viola to banjo to squeezebox, from Djangostyle to new-fangled-old-time string band music, from sweet Cajun fiddle to bluegrass and pre-bluegrass Appalachian mountain music to all the swamp water roots of the blues and the bright lights of where the music is headed now.
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The Acoustic Americana Music Guide. Thanks for sittin' a spell. The cyber porch'll be here anytime you come back from the road.
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We'll be back again soon with music news and more "News of the Non-Trumpcentric Universe." (c)
________________________________


Til we catch ya again on the flip side 
in this new decade...
as Buford the Wonder Dog looks on 
and in our best Kathy Baker
"Hee Haw" voice: "THAT's all!"


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Here's a reprint of important info from one of our February editions:

COVID-19 Coronavirus PRACTICAL PRECAUTIONS

(good for avoiding the "regular" flu & colds, too) 

Compiled from medical and emergency responder databases and interview comments. Copy and paste into your phone / post / print / share.

•  Coronavirus lives on inorganic surfaces anywhere from two hours to NINE DAYS; it all seems dependent on temperature, unless it is killed by disinfectant. When tests revealed that, even health care workers were surprised. It brings more emphasis to many of the following points.

•  Get the flu vaccine -- ordinary flu will likely mimic Coronavirus, so avoid being ostracized and quarantined.

•  Wash your hands, a lot: scrub for 20 seconds and wash them often.

•  Stop shaking hands. Don't do "fist bumps" because that's still hand-to-hand contact. And don't become a mad elbow-bumper, because of the next point.

•  Cough into the inside of your elbow, ANY TIME you cough.

•  Keep your hands away from your face -- touching your nostrils, eyes, or mouth brings-in every germ your hands picked-up.

•  Get a little bottle of hand sanitizer on a miniature carabiner. Clip it to your belt loop or purse strap and use it frequently. (Be sure you snap the lid shut, or it'll drain all over your clothes.) You can refill it from the pump bottle by the sink.

• Make your own hand sanitizer if the stores are out. Formula, from a doctor who makes it with her kids: two parts isopropyl alcohol (drugstore alcohol, at least 70% alcohol), one part aloe vera gel, a dash of any essential oil. Works just ss well as store bought stuff.

• Stay home if you're sick -- even if you don't get paid, DON'T be the "Typhoid Mary" that brings a pandemic of this or ANYTHING contagious. If you're "taking one for the team," make it the big team -- ALL of us.

•  Don't be a transporter. Immediately remove shoes inside your front door and change clothes when you get home. Don't plunk-down on the couch until you shed what you were wearing at work or in the store or on the bus or in the coffee bar. Stop tracking everything from the sidewalk onto your kitchen and bathroom floors and your rug.

•  Be mindful of your car. Everything you touch, everywhere, is on your steering wheel. Everywhere you sit is on your car seat. Keep 'em disinfected -- Clorox wipe the wheel, Lysol spray the seats, often.

•  Everything you wear goes in the hamper. No multi-day wearings between washings.

•  Keep track of where Coronavirus and other flus are headed, the latest ways to avoid contagion, and what symptoms go with what disease, by putting the CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL in your favorites: www.cdc.gov

•  Call your doctor or public health officials if you become symptomatic, and DON'T "just go" to the doctor or urgent care or ER; everybody else in the waiting room does not have what you have, and vice-versa.

•  Wear a mask when you go to the doctor (remember, everybody else in the waiting room does not have what you have, and vice-versa) -- the check-in counter will give you a surgical mask if you ask, or maybe even tell you it's mandatory. 

•  Don't buy-up all tbe masks that medical responders need. Nearly all the masks in the stores are Dust Masks, made to keep carpenters and other tradesmen from inhaling sawdust. Expecting those to protect you from tiny viruses is like trying to filter water with a tennis racket. Plus, wearing masks everywhere is not a good idea -- without training and lots of practice, you'll contaminate the thing and then breathe a stewpot of microorganisms up-close and personal.

•  Get proper nutrition and plenty of sleep to support your immune system. THAT is THE best way to stay healthy.

•   REALLY IMPORTANT: Think about what you routinely ignore:

   ~  your phone or tablet, which you constantly handle while you're touching everything else in the big, wide world, then keep handling when you're eating (keep your devices disinfected).

   ~  the Kleenex or cloth hankie you pull out of your pocket -- this time your nose or eye gets the side your dirty finger got last time (yeah, duh!)

   ~  door handles & knobs, especially "pull-to-exit" on the restroom door, and all door handles you grab or push.

   ~  gas pump handles -- whatever was deposited on them is now on your steering wheel, and marinading on your hands as you snack while driving.

   ~  restaurant menus, salt and pepper shakers, ketchup and mustard and hot sauce bottles that every unwashed hand touches. Same goes for bins of packaged condiments at fast foodies  or convenience store / gas stations (Use 'em, then use your hand sanitizer.)

   ~  lunch buffet serving spoons, spatulas, tongs that every unwashed hand uses in the food bins (your freshly-washed hands just got contaminated). And if sneeze guard glass panes aren't at the right height or aren't clean, demand a refund and leave.

   ~ coins in change and money, in general -- coins and folding money are germ transit systems. (Back to your little bottle of hand sanitizer.)

   ~ airline & train tray tables -- who knows when they were last cleaned and to what extent? When we saw a baby being changed on one... (bring a little plastic box of Clorox wipes when you travel).


   ~  bring your own food on the airplane -- you're probably doing that, anyway, since they stopped feeding you back when they started charging for carry-on luggage and made you ride with your knees in your armpits. Flight attendants have tested positive -- their hands pour drinks, dispense snacks, and pick-up everybody's garbage. 

   ~  remember to think and act consciously. There is an acute need to be mindful of others, so neither be paranoid reactive nor obliviously ignorant. There was great advice in the old cop show at the end of every briefing: "Be careful out there."

Read AND SHARE The Guide's complete feature story on the COVID-19 Coronavirus in the edition at: https://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2020/02/leap-day-weekend-leaping-into.html


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