Refugees rolling on

Hey Friends- I arrived back in Maine Monday night from the Wheatland Music Festival in Michigan where The Refugees played this weekend. What a blast! We played two main stage shows and one show with revered folksinger Cheryl Wheeler. Wheatland is in the small town of Remus -right smack in the middle of the state about 65 miles north of Grand Rapids. The festival started out 35 years ago strictly Bluegrass but has broadened it's musical scope over the years. The Refugees got a great reception from the approximately 8-10,000 people there. We sold out of our CDs (nearly 200)--and made some new friends. (The ice cream was good too!) Wendy and Deborah bought their share of tie-dye clothing--which seems to abound at these festivals. Three weeks ago we played the Philadelphia Folk Festival--second only to Newport in "Folk" lore. We were thrilled to have our shot and had a great time. We played a second stage show of our own and shared the stage twice-once with songwriting legend Janis Ian and once with a group of folks including the venerable Tom Paxton. (I am getting a really wonderful education on Folk Music with The Refugees--honestly--it's fascinating stuff. The history is in itself compelling.) Now before Philadelphia, The Refugees opened two shows for Bonnie Raitt. And let me just say-it was way cool! Now I have known Bonnie personally for over 30 years and have appeared on stage with her many times over the years--but never opened. I was asked by her back in May-she emailed me about being special guest for two fundraising shows for two Democratic Senate candidates (Maine and New Hampshire). I asked her about having The Refugees open (since we are what I am doing right now)-and she said yes. We had an absolute blast with Bonnie. Two great shows, two standing ovations for us, twice coming back on stage to sing "Angel from Montgomery" with Bonnie. The promoter and staff, her crew, and all made us feel like we were very special indeed! Now we move on next week to the American River Festival in Northern California. I am looking forward, myself, to going to Grass Valley again and eating breakfast at the Bank Street Cafe! I will write again after that--check out the tour schedule-we got some good gigs coming up including our first international gig on October 3 in Calgary!
Take care my friends-more later.
Cindy

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Happy Summer!
Category: Music

On The Road June 19 2008

Hi Folks!

Before I get into any other stuff--I want to announce my new website! (www.cindybullens.com) It's a brand new design with some new features. Check it out and let me know what you think? We welcome any comments!

I'm home for a few days in between Refugees touring and gigs! It's been intense for the last several weeks. I am still pretty tired so this blog may not win me any lterary prizes! We've been west then east then in the middle of this country! Lots of driving! Tomorrow we head back to the mid-west for a weekend in Chicago (flying!). It has been great to travel all over-- to places I have been as a solo artist-- with these guys. It's so much fun! We really do get along fabulously--and we laugh alot. Deb and Wendy and I are indeed "in the van" for the long haul. We are committed to getting out there and playing--introducing The Refugees to folks everywhere! in the last two weeks we have played in Northern and Southern California, New Jersey, Cambridge MA, Cleveland, Ann Arbor, Pittsburgh and Sellersville PA--one night we'd have a big crowd and the next there'd be only a few (like in Cleveland when the Indians are playing directly across the street and the stadium parking lot is the same parking lot for the venue!). But even if there were just a few people-we still did what we do! And we realize that as we introduce ourselves to the different "markets" around the country, we will be building a following, not necessarly have one waiting for us. We are doing alot of radio in the cities we play-thanks to Deborah--and that's been fun too. We've been marveling at the music libraries of some of the stations--amazing catalogs! Most of the stations we go to are public or community-run and have been around for years. Rows and rows, shelves and shelves of vinyl--some masterpieces, some no doubt obscure. If we only had time to look through even a shelf or two... what artists and bands and songs would we come upon?

Check out www.therefugeesmusic.com for the Refugees upcoming gigs including two special quest slots with BONNIE RAITT in August! Yes--it's fantastic! We are playing with Bonnie in Portland Maine and in Concord NH--for two fundraisers for two Senate candidates. We are really excited about it! Bonnie and I have, as you know, have been friends for over 30 years and this will be the first time I will have played on the same bill with her. We are very grateful! There are other really cool Refugee gigs coming up--check them out.

I want to thank all the venues for having us--each and every one was a special experience! Many were manned by volunteers who devote their free time to helping out at these concerts! We thank you!

And just a reminder: though The Refugees CD "Unbound" will be available in the next few weeks--we are still taking advanced orders. If you want one of the very first copies--signed--send a check for $20 to The Refugees LLC and mail to me:
Cindy Bullens
PO 1083
Portland ME 04104

And very soon our first Refugees Radio Hour podcast will be up on our website! We can't wait!

More to come for sure! I got some Cindy Bullens stuff in the works too!
But come see the Refugees--no doubt we will be in your neighborhood soon!

Take care and thanks!
Cindy

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On The Road and Happy New Year!
Category: Music

December 31, 2007 and January 1, 2008


Happy Holidays!

Here we are on the last day of 2007. We just had another snowstorm here in Maine last night and this morning and another on—even bigger—is on the way for tomorrow. It's a winter wonderland up here for sure. I am heading for Los Angeles on January 8—I just might be looking forward to that too.

Looking back--for me professionally, 2007 was great! The creation of The Refugees was certainly an incredible gift to me. And the fact that I was able to perform many shows of my own this year, and to once again tour in Europe was again such a blessing. I see nothing but good things ahead for The Refugees and I look forward to writing and creating new songs and projects for myself too.

Personally, of course, the best things about 2007 was the marriage of my daughter Reid to her wonderful husband, Derek. And the birth in April of their daughter and my first grandchild, Tobey! What a joy in my life!

I haven't written a blog since I returned from Germany so I will go back now and catch you up on my doings for the past couple of months. There was no rest for the weary when Joanne and I got back from Europe—the next weekend we flew down to Memphis, Tennessee to spend the weekend and perform a "Jessie" concert that my dear friends Sue Ann Duffy and Pri Morden organized as a way to honor their precious sons Will and Kyle. Both Sue Ann and Pri were so generous; Pri giving Joanne and me her house and her Mini for our stay. They fed us and showed us around and made us feel so welcome.
The concert was for their friends, families and folks who had lost children honoring and celebrating Will and Kyle's vibrant lives. It is always a very powerful experience for me! I met many wonderful people. And I am so grateful for the opportunity to share my music and the "Jessie songs" with others. JB and I were also honored at a party at the beautiful Memphis home of friends Wayne and Kathleen. They even had the Red Sox play off game on the TV! We had a great time in Memphis and I thank Sue Ann and Pri for being such inspirations to me.

On Halloween, I flew out to Portland, Oregon to rendezvous with The Refugees at the Far West Folk Alliance conference where we were performing. Then the next weekend Deborah and Wendy flew into Boston where I picked them up. Deb and I did a quick interview on favorite Boston radio station WUMB before picking up Wendy on a later flight and we drove to the Catskills in New York state for the Northeast Folk Alliance Conference, where we again, schmoozed and performed. All good! Then The Refugees played the next night at the great venue—a beautifully renovated fire station-- Natick Arts Center in Natick, Mass. We all had family (my sisters Deb and Suki and cousin Mardi) and friends there along with old and new fans. Then the next night, Sunday November 11, The Refugees played in my hometown of Portland, Maine. Deborah and Wendy got to meet my Reid and Derek and my granddaughter, Tobey, my ex- Dan and my good friend Mary Noyes. Deb and Wendy stayed here at Casa Bullens, met my Jack, and were a bit surprised by my decorating "skills". Deb said my house was much more "Martha Stewart" then she expected. Huh! Not quite says I. I think it's somewhat rustic. But, well, I guess that's a compliment! (It was the towels in the bathroom rolled up in a basket that did it, I think ;-)) They flew back to LA and I got to stay home for three whole weeks before I flew out to LA myself on December 6.

On December 7, The Refugees played once again at The Coffee Gallery in Altadena. A great crowd turned up and we had a lot of fun. The next day Deb, Wendy and I loaded up Deb's minivan and drove many hours north up into the Sierras. We got up early the next day to perform and talk on the radio station KVMR in the beautiful little historical town of Nevada City, California. It was such a cool place--historical and hip at the same time. And we had a GREAT breakfast at the Pine Street Café—a place now on my "go back to" list. (And the station folks were so nice!) That night we drove into the hinterlands of the Sierra's to play a concert at the American River Resort in Coloma, CA. Honestly, as the sun was going down we were driving on these curvy, narrow roads deeper and higher into the mountains, I was wondering where in the world we were going to end up. At last we came to the entrance to ARR—which was a muddy dirt road to what seemed like a deserted ghost town. But there in a large log cabin-like structure, folks were busy at work setting up for the concert. Now THIS is rustic! Refugee's friend Bruce Hayden arranged this night with his wife Cindy. And even though we were miles from any community of size—it was a great night with a terrific crowd. We look forward to performing at the American River Resort again soon. We actually drove all the way to Santa Cruz from Coloma –over three and a half hours-- after our show because we had yet another morning radio show. This time it was with KPIG in Freedom, CA—one of the great stations in the US for my kind of music. It was a beautiful day on the northern coast of California—I love it there! We played and talked on KPIG's Please Stand By program with Sleepy John—which is heard (and seen!) all over the world over the internet. It was so much fun! Not only did we get a lot of positive feedback from the station and the listeners (from South America, Alaska, Oklahoma), Sleepy John asked us to come back in May and play at one of the best venues in Santa Cruz. Oh Yeah!
After our KPIG performance we headed to Sand City, a few miles north, to perform on Michael Nesmith's (remember The Monkees?) new venture—Video Ranch. Now, I thought I was fairly tech savvy but after the experience of performing on a "green" stage with avatars as our audience (that we could see on a big screen in front of us as we played)—now…I am thinking that I am BARELY tech savvy. It was a truly eye-opening and different experience. Michael Nesmith was there and could not have been nicer and more supportive. He has a unique and incredible setup there: Extremely professional and state of the art in every way. Hey who would have thought that three middle-aged women playing together as a new band would be so hip and 21st Century! That's us, baby! So check out VideoRanch for you PC users. Unfortunately (and I discussed this with Michael)—the process is done on Windows and not entirely Mac compatible right now. But it you have the Intel system—you are ok. So… what next…oh yeah—we played for the second time at Don Quixote's Music Hall in Felton. It was good. Shall I say another "small yet enthusiastic" crowd? Same with Berkeley's Freight & Salvage the next night. But we actually did ok for a Monday night in Berkeley. I love it there. We're playing again at Freight end of May on a Saturday night. No matter what size the audience, The Refugees music and playing is getting stronger and so much better. Don't forget we are all playing stretching ourselves with different instruments, songs, parts, playing than we've ever done. And that's what we LOVE: That we get to do that in this band. With complete support and encouragement from the others. So cool! Also as we record these songs—we are learning them inside out—breaking them down in every way. Did I say how much fun I am having? Except when I have to record a solo on the mandolin—geez! Did I really agree to play that thing? It's the yin and yang of it all, I suppose. So I won't go into our interesting drive back from northern to southern cal. But we made and immediately went into the studio to record the next day. We are now working with a wonderful engineer Rob Hoffman. He has worked with everyone from Christine Aquilera and Michael Jackson to The Rolling Stones, Etta James and The Dust Brothers! Wendy met him working in Poland of all places, where they both were working on projects. I feel very fortunate to have him working on our project. He's knowledgeable, creative, quick and very likeable (not to mention easy on the eyes.) So thanks Rob, for coming on board and helping the Refugees make a great record! For the next five days we listened, recorded and re-recorded--finally ending up with ten tracks. We've got a lot to do yet –I am leaving for LA on January 8 for two weeks to finish the CD—but it's very exciting. We are hoping to have it available some time in March.

Most of my doings coming up are Refugee related. But there are a few Cindy Bullens gigs in there too. In fact, I MUST do a new CB recording this year, and I will. Got a few different ideas. I'll let you know.

I do believe 2008 is going to be a great year. And with the presidential elections happening—it's going to be a very interesting year as well. So Happy New Year to everyone! Peace Love and Understanding!

If I forgot anything—someone please let me know. There is certainly a lot more to come and I will try my best to keep up.

Don't forget to email me your email addresses with zipcodes so I can personally invite you to gigs in your area. And check out my upcoming gigs in Jan, Feb and on.

Take care and thanks as always for your love and support.

Cheers
Cindy

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On The Road from Germany
Category: Music

October 15

Greetings from Germany!

Hello my friends—

This "blog" is long and detailed. If you have the time and interest, you can read about my last four months—and follow along with my almost daily blog for my Germany tour. If not, here's a synopsis:

I have been very busy since May and will continue to be. Baystock 2007 for the Jessie Fund was a success, the Refugees are booking gigs into next June already and will have an album out in early 2008. My Germany tour was a success with a lot of fun and many new experiences. My granddaughter Tobey is turning six months on Oct 16 and growing fast. And she could not be more bright and beautiful! Read on about it all…

The Refugees, Baystock, etc:

Where did I leave off on my last entry? I think I wrote in June. OK. First of all, my granddaughter Tobey is five months old and perfect in every way! She honestly is just beautiful and Reid and Derek get stopped when they are out and told just that. How lucky we are! Musically, I do feel the energy returning in full force. I credit a lot of that to The Refugees. What a wonderful gift this band is! Wendy, Deb and I have so much fun together and musically it is just fantastic! We are getting accolades from our audiences and the venues we have played and now we are getting requests to play all over the country. Sweet! And so we will! We recorded out in LA at Wendy's in May, June and then again in July. Also in May and July we did a few gigs in the LA area. Both times at the Coffee Gallery in Altadena, which is becoming our "home" venue and in July a great house concert in the valley. Each time we play, we feel more excited and committed to keeping this trio going. Right now we have bookings into June 2008! The Refugees CD will be finished some time in January and we are hoping for an early Spring 2008 release. Also in July, I did a "house concert" on Little Diamond Island in Casco Bay off Portland, Maine that my friends bid on for a local charity. It was just me and my guitar-no mic—upstairs in the what's called the "Casino" (not the gambling type—a kind of boat house/community center) on the dock over looking the bay. It was a beautiful night—Reid, Derek, Dan and the baby Tobey were there. It was a very special night with one young pre-teen boy deciding to get up with me and dance to all the up tempo songs. He gestured for every lyric (Hammer & Nails, Sensible Shoes) and added a lot to the show. I wish I could remember his name… but thanks!

On August 12 I played my annual benefit concert—for North Haven Arts & Enrichment, on the island of North Haven, Maine, where we own our little family cottage. It is always a very nice affair and well supported. Year after year folks turn out to see me and I always feel loved and cared for. Thank you! I did spend some quality time up in North Haven this summer for the first time in years. It was nice to reconnect with my friends there and to chill out (in between painting and sanding and cleaning and fixing the place after years of summer rentals). Of course, my dog Jack was always with me. He enjoyed swimming in the cold Maine ocean and chasing crabs and other mysterious shore creatures both dead and alive.
I worked hard on the house up there and it's looking good now. I had some help from my brother and family for a while too.

August 18 was our 4th annual Baystock Festival to benefit the Jessie Fund and the Maine Children's Cancer Program. It takes place on the Maine State Pier on Casco Bay right in Portland—a gorgeous spot! This year's headliners were the Black Crowes, with second act Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. Reid and my bass player Justin's band Mervelle Searles were the opening act this year. I got to emcee and be "special guest" with MS. Really cool being a guest in my own daughter's band. Watching Reid sing and play is and awesome feeling for me. Every band was superb!! It was a super night with folks coming from all over the country (thanks to my good friends who came from NJ, KY, MA and FL) and from all over the state of Maine. We nearly sold out in tickets and we absolutely sold out in beer! Without knowing the exact figure, I know we raised around $30,000 for the Maine Children's Cancer Program through the Jessie Fund. Dan and I want to thank all the folks at Wright Express for their hard work and our other sponsors for making it happen.

After Baystock I went to LA where I began this blog—came back home and settled down a bit for a couple of weeks. Then on September 16, I had the honor of playing at the Boston Folk Festival for the first time. It was a real treat! I played on the small stage inside, but had a good sized and very responsive audience. Like in Europe, these people know their music. It's nice! And I have a few supporters in the Coffeehouse music community now who help me get into these things. Thank you! My big treat that day, besides playing, was seeing my dear old friend Ayn and her husband Charlie, who drove up from Rhode Island to see me. I haven't see Ayn in a long time, so I was really surprised. Joanne knows them too—we all met and knew each other in the late 70's-early 80's in Los Angeles. We gabbed for a long time after my set. What a treat!

So here we are now, in Germany! I hated leaving my little family, I am telling you—but it feels great to be back on the road and I'm looking forward to playing.

September 27

Joanne and I arrived in at Frankfurt airport at around 11am yesterday after a safe but cramped flight from Boston. Right now--I am sitting in our small rental van in Heilbronn about two hours south of Frankfurt (my record company Blue Rose is near by and we had to drive here yesterday to fill up on CDs)--it's pouring rain and cold--a shock to the system after such a warm and sunny stretch of weather in Maine--I am illegally parked and I am waiting for Joanne to come back with our German phone sim card. Tonight is the first night of a very busy tour here in Germany (and my one regular gig in Venlo, Holland). I am excited about being here and feeling back to my old self after a long and strange couple of years. Now, if you have been reading my last couple of On The Roads (or my blogs now I guess)--you know that there have been lots going on in my musical (The Refugees, etc) and personal life (grandmothering)--but I haven't been on a real tour as a solo artist for nearly two years! So yes, I am excited about it! And I thought I would write now at the very beginning of this tour --to catch you up on this summer's happenings. I have not had a cappuccino yet this morning so who knows what you'll get --- this will be our second order of business (maybe eating something would be good too) before we head up to Nettersheim for the first gig.


October 4

Where does the time go? Right now flying down the autobahn (JB driving) through bright green fields and turning trees toward Munich from Venlo, Holland. We are one week into the tour and it's all a blur already. Of course, I just happened to add flying to England for a day into the mix! So we'll work backward—last night I played at Perron 55 in Venlo which is a great venue created by a labor of love by my friend Peter Gaal, and several others who are passionate about music and want to support and help and hear their favorite artists in Holland. Ernst-Jan who runs the whole thing is a wonderful, knowledgeable guy who makes you feel very special. Of course, my friend Peter is always like a kid in a candy shop when his people come to town. We got the chance to visit this time over excellent Chinese food before the show. I think I learn more about what is going in my genre from Peter than I do anywhere else. There was a good crowd at the venue, including my friend Hein and my good friends Paul and Marij. We had a nice albeit short visit too. There were folks in attendance who seem to come every year to see me, plus a few folks who drove in from Germany and were already fans. Honestly, ALL the fans here are so passionate. They make you feel, as I said before, very special! It's nice!

The day before Venlo Joanne and I were in Liverpool England. We flew in the night before and were met by Duncan Hamilton at the Manchester airport. Duncan is the one who emailed me, introduced himself and asked if I would sing a backup vocal on one of the songs on his band's first album. Of course, he thought he would send me the files and I would sing the part at home and email it back to him (the wonders of recording today). Well, I couldn't have done that because I was leaving for Europe. After a few emails back and forth—he flew Joanne and I over to England from Frankfurt on my two days off and there we were! It was a little surreal to suddenly find myself in a recording studio in Liverpool, England only a few days after arriving in Germany. But hey such is the life of a rock star ;-)! The music of Katy Lied is very good and should receive accolades—at least I hope! I will let everyone know when it's available. It's rockin' but with great instumental variances like dulcimer and mandolin, cool percussion and very cool production. Nigel Stoner is the noted producer, and Mike Cave the excellent engineer. They are all very nice guys and extremely talented. Also, for the few hours we were in Liverpool, small world as it is, Joanne's friends Mike and Joanne from Newcastle, England (who are friends of my Joanne's friends in Hull, MA) -- anyway --Mike's brother David owns a small vegetarian restaurant in the heart of Liverpool, which I had Duncan look into. Turns out the Green Fish Café is only a five-minute walk from the studio! So after I finished recording my part on "Crash and Burn", we headed out the door and there we went—all of us—for unbelievably delicious fresh vegetarian food! I love that when that happens! These are some of the little things that make a tour so memorable. I'll do more on Katy Lied in the future. Thanks for the opportunity Duncan and Nigel! Not only did I get to sing on a great track, I made some new friends.

Still going backward, I performed four gigs in Germany before England: Nettersheim, Karlsruhe, Lahr and Heilbronn. Nettersheim is a teeny town in northwestern Germany. I performed in a small space upstairs –to a very enthusiastic audience. I really didn't know if any one would show because the weather was horrendous. (In fact, the small river that runs through the town was over its banks and flooding the next day). But they did show up and it was a happy premier for the tour. Next was Karlsruhe, a much bigger city down on the mid-west border of Germany and France. In fact, Joanne and I decided to take a detour and drive into Luxembourg from Nettersheim. We stopped in the city of Luxembourg for a short walk and some lunch. It was cool to be there--another old European city with great charm. Then into the car and through a bit of eastern France before arriving at the club in Karlsruhe. Jubez is a great space as well. But this time it's a true club in a city. Again, the promoter, as in Nettersheim, is a great lover of roots music—good music—and does everything in his power to bring it to the people of his city. Some of these places are subsidized by the community—thank God—so we can actually play and get paid. Again, I had another enthusiastic crowd and ended up playing for 2 1/2 hours with four encores. Another music lover, who I had met when I toured here with Duane Jarvis, Hans-Peter came to the gig and he filled me in on what was going in with the Eagles and JD Souther and others. I am telling you—these guys are incredibly knowledgeable about their music! (Hans Peter is a good friend of Peter in Venlo—it's a Roots/Americana music conspiracy.) I know I am rambling but bear with me. I feel it's important to honor these people who make it possible for American artists (and others) to perform here. The next night was in Lahr, another very nice venue and another good audience (they all listen). The woman who was in charge of the venue was a great fan of mine and was very kind in telling me so. All the folks there were great—as in Karlsruhe and all places, everyone involved just treated me so well. I had a great time with the Lahr audience—very loose and fun. Again- 2 2/2 hours! The next day on our way to Heilbronn (home of Blue Rose Records -my label in Germany), Joanne and I stopped in Baden-Baden, ("from Queen Victoria to the Vanderbilts, from Brahms to Berlioz, they all came to…the grand dame of German spas"). I knew I wouldn't have time to hang out when I play there on the last day of the tour. We wandered through the elegant old city streets lined with all the expensive designer clothing stores with Cartier and other jewelry stores every other store that I couldn't even walk into without raising some eyebrows. After walking on some garden paths and into the famous palatial Casino (which was closed on Sunday), we found a nice outdoor café. It was a gorgeous day—around 70 and sunny. We sat for a relaxing hour drinking cappuccino, people watching and getting some much needed Vitamin D. Then up and onto the Autobahn heading northwest. Red River is a tiny, very American looking club, dark wood everywhere with a small wooden stage in the corner. But this time, my voice is rebelling from playing so long each night, and I am not sleeping well (my life-long curse)—it always makes me nervous when I feel that familiar tightness in my throat, but it warms up nicely and again, it's the audience who makes everything ok. There was a couple at the table right in front of me who sat there mouthing the words, bobbing their heads in time, eyes open-eyes closed, with all my cds (including ones very hard to come by) spread out in front of them. They are both fans of mine individually who just married. Another woman (musician) who was there who told me a heartfelt story of how she happened to come to the show—having seen me before but not knowing about this date.) Without going into her story, it was one of those that reminds me why I do this. You just never know what, or who where and how you affect people. I am grateful for the people who share themselves with me.

To be continued…

October 6

JB and I are in Hannover finally doing some laundry! One of the hardest things about touring in Europe for long periods of time--with a show nearly every night—is getting the opportunity of wash some clothes! So here we are! Last night's gig was really good. We shared the bill with The Rainravens, an excellent band from Austin, Texas. The venue—the Blues Garage was awesome! You know, it's just so nice to walk into an unknown place in a city you've never been in and be greeted by warm, lovely people who only want to make you as comfortable and happy as possible. The Blues-Garage is a well know club in Hannover—very American in décor—the front of an old Cadillac sits embedded in the bottom of the stage—as if to hold it up. American artifacts and music memorabilia are everywhere. Henry, the owner, his wife Ona and daughter Carol run the place—and they do it right! Ok, laundry is done! Yeah! Off we go to Bordesholm.

Later: Stuck in yet another traffic jam just north of Hamburg. It's late Saturday afternoon and Joanne and I have yet to figure out what causes these huge backups everywhere we go other than some construction going on in places (not here though). We have yet to have one drive between gigs without an hour-long backup somewhere. It's worse than Los Angeles! Of course, on the long stretches of Autobahn where there is no speed limit and traffic is moving—it's very cool although at times scary—with big Mercedes and BMW's, (they make bigger, more powerful models over here), Porches and Audi's suddenly up our butt— or passing you at literally 130 mph! Here we are in our Opel wagon… OK. More music… The night before last we played in Ingolstadt. Audi capital of the world! (Talk about beautiful cars….). Our gig was in a quaint little place called Neue Welt. Again, the owner, Walter, could not have been more welcoming and accommodating. Both Joanne and I feel that we had our best (vegetarian) meal there—cooked by Joseph from scratch. I shared the stage that night with Diana Jones and Jonathan Byrd. Both solo artists but working as a duo here in Europe. They were just excellent! The music is very traditional with an Appalachian feel and sound. Definitely check them out! It was also nice to hang with some other troubadours and talk touring, music. food, cars, GPS's, coffee and all things road-worthy. I hope to keep in touch with both of them. Oh, and the place was full of devoted listeners! Walter told me they have been bringing music to Ingolstadt and the Neue Welt for 24 years! Neue Welt is coming up on it's 25th anniversary! Congratulations! I do hope to return.

Later still: Nearly midnight on Saturday night in Bordesholm, Germany—about one hour south of the Danish border. Joanne and I are back in the room after a really nice concert here in an old movie house called Savoy-Kino. Again, our hosts were superb—Kersten's layout backstage was outstanding—everything from an espresso machine and loose teas to homemade pasta salad. All the accoutrements! Then after the gig, Arne served us homemade soup that his wife had made. Oh my God! I can't even describe how delicious it was! Joanne and I were savoring every spoonful. We didn't even know exactly what kind of soup it was—maybe squash/carrot something… but oh… It was comparable in excellence to the homemade just-picked-that-day Black Forest wild mushroom soup we had in Witmar, Germany (in the Black Forest) last tour. Have I talked about the concert yet? It's clear what's important here.
I had a great time with this audience. They were really attentive and responsive and "with me" all evening. Joanne and I keep saying each night, how nice each gig has been. That's a nice thing. So now we have two days off. We are headed for Berlin!

October 8
Berlin

This is a fascinating city—to say the least! JB and I explored Berlin as best we could in one day, armed with a map, cameras, tour book --mostly walking, but taking the U-bahn (underground) and the S-bahn (overground) when we had to. It's really too big of a city to walk everywhere. I am not going to try to explain Berlin—you can look it up—but it's very much worth seeing. Plus we have had several fantastic meals (mostly Italian) and great coffee! But here I have to express myself: I was shocked to see that Dunkin' Donuts are everywhere!! I mean come on! Yes, Starbucks is here and I knew that already having been here a couple of times before. But Dunkin' Donuts! The pink and orange just doesn't go well. (By the way Burger King, McDonalds, Subway, KFC are all over the country.) OK, I digress. It's a beautiful city in its starkness and majesty, hipness and elegance-- graffiti everywhere but as much a part of the city's personality as is its glamour and intrigue. I said to Joanne as we were walking down Kurfurstendammstrasse ( the center of west Berlin's glitz—think Cartier, Bruno Magli, Yves St Laurent, Gucci, etc) – we sure are lucky to have the opportunity to see such places. Then we got on the S-bahn to a new happening funky neighborhood, Prenzlauer Berg.

October 12

Driving east to Singwitz now—our most eastern point on the tour. Singwitz is not on most maps but the town is east of Dresden and only a few kilometers from the Czech Republic. Backing up—the gig at Berlin guitars was really fun. The shop is owned by an American –Leonard Lott, from St Augustine, FL—he came to Europe over thirty years ago to live. Leonard could not have been nicer. It is always so interesting to hear people's stories, too. They set up for the concert in a corner of the shop—clearing away expensive guitars and putting down rows of benches for the audience. Very intimate! The place was full and the audience was close, fun and very appreciative. I look forward to returning next year. The neighborhood we stayed in for the night of the show, Joanne and I decided we liked the best. Shoneberg is very much like the West Village in NYC—easy going and friendly. And yet again, great food! I could easily live there (for a few months anyway). Onto Halle, still deep into the old GDR era, this city was known for it's salt trade a thousand years ago. I remember driving into Halle four years ago when I was there touring with Duane Jarvis—the grayness and the starkness of the city was stunning. It was like a movie set of a 1950's cold war movie. In the four years hence, some color has emerged. The club, Objekt 5, has a history all it's own—rising up out of the Communist era as a space where music plays almost every night of the week. Matthias, who built it up literally from the rubble and dirt, talks about the old days where rock and roll music was forbidden and how they secretly found ways to listen. The passion for music here is evident everywhere. Objekt 5 is a great club with good vibes—making for a really nice concert. Tim McMillan, a young Australian artist opened for me. He and his bass player-backup singer, Dave, were terrific. Tim is a stellar guitar player—kind of classical- jazz –pop-rock. Great voices too. We exchanged personal info and hope to hook up again somewhere. Last night, Magdeburg—another GDR city that is growing and changing. I played here twice before—once with Duane, once with Elliott Murphy. This is the club with with a restaurant over it where the people come to tango. Honestly, when I was here with Elliott, three years ago, it was a very surreal scene. Same this year. After a great concert with a good number of fans in attendance—thank you, Jan!—Joanne and I were treated to a delicious homemade meal by candlelight in a small room upstairs from the club. Tango music serenaded us throughout our meal. I told Joanne about my experience last time, and after we finished eating we walked into the restaurant and there they were—couples dancing the tango. The couples moved together sensually dipping and turning and swaying as the music played. Outside the club, as we packed up the car, we could here the tango music blend with "Help Me Rhonda" spilling out of the club. These are moments I remember.

October 13

Only two more gigs to go. On our way to Singwitz yesterday, we stopped in Dresden for a look around. I had played there once with Elliott Murphy, but didn't see any of the city. Of course, Dresden is a city with rich history and was one of the most terrible tragedies of WWII. Joanne and I were awed with the beauty and majesty of it. The baroque palaces, museums, cathedrals were stunning. We spent an hour or two walking around and absorbing the history. We are very glad we did. The Kasselhaus in Singwitz is such a great venue. And it's in the middle of nowhere. Honestly, you don't know where in God's name you are going to when you are driving to it. Down this country road with only a few "industrial" buildings on it—there is this large blown out stone building, windows broken, empty and ominous. But on the other side, it's been renovated and painted. You walk into a barn-type door, down a hall and into this awesome club with brick walls, shiny steel bar, large stage—you just never know! We were greeted by Andreas, our cheerful host, who I remember well from 2005. There was a good turnout too, more people than I expected. I played for two hours again! After, several fans approached, who brought many pictures, posters and cds for me to sign. This happened a couple of other times too. In Halle, four men drove 200 k to see me and had a bunch of photos that they got from the internet. Some times they take my set list and ask me for guitar picks. It always surprises me when that happens. But it's nice and I so appreciate the effort these folks make to come. So onto Wolfenbuttel—heading west. I miss my family and my dog Jack! I miss that I am not home to see the Red Sox play the first few games of the ALCS—but I know they won the first game against Cleveland last night! The joys of the internet!

October 14

On the endless Autobahn south east to Baden Baden from Wolfenbuttel—it's beautiful autumn day—60 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. I must say we have been very lucky with weather this trip. Only the downpours of the first two days and an occasional shower have dampened our time here. In some parts of Germany it looks much like Vermont with rolling hills and changing colors—other times the landscape resembles Maine with its pine forests of deep green. We've been listening to the remastered CD of Gene Clarke's 1974 classic "No Other". Duncan Hamilton gave it to me when we met at the airport in Manchester, England (so long ago…). It was a huge gift to me! "No Other" is the first whole album I ever sang background vocals on—and it is an incredible album. It still sounds as good today as it did over 30 years ago. I was transported back to 1974 listening to those songs—to Los Angeles and Cherokee studios—to Gene Clark himself, Tommy Kaye (the producer), Tim Schmidt, and so many other greats who participated in the making of that album. (I will write a book some day!) And it's interesting, several people have brought up the subject of this album here in Germany during this tour. It's wild to think that something I did so many years ago has that kind of impact today. Gene was a genius and a very gentle soul. Thanks, Duncan! Truly, a meaningful gift!
Today is our last day of the tour. Last night's concert in the small and lovely Wolfenbuttel --home to the 500 year old stunning Herzog August Bibliotek (library) which houses the world's largest collection of 17th century books, and the most expensive book in the world Welfen Evangelial valued at around $20 million! ( I am a wealth of information, aren't I?) I played to my smallest audience last night but their interest and enthusiasm made up for the numbers. The promoter Horst couldn't have been more accommodating, and Christian the soundman was very nice and very good. The venue was essentially a cavern—very low stone arches divided the room—I was amazed that Christian got such a good sound there. But as he said later—it was only good for one or two performers—a band playing in there would be "no sound, only noise". I am also very happy that my voice has no only held up, but seems to be improving with every gig! That's a very good thing!
I was unsure how it would go, since I hadn't sung consistently in so long.
Horst wants me to come back even though the numbers were low—and there was a promoter there from the bigger town of Braunschsweig just east. I have been fortunate that all the promoters (that I know of) have been happy with my appearances—thus possibly leading to another trip next year. So it's a long drive today—nearly five hours—and with the construction and traffic everywhere in Germany—we know it takes longer.
Tomorrow will be a very long day but before that. Joanne and I both are starting to feel the effects of a long tour—fatigue and little aches and pains start finding their way into the body—I notice that I start hitting the wall after about an hour and a half in performance (I am still playing an average of two straight hours per night). But there is one more show to do in Baden Baden. Oh and the Sox lost Game 2…

October 15

Frankfurt Airport: Almost two hours after arriving at the airport, we are finally at our gate. After two security checkpoints and two "would you please follow me to this little room…" checks (suspicious guitars), and a pat down, Joanne and I are about to go home. All in all, it's been a very good tour. Last night's gig was a fairly anti-climatic—only six people showed up. Apparently, there was a once a year festival in the little town where the venue is (a part of Baden-Baden) and they had a few bands from away. Oh well, bad timing but still our hosts Jens and Kristina were very nice and we were well accommodated once again. I know I keep saying that, but when you are on the road like this, in a foreign country, going daily from hotel to hotel--venue to venue, you become so appreciative to kindness and caring! I played to the few who were there, including a fan from Karlsruhe who met me enthusiastically as I arrived for the gig.
You do the show no matter how many folks are there! Joanne and I were trying to decide when I had fewer people at a gig. We remembered Columbus, Ohio in January 2006. The day after a terrific crowd in Cleveland at Wilbert's NO ONE showed up in Columbus. It truly was bizarre. Then, one guy walked in who had heard me do a radio interview that day and drove an hour and a half to see me. One guy! So I played…
But I digress once again…
I want to thank Jurgen Stahl for booking good venues, Edgar Heckmann at Blue Rose Records in Heilbronn for his super support and for being such a great guy! Of course, I don't think I could do this with Joanne! At least it wouldn't be anywhere near the experience! (I feel like I am getting an award here…but I will continue…) Thank you, Reid and Derek for taking care of my home and my Goldendoodle Jackie Boy! And lastly, but certainly not least—Joanne and I want to extend our deepest appreciation to Jane, my Tom Tom GO navigator—for making this trip a thousand percent less stressful. OK, thanks to all for your support—more news coming soon. But now, we're going home.

MORE NEWS COMING!! Check out my USA gigs with the Refugees coming right up!!

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LA LA LA and more

Here I am in Los Angeles again. The fourth time this year with more trips to come!
The Refugees (Wendy Waldman, Deborah Holland and me) started recording in Wendy's studio back in May. I am flying out here once a month for a week or two to record and to fit in a few Refugees gigs here and there.

I know I haven't written since March--as usual, I just can't keep up with myself. So, I begin... in the beginning of April I was pretty much at home, hanging with Reid and Derek. waiting for the baby to arrive. I was also doing some hours at the YMCA, working on my house a bit, and spending quality time with my dog Jack. Then after a couple of anxious weeks, Tobey Crewe Viger (Vee-jhay) arrived just after midnight on April 16, in the midst of the "Patriot's Day Nor'easter"--the biggest storm of many years! She's just perfect! And beautiful! We are all so thrilled! Yes, when I hold her I feel like a grandmother! Reid and Derek come naturally to parenting--it's so cool to watch them both with her. It's truly all such a gift!

Meanwhile, May was super busy! I flew out to California for two full weeks with the Refugees-first to play gigs in Santa Cruz and Berkeley in the North and one in LA-- then to start recording our first Refugees album. I really did have a blast. The gigs up North were both fun. A bunch of Wendy's friends came to the Berkeley gig at Freight & Salvage--as well as one of my oldest, dearest friends who I grew up with. Wendy, Deb and I really work well together. On stage, the banter is as much a part of the show as the music! We are spontaneous and funny. And the audience seems to love it. Then we jump into these three part harmonies and, well... it's very cool.
The recording is going well too. We decided to record three songs at a time-beginning to end-so we would have something for folks to hear soon. So we are continuing that here now. And today started on our fourth song. We are liking it alot so far!

At the end of May was the premier of the documentary "Space Between Breaths" in Lexington, Kentucky. Reid, Derek, Tobey, Dan (Reid and Jessie's dad) and I flew down
for the premier and the conference for bereaved families to follow. The whole event was really something very special. Please go to www.spacebetweenbreaths.com to check out the trailer and read about this incredible film. I have the honor of having done the soundtrack--a small amount of original score and bits of my songs from "Somewhere Between Heaven and Earth", "Neverland" from "Neverland" and "Paper and Glass" from "dream #29" . And of course, Dan, Reid and I are in it as Jessie's family. As I have stated in my last blog, Rosemary and Luther Smith, the producers, have made a film that will profoundly effect everyone who sees it. There were 800 people in the Kentucky Theatre for this private showing. It was extremely emotional and moving for me to be present when Reid and Dan watched it for the first time.
I performed my "Jessie songs" at the conference the next day. And there was a panel of all the parents who were in the film- some of whom I had never met- as well as the two siblings, Sean and Reid. Reid spoke up loud and clear about being a sister of a sibling who died--boy, she was powerful. She and Sean -who lost one sister in a car accident and a brother who lost his life as a NYC firefighter on 9/11-formed a strong bond with each other. Rosemary and Luther's surviving son, Jordan was also there. Oh, these kids! They are incredible! And the parents too! Such strength is to be found here among us.

In the first couple weeks of June I spent some time up on the beautiful island of North Haven-twelve miles off the coast of Rockland, Maine-where I have my little house. After a bunch of summers of renting it--this summer, I took it back and am busy painting and cleaning. But oh I love that island! And I have missed my friends there, and it's been nice to reconnect.

OK, people--I gotta get back to recording. Wendy is "comping" my mandolin track right now on Deborah's "(There's A) Spy In The House of Love". We're making the kind of record that Poco/Burrito Brothers/C,S and Y fans will like. Me too!

It's a busy year of recording and touring for me. As I said, I will be back here in LA in July and in August, and then Joanne and I go to Germany for three weeks on September 25. Then I come home and immediately get back on a plane to Memphis, to Portland, Oregon, then East coast, then back to California in December. I won't even go into the 2008 plans! It's all good! Except I miss my kid, my granddaughter and my Jackie Boy!

Oh, and I am totally up for doing any House Concerts, so are the Refugees--so get out your calenders and let's go.

Thank you all for your ongoing support--I always, I feel blessed!

Take care,
Cindy xo

7:59 PM - 2 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

News and stuff

Happy Spring, everyone! I know it's become a tradition for me to write only occasionally now. I am grateful for the "nudging" along some of you have done. Now I am tempted to wait until my grandchild is born-due next week!--but I have waited long enough! After all I HAVE been out on the road lately--more than all of last year-- in the past two months. And as always, I have met wonderful people and had memorable experiences--the touchstones of my career at this point, I think. But that could get into a whole other conversation best saved for another time. There's a lot to catch you up on so here goes...

In my last entry I mentioned the new band then named "California Song Girls" with Wendy Waldman, Deborah Holland, and Jenny Yates. First let me say that that name went the way of all debris... It just didn't fit us. We all knew it. So when we all finally got together on February 1 and realized after playing together for a few hours that we were a BAND--we started bouncing around names. Now we all know that band names are the hardest thing to think up--those of us in music have been doing it since we were knee high to... ok well, moving on...so after a number of attempts which garnered moans, laughs, snickers, hmmms, and the dreaded silence--Wendy, sunken into her living room couch, guitar in hand, said something like "I feel like I've been a refugee..." I didn't hear the rest of the sentence. I said, "Has there ever been a band named the Refugees?" To our surprise--no! (Yes, there may have been a band in your city 20 years ago... and we know The Fugees and the great band Sierra Leone Refugee All Star Band- but we did a thorough search and for our purposes, we're clear.) Anyway, we all loved it and for alot of reasons--it fits! So now introducing The Refugees- and www.therefugeesmusic.com is going to be up and running any minute. We had our first gig in Altadena, CA on Superbowl Sunday at Coffee Gallery, and to our surprise (and the club owner's)-we pulled in a good crowd. And more than that. put on a great concert! We smoked! Really, all of us got so excited! Here we are--all middle-aged, veteran singer/songwriters, all with careers and successes and lives. As of next week TWO of us are grandmothers! But I liken us to Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. And I mean it! And we are funnier than they were! Can you tell I am excited! At the end of February we all met in Memphis for the Folk Alliance Conference where we were to performed two live "showcases". Again, for us--even though the first showcase had sound issues and we had to rush--they both bolstered our enthusiasm to make this a real deal. The reaction we got from our peers in the business was very good as well. So I fly out to LA again on May 4 for two weeks of California gigs and to record a Refugees album. We are already booking dates in fall 2007 and on into 2008. There is much more to come about The Refugees--stay tuned.

OK-let me back up a bit...
On January 3, I did a double bill with Deborah Holland at the venerable Passim's in Cambridge, MA. Deborah is my long time friend and now co-hort in our new band The Refugees. We had a decent turn out, thanks to family and friends (including my high school close friend Elaine!)-- and a die hard fan of Deborah's--and we had a good time. It is always good to play with friends. Later on in January I went to Melbourne, FL not to play music but to play golf at Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield's annual celebrity golf tournament for the Space Coast Early Intervention Center (www.sceic.com). Much music is played in the wee hours of several nights with Tim's friends (and mine) D. Vincent Williams, Dillon Dixon and James Dean Hicks from Nashville. Tim and I get our licks in too. We get to hang with those precious kids at the Center and I get to hang with the likes of sports greats like Tim, Tony Dorsett and Jim Rice. It's always a blast for a great cause. A couple of weeks later, I flew back to Florida, this time to Tallahassee to do one of my "Somewhere Between Heaven and Earth" Grief and Bereavement concert/workshops at Florida State University.
I was asked to come by the Assistant Dean of the School of Social Work, who had been using some songs from that CD in her classes. There is something special about doing these concerts for me, something that is unexplanable and intangible. But it never fails that I feel a presence, a higher calling, some other forces in play whenever Jessie is involved. Speaking of Jessie, the eleventh anniversary of her death was March 23. Hard to believe. She has been very present lately especially with my work on the documentary "Space Between Breaths". More on that later. Back to Tallahassee, Joanne and I arrived the night before and had a nice dinner with several folks that our host, Dean Pamela G., had invited to meet me, including a professor who had lost a son just a year before. I can't explain the feeling when I meet another bereaved parent, but I suppose it's akin to meeting a relative you've never met--but deeper. The next morning, Joanne and I took morning runs seperately (she wanted to go longer) and as I was jogging on my return to the hotel, I decided to go down a little out of the way street, I even turned around to to do it. A few minutes later I spotted a license plate saying JESSIE1. I smiled and said "Hi Jess!" out loud. Though I don't usually look for "signs" anymore, every so often something jumps out at me to remind me that Jessie really is around! And I know then, that I am in the right place at the right time. And in Tallahasses, that proved true. Pam picked us up at the hotel and we drove to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital where I gave a brief concert in their beautiful atrium for whoever happened to be there (and actually there were quite a few people). Then I was taken up to the adult oncology floor where I played in the hallway for the patients on the floor who had been brought out to see me. They were just fantastic! Especially a woman, who was a dancer, sitting in her wheelchair all hooked up with IV's, grooving and singing along with the songs--especially "Sensible Shoes". Let me tell you, for my short little effort in that hallway, the rewards back to me were a thousand fold. I then proceeded to the pediatric floor where a few very young folks put up with me singing kids songs for a bit. That was fun too. Later that night I performed a "SBHE" concert at FSU in a lovely theatre. I get to talk openly about Jessie, sing the songs, talk about how the songs came to be, and what my experience has been in the last eleven years. The response was just incredible. I am always extremely humbled by these events. Like I said before, these concerts are very special. And there are always surprises. This time it was that Pam's boyfriend Les is an old fan of mine (he was with Pam when she picked us up at the airport.) Les and I hit it off right away. Les gave me a very nice introduction that night at the concert. And then because Joanne and I couldn't fly out of Tallahassee the next day due to the Valentine's Day snowstorm--we got to spend a fantastic day with Pam, who drove us down to the Gulf of Mexico, where we had a long walk on the beach. We spent the evening yakking and dining with Les and Pam, feeling like we had just made new best friends. Thank you to all who made our time there so special! Finally, on March 9, I played at the quintessential New England venue Me and Thee Coffee House in Marblehead, MA. I had been interested in playing there for a number of years, but the timing never worked and it's such a wonderful venue that it's booked up well ahead with great artists. I was asked to come and be the featured artist for their first ever (in over 30 years) Open Mike Night. I grabbed the chance! It turned out to be a really super evening! The talent that played were exceptional and my performance itself turned out to be really special for me! And to top it all off another of my close high school friend's, Lovey, surprised me. I hadn't seen her in over fifteen years! Fun! Great group of folks who run the concerts--I was very well taken care of. Thanks, Kathy! The Refugees have booked a date at Me and Thee for April of 2008!

I am in the midst of a six-week class called The Music Business: An Artist's Experience for Continuing Ed at the University of Southern Maine. Actually, April 2 is my last class. It's been such a great experience for me! The kids (and an older kid or two) in the class are so interested and grateful for the information and for the experience that my guests and I have in this volitile and unpredictable business. They soak everything up like a sponge. I have had the priviledge of having as my guests the best in the business in their fields and they just happen to live in Maine! Dan Crewe from Publik Music (yes my ex), Mark Lourie from Skyline Booking Agency, Herb Ivy, Program Director and Operations Manager of Citadel Broadcasting here in Portland, Maine and just last night, the class had a personal tour of Gateway Mastering with the one and only Bob Ludwig. Hey, I haven't had to do much! It's been a lot of fun and something I would like to do again.

Finally, the documentary "Space Between Breaths" is premiering May 31 in Lexington, KY. (www.spacebetweenbreaths.com) It is a stirring and uplifting film showcasing eight bereaved families and their twelve children. I composed the original score and was the music supervisor. There are song moments from all three of my recent CDs--mostly "Somewhere Between Heaven and Earth" but "Paper And Glass" from "dream #29, is featured, as is "Better Than I've Ever Been" from SBHE. What an incredible experience it has been to do this! Both from the standpoint of working with my dear friends Rosemary and Luther Smith, who produced the film. And with the experience of working with the music while viewing all of these incredibly brave children. parents and siblings. Humbling, again. Am I blessed or what?

And... we are waiting for little Tobey to arrive! Reid is rather uncomfortable at this point, as expected, and nervous, excited, overwhelmed and tired all at once. She and Derek got married on March 10 in a very simple, but lovely civil ceremony at her Dad's home, with Derek's parents, his brother and wife, Dan and me, Joanne and her partner Lori, and Derek's best friend John present. Reid and Jessie's elementary school teacher and friend, Cheryl Hart, performed the nuptuals as a notary public. (My siblings, cousins and neices had seen Reid and me the weekend before at Reid's shower in Massachusetts.) We had many family and friends at the party after the service--a really wonderful time. I am very, very happy to have Derek and his family be a part of mine. Reid is a very lucky woman.

I know I have left out something...oh yeah!! In my spare time (HA!)--I became a certified fitness trainer on January 23!! I had been studying almost all of 2006--since right after I broke my finger (figured I better learn how to do something else). And I am now training mostly beginner clients at my local YMCA a couple of nights a week. Just for fun! I love it! Don't worry I do have more music left in me--much more to do yet--thanks to The Refugees for getting me started again.

I am psyched about 2007! REALLY glad that 2006 is over! And I ain't lookin' back. My dog Jack and I made it through the Maine winter (there's still a bit of snow around) in my little old 1810 red schoolhouse. Now the sun is getting higher, the light brighter and I'm gearing up for some great dates and events this year, including Baystock 2007 on August 18 (SAVE THE DATE) with the Black Crowes!! And hey- I am going to be a GRANDMOTHER! Rock on!!

All my love,
Cindy

PS To those of you on my mailing list--if you would be so kind as to send me an email with your ZIP CODES! So when me or the Refugees are playing in your neighborhood--I can let you know. Thanks!!

10:06 PM - 1 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Happy Holidays!

Can you believe it's that time of year already!! And here comes 2007! Frankly, I say bring it on! I have several new projects in the works for the New Year including an exciting side project called California Song Girls with three incredible talented and successful songwriters: Wendy Waldman (wendywaldman.com), Jenny Yates (jennyyates.com), and Deborah Holland (deboraholland.net). Yes, I qualify by having lived in LA for seven years!
We debut our group on February 4, 2007 in Altadena, CA and will be doing a couple of showcases at the Folk Alliance Conference in Memphis later in February. Meanwhile, I am working on my new (old) home and trying to finish up the score for this wonderful documentary about bereaved parents called "Space Between Breaths". Along with that, I will be concentrating on getting and doing more "Somewhere Between Heaven and Earth:Grieving Out Loud" workshop/concerts--I get so much out of doing those. And one of these days when I put down my paint brush (in my new house), I will start writing songs for a new CD (possibly acoustic) that I would like to release in the fall. Speaking of CDs-don't forget that my new LIVE CD (with Ginger Cote and Jorge Otero) is available through www.bluerose-records.de. It's killin'! And check out the upcoming dates I have either here or on my website www.cindybullens.com.

So 2007 will bring many opportunities, challenges and surprises, I am sure.

Oh Yeah! Bring on the Living Room/House Concerts too. They are SO much fun!

I wish you all health, peace, joy and prosperity in the New Year!

From your ever grateful friend,
Cindy B

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Finally!
Category: Music

Hello Friends,

It has been so long since I have been in touch. There are reasons for that.
I have been waiting months for a few answers to a couple of life questions and didn't want to mention anything until I knew what was happening. It's all good news today, thank God!

For a few months now I have been living in limbo land with a large tumor in my leg. It was discovered by a very aware massage therapist in Nashville back in February. She urged me to get this "mass" checked out. I made one phone call to my ortho doc in Maine and then promptly broke my pinkie finger on my left hand. First things first, I had surgery on my finger at the beginning of March and went through (and still working on) recovering my gain full mobility and ability to play guitar. When I got back to Maine this summer, I saw my personal doctor and mentioned the tumor to him. That started a litany of tests which produced more questions than they answered. Finally, with a surgery date scheduled for October in Maine, I went to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and with all tests in hand, met with MGH's Chief of Soft Tissue and Sarcoma Oncology, who was recommended by two seperate sources. I was immediately put at ease--knowing that whatever this was, I would have the best care. OK--so on Wednesday Nov 8, I had this large tumor removed at MGH by Dr. Hornicek. I was thrilled to find out when I woke up that it was benign!!
Without going into all the feelings and thoughts I have experienced since the possibility arose that I might have an agressive form of cancer, I found myself unafraid and not even nervous as I went into surgery. I know that the positive thoughts and prayers of my family and friends who knew--and my own determination not to fall into fear--helped me immensely. So I lay here now, on my couch, leg up and off my feet for a few weeks, feeling blessed, lucky, very grateful and free.

NOW, here's the good stuff: my daughter Reid is five months pregnant and I am going to be a grandmother! How about that!? Just today she had the ultrasound to find out what she's having: it's a girl!! Let me tell you that this is all incredible! The news was a surprise for us all, yes for Reid and her boyfriend (now fiance) Derek too. It just happened! But we all feel just as happy as we can be. Reid and Derek's baby will have four grandparents in Maine--all ready to be as supportive as possible. Again, without going into all my personal thoughts and feelings--just know that I am thrilled! The due date is April 5. Reid's birthday is April 2!

OK. So music--what's happening with my music? Well, because of the uncertainty of my health, I haven't been able to book any future gigs. As my German fans and friends know, I had to cancel that tour for October. But now I will aggressively pursue some gigs and try to have the German tour rebooked for Spring. I will also start working in earnest on the soundtrack for the now finished documentary "Space Between Breaths" by my dear friends Rosemary and Luther Smith. And I want to start writing songs as well as start work on a couple of important side projects.

I want to thank the few of you who knew of my situation for being so supportive.
I feel confident now that after the past 15 months of injuries and health scares--all that is over. I am excited about getting 100% back to my passions of music, writing, friends and
family. So many new adventures to come! Not the least of which is grandparenting! Can't wait! Rock 'n roll grandma!!

Ginger, Justin, Joanne and I did a great gig for the Jessie Fund and Kindermourn in Charlotte NC on Sept 30. This was the fourth annual concert for those charities sponsored by the Greater Carolina Group. Every year it gets bigger and more exciting. The folks who sponsor this event put their hearts and souls into making it a great success. I thank them wholeheartedly for myself and for the Jessie Fund. www.jessiefund.org (new site!) and www.kindermourn.org.

Also, I have a new Live CD that was recorded with my band in Heilbronn Germany last December and is now released in Europe. Go to www.bluerose-records.de and click on my name to check out or buy.

Please get in touch and let me know what's up! Help me emerge into new Light!

With love and gratitude,
Cindy xo

11:52 AM - 1 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Still Alive!
Category: Music

Yes I am still alive! I will be writing my new On The Road soon---though there hasn't been much musical activity "on the road" since I badly broke my left pinky finger in February.
Just played my first three real gigs in the last two weeks. One in Maine and two in Massachusetts. And I am very much looking forward to our big Baystock Festival here in Portland Maine on August 12-13. (check out my tour dates for info). It's gonna be huge!!
So my finger is still bent and "not right" but I can play now and play I will!!
I will keep you posted on the new CB Live (with Ginger and Jorge) CD that's coming out in Europe in September. It really sounds great! I am gonna try to import some copies or release it here. It includes the full wild version of the great Neil Young's "Rockin' In The Free World" and my fave cover Springsteen's "If I Should Fall Behind". Stay cool and enjoy the rest of this summer! xocb

9:22 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Publik Music
Category: Music

As a independent artist/ musician I am always looking for
new sites that promote indie music. This one I am proud to be a part of.
Check out www.publikmusic.com.
It is a really cool site that features new, young, upcoming artists as
well as more established ones. ALL the music is good! Check out the videos for each artist--performance and interviews together. Really well done!! There is a Publik Music cable channel in the Austin TX area. I haven't seen that--but
the site is sweet. Bands can contact them for
consideration too. Check it out! And please pass it on! www.publikmusic.com

12:27 PM - 1 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment