Howard Stree Prison Performance & That's Entertainment

The performance April 15, with the women from Howard Street Prison, was all that I expected it to be. I think the women were surprised at the end when we got a standing ovation, even from the 100 male inmates who came in with attitude mon. Pants almost down around their butts. No actually in this facility they have to wear ties but you knew immediately what kind of outfits they would like to be wearing. Keep it looking good. Corrections counselor and my helpmate, Coralee Chase thought to herself, "straighten up guys, get that chip off your shoulder, you are the reason many of these women are in here." The performance was smooth, women initially so scared of singing to the guys were floating on a natural high afterward. Love them. I need to find other prisons locations to do these inside jobs. Hopefully we'll get to record a CD of some of these songs, once we figure out a way around the privacy thing with those inside. Brilliant I tell you.



Today I did a show in Worcester for National Record Day at a store, a very large store, called That's Entertainment. The store has massive amounts of record and memorabilia, comics, (I got nostalgic seeing my old faves Archie and Betty and Veronica.) Japanese anime, pop magazines, posters and yummy soda. Charming people running the store, Ken and Pete. I had so many fans there, it felt great to be playing for such an appreciative audience...no fight up hill. Was a good op to present my songwriting/healing workshops and what's going on with them, got some donations and suggestions for places that might be a good fit for some of the Songbird Sings programs. This was a great day for me and makes me realize I do need to be playing out more. Very happy and thankful for these times with great fans, friends and people to work with.

Getting ready for performance tomorrow at Howard Street prison, otherwise known as Western MA. Correctional Alcohol Center in Springfield. I’ve been working with the women population for a number of weeks. We’ve written 3 songs together which we will perform adding on one more from the last songwriting healing program I facilitated there…Flying With Broken Wings. Such a beautiful song.
Here’s the chorus:
Everything is broken, Can I mend these broken things, it’s up to me to find a way out of here, to fly with broken wings, to fly with broken wings.
These women in prison are my favorite people to work with. They are so appreciative. For the most part their voices have been silenced, so this is a rare opportunity for them to tell their story with the magical ingredient of music.. Tomorrow they will get to sing out loud in front of the whole prison, the men included. Writing the songs and singing them these past weeks is empowering enough but being able to sing them in front of an audience and one there a little fearful of (the ment) is going to keep them up for days on a natural high. This program gives them a sense of accomplishment and how to build community. This will stay with them when they get out, especially when they all get the CD of the songs they themselvs have written. It’s one thing to have the community of prison life but to create and hear your words put to music helps you to realize that although your story may have different nuances many of the themes are the same and we can all build on these common bonds. There is so much hurt and pain out there. I am honored to be able to do some small part in helping people that have been so damaged, find joy and a key to their own healing capabilities. If I had a wish it would be that everybody in the whole world was writing their stories in song or painting them in pictures, or writing books about them and at least being able to come together in some type of harmony. I really believe that if this could take place we would be too busy making art to be making stupid war on each other. War…what is it good for…absolutely nothing. And that is the long and short of it …the truth. One war begets another war and so on and so forth. We live in negative peace for a few years, but there is never really any true social justice, not in this country not in other countries although I think some do try. There is enough to go around for everyone but greedies got the gimmies (Barenstain Bears anyone.) Ok enough about that. We all know the score and what’s going on.
The women will perform in front of the whole prison population including the guys, I think I said that….oh wow, they are so scared. I told them they have to do it to show the guys that they are powerful and can not just be kicked around…not that anyone does that inside but you can imagine what some of the guys are in for. One day I will have the nerve to work with them. Just don’t know how much I could work with a pedophile. I don’t think there is a cure for that ailment. Anyway, it’s going to be awesome. I’ll just have to keep reminding the women how jealous the guys will be that they didn’t have a program like this. The songs are powerful.

Then Saturday I play in Worcester at a store called That’s Entertainment for National Record Store Day. I go on at 3:00PM in case any of you in that area are reading this.

Another thing going on is that I’m creating a new website. It will have links to everything I do. One stop shopping. My new friend Jayne, is helping to put this website together. I began teaching her guitar and after a short time she began writing songs. I can’t stop singing her songs. Then she asked me if I’d like her to do a new website for me with everything on it. There is still randomrogue.com/robinlane but a lot of this site will soon probably transfer over to the new site. robinlanerocks.com I’m sure webmaster Roy Rubinstein will be relieved to not have to do the upkeep. I will be able to do it myself. Learning as I go.

A day of filming for A Woman's Voice film

A bit about our film A Woman’s Voice…due to be released sometime before I’m underground.
A few weeks ago:
I was sitting on the couch when Tim Jackson (The Bo) phoned, said he was having difficulty getting out of Boston and wondered if he’d be able to make it out here in time before the light went down. I heard the door open and there he was…teasing/torturing me as usual. Fine line with The Bo. Bo brought the ingredients for Shepard's Pie, I got busy putting it together but first went out and bought a nice bottle of Chianti. I want to that to sound like Hannibal Lechter. Actually it was Merlot. It’s not often I get to cook for someone and red wine goes with the occasion of creating a lovely meal. Bo asked his crazy questions and I gave my rather revealing and possibly “mad I tell you” answers as I prepared our dinner. Later on we watched this horrendously bad, silent no less, film on witches throughout the centuries. Was not good and the music was irritating. We turned it off after ½ hour of torture. There we go again with the torture. I swear he does it on purpose and his wife and children will attest to this. Ate lots of food, got into plenty of daft repartee's, which the two of us seem to love. I love that he’s so infuriating. Finally not scared of him anymore. He always says things that could hurt your feelings if you let them. He likes to dig in with a knife but somehow it usually strikes your funny bone. His wife Soupie, and I made up a song “We’re not afraid of the Bo no mo” so on and so forth. He’s a very clever, extremely humorous, charming young man in an older suit. I was sad to see him leave for Boston and here I am staring out my picture window on a new spring day…always busy though teaching, creating, thinking.