House Concerts

Winter time House Concerts can be the coziest most wonderful of all. Do you have a fireplace, do you not have a fireplace...do you have a cozy living room or den? We can make it work and you and your friends will have a great time. Whomever you care to invite. Pot Luck and Margarita’s. I will read a chapter from my book, new title of book is "When Things Go Wrong”…(very spicy) and sing Robin Lane and The Chartbusters songs as well as many other songs I’ve written over the years.

(The chapter I will read is called “Blue Eyed Boy...”) Danny Whitten, Neil Young, Stephen Stills, First Love In in Golden Gate Park, Timothy Leary, window pane acid)

You can hold this concert in your living room, an art center, a friend’s house, by the sea, near the lake any time of day or night. We will write a song together at the end. All musical souls are welcome to accompany me, so if you wish, bring your flutes, violins, and percussion, for an inspirational musical event!

I will also introduce you to my new non-profit Songbird Sings. After 30 years as a songwriter and inspired by the healing power music has on trauma, I launched Songbird Sings to help survivors break the silence that hides violence, one song at a time. The mission: Heal those who have been silenced by domestic violence, PTSD, childhood abuse, war and incarceration and help them find their voice through the powerful medium of songwriting. I have witnessed the profound healing and recovery experienced by the participating women.

I will travel through out New England and New York area. But you can also fly me to where you are if airfare can be arranged. Please get in touch with me by
calling 413 648 9123 or emailing robinlanemail.com

Quotes from the Hosts

"Having Robin play with my friends at a House Concert we set up, changed their lives. They are playing in a band now and never stop talking about that special night" Allen Amaretto

"The house concert with robin lane was an exciting and uplifting alternative to clubbing I not only was surrounded by my friends, but I got to hear my favorite songwritier, singer Robin Lane right in my living room and we even raised money for her programs." Suzanne Boucher

"Being great fans of Robin Lane & The Chartbuststers and seeing that she did House Concerts, my friends and I decided to bring her out to Chicago. We met her at the airport showed her around the town and the next night around 40 of our friends came to our living room for a remarkable evening. We had her back 2 years later for music in the back yard. She let everyone who brought an instrument play with her. The night was magical." Nick Sanadinos, Jim Kopriva

"Still in wonder over the whole weekend. Amazingly personal commitment to us in the audience and the songwriters you sponsor. Your life as an artist has become even more significant to me now as a teacher as well as a writer/ performer. I'm so fortunate to be invited into ANY of this. Hot sand, cool water."

TEDWomen

I sent in my submission for TEDWomen. How I want to change the world...that was the question. Do you know TEDtalks...Ideas worth spreading?
All the movers and shakers and those with amazing ideas who are changing the world gather together once a year and share. It's amazing! You can view the talks on line now. http://www.ted.com/
This is the woman's version, although men will be welcome. I've had friends involved with TED since it's inception out in California years ago. There will be 4 winners and I sure would love to be one but you know how it goes. The winners receive an all expense paid trip to attend the inaugural TEDWomen conference in DC this December.

Here's what I sent


After 30 years as a songwriter/recording artist and inspired by the healing power music has on trauma, I launched Songbird Sings to help survivors break the silence that hides violence, one song at a time. The mission: Heal those who have been silenced by domestic violence, PTSD, childhood abuse, war and incarceration and help them find their voice through the powerful medium of songwriting. I have been a witness to the profound healing and recovery experienced by the participating women.

Nearing Turkey Day

Thanksgiving Blog Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Many things going on these days. Songbird Sings is in the planning stages for our first benefit to be held in Boston 2011. We're looking for the "right" venue to host this event.
If anyone has ideas please let me know. We want to have it take place within Boston, which means it could be surrounding towns but not too far out. Looking for a sponsor or sponsors to help defray some of the costs, and volunteers to help in different capacities.
You can learn more about Songbird Sings at songbirdsings.org Please get in touch if you want to volunteer or if you know someone.
Inspired by the healing power music has on trauma, I launched Songbird Sings to help survivors break the silence that hides violence, one song at a time. The mission: Heal those who have been silenced by domestic violence, PTSD, childhood abuse, war and incarceration and help them find their voice through the powerful medium of songwriting. I am witnessing the participants up close and personal being transformed through the restorative effect of writing their stories in song. I am dedicated to bringing Songbird Sings programs to as many people as possible and helping others to teach them as well. We welcome your support any way you can give it.
Thanksgiving at the home of the broken toys. That is Tim Jackson and Suzanne Boucher's lovely Somerville home "Let The Eating Begin" These festivities are for all the lonely people who have no where to go. Where do they go on Turkey Day...this is where. Everyone brings something yummy to eat but Suzanne slaves away for a few days cooking the Turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, pies. I'm not sure how Tim and Suzanne do all this but my daughter Evangeline and I have been attending since she was 5 and she is now 28. We've only missed a few.
I just entered TEDwomen contest. It is for the inaugural TED women conference happening in DC this December. TEDtalks is world famous. This will be the woman's version. The question we had to answer was "What is your big idea" and you know mine is bringing these songwriting workshops all over the world. Songwriting heals. Why is there such a correlation between trauma and music or to be exact between those who make music and perhaps the trauma they may have experienced. I do not know where I'd be today if I hadn't had songwriting and singing to sooth myself. I remember back in the day when I sat around watching the Buffalo Springfield, wanting to write songs like they did. I was so hungry but didn't know how to do it and didn't know why it was so important to me. My need was great. So much so that occasionally I would have this intense fear of music...I wanted it so bad. When I was pregnant with my son Adam my body, my soul, my heart, my whole being was taken over with song. They started pouring out of me. I could hardly keep track. 10 songs a day, well I'm exaggerating but truly I was tapping into the very thing that would ultimately save my life. There were many years after the demise of my band when I cursed God for not allowing me to become the next big thing. Many things happened that thwarted that. My second pregnancy with my daughter for example. For some reason MEN didn't think you could rock out and have a child. Idiots. Then came women who did. I can't blame it on God. I certainly didn't play my cards right and sang like a fool. Later I understood that it wasn't about people loving me for my songs it was about me loving myself and allowing music to heal me. That's what music does. The songs are an extension of who you are and your voice carries through the emotions. Makes it safer to look at some of the shit that happens to you or that you allow to happen to you. Your choices etc.

Trip to Tucson and Santa Fe

This blog should have been posted in September. I'm a little late but want you to all know what's been going on. I was in Santa Fe with Tim Jackson, friend and filmmaker, Laura, camera girl and editor. awomansvoicefilm.com. We drove up from Tucson where we stayed with Mike Lembo my X manager. He’s a great host and it looks like we will be doing some business together again. This is very good news for me and hopefully it will bring in some revenue. Being alive has taught me that you do art because you have to. It’s about you and having a need to communicate, not about commercial success although that may come for some of the lucky ones who either have marketing skills or are represented by someone who understands the art world and how to sell the art. In my case I write/wrote songs. Some of those songs have commercial potential. That Mike knows how to sell things is a given. That Robin knows not how, has been established. This brings me to my pal Will Hinds, used to be known as Baby John, now known as William Dubby Fuqua. Arrived at his home in Santa Fe, a humble home but darling on the outside, one of those adobe bungalow's you see around in the southwest, Spanish/Mexican origin. By the way, we had to go through a check point once we crossed into New Mexico. Illegals don’t you know, checking for them in each and every car. More on this in awhile, now back to Will. Step into the house of a man of genius work. Tim thinks he’s the modern day Mucel DuCamp. I'm crying...he’s living on disability. He used to work for Neil and Lookout Mgt as a tour manager, not only for Neil but for Devo and others. He has a below poverty level fixed income and luckily has section 8 on this darling place but the reason I’m crying is because everything in this place, and I do literally mean everything he has put together with found objects, lamps he’s made, just the way he arranges things on a table, is art. He could be making a fortune if the right person came along and helped him with some gallery shows here in town and other towns. I know I’m rambling a bit…7 in the morning. Of course this reminds me of myself, not that I’m in his league as an artist, but who knows? I haven’t been able to do “only music” through out the years due to needing to survive. On the other hand I’ve stayed true to music in various ways. Keep facilitating the workshops, these healing songwriting workshops through Songbird Sings. This brings me back to Will. He doesn’t seem to be sad about not being recognized and gains joy just through what he does. He’s come to that perfect state of acceptance. Not in need of adulation, like some of us, but thrilled to show and tell and thrilled that he can do it. I’m not saying enough here because it’s so profound to me. Putting things together through old treasures found objects, gorgeous stuff, some bought but just the time it takes to do this with love and care. If you have ever been through lost dreams you will know what I’m talking about. Tim argues with me on this with his usual response “just get on with it, change your life or do something about what it is you want to see happen” I believe this too and know that you can transform yourself, but I am also well acquainted with the other side of letting go of a dream and beginning again. I have hardly known any artist/creative type who has the ability to sell themselves or their art. It takes so much salesmanship for people to even give a f*ck about what it is you do. That’s what it’s all become, sell it, and the value of it is how much money it makes? We know you can sell anything and that is probably why this freaking country is going down the tubes.
We were all given an op to buy things on credit, houses and so on, this idea is the devils work. It never could have lasted since the greedies were in control of it all. We, the masses, bought into it however hook line and sinker because it made us “happy” from mundane existence/depression and so much that can come from having so little and now many many ARE sinking on this sinking ship while a few are still selling us down the river with lies and fear tactics for their own greed. Greed pure and simple. Is this the end of America? The rats have left the boat. I’m in awe of what my friends art can do, how it makes me feel. If everyone could make art like this out of treasures that surround us we could make our own happiness and maybe not even care if our art sold or not. Not care so much if we didn’t have credit cards to buy buy buy “nothing essentially.” We can make ourselves happy. Don’t need money to do that. Only need enough to eat and keep a roof over our heads. We don’t need more more more. We can create more more more…beauty to make our own selves and others happy. This is what ‘should’ be taught in school and will never be…not in public schools or prep schools because they need the workers. Public spit out the blue collar workers and prep schools spit out the white collar workers. What kind of conspiracy is this anyway? It sounds like one. Humans are so flawed. I wonder if anyone knows what they’re doing? Gather together with those who are like minded and rejoice in simple things and let people be, for goodness sake. Brings me back to that check point with the border patrol, which was 100 miles or so up from Mexico. Cameras everywhere. Heaven knows if they were something else, in fared illegal testing device. Big burley guards holding dogs that looked like they would rip your throat out, on either side of you. I was driving. When it was my turn the officer asked “Where were you born?” I almost had brain freeze…uh LA. “Are all of you citizens of the United States” “yes sir” I nodded my head bobbing up and down. “Ok then” and we drove off laughing our heads off. Tim in back with a middle eastern accent “I’ve leeved in theeeeese country always” WTF? Scary Scary Scary!!!
Make art…dance…make art. Love love love. What happened to love? That’s the command and it's not just from me.
Buy William Dubby Fuqua's book Atom and Evolution at http://humblemonkeypublishing.com/ It will blow your mind!