House Concert in November. This was fun and I raised 400 for Songbird Sings programs...yahoo. Picture of me in the red living room playing a song.

Thanksgiving was a real treat at Tim Jackson's house. Tim is the director of A Woman's Voice film, the story of my life in context of being a woman, a mother, an artist, taking part in two major cultural periods of time, surviving, transformation, founding Songbird Sings to help others heal through writing their own songs. So it's not just me me me. I think it's going to be a very interesting film, hopefully it will be done in 2012. awomansvoicefilm.com. Tim and his wife Suzanne Boucher are good friends. Tim was the drummer in my band Robin lane and the Chartbusters. There were at least 40 people eating yummy food. We are blessed.

Wednesday's and Thursday's I'm still facilitating Songbird Sings "Giving Youth A Voice" program at Home For Little Wanderers. So far they've come up with 5 songs. We're going to start a new one this coming Thursday and Erica Nazarro who runs YARN program at the Home will be there to help as will Dawn Carroll who has been extremely supportive, teaching me things about Facebook that I did not know. Check out her own foundation "Over My Shoulder Foundation" http://www.overmyshoulderfoundation.org/ which is all about mentoring young people.

The youth from Home For Little Wanderers will be performing with me at the next Red Sox, Hot Stove Cool Music event January 14 at The Paradise in Boston. Susan Tedeshi, The Remains, Kay Hanley, Peter Gammons, the great sports writer, Bill Janovitz from Buffalo Tom, Mike Gent from the Figgs, Seth Justman from J.Giles and many more come out to play to raise money... for all the organizations Red Sox support. Home For Little Wanderers being one of them. Hope to see you all there. Can't wait till you see how music really does help us use our voices in a very profound way. These kids have written some wonderful songs which speak to the very sad conditions they have come from and are still in but learning to have enough faith in their own abilities to rise above what they have gone through at the same time getting it out in song. Getting it out is the only way we can heal. This event is about music giving back.

Lots of stuff going on. I'm excited to begin a new songwriting program with Home For Little Wanderers in Dorchester for their YARN program. This community music program is being funded by Music Drives Us foundation and will help effect positive change for youth at risk. Music Drives Us has long been aware of the need for music in schools and communities. With so many budget cuts it is now almost abnormal for children to be educated in any of the arts. Since music has saved my life I will be doing all I can to help save any other lives through music and song. Just having it in your life brings so much joy, helps with learning, gives confidence and just plain heals the body, mind and spirit.

I have 2 people now helping me get Songbird Sings up and running. The new website should be up soon and currently I'm setting up House Concerts to raise awareness of domestic violence and raise funds for Songbird Sings programs. Please contribute if you can at songbirdsings.org

Host a House Concert. With the holiday season coming how would you feel about the gift that keeps on giving. A private Robin Lane House Concert not only creates a special holiday evening for family and friends but also supports music therapy for those who have survived domestic violence. Together we can give people back their voice. Want to know more? email me at robin@songbirdsings.org

We raised more than we campaigned for on Kickstarter for the movie awomansvoicefilm.com. If you happen to come here check it out. It's a movie about my life and you know what...I can't believe I lived this life and that I'm still alive and still finding joy in being alive and now using some of the things I have learned through songwriting to help others turn their own experiences into song. Or in the words of a woman who was in one of my woman's voice programs..."We are turning our tragedies into diamond jewels." To be the alchemist of your own life. How do you do that when your in the gutter? Just look up a little bit...the stars are shining...truly. I believe there is a life force in dwelling in all of us. It is larger than the "I" We can tap into that life source because honestly it is part of us. There will never be another you and if you don't find the way to express what is in your mind, in your heart, your soul, there will never be another like you that can and what you would put into the world in some creative fashion, will be lost forever. I know this takes a lot sometimes. Sometimes it hurts too much but seriously what else are you going to do. It will eat you alive if you don't get it out, if you don't become the alchemist of your own life. I know this on such a profound level. I know that if I can pick myself up from being squashed in the dirt that it is possible for any of you to do it too. There have been several times in my life when I was on the very very very bottom with no light shining. What did I do here? How did I survive this dark hole? It was a struggle believe me. I read and read and read every self help book. Found groups where I learned skills and tools to help me when I was in the low place. I could relate to the struggles of others in these group experiences...all of us finding a way out of the darkness...illuminating the darkness. Phew...long road. Western MA is good for this. Many groups on recovering a sense of self if you have lost or are lost. Long road to now. So many have helped along the way. You can't climb out all by yourself, you do need help and there is help somewhere nearby for you. Who am I writing to I don't know, maybe someone can hear this and feel better, at least know they are not alone. Love you and love is here right now, it really is.

Here are 2 of the girls from my workshop at Whole Music in Amesbury June 12. I had 16 students in total and after that gave a performance. New news is that Tim Jackson is about to launch our film on Kickstarter for the film awomansvoicefilm.com

Many things happening since I last posted. Potential for expanded growth with Songbird Sings. Meeting with very interested people who are very interested in helping to take SS up to the next step. Benefit, more funding opportunities enabling me to do more programs and to finally set up retreats where I can teach the teachers the methods I have learned over these last 10 years that help trauma survivors express themselves through songwriting in a safe and nurturing enviornment. It is so important that participants feel safe when they do the songwriting workshops. These workshops are not about me or anyone else who teaches them. Those that have lived through traumatic experiences need to realize their own potential for growth and change to occur and that healing transformation is possible. I say especially through writing your story or even part of your story in song. I never knew my own songwriting was what kept me alive through a painful childhood that I didn't even realize was painful. I internalized everything but put all that into mys songs. These memories only come to the surface later in my life. I kept them well hidden from myself until I was way into my 40's, even 50's. Only through working with these survivors did I come to a deeper understanding of my own issues and truly begin to heal. I'm not saying I'm healed yet but peer to peer programs such as mine do wonders as there is no judgment, we have all been to those dark places, the holes that suck us in and threaten to extinguish any life we may be grasping to hold on to. The sheer joy in music and song is responsible for my survival. Songbird Sings programs are an opportunity to be validated for what you have gone through by others in the workshops who say "me too." This community that builds over time allows for healing and change to occur.
A few weeks ago I appeared on Mark Veau's radio show out of Worcester. He is on a mission to eradicate Domestic Abuse. Great interview. I will post back when the it will be aired.
Yesterday I facilitated a Songwriting workshop at Whole Music in Amesbury, MA. From what I hear the participants got much out of it and later most of them came to my performance. It was a splendid time. I recommend E J Ouelette's Whole Music for anyone who wants to learn more about songwriting and recording. http://www.wholemusic.com/
I've also played a couple Thursday evenings at Tavern At The End of the World in Charlestown with Natalie Flanagan band. Very impromptu. Asa from Chartbusters sits in as does Pat Wallace who plays bass, Marnie Hall on violin, Tim Jackson on drums, but there is a lot of improv on the spot as we're doing some here to for never heard songs. Is that how you say it. Ha!
I'm currently doing a program at Howard Street prison in Springfield. Took last week off as they were recovering from the tornado which blew out the windows of building and took the roof off. WOW. Can't wait to see this. I guess I'm a geek for weather...truly.
Saturday went to the VIP party for Hot Stove Cool Music at Fenway. This was to celebrate and raise more funding for the organizations the Red Sox help out. Some of which I am working with, helping the young people, inner city youth in need write and record songs. They all get the CD in the end to forever be a reminder of their accomplishment. John Pfister (Ringo Studio) and I are having more fun than a barrel of monkey's, becoming rap producers. Seriously this is such a brand new artistic experience and is compelling us to be sooooooooo creative. I love it. The songs these girls who had been trafficked wrote are simply drop dead incredible.

March 28 and 29 Professor Norma Coates brought me up to Canada as a guest speaker for her Social Media class and Songwriting workshop for songwriting class. First class I spoke about my experience in the music business, being a single mother, having a baby as a rock n roller, something that was not done too often back then, especially if you wanted to keep your career going. I lost the record deal, the publishing deal, the manager but I made the right choice. Creeps in the music business...entertainment business but ah well, life has a way of unfolding while your making other plans. Now of course you know what I have been doing with Songbird Sings healing songwriting programs and and other music projects.
This was all taking place at Western Ontario University, I was anxious over what I was going to do once I was in the songwriting class. The other class was easy enough. I simply answered questions. I was going to have to come up with something for these young songwriters. When I walked in and saw all the bright and shiny music students, I knew instantly what would should be done and the whole thing just came together. I gave the students an exercise to write a song as a group and we did in about 20 minutes. I answered a lot of questions and really had one of the best times ever in Canada...thanks to Professor Norma Coats and her darling assistants Meghan, Victoria and Amber, doing the organizing. Here are some of the students

Healing Connection through Songbird Sings

Songbird Sings programs are about helping people who have experienced trauma find the key to their own healing. With this in mind and for the purpose of connection does anyone want to share their own healing story with Songbird Sings. What made you stronger and able to meet challenges and overcome abuse. What type of coping strategies have you used or what training did you go through? Did it take you time to learn how to take care of and protect yourself? Are things that happened to you in the past still challenging you today or holding you back from going forward in your life? Life is really hard, no doubt about it, even for those who have been blessed with love and affection in childhood and beyond. But for those who have survived trauma it can be a never ending battle. We know there are ways to find the key to our own healing. If you fell comfortable with this, please share what you have learned through the process of your own healing. I know this is going out into the world but perhaps we can begin a dialogue on how to rise above the crap and perhaps help someone else.

Picture of kids from Dorchester I worked with during the summer. They wrote a couple really cute songs. Spending hours each day on Songbird Sings, writing grants, calling people, putting the House in order...the Songbird Sings House that is...my own house is a mess, can't afford a maid...hey I am the maid. Moving forward with Songbird Sings is what is important. Benefit will be held in October which is Domestic Violence month. I'm thrilled to be doing the work that needs to be done to have this event bring maximum awareness to the plight of childhood abuse, domestic abuse, the centrality of trauma, trauma informed practices and of course how songwriting can get the healing ball in motion. I have 3 volunteers right now. Thinking about an intern from one of the colleges. Come the end of the month I will Los Angeles bound. I'm performing two House Concerts, one at Ellen Shipley's. Ellen wrote the hit for Belinda Carlisle, "Heaven Is A Place On Earth" amongst other songs. She is my new friend. Also another performance for T.E.D. people at the home of Pati and Danny Hillis. Both of these events will highlight Songbird Sings with some of these influential people. Many programs to do. Finishing up applications for funding for Howard Street incarcerated women songwritng/performance project. Then there are a bunch of youth programs to do, songwriting, CD recording workshops for youth at risk all over Boston. What an amazing gift and blessing it is to be able to do this. At some point I have to get to my own music but it is my own music...it's all the same...My x manager Mike Lembo is now my co-publisher. He's setting up my songs on an internet site for downloads etc. I'll get back to you with the name of site. I really do need more volunteers....calling all volunteers. Anyone in school for communications or marketing...do you need an internship?

Charity benefit at Regent Theater Arlington December 18 2010
This was another amazing evening with so many bands. We sang holiday songs and raised money for 2 different charities. I met many people this night involved with organizations helping to transform the lives of children and families. The highlight of the event was meeting Marnie Hall who having heard my song just once, launched in with the most exquisite violin. She illuminated the evening.

January 15 was the benefit at The Paradise for Hot Stove Cool Music http://hotstovecoolmusic.org/ What an amazing night and experience for me to play with Peter Gammons and Seth Justman from J.Giles and Buffalo Tom's Bill Janovitz. The money they bring in will go to Foundation To Be Named Later, a chairty of The Redsox's. http://www.foundationtobenamedlater.org/events.html. Various Redsox themselves got up to play. This was a mega event for many non profits serving children and families in need in the Boston area.
I hope to be able to help out with this each year from now on.
Picture of me #21 + #22
http://playgroundboston.com/2011/01/18/photo-gallery-hot-stove-cool-music-2011-the-paradise-saturday-115/