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/

Important blog for the Season!!!

Some of the women from Songbird Sings programs and women singing the beautiful healing songs that are being written.





Hey, Folks. 'Tis the Season again. In this time of giving, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to my non-profit organization,
Songbird Sings, which is currently raising funds to continue offering songwriting programs to incarcerated women.

Incarcerated women are an invisible population that typically has little, if any, access to creative arts programs that help address and heal trauma. Having worked with these women many times, I would say 9 out of 10 of them are in prison because of domestic violence and childhood abuse that cycled beyond their control, leading them to break the law and make bad choices. But these women are not bad people—far from it. They are survivors. And they still have lives to live once they get out—families to go back to, communities to be part of. Songbird Sings, with its songwriting/performing element, helps these women to look inside, speak their truth and understand there is so much more to who they are than their wounds. It prepares them to reenter society with hope, confidence and a new belief in their potential.

Working with domestic abuse survivors from all walks of life—helping them find joy in their lives through songwriting healing programs—is the most worthwhile thing I have done. Doing this work with incarcerated women is mind altering. Imagine the emotionally charged atmosphere, following a performance of their beautiful songs, when these women receive a standing ovation from the entire prison audience, including the men who may have been responsible for putting them there. Through the tears that are shed on both sides of the stage, there is so much healing.

Please help to support the continued success of these programs by giving generously to Songbird Sings.
To make your tax-deductible donation, visit songbirdsing.org