March 26, 2019
26 March 2019 HAPPY SPRING!
Santa Fe, NM
I celebrated yet another birthday on March 21--the first full day of a long awaited Spring. I'm getting to the point now where my gratitude for staying alive is exponentially greater every year!
What a whirlwind! What a magical time I had in Nashville for three weeks! I was there from February 24 through March 16.Tanya flew in for the last week. I started recording at the famed Room & Board with Ray Kennedy producing on March 6. What a band! George Marinelli on electric guitar, Steve Mackay on bass, Lynn Williams on drums, and Mark T. Jordan on B3 organ and piano. Of course, I played acoustic and overdubbed some other stuff. Those guys are absolute killers! One of the most fun days was calling in SIX of my dear Nashville friends to sing gang vocals on a cool track called "Walkin' Through This World". The "gang" consisted of: Mary Gauthier, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Jess Leary, Bill Lloyd, Michael Kelsh, and Siobhan Maher Kennedy. With less than 24 hours notice, they all showed up! I was humbled. All together we recorded eight songs. Still some work left to do on them. And two more tracks to record. I'll go back to Nashville in a few weeks.
I also reconnected with some dear friends and made some new ones. I want to thank Bill & Andrew for allowing me to take over their garaget apartment for longer than expected. I was the guest who might never leave! Oh and then Tanya showed up. I really do love and miss Nashville. The city is growing way too big too fast, but I have so many friends there in one place and the creative energy abounds. For me it's electric. Tanya and I are thinking about spending more time there in the future. We shall see. I'm looking forward to being back there in April.
Meanwhile, I am playing a few small house concerts (CO, MD, ME) and a regular date or two through the summer. Still trying to raise some cash (and awareness) for the forth coming album. I'm looking forward to playing some NEW material for a change--of course, along with the old standbys. I can hardly believe how long it's been since I have recorded an album of entirely new songs--15 years! Now THAT is ridiculous! 2010's Howling Trains and Barking Dogs, my Nashville co-writing compilation had only two new originals. I guess it's about time. Not that I had anything else going on or anything! 😁
And FYI, believe it or not The Refugees (Wendy Waldman, Deborah Holland, and mehttp://www.therefugeesmusic.com) may yet put out an EP of new music soon. I hesitate to mention it, because it's been put off so many times, but I think we are getting close. So for you fans, out there--keep the faith a little longer.
Now that Spring is here, of course we look forward to the summer. Tanya and I will be spending all summer (we expect) on the island in Maine where I have my tiny summer home. This summer, my daughter Reid, her significant other, and my four grandchildren are renting a house on the island, plus Tanya's daughter, Chloe, will be on island working as the local theatre manager. So it's full family time! I look forward to it. I really do miss Maine. (No, not the winters.)
The documentary film in which I am featured, Invisible, is planning to hit the film festivals starting in January 2020. The director, TJ Parsell, showed Tanya and me more of the film as it's being edite while we were in Nashville. It is so poignant, real and moving, I cried three times. The film has such depth. It is truly a special, special project. That's all I am saying right now.
For the record, I do not know when the new album will be released, or when I will release a first single. I am being patient while all the pieces hopefully fall into place, to make it the optimum time. Stay tuned!
So enjoy the new blooms, the singing birds, the awakening of life this Spring. God knows, we all need to breathe in deeply.
With much love and gratitude--
Cid xox
21 February 2019
Boston, MA
I was in Portland for a nano-second, to pick up my grandkids and take them to my sister's on Cape Cod for three days. Drove them back last night and am now in Boston. It's been a whirlwind! I drove to Nashville from Santa Fe February 13-14, spent Feb 15 with the T.J. Parsell, the director of the documentary Invisible that I am a part of--watching the rough cut, met with Ray Kennedy, will co-produce at least half of my new album, then flew up here to Maine on Feb 16. The film is incredible! It's just an amazing story, along with superb cinematography and direction. It's about women songwriters in Nashville throughout the history of Country Music. It's a fascinating history lesson and compelling personal look into exactly who wrote many of the hits over time for the straight, white men who made their names with these songs. That's the broad stoke. Stay tuned--it should be out in theaters early next year.
I just got out of my first face to face meeting with my new booking agency, The Ed Keane Agency, here in the Boston area. I met with Ed and three of his agents. It's all very exciting! We are strategizing for what's to come in the next year and beyond. They will be booking my solo show, me as an artist, me as a speaker, and even The Refugees, should we want to tour.
I'm picking up Tanya at Logan Airport tonight. We'll see her daughter Chloe act in her senior production this weekend at Boston University. Tanya and I first started seeing each other when Chloe was in her freshman year--now she is graduating! For the second summer in a row, Chloe will be taking a job at the theater on North Haven island, where I have my little summer home. That island grabs everyone and pulls them in--as small as it is, it has a wide reach.
On Sunday Tanya flies back to New Mexico and I fly back to Nashville. I'm not exactly sure how long I will be in Nashville--as long as it takes to record at least eight songs with Ray in his studio. I haven't recorded an album in nearly 10 years, so I am a little nervous! We will be using a few musicians I haven't played with before, except for my dear friend and Bonnie Raitt's guitarist George Marinelli. George has played on all my albums starting with Somewhere Between Heaven and Earth (which by the way--this year is the 20th anniversary of it's release!). I love and trust Ray. He's a dear friend. And I do feel good about the songs--so here we go!
I mentioned in my last blog that this album is themed around the last 7 years of my transition. But like Somewhere Between Heaven and Earth, the songs reflect the feelings and experiences throughout my this time frame. The album may not even be released until early next year. There are many balls in the air right now and in a perfect world (Bill Lloyd and I wrote that song--In A Perfect World from my 2010 Howling Trains and Barking Dogs CD), all those balls would co-ordinate with the release of the album and the documentary and ... We shall see.
Meanwhile, if you didn't donate to my Indiegogo fund and you'd like to help pull it all together with me--you can donate at the bottom of my Home Page. the reality is that outside help will be necessary to make the best CD possible. Every little bit will help. Thank you!
If you would like to pull together a House Concert to raise funds for me --let me know your thoughts. Of course, it would depend on expenses to get there. BUT I have this whole year to raise the money--so give me a shout if you wanna talk about it.
I'll keep you posted on all things.
In the meantime, I am incredibly grateful for all the blessings in my life. That includes all of you--my family, my friends, my fans, my followers, my supporters, who have cared about me all these years.
Wishing you all the best in the coming year!
With love and gratitude,
Cid xox
MY ONE PERSON SHOW PRODUCTION SOMEWHERE BETWEEN: Not an ordinary life has had successful runs in LOS ANGELES (twice), NASHVILLE (twice), ALBUQUERQUE, NM, SANTA FE, NM (twice), MELBOURNE, FL, and PORTLAND, ME (three times). I also did a special performance of the show in NYC.
I have a pending show in Los Angeles in June of 2019. Will keep you posted!
IF YOU HAVE A DESIRE TO BRING THE SHOW TO YOUR CITY OR TOWN, OR COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY, PLEASE LET ME KNOW and I'll give you the details.
You have to see this! It is an extraordinary story of an exceptional human being. What a story! What a life! What a fantastic show! "
Sir Elton John
IN OCTOBER, 2016 SOMEWHERE BETWEEN: Not an ordinary life. RECEIVED THE NASHVILLE SCENE'S 2016 BEST SOLO SHOW AWARD.
CLICK ON "SOMEWHERE BETWEEN:Not an ordinary life" TO READ ABOUT IT AND WATCH THE TRAILER.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=An4TquJ7wJc
CLICK HERE for an interview/ad for Alexander Watches that was filmed in June 2017.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eW7Uzgnbww
Here is an interview I did about my show on WCSH Portland 207 show featuring my song "Gravity and Grace".
Here is a story on me on WGME TV Portland in 2016 before I premiered my one person show:
https://wgme.com/news/local/making-a-difference-something-between