What's Happening

Tom Kimmel's August 2010 Newsletter

Wed, Aug. 4 2010

1. Greetings: On the backside of a crazy year...
2. News: Summer song retreats (California, British Columbia,) + Greece report + new Waymores video and more...
3. Drawing Board: Waymores album update, Ireland tour group in 2011 and more...
4. Perspective: New TK short essay, "The Longing"
5. Food for Thought: Doris Lessing on doing one's best
6. Recommended: Great summer movie
7. Note from Shauna: TK house concerts & song coaching

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1. Greetings!

I began writing this newsletter at the airport in Tampa... added bits in the back of a van driving to a Waymores show in Alabama... finished it on an flight to Sacramento.. and proofed it at a Holiday Inn in Auburn, CA... Welcome to my world!

So we're over the half-way hump of an exceedingly strange year--a year filled with wars and global economic woes, the biggest environmental disaster in our country's history--and back at home in Nashville we had a one-in-five-hundred-years flood. And the world is changing so increditly fast! Tablet computing, super smart phones, wall to wall internet, talking GPS gizmos... And yet I'm able to share my thoughts with you by virtue of the tiny keyboard propped on a box of CDs in front of me. Hello!

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2. News

A. Starting later today I'll be teaching songwriting at the American River Acoustic Music Camp near Coloma, CA, and the retreat is SOLD OUT! (How nice is that?)

B. "Writing Whole Songs," a three day song camp I'm leading in wild British Columbia, begins next Sunday, August 8

If you arre on the fence--or are in the Northwest and are just hearing about the retreat, I invite you to join me for a focused, intimate three day workshop at a rustic resort on the banks of a gorgeous whitewater river. I will be the sole instructor there, and and I'm very excited by the opportunity:

http://www.reorafting.com/site/retreats/writing_whole_songs.html

For more info email retreat operator (and fellow songwriter) Bryan Fogelman at...

info@reorafting.com

...and tell him that you read about the retreat in my newsletter!

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C. Greece Report

Last month I had the great good fortune to teach at a songwriting retreat on the Greek isle of Crete. What an unforgettable experience! Thanks again to Swedish artist Eva Hillered for inviting me.

My wife Robin came along, and on "our way home" we stopped off at Santorini--spectacular--and in Athens, where we explored the Acropolis.

--THANKS also to Eva's husband Peter Ostman and beautiful daughter Ella... and to the wonderful group of songwriters at the retreat. You felt like kin.

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D. New high quality Waymores video online

The Waymores (me, Don Henry, Sally Barris) recently played a couple of world class music series, and some very high quality video was shot. Check it out:

www.youtube.com/jimparkerssongseries
(Recorded at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Thanks to Jim Parker and the excellent sound and video crew!)

http://events.bluerocktexas.com
(Recorded at the Blue Rock Artist Ranch and Studio in Wimberley, Texas. Thanks to Billy and Dodee Crockett and the crack Blue Ranch staff!)

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E. See the "REAL Ireland" with me in August-September 2011

My good friend Johnsmith has been taking groups to Ireland for these "backroads" tours for years, and I've heard nothing but rave reviews. Now, via an unexpected stroke of great luck, I've been given the opportunity to partner with John's Irish tour manager, Tom Pigott, to bring a group of twenty-one of my own friends and fans.

This tour will run from August 29 till September 6, 2011, and cost of will be $2,000 US per person, based on *twin/double occupancy, including **travel and most meals within Ireland. (*Note: an extra $350 will cover a single room, if one prefers.)

(Note, too, that I am happy to help you find cost effective travel to and from Ireland, and coordinate your travel.)

Tom P. is now accepting deposits of $500 to insure your place in our group. (He'll be looking for $750 by March 15 and the the balance by May 15, 2011.)

FYI, I'll have a tour web page added to my website very shortly. In the meantime, there's a wealth of info at Mr. Pigott's site:

www.enchantedwaytours.ie

[Thanks to Vicki Belinoski for making this tour dream a reality!]

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3. Drawing Board:

A. Waymores album

We're heading down the home stretch on the Waymores record. Most of the recording is done, and we have 8 days in August booked to finsih up. Don, Sally and I have played all instruments ourselves, and we've recorded the whole thing in the Tree House, my small studio.

And some great news: old friend producer/engineer (and multiple Grammy winner) Ray Kennedy has agreed to mix the album. We're very excited.

B. Songbook

It's simmering away on the back burner... and not forgotten

C. Solo album

I'll be starting as soon as the Waymores project is complete. I've got tons of songs to choose from, so next steps is to start recording and see what hangs together best.

D. New Agrarians (me, Kate Campbell, Pierce Pettis)

On hiatus at the moment, but we're still dreaming big. (BTW Kate just led a group to Ireland with Tom Pigott, and I hear it went swimmingly well.)

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4. Perspective: New TK short essay

"The Longing"

I've lived in the same town for thirty years. It's not the town I grew up in, and it's never felt completely like home to me. Of course, where I grew up doesn't feel so much like home either. In fact, no place does. And yet I can truthfully say that I somehow manage to make myself at home almost everywhere I go. Perhaps it's even true that I feel more at home everywhere than I feel at home anywhere. What a mystery! But perhaps the greater mystery is that this home can be so strongly sensed--that it doesn’t quite exist, but is still something I can feel....

[To read on, this entire piece follows Tour Dates below. To view past TK essays and other writings, visit: www.myspace.com/tomkimmelmusic and click on Tom Kimmel's Latest Blog Entry in right hand menu.]

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5. Food for Thought

"What’s terrible is to pretend that the second-rate is first-rate. To pretend that you don’t need love when you do; or you like your work when you know quite well you’re capable of better."

--Doris Lessing

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6. Recommended: Toy Story 3

If you see one summer movie, make it Toy Story 3. And Disney 3D is the ticket, if its available in your neighborhood theater. (If not, no worries--it still looks great.) I've loved most all the Pixar films, and they've done it again--in spades. What a treat!

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7. Notes from Shauna:

a. INTERESTED IN TOM'S SUPPORT WITH YOUR SONGWRITING?

Tom is available to teach/coach/mentor songwriters in one-on-one sessions (in person or long distance via phone, iChat or Skype).

For more, see Tom's info page online at:

http://tomkimmel.com/pdf/Song_Coaching_3.pdf

...or email me for rates at booking@tomkimmel.com

Feedback from Tom's students is consistently outstanding. He's not only a great writer; he's a great teacher for writers.

"Your insights and thoughts on songwriting have really opened doors for me, and your encouragement continues to mean so much." --AK, Dublin, Ireland

b. INTERESTED IN HAVING TOM PLAY A CONCERT IN YOUR LIVING ROOM?

A "HOUSE CONCERT" is a unique way to hear Tom's music in an intimate, personal setting. If you'd like to learn more about creating a night you and your friends will never forget, email me-Shauna Jamison-at:

booking@tomkimmel.com

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"The Longing" (short TK essay)

I've lived in the same town for thirty years. It's not the town I grew up in, and it's never felt completely like home to me. Of course, where I grew up doesn't feel so much like home either. In fact, no place does. And yet I can truthfully say that I somehow manage to make myself at home almost everywhere I go. Perhaps it's even true that I feel more at home everywhere than I feel at home anywhere. What a mystery! But perhaps the greater mystery is that this home can be so strongly sensed--that it doesn’t quite exist, but is still something I can feel.

It’s odd--I love mankind, but I also love particular people. I love music, but also particular works. And I love particular paintings, films, and so on. And yet… I love no house, no town, no spot on the ground.

So here's the rub: I long for home. You could say that I know it more as a missing place than an actual one. Yet how do I know this missing place--this place I’ve apparently never been? How do I feel it? I believe it's felt in the longing for it. Because what, I ask myself, could be more powerful than longing for home--for this place known better by its absence than by its presence?

I once heard a guru say that you should never fill your belly completely because all hunger is ultimately hunger for God. Boy did that ring a bell! Those words have rested with me like the soft weight of a winter coat.

And I recall one of my favorite Bill Moyers interviews--an interview with Coleman Barks, a scholar and translator of the 13th Century Persian poet Rumi. Moyers (the great journalist) was inquiring of Barks about the nature of the longing so beautifully expressed in Rumi's poems. "What," Moyers asked, "is the longing for?"

I expected Barks to reply that the longing is for love, or for God, or for intimacy... or even for home--for something great and profound. But he replied, "The longing, I think.... Perhaps the longing is for the longing itself."

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If you're receiving this e-mail newsletter series you've signed on (via paper or online mail list) for Tom Kimmel, Waymores, Sherpas or New Agrarians newsletters. (Tom records and performs solo and as a member of these acts.) f you'd prefer to be (painlessly!) removed from Tom Kimmel's list, see below to click link. Thanks!

Tom Kimmel's June 2010 News

Tue, Jun. 15 2010

Tom Kimmel's June 2010 News

Contents

1. Greetings: Greece! Mudslide!
2. News: Summer song retreats with Tom (California, British Columbia,) + new short TK prose + Tom takes group to Ireland in 2011!
3. Drawing Board: Waymores album progress and more
4. Perspective: Extraordinary poem by Eleanor Lerman
5. Food for Thought: Basho, Churchill & Wooden
6. Recommended: Summer reading!
7. Note from Shauna: TK house concerts & song coaching

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1. Greetings!

I guess if you're reading this aloud, "Greece, mudslide" might give the wrong impression! I am, however, referring to...

a) a trip my wife and I are making in a couple of days, and

b) the effects of Nashville's recent monster flood on my family's little hill.

There's much to cover in this newsletter, however, so without further adieu, welcome everybody. Here we go...

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2. News: Greece, TK summer song workshops, new short memoir

A. Off to Greece

Yes, Robin and I will soon be winging our way to Greece and on to island of Crete. Thank you to my talented Swedish friend Eva Hillered for inviting me to teach songwriting at her annual arts retreat. What a wonderful opportunity... to teach in this special setting and visit that part of the world for the first time!

B. Two (2) excellent West Coast Summer Writing Retreats with yours truly:

a. American River Acoustic Music Camp Aug 1-4

Join me for 3 days/4 nights at this annual retreat in the heart of California's Gold Country. Instruction's offered in string band music, voice and... songwriting.
For pricing, registration and info of all kinds, visit...

www.americanriverfolk.org

This will be my first time teaching at this retreat which is staged on the banks of the beautiful American River. I'm really looking forward to it.

b. "Writing Whole Songs," a three day song camp in British Columbia Aug 8-10

Two summers back I was an instructor at a wonderful week-long songwriting retreat at this rustic resort, and I'm excited to return in August with my own workshop! Come camp with me by a gorgeous rushing river, roll up your songwriting sleeves for 3 full days, enjoy excellent health-conscious dining, and hang out and share songs... Even spend an afternoon of whitewater rafting with me! If that sounds like a great idea, here's more info:

http://www.reorafting.com/site/retreats/writing_whole_songs.html

Note that cost is only $470 (US) for the mini-retreat including all meals, beverages, social hour, resort amenities, shared lodging and all of my sessions... a most excellent value. However you can get $100 OFF FOR EARLY REGISTRATION. (Early bird deadline is listed at website as June 15, but it will be extended for my fans and students who act soon.) Write Bryan at...

info@reorafting.com

...and tell him you read about the retreat (and discount) in my June newsletter!

C. See the "REAL Ireland" with me in August-September 2011

My good friend Johnsmith has been taking groups to Ireland for these "backroads" tours for years, and group members I know have raved about their experiences. Now, by an unexpected stroke of luck, I've been given the opportunity to partner with John's Irish tour manager, Tom Pigott and Enchanted Way Tours, to bring a 21 of my own friends and fans.

I traveled to Ireland 4 times in the early 90's, and I fell in love with the country and its vibrant people. Last year I was fortunate to return and teach at 2 excellent writing retreats, and again I felt a deep connection there.

This tour will run from August 29 till September 6, 2011, and cost of will be $2,000 US per person, based on twin/double room occupancy. (An extra $350 will cover a single room, if you prefer.) This covers all ground transportation in Ireland, 9 nights bed and breakfast in 3 star hotels, all pub music and one private show, with some of Ireland's best musicians and singer/songwriters.

Tom P. is now accepting deposits of $500 to insure your place in our group. We will then be looking for a $750 installment by March 15 and the balance on May 15, 2011.

I'll have a tour web page added to my website very shortly. In the meantime, there's a wealth of info at Tom Pigott's site:

www.enchantedwaytours.ie

Tom also has an Enchanted Way Tours Facebook Group:

http://short.ie/iec735

I'm curious to see who'll be drawn to join me, and I'm so looking forward to sharing truly extraordinary experiences!

[Note that I'm happy to help you find cost effective travel to and from Ireland.]

Very special thanks to Vicki Belinoski for her warm encouragement and support in making this tour a reality. I look forward to working with her!

D. Short memoir: How I got to Nashville

Thanks to Nashville poet Kelly Falzone, I recently had the good fortune of participating in an extraordinary music and literary event called "Spoken Word Census 2010." Sponsored by an organization called Youth Speaks Nashville, it featured (over a period of three nights) a series of original songs and dramatic readings presented by a mix of young writers and adult professionals.

The young people were uniformly outstanding, as were my adult peers, which included Minton Sparks, Vinnie Santoro, Kent Agee, Jackie Welch and Vince Melamed.

Our assignment was to write a short (less than 5 minutes) original piece (poem, prose, song), which would relate on some way to Nashville.

Contemplating the assignment, it occurred to me that very, very few of the writers and artists I know in Nashville are FROM Nashville... which means that most everyone here at some point made the big decision to leave a familiar place behind. I began to think of the events that lead to my own decision to come, and my piece began to take shape.

"Nashville"
(A Youth Speaks Nashville Spoken Word Census 2010 Selection)

In the summer of '77 I'd parked my dream at a paper mill in Pine Hill, Alabama--a town you had to drive to on purpose because it wasn't on the way to anywhere else. My job title there was Quality Control Engineer, and my responsibilities included creeping gingerly with an axe along a series of catwalks and chopping off large chunks of particleboard--which I'd then drop to the floor below and cut precisely with a table saw for testing later at the lab.

I worked what's called a swing shift, which meant I was at the plant for a different eight to twelve hour schedule each week in a three week rotation. Graveyard shift meant I'd better get some sleep during the day, so summer months on graveyard I'd sleep days in the dark hallway of the old farmhouse my young wife and I rented near the river. I'd turn on the noisy attic fan, spread a sheet on a canvas army cot and doze fitfully in my boxers, usually waking up bathed in sweat.

Late one night, swinging the axe on the catwalk, I lost my balance and fell to the concrete floor below. Though badly bruised, by some miracle I was otherwise uninjured--and knew I'd lucked out. Then a few nights later I was cutting particleboard on the table saw when, half asleep, I extended my hand a tad too far....

(The full piece is included following Tour Schedule below...)

3. DRAWING BOARD

A. Waymores album progress report

My sister once had an ancient horse that plodded, head down, lead-footed, whenever she took him for a ride. Heading back to the barn, however, the old boy was transformed into a high-stepping, mane-shaking wild young thing--which is exactly the way the Waymores (Don Henry, Sally Barris and me) are feeling about our first album project.

We've set aside most of July for completing the record, and we're very excited about it. Our goal is to have a "virtual EP" ready by August first and CD by Sept. 30.

BTW note that Waymores tour dates are listed along with my solo dates in Tour Schedule below. AND note that a free download of a song from the album is available now at our fledgling website:

www.waymores.net

B. Solo album

I'll begin it as soon as the Waymores record is done! I've got lots of new songs, so it's a question of which ones hang together best.

C. Songbook

Songbook's on hold for the moment, but it's behaving like my pup Wilson when he's locked in the laundry room. It wants out!

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4. Perspective:

My dear friend Linda Manning recently shared with me this exquisite piece of writing from poet and author Eleanor Lerman:

"A man is begging on his knees in the subway. Six-thirty
in the morning and already we are being presented with
moral choices as we rocket along the old rails, through the
old tunnels between Queens and Manhattan . Soon angels
will come crashing through the ceiling, wailing in the voices
of the castrati: Won't you give this pauper bread or money?
And a monster hurricane is coming: we all heard about it
on the radio at dawn. By nightfall, drowned hogs will be
floating like poisoned soap bubbles on the tributaries
of every Southern river. Children will be orphaned and
the infrastructure of whole cities will be overturned. No one
on the East Coast will be able to make a phone call and we
will be boiling our water for days. And of course there are
the serial killers. And the Crips and the Bloods. And the
arguments about bilingual education. And the fact that all
the clothing made by slave labor overseas is not only the
product of an evil system but maybe worse, never even fits
so why is it that all I can think of (and will think of through
the torrential rains to come and the howling night) is
you, sighing so deeply in the darkness, you and the smell
of you and the windswept curve of your cheek? If this
train ever stops, I will ask that dark-eyed angel, the one
who hasn't spoken yet. He looks like he might know.

--Eleanor Lerman
"What the Dark-Eyed Angel Knows"
(for more on Ms. Lerman: www.eleanorlerman.com)

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5. Food for Thought

"It's what you learn after you know it all that counts."
--John Wooden (1910-2010)

"The temple bell stops... but I still hear the sound coming out of the flowers."
--Matsuo Basho (1644-1694)

"You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life."
--Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

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6. Recommended: Summer reading!

I can't recall recommending crime fiction, but Swedish author Stieg Larsson's best-selling trilogy is too good to pass up.

If you don't know his story, Larsson died suddenly at the young age of 50 before any of the books were published. Sad that he didn't see how well-received they'd be.

Great stories, strong writing and excellent English translations. "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" utterly captivated me. "The Girl Who Played With Fire" mesmerized me, and "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest" is just out in hard cover. I must have it!

BTW I've long loved Larsson's countryman Henning Mankell. What's up with the Swedes and their unique knack for great crime writing?

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7. Notes from Shauna:

A. INTERESTED IN TOM'S SUPPORT WITH YOUR SONGWRITING?

Tom is available to teach/coach/mentor songwriters in one-on-one sessions (in person or long distance via phone, iChat or Skype).

For more, see Tom's info page online at:

http://tomkimmel.com/pdf/Song_Coaching_3.pdf

...or email me for rates at booking@tomkimmel.com

Feedback from Tom's students and peers is consistently outstanding. He's not only a great writer; he's a great teacher for writers.

"Thank you for the excellent job you did for us at Dallas Baptist University.... Our students did not want it to end... and later asked if we could have you back for a week!"
--Terry Fansler, Ph.D., Director of Studies in Music Business, Dallas Baptist University

"Your insights and thoughts on songwriting have really opened doors for me, and your encouragement continues to mean so much."
--Aisling Kavanaugh, IMRO Workshop, Dublin, Ireland

B. INTERESTED IN HAVING TOM PLAY A CONCERT IN YOUR LIVING ROOM?

A "HOUSE CONCERT" is a unique way to hear Tom's music in an intimate, personal setting. If you'd like to learn more about creating a night you and your friends will never forget, email me-Shauna Jamison-at:

booking@tomkimmel.com

Tom Kimmel's Spring 2010 News

Mon, Apr. 26 2010

Contents

1. Greetings!
2. News: Writers' Conference report, trio album progress
3. Drawing Board: New Agrarians, solo record
4. Special Feature: TK's Top 50 Favorite Records!
5. Recommended: for Spring and Summer Travel!
6. Note from Shauna: TK house concerts and song coaching

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1. Greetings!

I'm writing from a hotel bed in Las Vegas. No, I'm not hungover! Just napping after rising at 3:30am local time to head to the Nashville airport. *Tomorrow begins a ten day run out west with compadres Don Henry and Sally Barris--also known as The Waymores.

I'm not a gambler--except with my up and down career, of course(!)--but they sure have some good food in Vegas. And tonight, the Waymores are invited to attend The Lion King, courtesy of long time friend and fan Lynn Holt. Thanks, Lynn!

*BTW the place we play here in Vegas tomorrow night has the best venue name EVER: Garage Ma Hall!

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2. News:

A. Last week I was the featured writer at the Ninth Annual Writers' Conference at Calhoun Community College in Decatur, AL. I lectured, recited my poems and performed for two large workshop groups, and I couldn't have enjoyed myself more--or felt more welcome or cared for. Would love to do much more of this! (Thank you to Leigh Ann Rhea, Randy Cross, Sheila Byrd, Jill Chadwick and all at Calhoun who made the event a success.

B. Waymores album progress
The aforementioned Waymores have cut twelve tracks toward our debut album, and it's all going very well. The current plan is to release a bare five song virtual EP mid-to-late summer... and the full album in the fall. I'll include progress reports etc. in upcoming newsletters. (Thanks to Paul Schatzkin and Cohesion Arts for helping us plan the work and work the plan.)

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3. Drawing Board:

A. New Agrarians (me, Kate Campbell, Pierce Pettis)
We finished writing two more songs last month and are continuing to lay the groundwork for our own recording and performing. Lots of juice here. We love what we've written so far, and we'll continue to nurture the whole thing (and keep you posted on progress).

B. Sherpas (me, Tom Prasada-Rao, Michael Lille)
We're available for booking and hope to play a bit more from here on. (See booking info at end of newsletter.)

C. Solo album
I'll begin it as soon as the Waymores record is done!

For what it's worth (at this early stage), there are two records I'm wanting to make: one, a fast-ball-down-the-middle Contemporary Folk/Americana record; and two, a collection of songs I've written with Scandinavian (and Canadian) writers I'm thinking of calling "Songs from the North Country."

Maybe I'll just start recording what I'm enjoying most and see which one takes shape first. But first... must finish Waymores project.

D. Songbook
On hold for the moment, but I will get back to it, and I'll let you know when there's a real publication date.

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4. Special Feature: TK's Top 50 Favorite Records!

Tom Kimmel's Top 50 Favorite Records (singles or album tracks)!

I published my Top 50 Favorite SONGS in a recent newsletter and posted that list to my oft-neglected blog at my MySpace page (www.myspace.com/tomkimmelmusic). Please note that with my TOP 50 RECORDS list (below) I'm distinguishing favorite SONGS from favorite RECORDS. In compiling my favorite songs list, I tried to choose songs that may be recorded by multiple artists, that more or less stand on their own and are not so much associated with specific recordings.

On the other hand, most of my favorite records feature songs that are closely associated with their recordings--that magical combination of song, artist, performance and actual recording.

Making these lists is a lot a fun--I highly recommend it--but the process can also be provocative. You might be surprised feelings that arise as you recollect the songs, records and albums that have moved, inspired and entertained you. In a sense, we're talking about the soundtrack to our lives.

BTW, watch for my Top 50 Favorite ALBUMS list in an upcoming newsletter!

TK's Top 50 Favorite Records (chronologically, more or less)

White Christmas
artist: Bing Crosby
writer: Irving Berlin
recording: Holiday Inn (soundtrack), 1942

The best selling single of all time. Bing first performed it on the NBC radio show 'The Kraft Music Hall' on Christmas Day, 1941. He recorded it the following year for the soundtrack of the film 'Holiday Inn.'

There are several stories about how Irving Berlin wrote the song. Found this one at Wikipedia:

One story is that he wrote it in 1940, poolside at the Biltmore hotel in Phoenix, Arizona. He often stayed up all night writing--he told his secretary, "Grab your pen and take down this song. I just wrote the best song I've ever written--heck, I just wrote the best song that anybody's ever written!"

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Cry Me a River
artist: Julie London
writer: Arthur Hamilton
recording: Julie Is Her Name, 1955

Written in 1953 with Ella Fitzgerald in mind, it was first recorded by actress Julie London, who made it her signature song. Perfect song, wonderful performance and recording.

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Love Me Tender
artist: Elvis Presley
writers: Elvis Presley & Vera Matson
recording: from: the film Love Me Tender, 1956

Believe it or not the melody for Love Me Tender was adapted from the Civil War ballad "Aura Lee," written by George R. Poulton & W.W. Fosdick and first published in 1861. Elvis sang it on the Ed Sullivan show in 1956, and RCA got over a million advance orders for it. BTW it was featured in his movie, Love Me Tender--the only movie in which Elvis's character dies.

And here's a fascinating tidbit I found in Wikipedia: The song is credited to Presley and Vera Matson because of the publishing agreement reached for the assignment of royalties, but the principal writer of the lyrics was Ken Darby (Matson's husband). The song was published by Elvis Presley Music. Darby also adapted the Civil War tune, which was in the public domain. When asked why he credited his wife as co-songwriter along with Presley, Darby responded, "Because she didn't write it either."

In other words, even though Elvis didn't write a word or a note in the song, he received co-writer credit AND publishing. (He did a fair job singing it, though!)

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Walk Don't Run
artist: The Ventures
writer: Johnny Smith
single, 1960

This is the first 45rpm single I remember buying with my own money. I was six years old that summer, and I walked down to the drug store on the square--the only place that sold records in Monroeville, Alabama in 1960. I loved that Ventures guitar sound.

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The Christmas Song
artist: Nat King Cole
writers: Mel Torme and Bob Wells
recording: The Nat King Cole Story, 1961

Covered a zillion times, The Christmas Song is the most performed song in BMI's catalog. Nat King Cole first recorded it in 1946, but it is his fourth recording of it--in stereo, with full orchestra--that most of us hear on the radio each Christmas.

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Walk Like a Man
artist: The Four Seasons
writers: Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio
single, 1963

The old joke goes, "Walk like a man, sing like a girl," but these guys made so many great records. I bought this single, too... at the drug store!

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Oh, Pretty Woman
artist: Roy Orbison
writers: Roy Orbison and Bill Dees
single, 1964

I was a ten year old in Robertsdale, Alabama when I heard "Oh, Pretty Woman" on the radio, and it may have propelled me into early adolescence. Mercy. Still a stunning record.

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Theme from the Pink Panther
artist: Henry Mancini
writer: Henry Mancini
recording: The Pink Panther (soundtrack), 1964

What a pure joy, this recording. And it still SOUNDS so good.

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Turn! Turn! Turn! (mono mix)
artist: The Byrds
writer: Pete Seeger
recording: Turn! Turn! Turn! (1965)

Ear candy in the mid-Sixties--but with serious spiritual heft. The harmonies, McGuinn's ringing Rick. Wow!

BTW McGuinn came up with this arrangement for Judy Collins a couple of years previous to this Byrds recording.
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You''ve Lost That Loving Feeling
artist: Righteous Brothers
writers: Barry Mann/Cynthia Weil/Phil Spector
single, 1965

The song, the performance, and maybe Phil Spector's best production. Masterpiece!

THIS LIST IS CONTINUED AT:

www.myspace.com/tomkimmelmusic

(Click on Tom Kimmel's Latest Blog Entry)

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5. Spring and Summer Travel Recommendations!

A. AAA Plus

Time to start planning summer vacations, and if you're driving, AAA rocks! On a recent Waymores trip our rental car--a Jeep Liberty, FYI-- broke down on the interstate in rurual Virginia... a hundred miles from our gig. Arrgghhh! But wait! AAA sent a tow truck to the rescue, and the nice young AAA fellow put the Jeep on his flat bed truck and dropped us (and the Jeep) at the venue doorstep... just in time to walk on stage!

Note: Make sure you join up least at the AAA Plus level. That way you can be towed up to 100 miles. Also note that AAA offers many other services, including free passport, free notary, discounted movie tickets, flowers, and luggage. And all this for only about $90.00 a year.

www.aaa.com

B. Southwest Airlines

Once Ralph Nader was asked if there was any American corporation he could endorse. WIthout hesitation he replied, "Southwest Airlines."

And speaking of vacation travel, Southwest has the cheapest fares, the nicest staff, the best on-time and safety records, and the most generous frequent flier program. Plus they let you carry on your guitar.

I recommend signing on for their "Ding!" specials. They'll let you know when there's a sale fare on the destinations you'll be traveling to.

Just remember to check in online 24 hours before departure (or use their $10 Early Bird check in)--so you get a decent boarding number. And don't forget to bring your own lunch!

C. Best value in guitar case for travel

Hey, if your guitar ever leaves your house, you need a good case. And if you travel like I do, a great light, affordable case is a must. My GIbson J-200--is big (and heavy, for an acoustic). After some research and experimentation I found Gator GL Lightweight Guitar Case series. The J-200's a jumbo model, so I use the Gator GL-Jumbo Lightweight Jumbo Acoustic Guitar Case. Only $85 street at discount music stores! But Gator also makes a dreadnought and concert sized case--and the dreadnought case is about $65.

Note: Whatever case you use, I recommend that you carry it on board when you fly if you can. I also bought a handy FRAGILE stencil and spayed the emblem on both sides of my case in dayglo yellow paint. And last, but not least, I recommend adding a little extra padding to the case around the headstock of your guitar. Try a little foam padding from a fruit shipping box... or a hand towel or T-shirt. (I don't glue the padding in, I just put it under and over the headstock before I close the case.) Most guitar damage comes from the headstock snapping off when the case is dropped!

---

6. Notes from Shauna:

A. INTERESTED IN TOM'S SUPPORT WITH YOUR SONGWRITING?

Tom is available to teach/coach/mentor songwriters in one-on-one sessions (in person or long distance via phone, iChat or Skype).

For more, see Tom's info page online at:

http://tomkimmel.com/pdf/Song_Coaching_3.pdf

...or email me for rates at booking@tomkimmel.com

Feedback from Tom's students and peers is consistently outstanding. He's not only a great writer; he's a great teacher for writers.

"Your insights and thoughts on songwriting have really opened doors for me, and your encouragement continues to mean so much."
--Aisling Kavanaugh, IMRO Workshop, Dublin, Ireland

"Thank you for the excellent job you did for us at DBU.... Our students did not want it to end... and later asked if we could have you back for a week!"
--Terry Fansler, Ph.D., Director of Studies in Music Business, Dallas Baptist University

B. INTERESTED IN HAVING TOM PLAY A CONCERT IN YOUR LIVING ROOM?

A "HOUSE CONCERT" is a unique way to hear Tom's music in an intimate, personal setting. If you'd like to learn more about creating a night you and your friends will never forget, email me-Shauna Jamison-at:

booking@tomkimmel.com

Tom Kimmel's March 2010 News

Sat, Mar. 13 2010

Contents

1. Greetings!

2. News: FA Waymores report, TK song released in France, TK poem in Ivy League journal

3. Drawing Board: Updates: Waymores album, solo plans etc

4. Perspective: Top 10 Things I've Learned from the Road!

5. Food for Thought: Ann Patchett on authors and readers

6. Recommended: 3 exceptionally fine albums

7. Note from Shauna: TK house concerts & song coaching

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1. Greetings!

Ah, Spring is in the air. That air is still cold at night, yes, but... I have seen the sky, and it is blue!

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2. News:

A. Waymores a hit at FA

The Waymores (Don Henry, Sally Barris & me) were a hit at last month's Folk Alliance Conference in Memphis. Got the buzz going, and we had fun doing it. Plus I had the best fried catfish I've eaten in my life (honest!) at Westy's on Main Street downtown. You got to try it.

BTW, for a free Waymores song download--a tasty Don Henry tune called "On Kinds of Kinds"--visit:

www.waymores.net

To book the Waymores:

johnlaird@americanaagency.com

B. New TK cover out in France

French Canadian pop star Roch Voisine features an English-and-French version of my old song *"Bon Vivant" (co-written with Jennifer Kimball) on his new album, "Americana II," which is (at present) available only as an import at:

www.rochvoisine.com

(There'll be a wider release in the near future. Can't wait to hear it myself!)

*"Bon Vivant" was originally recorded for my (now out-of-print) album "Circle Back Home" (Polydor, 1990).

C. TK poem to appear in Yale University publication

The poem "Downsizing" (from my book "The Sweetest and the Meanest") will be included in the Spring edition of "Reflections," the journal of Yale Divinity School. Thank you Ray Waddell, the journal's editor (and former Religion Editor of "The Tennesseean").

Note: I'm posted the poem on my website's poetry page at... http://tomkimmel.com/poetry.html

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3. Drawing Board:

A. Waymores album

We've got parts of seven tracks recorded, and we're cruising full steam ahead--the goal being 12 songs for the album.

B. New Agrarians

We'll be reassembling in a few weeks to do more writing.

C. Solo album

I'll begin it as soon as the Waymores record is done

D. Songbook

On hold for the moment. I'll let you know when there's a real publication date.

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4. Perspective: Top 10 Things I've Learned from the Road!

On a long drive the mind has time to meander, and it's amazing how (once it's been worn down by its worries) it'll entertain itself like a kitten with a paper sack.

Here's what mine came up with last weekend as I drove between shows in New England.

TOP 10 THINGS I'VE LEARNED FROM THE ROAD

10. Winter is a good time to play in Florida.

9. The Kansas City airport is a hundred miles from Kansas City, and the Denver airport is actually in Nebraska.

8. Fly Southwest: book ahead, pay for early check-in, carry on your guitar, and bring your own sandwich.

7. Avoid the rooms by the indoor pool, the ice machine and the elevator.

6. "Urinal farthest from the door... has the least pee on the floor."

5. Unless you're a masochist, avoid your GPS's "dominatrix" voice setting.

4. The Highway Patrol officer is not interested in your story.

3. Check in, put a towel over the television and go to sleep.

2. Truck stops have the best gizmos, but never take a shower at one.

1. There are good people everywhere, and they'll help you out if you give them a chance.

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5. Food for Thought

"Once the novel is out there, the author is beside the point. The reader and the book have their own relationship now, and should be left alone to work things out for themselves."

--Ann Patchett

"My Life in Sales" (from Atlantic Monthly, 2008)

Note: this quote is from a terrific article about the author's experience of touring to promote books. You can read it online at:

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200808/book-tour

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6. Recommended: 3 fine albums

A. Thad Cockrell's "To Be Loved"

(Note: I posted the following review of this album at Amazon.)

'To Be Loved' is the kind of record that puts things in perspective. Knowing a little bit about the artist--a preacher's son who grew up in a home where secular music was forbidden... and a graduate of Liberty University (founded by Jerry Falwell)--I can't imagine what realms of the soul he visited to write the songs on this exquisite recording. All I know is that it takes me places very few other contemporary artists can. "Pride (Won't Get Us Where We're Going)," "Beauty Has A Name," "Rejoicing," "Oh To Be Loved"--any one of these treasures is worth the price of admission here. And collectively, it's as compelling a project as I've heard in a long time.

www.thadcockrell.com

B. Diana Jones's "Better Times Will Come"

My dear friend Diana Jones is not much of a well kept secret anymore, but if you haven't heard her, now's the time to jump in. On my recent road trips I've been reveling in "Better Times Will Come."

Simply put, it's a soulful, bare bones, poetic, unapolgetic, red dirt gem. No wonder she's getting the big national press and the British are ga-ga over her. She simply deserves it, and to my ear this is her best work yet.

www.dianajonesmusic.com

C. Mandy Harvey's "Smile"

After a recent show I played in Ft. Collins, Colorado, my gig's promoter Steve Brockway took me to hear a jazz trio led by Mark Sloniker, a world-class piano player I've known for some years. With Mark as leader, the trio's musicianship was outstanding, but what really bowled me over was the singer, a young woman named Mandy Harvey.

Ms. Harvey sang with her eyes closed, making soft gestures with her hands, standing by the piano just at Mark's shoulder, facing the side of the room. Her phrasing, her emphasis, her tone... all felt just right. This woman, I could tell, had the gift.

Imagine my amazement when I learned at the break that she is almost completely deaf! Yes, her gesturing was sign language directed to her young fiance across the room!

I was told that she'd been a voice major at Colorado State until an autoimmune disorder destroyed her auditory nerves in 2006, and that her professors had gently encouraged her to find a new field of study. Ms. Harvey, however, was determined not to give up on her dreams, and with the help of a very special teacher she has somehow persevered. She performs regularly and has recorded "Smile," an album of standards (impeccably produced by Mark Sloniker).

I can't recommend this album highly enough. It's a great pleasure to listen to, but more than that, it's a testament to the magnificence and resilience of the human spirit. (I dare you to listen to the title track without shedding it tear.)

To listen (and to purchase) "Smile":

www.mandyharveymusic.com

---

7. Notes from Shauna:

A. INTERESTED IN TOM'S SUPPORT WITH YOUR SONGWRITING?

Tom is available to teach/coach/mentor songwriters in one-on-one sessions (in person or long distance via phone, iChat or Skype).

For more, see Tom's info page online at:

http://tomkimmel.com/pdf/Song_Coaching_3.pdf

...or email me for rates at booking@tomkimmel.com

Feedback from Tom's students and peers is consistently outstanding. He's not only a great writer; he's a great teacher for writers.

"Your insights and thoughts on songwriting have really opened doors for me, and your encouragement continues to mean so much."

--Aisling Kavanaugh, IMRO Workshop, Dublin, Ireland

"Thank you for the excellent job you did for us at DBU.... Our students did not want it to end... and later asked if we could have you back for a week!"

--Terry Fansler, Ph.D., Director of Studies in Music Business, Dallas Baptist University

B. INTERESTED IN HAVING TOM PLAY A CONCERT IN YOUR LIVING ROOM?

A "HOUSE CONCERT" is a unique way to hear Tom's music in an intimate, personal setting. If you'd like to learn more about creating a night you and your friends will never forget, email me-Shauna Jamison-at:

booking@tomkimmel.com