November News-in-Brief

¡Hola! Allô! Hello!... Late Fall Greetings Everyone! 

I have a new song called *Nothing's Making Sense to Me But You that begins... 

What a time to be alive, what a time to be alone 
What a time to be alive... and be alone together 

Have mercy, I pray we are all safely weathering this frightful pandemic and season of excitement and discord. Before a dash of news, I want to wish us all a SAFE, HAPPY, HEALTHY THANKSGIVING... 

It's a mind bending passage we're traveling, and my heart is with you. 

Peace, 
Tom 

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Contents of This Newsletter 

1) Two TK songwriting classes coming up Nov 24 and Dec 1 

2) Jeff Franzel/Lincoln Center virtual concert (featuring our songs) on Nov 30 

3) Country-pop star Cam's new album "The Otherside" features our co-write "What Goodbye Means" 

4) Radio Interviews: I recently enjoyed being interviewed for 2 thoughtful shows (now available for streaming) 

5) Make sure this e-newsletter dodges your e-spam filters. (Easy how-to below.) 

6) Poem of the Month: "Happiness" 

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1)  I'll be leading a songwriting class on Nov 24, continuing on Dec 1 

What: Song Mapping with Tom Kimmel: The Songwriter’s Lifelong Guide (Parts 1 & 2) 

When: Tuesday November 24 (7pm EST) and Tuesday December 1 (7pm EST) 

Where: Sign up HERE (for Part One) and HERE (for Part Two) 

How much: Only $25 per class 

What else: You can attend one or both classes. Second class will build on first one. These classes are part of a series sponsored by my good friends at emPower Music & Arts. 

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2) Jeff Franzel's Lincoln Center set will feature 3 of our songs 

On Monday, November 30 at 5:30pm EST my longtime collaborator Jeff Franzel is being featured by New York's prestigious Lincoln Center, part of the virtual "Broadway's Future" composers series. 

Jeff's set of audio/video clips will feature our songs "Never Saw Blue Like That," "When You Know," and a brand new one called "Nothing's Making Sense to Me But You." 

—Jeff recorded his audio/video piano in Connecticut, and I recorded my vocal here in Mississippi... Very inspiring. 

This virtual event is FREE, but you must register via Eventbrite to watch. To register, click HERE. 

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3) Rising country star Cam's new album "The Otherside" features our song "What Goodbye Means" 

It's a song I wrote with Cam and her talented guitarist Anders Mouridsen, and I'm excited to be on the record. Her first record scored a number one hit ("Burning House"), and it looks like this follow-up album's getting lots of notice. 

Visit Cam's website HERE. 

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4) Two recent TK radio interviews can be streamed 

I recently enjoyed being interviewed by two thoughtful radio show hosts, and those shows are available for streaming online. 

—Interview by Mark Helpsmeet for the syndicated Northern Spirit Radio show HERE. 

—Interview by Ray Naylor for WPPM (Philadelphia) HERE. 

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5) My newsletters will be coming to you from from a new service hosted by Bandzoogle 

Of course they'll be coming only from me, but Bandzoogle will deliver the mail. So PLEASE add the following address for me to your e-address book... 

noreply@sitezoogle.com 

(That way I won't get caught in a spam filter. And THANK YOU very much.) 

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6) Poem of the Month: "Happiness" 

Happiness is boring, I’ll take it. 
Like meditation, it’s unproductive. 
The repetition of day-to-day activities: 
she’s off to work, I walk the dog, 
I wash the breakfast dishes. 

There are tasks I may attend to 
—or may get to tomorrow. 
What was that song idea? 
Is there a deadline looming? 
To whom have I made promises, 
and what about household chores? 
That drab tab of duties: 
clean the gutters, the air filter, 
replace rusted hinges, and 
bring in plants for winter. 

With all likelihood the day 
will unspool slowly or quickly 
as I accomplish things, or don’t 
—check items off my list, 
or not, whatever. 
A new song would be nice, 
a new poem, but if not, 
I’ll read someone else’s, 
listen to someone else’s. 

And when she’s home at five 
she’ll tell me about her day. 
I’ll tell her about mine. 
How delightfully predictable, 
phenomenally milquetoast! 

Oh joy to find drama in books, in film 
and for once, praise God, not in my life. 
No senseless suffering, impending tragedy 
—cheating, beating, threat of leaving, 
shouting, shaming, slamming doors, 
accusations… humiliations. 

For this morning, at least, 
and for however long it may last 
—because everything changes, always, 
I revel in sheer uneventful normality. 
On my knees, I'm drenched in gratitude 
for what I can only call 
my world, this life these days. 

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Peace, and Happy Thanksgiving. 
TK 

*Lyric from "Nothing's Making Sense to Me But You" by Tom Kimmel, Jeff Franzel and Anthony Nunziata. 
Words and Music ©2020 by the writers.

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