Howard Thompson’s Radio Site Online
July 22, 2007
To this day, I'm still friends with and very grateful to Howard for believing in me all those years back. So, now, I'd like to return the favor by chatting up his online broadband. I promise you'll enjoy his taste in music!
Enjoy!
Sara
FROM HOWARD:
Greetings, Cakers,
Since “Cake” took to the “broadbands” three weeks ago, my audience has increased significantly and my ranking (as of today) is 2,364 out of approx 12,000 stations on the Live 365 Network. Hurrah, another slice please!
A few more listeners will probably put me into the top 2000, so keep spreading the word and if you have a web-site or a blog, please feel free to link us.
Thanks for the mentions Angel CC, Gary L. and Hank from Wormburner. You guys get EXTRA icing.
CAKE Top 11 for week of July 22nd 07
1. Curtis Mayfield: Superfly
2. Sam Cooke: You Send Me
3. Billy Bragg
4. The Star Spangles
5. Gary Lucas
6. Deborah Evans-Stickland: I’m Ready
7. Graham Parker
8. Ruben Blades: Muevete
9. Lee Perry
10. Big Al Anderson
11. Captain Beefheart
Suicide
‘til next week,
howard
ps To those of you as disgusted as me by the Michael Vick/dog-fighting story of last week, here’s a link so you can do something about it:
https://community.hsus.org/campaign/US_2007_dogfighting_nfl2/ddsedxr2dtxewk
posted by Sara Hickman at 03:26 pm
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International Women’s Peace Conference/Woody Guthrie Festival
July 21, 2007
Thanks to Jeff Veazy, who placed me in the conference, I was on the bill with Jody Williams, a Nobel Peace Prize winner who speaks out against land mines, and is also featured in the film, "Nobelity", by Austin creative guru, Turk Pipkin.
She was an impassioned speaker, no notes, just blunt and factual about war, bombs, what we can do to change the world. After Jody, the IWPC Choir, about 10 women, got up to sing some peace oriented songs from around the world.
Rounding out the evening, Kristin and I hopped up on the stage in front of about 500-600 women, in front of which I recited a poem I had written on behalf of women, having the women interact about taking their part in change...we followed that with lots of singing. Oh, right...and I got everyone to yell from their gut. That was cool. Then I invited Lucy up to sing with her sisters, and that was really moving. Boy, American clothes for we women sure are boring!
We need to be able to have some attitude and color and creative accessories that empower our souls, too.
I had a super fancy suite, thanks to the IWPC, at the Adams Mark hotel. Got up around 5:30 am, got showered and dressed, and a town car took me to D/FW airport for my flight to Woody Fest. A very nice man named Tony picked me up in OKC, and I immediately apologized that I might nod off during the hour long drive to Okemah, and he was thoroughly understanding.
Got to the hotel, with about an hour and a half before my first show, but there was no room at the inn! The manager told me I would have to wait. (It's funny how one minute I'm in a giant, gleaming fancy tower, and then the next I'm in a motel by the side of the highway, built on cinder blocks and sweat.) Tony went to find someone to convince the manager that I did, indeed, have a room. Standing in the lobby, I notice a statue of Ganesh next to a postcard of Woody on the receptionist's desk. I was staring at those items while I was waiting. There was something very keen and brotherly about them, and I started smiling. Just standing there in the little lobby, smiling to myself. The manager returned. He said I could have a room, but it was not ready. I said, "No worries," and went with him and we changed the sheets and pillowcases together. Me and a man from India. I kept wishing I could get him to smile, but he was all business.
Maybe if he had seen me smiling about Ganesh and Woody. I mentioned the two as we put the flat sheet on the bed, but either he didn't hear me or was tired of having a hotel full of wacky musicians that stayed up until 4 a.m. playing loudly in the parking lot....so he was punishing me for the music I hadn't even made yet...
Saw Ellis Paul in the parking lot. He looked good, albeit slightly groggy. Made it to my first gig in time to see Nancy Apple and a cowboy, whose name I can't remember at the moment...they were both very good, but it didn't sound like children's music. All the kids were jumping on jumping jumps, or riding on the horse drawn wagon, so I figured by the time my turn came to sing under the tent, I'd just amuse myself, but lo and behold, people showed up, including Roger and Stripey Shirt Man, and families, everyone on lawn/camping chairs as there was mud everywhere from boisterous rains the days before. I sang through the amp and tried not to knock my guitar into the tiny guitar mic, laughing with everyone as we sang and jumped around (in the grass, not on the jumpy jumps). It was a lot of fun. I got asked to come back and do two shows next year. Yee-ha! Cold bottled water tastes really good, by the way, when it is humid
and you've been singing at lung capacity.
My next show was at 4:00 in the Crystal Theatre, about four blocks over. This is a theatre that has been around the block, I might add. Most likely built in the early 1920's, it is hanging in there, but becoming quite shabby. There was water downstairs in the basement, and the wood is starting to rot, but the vibe the theatre holds is stellar. There was even a 1950's five foot paper poster from New Year's eve hanging in the corner that had a smiling New Year's baby
watching the sands of time run down, and signatures all over the walls from 1930's musicals and plays. It was an intriguing way to hang out while waiting to go upstairs and sing. I witnessed Sam Baker for the first time, and he is very funny, his hair grey tumbles of curls past his shoulders, tan and smiling, seating as he strums the guitar delicately and tells his odd stories to music. He was accompanied by Karen Mal on mandolin: it was lovely. Then a band came up and played, and, once again, I can't remember the name of the performer! Ay yi yi! Forgive me....! Then it was my turn to go up, and I was solo, but I just had a great time, and the audience was so attentive...and towards the end, I got a standing ovation and when I came back out to do another song, a guy threw his boxer shorts up on stage! I've made it! My question was: when did he take off his PANTS?! I hung the shorts on the mic stand and had a good laugh. Later, he signed the shorts for me!
Afterwards, sat outside and signed pictures and sold cds. Everyone was so nice! I was jumping over the table to share hugs, and finally just blew off the table and stood next to it. After that, rode out with Susan Rhodes to the Pastures of Plenty. She's the Kerrville photographer, and a nice woman, to boot. We realized that was the first time in 17 years we've actually gotten to hang out and chat! Got to the food tent back stage, and wowza! The food was incredible...
steaming dishes of pastas and fresh veggies, salads galore, baba ganush, condiments, cheese sauces, chips and homebaked cookies fresh from the oven. I grabbed a plate and sat down with Jimmy La Fave and Susan and David Amran and Jamaica, Joel Rafael's daughter. Dinner was SCRUMPTIOUS. Went out front and walked around the artist's tents, and ran into Stripey Shirt Man (aka Joseph, aka Buddy) and we ended up walking over for an ice cream from a giant inflated ice cream cone truck. Ended up having a seat with Joseph and friends, front row dead center!, to watch Joel Rafael and band and then Terri Hendrix and Lloyd Maines. It was all spectacular because the field was green green green and thousands of people, laying back, enjoying the great music to the pink and orange filled sunset....stacks of speakers upon speakers, loud but not annoyingly so...whoever was running sound did a yummy job. I started drifting off to sleep, so Susan took me back to the hotel....I wanted to stay up for the parking lot jam, which went on outside my room until 4 am, but I could never get myself out of the bed. So, I just listened from inside, admiring the virtousity of everyone's song wafting through my windows....
Next morning, I got up and started writing. I wrote a song called "Later Than You Think", and I decided to take a risk and ask everyone at the Hootenanny to jump in and sing it with me at the Crystal Theatre goodbye jam.
I was so deliriously tired and happy, I got weepy during the performance. I wish you could have been there. It was one of those moments where you know there will be mistakes, but what the heck....music is about the moment, isn't it?
posted by Sara Hickman at 06:07 am
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If Anyone Wants to Volunteer to Motivate/Inspire these Kids….
July 19, 2007
I got this in my email, and wanted to share it with anyone who might be interested in helping out....
Sara
To Whom It May Concern,
My name is Angie Alexander. I am an abstinence educator, art teacher and librarian for the Williamson County Juvenile Academy. Our facility is separated into two departments: 1. a detention center 2. JJAEP school/residential facility. We facilitate male and females, ages 10-18 who are in trouble with the law for one reason or another. We receive youth who are strung out on drugs, abused or neglected, involved in gangs and so on. For many of them, this is the last opportunity to get on a more positive path before they are sent on to TYC (Texas Youth Commission).
Along with my other duties, I have taken on a new "job" for this upcoming school year~I am in charge of finding wonderful, motivating, interesting speakers and talents!! I am looking for people who are interested in helping these young people hear stories and see talents of people they may not have the opportunity to come in contact with on their own, in hopes of encouraging them and teaching them a variety of careers, passions, life stories and cultures. Letting them see that people do care about them and are willing to share their time with them.
Unfortunately, we don't have a budget for speakers and have to ask for volunteers to come and share their stories, talents and wisdom. We can provide some items you may need for your presentation and can talk about what arrangements need to be made should you be willing to donate your valuable time. I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Angie C. Alexander
WCA Teacher
angiecalexander at hotmail.com (I check this regularly)
posted by Sara Hickman at 01:21 pm
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Boys & Girls Club/ International Women’s Peace Conference
July 12, 2007
Tomorrow I leave to go to the International Women's Peace Conference in Dallas to sing with Kristin. Here is a biography on one of the women who will be presenting and present...Thanks to J Kendel for sending me the info about Lucy.
BIOGRAPHY FOR LUCY SEMEIYAN MASHUA
Lucy Semeiyan Mashua was born on March 19th, 1978 in Illassit, Loitokitok a remote village in southern Kenya. She is from the nomadic tribe of the Maasai people and is fluent in 10 African languages as well as English and speaks some French and Arabic. She graduated in 1998 from the International Central Management Institute and holds a degree in Hospitality and Public Service specializing in Communications. In 1999, Lucy was the only Kenyan at the time to qualify as an international radio broadcaster with the Voice of America (VOA) radio.
Lucy has lived in eight African countries including Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Somalia, Sudan, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo engaging in social and political activism. In 1999, at the age of 21, Lucy became an activist, speaking out against the subordination and abuse of women, and became a mobilizer of peaceful demonstrations. In September 2003, Lucy was the head of Public Relations and Media at the 13th International Conference on AIDS and STDs in Africa (ICASA) held in Nairobi, Kenya. She has also volunteered with the International Somalia Rehabilitation Association (ISRA) helping to organize the 2006 International Women’s Day in Baidoa with the Ministry of Gender and Family Affairs in Somalia. She has been on the forefront of the fight against governmental corruption and the misuse of funds in Africa. Her activism soon put her life in danger. Eventually, she had to flee her homeland, leaving behind three young children. In 2006, Lucy came to Dallas seeking asylum. Today, she lives in Grand Prairie and is fighting to gain her asylee status. She is now a member of the United Nations Dallas Chapter.
At the age of nine, Lucy could not escape the deep-rooted tradition of female genital circumcision and was forced to undergo the procedure. Then three years later, at the age of 12, she was forced to marry. Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a controversial practice that violates several human rights laws set into place by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. While speaking out against the genital mutilations performed on girls in her native Kenya, she has faced strong resistance from people in her tribe. She has even had to hide her family for fear of reprisals. Soon her eight year-old niece whom she has adopted as her own daughter will have to endure the procedure. Relatives are keeping her children safe, but she hopes someday to bring all her family members to the U.S.
As a result of her horrific experience, Lucy is now fighting hard to stop the tradition of female genital mutilation. She wants to establish rescue camps for girls in her country. “I want to be a voice for the voiceless,” she says. “I would like to start an organization here to help with this,” she said. She hopes that she can help end genital mutilation by raising awareness of the practice.
As a survivor of torture, Lucy now speaks out on the following topics: Female genital mutilation, early childhood marriage, forced abortions, human rights abuses, and the abuse of women both physically and emotionally.
posted by Sara Hickman at 05:59 am
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Firecracker Tour & Blogathon
July 08, 2007
FIRECRACKER TOUR KICKS OFF ON INDEPENDCE DAY!
JULY 4, WED
First night of the Firecracker Tour, culled together by the fabulous and cheer-filled Abi Tapia (http://www.abitapia.com), was at a wooden dance hall in Freyburg, TX, owned by the dazzling and very talented Ginn Sisters' family (http://www.theginnsisters.com). There was B-B-Q, and a variety of folks, from youngsters to the oldest, and very attentive folks they were! Seated at long wooden tables, sipping on beers and cokes, laughing and clapping and singing along under sparkling Christmas lights laced into wooden vines that have collected in poignant spots around the interior, it was a congenial crowd. The Firecracker Tour kicked off with Abi, and then me, and closing with the Ginn Sisters and band.
Abi is fresh-faced freckles, sparkling brown eyes like a kitten's, and lots of dark ringlets to frame her face. She smiles so wide while she is performing, and her songs are a mixture of
country, folk and catchy! She is a love bug, for sure. (And I can NOT stop singing "I Cried Wolf"...) The Ginn Sisters are Tiff and Brit, who encapsulate sisterhood and perfect timing in a sound akin to the gutsy side of the Dixie Chicks wrapped around the tasty flavorings of family bluegrass. Tiff sings and handles acoustic while Brit plays incredible flute, and I can honestly say it was incredible...she is a rock flautist...and melodica, switching readily into harmonies as needed. Their blend is why all families should sing together---just sounds uncannily pure and captures the best joy of harmony-style singing.
Cat Reynolds had come along to sell merch...She has the best spirit: patient and wise. Abi, Cat and I took my mommy van and car pooled.
The night wasn't hot or rainy, just pleasant with the scented hint of waters to come.
I met Gabola; I know I am spelling that wrong. An 82 year old woman with a slight German accent. We were hanging out by the port-a-potty, chatting about the days of farming, her 8 children, her 20 grandchildren and her 33 great-grandchildren. Amazing. There was a very wierd shaped spider in the port-a-potty. It looked like a tea pot.
JULY 5, THUR
We played at the Cactus Cafe with all of the above, plus Suzanna Choffel (http://www.suzannachoffel.com) and Amy Cook (http://www.amycook.com).
Wonderful crowd! Griff, the man who runs Cactus, asked me if I was going to mention the Denny lights. I laughed. Those frosted globes that hang down from the ceiling and provide dim
lighting prompted me once many years back to mention that I thought the place looked like a romantic Denny's.
Abi went first, and wowed everyone, of course, then Suzanna, who plays electric jazz be-bop-hip-folk, hopped up and filled the room with her lusty voice and perfect pop. I really enjoyed hearing her, watching her bow her head, hair hiding her face, as she sauntered to her sassy songs. Up next was the lithe Amy, who played in a drop D tuning, singing about sunny days and promises kept and a voice akin to Eliza Gilkinson crossed with shades of Sheryl Crow, but, of course, a feeling and sound that is all her own. Just hearing the three of them perform would have been a perfect night. Especially at only $8.
We took a short break, and sold cds, chatted with the crowd, then it was time for the Ginn Sisters to pop up and they were bright and deep and painted a feeling of something old with something new. Listening to them, I feel transported to a simpler time, when people would sit on their porches, rocking in their chairs, family gathered around, sharing songs...or a country fair, cotton candy in hand, a ferris wheel in the background, sunny days, children's laughter, and the two of them on a simple, flatbed trailor, wailing away, sharpening the afternoon with their voices and humor. I like how girly they are, carrying their femininity in their long ponytails, but their wisdom in their mischievous smiles.
The audience ate them up, and wanted more more more, but it was my time to go up, so I played. No description of me here....! But I had fun, broke a string, kept moving forward, singing my heart out.
At the end, all the women came up, and we dedicated "Strong Woman" to Ann Richards and Molly Ivans, and all sang together. That was fun, then Abi and Brit broke into "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun", and we did, and the night came to a close.
Great job, Abi, thinking to put this diverse group of female musicians together!
JULY 6, Friday
Abi, Suzanna, Amy, Cat and I gathered our gear and headed out in Martha (my van) to Sons Of Hermann Hall in Dallas, which I had not been to since my wedding there in 1996. I love that hall, I love Jo, the woman who runs it, and I love Mike, the promoter. Heck, I just think SOHH is, again, a warm inviting embrace into the past. Anyplace that has shuffleboard, come on! How can you go wrong?
The sound check was perfect, loud and clear and warm and the hall is so large, your voice feels like it is expanding across water and to the end of the seas. Mmm.
I guess this could be considered the oddest night, as there were maybe 20 people that showed up, and with the size of the hall, it seemed like a dismal turn out to all. I had people emailing me through the week letting me know they were coming, so I was slightly shocked at the turnout. But, maybe it was because we were up against Terri Hendrix (http://www.terrihendix.com) or Keith Urban (http://www.keithurban.com, I'm taking a stab at that one!
????But we all played, and we were all sitting in on each other's songs, and I was missing having Kristin with me...And afterwards sold a ton of cds, so, perhaps a small turnout, but the crowd had a big heart and helped us out!
Drove home, and traded out the driving. Got in to Austin and home around 4:30 am.
JULY 7, Saturday
Last night....my first time to ever play Anderson Fair and here is what I think of that place:
I LOVE IT! Tim, the soundman, did a stupendous job...wow. I felt like I could fly anywhere with my voice. There was a packed house, and we all actually made some mulah, but more so,
everyone sounded BEE-YOU-TEE-FUL. I love when Abi and the Ginn Sisters sing the gospel-tinged songs in three part. (Then I really miss being in Domestic Science Club...my body aches for that kind of song-sisterhood, blending voices and making it feel like one long stream of universal conciousness-angel-song.)
Lastly, I want to say....I said something on stage...rambling words as I was searching for a lead into a song...but feelings got hurt and, later, there was some tears and conversations and I felt SUPER bad and I hope I alleviated any terrible joo-joo because, golly, I really, really, REALLY am just winging it on a prayer and a song, and trying to do my best, and don't like upsetting anyone...but I do make mistakes...and...I don't think ANYONE likes upsetting anyone...but these things can happen in the moment of live music... and then we must talk it through so that things don't eventually get worse or memories become unclear....so I am grateful for the courage of everyone involved to spit it out and work through the confusion/sadness/uncomfortability of it all.
Then...the tour came to a close, and we waved goodbye to Anderson Fair, hugged one another, and the sweet Ginn Sisters headed back to Schulenberg, while me, Amy, Abi and Cat drove towards Austin (Suzanna had only played two nights.) Rain on the way in, but none on the way out. Which is too bad, cuz Abi does a great Mary Tyler Moore worried sound, like "Oh, MR. GRA-ANT!" in that wobbly voice, but more of a "Ohh....it's RAIN-ing!" with a cheery tinkle in her voice. You'd have to hear it. I'm missing it today, already!
Lots of love and fun on the drive home, with Amy doing the BEST dance, when we pulled over, from the gas station back to the pump. I just wish we'd captured it on film.
OK....HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK MOMENT:
Thank you to all the women musicians! It was an honor to share the stage with you, your musicality, your songs and heart. U R 2 CUTE 2 B 4gotten!
Abi--you rock! LYLASA, and I mean it! Let's write!
Amy--you know what I'm thinking so I don't eve have to say it! BFF and PMA, sister!
Suzanna, I wish we'd gotten to chat more, you're amazing! And going far! Most likely to succeed! (which is true everyone!!!)
Ginn Sisters---you wow everyone you meet, and I look forward to our friendship expanding! C U soon!
Cat, thank you for the hug, and you know why. You're a great sister to me. ILY 4 Evah!
posted by Sara Hickman at 09:17 am
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