At Poor David’s
January 26, 2005

Tori sent over this great pic of Sara’s show at Poor David’s! Thanks, Tori!

posted by Gene Cowan at 08:20 pm
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FOX news

Ok, FOX just called and said they are now moving the story about Lily to NEXT WEEK, either Tuesday or Wednesday.

So, next week we will get to see Lily sing “Look at Me” on TV.

That Lily. I can’t wait for you to see her. She is just a doll. Inside and out. And so PRAGMATIC and THOUGHTFUL!!!
I love her. I just love her so much! And iolana. Gosh! I should never complain about ANYTHING ever ever again because they are the most delightful people you could ever want to know, and I get to LIVE WITH THEM FULL TIME!!!

Also, those pictures that Gene posted of Johnny with my record cover had me in tears. He really captured the sweetness of Johnny.

Thank you, Gene.

posted by Sara Hickman at 03:47 pm
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The Days of Johnny

When I was growing up in Houston, tv had its place in the world.

If the evening news was on, it meant the tv was about to be turned off and dinner would be on the table any minute.

It meant we had a special break in our day to huddle together, all the classes of my elementary school, and watch a man walk on the moon. In hushed silence, holding our breath, my entire community felt the enormity of the event.
We were one planet with one common awe.

On Friday nights, it meant the family sat together on the sofa and watched Bob Newhart, Mary Tyler Moore and, our favorite, the Carol Burnet Show.

Saturday mornings, my sister and I would eat Lucky Charms and watch Super Heroes save the world, or laugh hysterically over Road Runner’s antics. We would travel through the human body with miniature scientists or close our eyes when we heard the Sleezstacks coming through a cave. Sunday nights was the Wonderful World of Disney, again, as a family, watching together.

But, in essence, tv was mystical. It was turned on and off with authority (my parents.) It was not an invader that took over our home and sullied our dinner time or told us what to think (although it has always told us what to buy!)

And, before the choice of a million channels and all the noise, there was the King. There was Johnny Carson bringing late night to life.

If, by chance, our parents let us stay up to watch Johnny, it was a complete thrill because it meant we got to be a part of our parent’s world. It meant we were big people, too…And, if we made it through the monologue (it always sounded confusing as children…”why was that funny, mom?”) then we got to see Johnny with exotic animals or see him dress up in outrageous costumes. He, like the man on the moon, brought us together…as families, as communities.



Being able to be on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson was nothing short of an honor. Singing to an audience I could barely see, let alone understand, was astounding. But getting to sit on the sofa with the man next to me was a miracle. Here was someone who met, what seemed like, all the most influential people of the world.

My grandparents, the musicians in my family, always amazed me. My grandma, sitting at her Steinway, and my grandfather, bopping along on his saxophone, encouraged me to make music. Sitting next to my grandma on her piano bench was exciting because I, again, got to be in a grownup world, keeping up with their effortless flow of everchanging jazz chords. As I look back now, they must have had great love in their hearts, knowing that I couldn’t really play along at their pace on my guitar, but that I so wanted to be like them.

So, getting to go on Johnny was more than “me.” It was about my family, my legacy. I knew it made my grandparents proud that what they had started I got to complete on their behalf.

At the end of the first show, as the credits were rolling, I felt an incredible urge to give Johnny a gift. I felt like the little drummer boy…”What do I have to give that is fit for a king?”….and the only thing I could think of was my watch. I undid the band and handed it to Johnny. I think he was stunned, of course!, but he graciously accepted it as I hugged him like a little kid with a new puppy. The joy I felt was intense!



I want to say thank you to Johnny again… Bless you for all the joy you brought to millions and millions of people. There will never be another person who changed the face and future of television like you. And thank you for helping this little girl’s dream become a woman’s reality…Bless you on your new journey…

Love,
Sara

posted by Sara Hickman at 11:04 am
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Lightbulb House
January 14, 2005

Our house is almost finished being painted on the outside. It is now lime green with periwinkle shutters and doors. As we drove up from school today, iolana said, “Well…here we are! Home to the lightbulb house!” I had to laugh. Her timing is so perfect.

My new assistant, Jenny, is doing a fine job figuring out how things work. She is mellow and smart and she drank three cups of coffee today! She likes to collect handbags. She is a dancer. She reminds me of Audrey Hepburn meets
Martha Graham.

Well, I decided, after fourteen years, to place all of my awards on on the book shelf across from my desk. They were in serious need of dusting, I tell you what. So, there they are. It’s cool! I never had a trophy case growing up; I never had any trophies! Whenever I won things as a child, they gave me cash or a paper certificate. Funny, I just whined about the Grammy disappointment, and looking at these awards today I realized they almost all had to do with my community involvement, and I found myself smiling, remembering WHY I won the award…the place and time and spirit of working to make this world a better place. It reminded me that, again, the purpose is important, not the award or the adulation.

Thanks to everyone who helped me find April! We caught up and I even talked to her mother, in person, and that was rewarding! What a neat family they are. Thank you, again, April, for all you give and do.

AND! For those of you who receive my newsletter, remember how I mentioned David, the president of Daisy Sour Cream? I asked if y’all would be willing to send a THANK YOU for allowing me to sing on the Daisy Sour Cream ads…
Well, guess what? Yesterday and today I have been writing new concepts for the next Daisy campaign, and on Monday I go in to sing again…So, that cracked me up that I thought, “Let’s thank David!” out of the blue, and then the next thing you know, the phone rings. I love how life never ceases to amaze me!

I made homemade chicken tetrazinni today for the first time. Wow. That was cool! I loved sauteeing the mushrooms and scallions with butter…mmm…the house smells so good right now.

We had a helium tank this week from a shindig we threw for iolana’s class, and so we have had balloons floating around the house all week. When they start to sink, we just get the tank down and make some more! I love it!
Helium tanks are instant colorful floaty fun!

Ok, the kids and I are off to Chuck E. Cheese…gotta go!

posted by Sara Hickman at 04:33 pm
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Love
January 07, 2005

posted by Sara Hickman at 05:47 pm
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April Milek
January 05, 2005

I went looking for April today, but the phones have been disconnected at Rhino Records. Then I tried to Google her…wow! What a lot of great projects she has worked on, from Cher, Jaco Pastorius, Sesame Street to Fleetwood Mac. I had no idea!

The reason I am looking for April is that I think she must be the link to American Idol. And let me tell you why.

April is one of the original Necessary Angels. She was there when I floundered and wasn’t sure what to do, and she sent her support, emotionally, spiritually and financially, way back in 1994. Then, over the years, she kept hooking me up with all sorts of super projects…it’s how my music ended up on a lot of compilation cds (like the Martha Stewart children’s compilation, for example.) She was working at Rhino and putting together projects and was always kind to throw my name in the hat.

Well, first of all, I wish I had known she had lost her job. I don’t know what I would have done…but I would have done SOMETHING!!!

And, second, I believe she deserves a big thank you for all her love and support, and so I was calling to tell her so.
But now I can’t find her.

So, April, if you are reading this blog, please email or call me. I would like to send you something because I really appreciate everything you’ve done.

posted by Sara Hickman at 04:09 pm
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American Idol 1/25!!!
January 04, 2005

This is the night that “Look at Me” will be included on the show, “American Idol”: Tuesday, January 25. Make it National Celebrate Lily Night!!!

Speaking of singing, tonight my mom and Jim …

(…my step-father, but I hate that term; really, he’s my second father. Hey! that’s what I’ll start introducing him as! Good Lord. Took me thirty years to figure that out in three seconds….)

…my mom and Jim and Lance and I were hanging out around the piano singing four parts to “Silent Night” as Lance was cleaning up the kitchen counters, putting things away from dinner. Lily was accompanying us on iolana’s drum kit. iolana was dancing slow circles with her six inch soft,
gray
stuffed
shark
with felt white teeth, six jagged little triangles on top…none on the bottom…
she got her “sharkie” when we went to new orleans this summer…

it was the kind of family moment i love. a memory moment.

earlier, my mom and lily were sitting at the piano, singing “how much is that doggy in the window?” and then i was polka-ing with jim to “the beer barrell polka”. we were terrible, but sure was fun and silly!

tonight i emailed my friend, gretchen phillips (genius) with her shock of great, gray hair (speaking of gray) and told her we need to write a song called TWO TODAYS because at exactly midnight, isn’t there a nano-second where there are really two days happening at once…one day ending, the other beginning…

heck! i’ll just get a start and make up some lyrics RIGHT NOW before i go to bed. maybe it will exhaust me!

TWO TODAYS

one day ending
one day beginning
spinning, always shining
hopping…skipping…
left to right
day to night
two wrongs can sometimes make everything
seem alright

yesterday
still today
tomorrow never really comes
wrestle
with the demons
squeeze the sugar from the lemons
too much still to be undone

i’m tripping
i’m falling
i hear your voice
you’re calling:
a whisper in my ear

i’m laughing
i’m sleeping
i hear your heartbeat
keeping
turning
these
two days into one

no one
knows for certain
what’s behind the curtain
of their dreams
we question
we ponder
we yodel and we wonder
is life everything it seems?

you’re thinking
you’re driving
i’ve warned you:
you should never think and drive
still you mix it up inside
letting your spirit run and hide
but look, now, we’ve arrived

you’re tripping
you’re falling
you hear my voice
i’m calling:
a whisper in your ear

you’re laughing
you’re sleeping
you hear my heartbeat keeping
turning two days into one

posted by Sara Hickman at 11:22 pm
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