The Smallest School
March 31, 2006

A commentary from KERA:

The Smallest School
By Tom Dodge, KERA 90.1 Commentator
DALLAS, TX (2006-03-22)
Since Texas is at the bottom in educational funding, experts concentrate on money as the only solution, but money is only the manifest problem. The fundamental problem is philosophical and therefore thought to be too difficult to remedy, I guess, bec ause, being at the bottom in education, we can’t understand it. But it’s actually simple.
Children need to be loved at home.
It is the very lucky child, especially today, who has a loving family support system. Family provides children with the confidence they need to know who they are and where they came from, a sense of what Walt Whitman called their “Me, myself.” Children who don’t have this generational schematic are always looking outside themselves for identity and sense of self-worth.
We don’t talk about this but it’s the elephant in the room. It’s easier to talk about money than the fact that more children than ever, I think, suffer from the alienation of modern life. Divorce, work demands, or war may be beyond anyone’s control but they nevertheless interrupt family life. Paul Barton of the Educational Testing Service has called family the “smallest school.” Children with loving families, no matter how they’re constituted, statistically succeed more of ten than not. Even one doting parent or grandparent can make all the difference.
It’s imperative that children are taught at home that education is valuable. The most literate societies are the ones that reward education. In our own case it’s easy to see that instead of education we reward sports and show business. So we get great athletes and performers with a lot of money.
Since only a few achieve in this way the rest of us are relegated to the role of media addicts, shadow people, always eclipsed by celebrities. Athletes, even politicians and news “anchors,” are objects of this obsession. Fame is the dream of many, education the goal of few. Presidential candidates, if they are to be successful, must sublimate their intellect, if they have one. The ideal candidate today is apparently a genuine non-intellectual willing to play the role of the school bully.
With all due respect to Christianity, celebrities are our deities, movie theaters our cathedrals, and the market place our heaven. Elvis is not dead; he’s in syndication and still coming out with new songs for sale. Bogart, dust since 1957, sells khakis. Ernest Hemingway, America’s only literary celebrity, died in 1961, yet he still sells his own line of furniture. James Dean sells Hamilton watches, Lee Jeans, Franklin Mint, American Greeting Cards, and NASCAR. Someone once told me that she wanted to be so famous that she would have to wear a disguise to go out in public. In other words, she’s nuts.
Again, children who are loved at home and provided with a strong sense of who they are and where they came from wouldn’t trade places with any celebrity. They know their “Me, myself.” The more love children have at home the less they need from the world. Today almost anyone can attain notoriety momentarily. Do something outrageous to allay the ennui of the jaded multitude and the cameras will record it. Some of them even achieve fame by appearing so brainless that they make the gener al population feel intelligent.
But when discussing crisis in education, Texans should consider this: money can buy a Rose Bowl championship football team but an education has no price tag.
If you have opinions or rebuttals about this commentary, call (214) 740-9338 or email us (http://www.kera.org/about/contactus.lasso).
© Copyright 2006, KERA

posted by Sara Hickman at 10:09 am
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SHE’s SAFE!!!
March 30, 2006

I would like to celebrate the release of Jill Carroll from the hands of her captors in Iraq.

This is a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

posted by Sara Hickman at 09:25 am
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All American Pastime: Baseball

The grass is so lush and green from all the rain. Especially at the South Austin Little League fields where baseball games are
in full swing.

Last night, as I was sitting on my Stitch beach towel on a forest green, wood slatted bleacher, I was gazing at all the children cheering wildly inside the visitor’s side dugout. Clinging to the cyclone fencing, jumping up and down, hugging each other, the entire air was filled with jubilation: the Athletics had just taken over the lead from the Cardinals.

You know what’s great about watching kids play baseball? They are playing for the right reasons. They are learning life’s lessons of winning and losing, and sharing and moving out of the way. They get dirt on their hands (and their britches). They watch coaches
go over to the sidelines and, tactfully, work out differences. There is an umpire, tall and lean, yelling, “OUT!” full throttle, followed by a gentle and commanding, ” Nice swing, by the way!” as the player leaves homeplate, struck out after ten attempts to hit the ball.

It’s great because you’ve got boys and girls playing together. You’ve got parents “oohing” and “aahing” from the stands, and giving encouragement to players on both teams. You hear a lot of “You did GREAT tonight!” and “I’m so proud of you, honey!”

No one is using steroids. No one is throwing bats or fists or getting in someone’s face til both faces turn red. No one is charging hundreds of dollars for a ticket. No, it is just ball, the way it was supposed to be played. For fun.

And, as I sit there in the bleachers, and meet parents of my daughter’s teammates, I get choked up with happiness. Watching siblings catch bugs or play chase, hearing laughter and smelling a corny dog from the concession stand, I think how good and simple life still is.

We are inundated with so much technology and war and fear and loss and pollution. All the “what ifs?” create colossal anxiety.

But, to hang out for a couple of hours, and just be. Just enjoy the flight of the nighthawk across the sky as the evening’s skylights
flicker on, brightening the field with that weird, fake sunlight….making the grass and even brighter green…and know that this is how life can be. I love everyone in the stands! I love the umpire in his regal, blue uniform and funny little cap…I love our coach as he pitches in the ball, telling someone to lift their bat a wee bit higher; I love how my daughter stands on the field, wiggling in anticipation of what’s to come.

I wish everyone could keep that wiggle. Of things to come…..of joys unseen, but hoped for. That this could be the game where we are ALL jumping at the fence, united as one worldwide team, a community of people who care for one another…a world where war has been abolished and crops of corn and wheat and homes of pink and yellow and brick and mortar are housing families who deliver fresh baked bread to the neighbor down the street.

I see a change in the papers. I read more positive stories, as of late. Could it be that the wave is turning, that people are looking for,
and living in, the desire of simpler lives?

posted by Sara Hickman at 07:44 am
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Romania Benefit
March 29, 2006

I’ve been involved with Romanian orphans since 1992.

I became involved because of an article I read in a Denver newspaper sitting in a Denver airport, waiting for a flight home to Dallas.
The article included the name of a woman who had recently visited Romania, and it compelled me to call her on the phone, right then and there. She came up to the airport and we discussed what it would entail to visit.

Over the last fourteen years, I have sent clothing, toys and money, and next Thursday (April 6) I am doing a show for women only at Curves on South Lamar…with proceeds going to the Tanner Romania Mission to help them finish building out a home for boys.

If you are a woman here in Austin, and you happen to reading this blog!, and you want to attend, call 444-4287…the party will start at 7-8:30 pm…We’ll have wine and munchies, music and heart.

Hope to see you there!
Sara

posted by Sara Hickman at 07:55 am
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Thanks, Takamine!
March 28, 2006

This is Eric Langenhahn. He is the Takamine rep who provded me with my 3 new guitars! He owns New Braunfels Music in New Braunfels, Texas, and he is the nicest guy ever. His website is http://www.newbraunfelsmusic.com.
And that’s me, signing the guitar that hangs in his store!

posted by Sara Hickman at 12:04 pm
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A Night of Women. (Ellen, You Would Have LOVED it!!!)
March 24, 2006

Hi, Ellen!

Have you been searching to stand in the middle of 65 women of various shapes and sizes and colors and let them sing sacred, chanting songs with all their heart…right to YOU while looking into your eyes? Well, let me assist you…I know JUST the group for you! I found them Tuesday night, right here in good old Austin, Tx!

From the liner notes of Susan Lincoln’s cd, “Mother Heart: Songs for the Sacred Feminine”:

“Hildegard of Bingen was a brilliant 12th century mystic and visionary who drew from ancient wisdom. She felt the entire universe was perfectly harmonized music. She believed and taught that every being and every movment produces a sound inaudible to most of us, yet in harmonic relation to all other things.

Hildegard possesed the extraordinary gift of being able to hear this extremely subtle but very real cosmic music. She believed that the function of earthly music is to open a portal to the higher realms of harmony that remind us of our soul’s origin and rejoin our voices and spirits to the very melody of life.” (http://www.susanlincoln.com)

I was invited to sing and laugh and play and talk with all these women who have been studying vocals and the muse via Susan and her teachings of Hildegard. It was in the sanctuary of a triangular, wooden boat of a Methodist church. It was a very, very moving experience. Women were laughing along with my stories, singing out and along on my songs, comforting one another when a song was
touching and creating tears.

And THEN, I was blown away by the fact that Susan had taken a simple email of mine and had her friend, Anya, turn it into a chant.
So, we all stood around the piano and sang a new song about the never ending circle of love.

And THEN, I closed with “We Are Each Others Angels”, and I thought of your big heart, Ellen, and how you would have been singing along, too, arms slung graciously over the shoulders of the women on either side of you. How you would have felt all the love in the room, and I could have winked over at you from behind my guitar, and nothing would need to be said. You know what I mean about the perfect moment..when everything is just right and happiness is in the house! (A big house that looks like a boat makes it all even better!)

Wednesday, I had to take myself to a movie. I was spent from the last couple of weeks. I was needing some alone time. Do you ever need that, too? I wonder what you do for alone time. Sew? Read a book? Take a walk? Call Oprah?

I saw “Failure to Launch.” I felt like I was watching an advertisement on extremely beautiful people, especially because there was a horizontal line down the middle of the screen the entire hour and 18 minutes I sat in the theatre. So, Matthew McMan’s bottom half of his body was on the top half of the screen, and his very tan face was on the bottom part of the screen. I had wanted to go to a film to distract my brain. Whoo. It was distracted, alright! I walked out of there thinking how nice it was everything was back in order and that my feet weren’t on my head.

posted by Sara Hickman at 08:16 am
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Sharing the love
March 23, 2006

An e-mail from Barry and Bonnie in Oklahoma….

Hi Sara,

I just had to write you a note about your performance last night in Tulsa. No, it is not to complain and ask for a refund or ask for any of the other outrageous offers you made in your delirium. I just want to thank you for finally making an appearance here. You sure made my day. Thank goodness I looked at your web site the other day or I would have missed it and that would not have settled easily with me. You are a fantastic lady, a wonderful singer and my gosh can you play that guitar. I am sure you made an excellent impression on those in attendance.

It was sure nice being able to speak with you briefly before and after your performance. I sure would have loved to talk with you longer, but I know that just was not possible. You are such a talented and beautiful lady. You are even prettier in person. hope by now you have recovered from your long day and hope to be able to see you again.

One thing you said during your performance really got my attention. It was about your pending agreement to get your music out nationally and worldwide, yet be able to retain ownership of your music. I’d love to hear more about that.

Oh well, I will go for now but thought I’d attach a couple of pictures we took with you last night. I’m going to make the one of you and me as the background on my computer, so I won’t forget to check your performance schedule.

Your fan for ever,

Barry & Bonnie Eggert
Owasso, Oklahoma



I was just getting ready to send this off and a song came up on Zen La La called “Too Fast”. That was one of my favorites from one of your older albums. I’d sure love to hear your background story on that one!!
Bye, Barry

posted by Sara Hickman at 09:13 am
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Ellen! Yoo-hoo! Here I am! The one in FLIPPERS
March 20, 2006

It all started on March 8….no…wait, it started way before then, but that’s where we’ll pick up the continuing saga of song!

So, Wednesday, March 8… I head over to the NARAS office (National Association of Recording Arts and Sciences) to give my prepared speech. A speech? A speech, you say? Yes, a speech. I had worked on my speech for over a month, writing and re-writing, calling other board members to find out their thoughts and ideas on how I could best serve the great state of Texas by becoming a Trustee.

This would be a mighty step for me because becoming a Trustee would mean I would serve on the National Board, helping to decide by-laws, helping to choose what categories would stay in the Grammys nomination process and which new categories should be added in, overseeing funding for Music Cares, bringing fresh ideas to an organization that does more than hand out awards. For example, the Trustees voted in the category of Hawaiian music, which was a coup for slack key and other musical acts native to Hawaii.

My speech involved projecting a thoughtful look at bringing more of the classical fold into the realms of membership, exploring the Latin Grammys and how to create a more inclusive, yet diversive, set of categories, and I also created an idea for a new project: NARAS and a sound company coming together to invest in the children of low-income schools by providing them with quality P.A. systems, delivered by an artist who could become a role-model or mentor to that school, and a tutorial on how to set up and break down the P.A. system by the students via a performance by that artist.

I decided to wear this gypsy skirt and burnt orange shirt with lace, which was all fine and good until I started SWEATING. I didn’t even feel nervous, but the fabric of the shirt was some strange SWEAT PRODUCING fabric…so, I had to read my speech with my arms glued to my sides…a poor effort to hide the large RINGS OF SWEAT imminating from my glands. (Did I just spell “imminating” correctly? Well, I sure know how to spell SWEAT, I tell you what!) I also passed out these folders I had created with copies of each of the proposals, personal references from other musicians/societies/ad agencies/conductors/one of my ministers from church….
I don’t know if I will win the seat, but I tell you, it sure was a fun challenge putting it all together, and it rekindled my interest in politics. Maybe someday….

Ok, so I finished the speech, ran home, changed out of my sweat clothes (ha ha…get it?)… Lance and io took me to the airport…I flew to Los Angeles, got picked up in a white, stretch limo (whoo-ha!), with the added bonus of my friends Rain and Pam waiting inside! We arrived at a super restaurant that looked like it used to be a Howard Johnsons but now it was all fancy-schmancy…and I met with George Nauful, head of Mesa Blue/SMC Recordings…he and I ordered salads but never really touched them…our conversation turned to business pretty quickly, and we decided the joint venture was a good call…We hugged and as he headed out into the night I popped over to a larger table two down and sat with my friends, who were just having dessert…we ordered a big chunk of some chocolate goo, a mini-chocolate goo volcano that the spoons were happy to destroy!

Then, we all piled in cars and headed to Gwen’s house, where Rain, Pam and I spent the night out past the pool, under the stars, beneath these gorgeous palm trees…in the guest house that had a 13 inch swordfish and a scale that told you beautiful things when you tried to check your weight (“Your life is one of mystery!” or “Your beauty shines throughout the day!”, things like that. I must have checked my weight seven times…my weight is unknown but my self-esteem was hefty!) After much giggling and searching through the goody-bags Gwen left out, we ate some spicy nuts, nibbled on MORE chocolate, and crawled into our beds…the moon was filtering through this peaceful skylight, and I was missing my family already, but prepared for the craziness ahead…

Woke up, couldn’t find any slippers, but did find a tiger striped robe and some FLIPPERS in the closet, so I thought, “What the heck!” and slipped them on my feet. I flipped and flopped across the cool cement, past the pool and the three dogs, barking frantically, into the big house’s kitchen, my big blue feet slapping the stone floor. Fortunately, no one was home. I peeked in the fridge and found eggs and cheese and bagels….I found butter and garlic and pepper and started a breakfast for Pam, Rain and myself. Coffee was bubbling, Pam came in with a cheery hello, and we put together a breakfast tray to surprise rain.

Flopping back outside in my flippers, Rain was just opening the sliding glass door of the guest house, and took a picture of me with Pam. We were smiling like two seven year olds who just pinned a tail on a donkey. Sitting outside in the morning chill, we drank our coffee and smeared cream cheese and jelly on the bagels. The eggs were still warm, thankfully. Delish!

Then showers for all, dressed, and headed out to the cemetary for a memorial service. I sang many songs, and played guitar on Rain’s beautiful “Family Tree” song, and there were tears and the memory of Trish was lifted up by many. We sang under a giant, leafy tree full of windchimes…every shape and color and size, all gently humming with “clings” in the morning’s touch. Angels were being born every second of every sound….

Then, I was rushed via the same limo to the airport, hopped on a plane, made it to Houston…and my plane to Tulsa was running late.
Oh, dear.

Well, finally, got on that plane, got to Tulsa, hopped off and into the night’s air to a waiting car and was whizzed over to the All Souls Acoustic Coffeehouse, where Anitra was waiting. I was twenty minutes late, but Robin Macy and her beau, Kentucky, were on stage sounding terrific, and Colin Boyd had just finished playing, so everything seemed to be going fine. I hopped up on stage and was introduced by someone who said I always found the positive in everyday life, and I started with “Moment of Grace”, thinking that I wasn’t quite following my introduction very well! By this time, I was getting loopy, and started to forget lyrics, most certainly during my rendition of “Learn You Like A Book,” which I had invited Colin to come up and sing with me on…I was feeling very “Flashdance” and asked to start over again.

SIDE TO ELLEN: This does not happen all the time. This was a moment of great exhaustion, one so in that I was simply getting giddy with it. I think you know what I mean.

The audience was very quiet at this venue. Polite, and nice, and yet…strangely quiet. I was thinking I was being too chatty, but afterwards, many people said it was a fine show, that they enjoyed it very much. I am reminded of how Carly Simon supposedly throws up before any performance…how is it musicians, or at least SOME musicians, can’t seem to have an accurate viewpoint of their own performance? How do we get all caught up in what we think is happening but the audience sees something completely different? Is there a time warp? Are all musicians just kooky and maladjusted psychological oddities? I have no answer for this because I am a musician. Perhaps if I move into my artist’s way, I can find a creative response. No. Nothing there, either. (But I had an idea while I was searching in the old brain! Let me just jot that down over here on this piece of paper right next to the other piece of paper with ideas jotted down under last week’s ideas…there.) Anyway, very nice people and I thank them, again, for their patience in waiting for me to arrive from L.A. Thank you. It was an emotional day, for sure.

Alright. So, I finish the show, I sell some cds, I pack up guitars (which had been FED-EXED the day before…isn’t that crazy? But, thanks to Dirk, it happened and I had less to carry on the plane trips)…Grab my stuff and jump in the car with Robin and Kentucky and we drive 2 1/2 hours over to Kansas, where I stay with Robin on her 40 acre arboretum. That’s right. Complete with a winding river down the middle of it, a giant pumpkin patch, tulips popping up amongst the daffodils and paperwhites, a gianormous variety of trees and bushes and vines…stonework, brickwork, sculptures…three bridges, a paddle boat, and a field to play baseball! All of which I enjoyed for a day and a half, included a sing-a-long around the campfire Friday night with Jeff Luxinger and Kentucky and I trading off guitars, singing everything from Queen to Neil to John to Heart to old Domestic Science Club tunes. Kentucky’s son, Micah, was helping Robin make S’mores over the flames…I think I need to dub this the Mini-Chocolate Tour!

Robin took great care of me, and I stayed in her beautiful, two story fairy castle, complete with a stone slab over the door that reads:
AT LAST, HOME….

Saturday, she drove me to Oklahoma City, where we went directly to her parents home in Edmond. Another finely furnished and interesting abode, complete with gorgeous landscapes painted by her mom on every wall. We headed over to the Blue Door, where Robin left cuz she was WORN OUT, poor woman! But Robin’s dad, Phil, stayed and heard me sing every note and tell every story. This was a great night, little turn out, but the sound system at the Blue Door just spoils me rotten. They have it down, for sure. I sell some NAKED calendars, so now I have some mulah to give to Jon Dee Graham and his family. That was good news!!

Next a.m., Sunday…March 12…Phil, Robin’s dad, drives me to the airport and we talk about politics, philosophy, paradigm shifts, stories…A great discussion. We have decided to become pen-pals to further discuss our differences and, hopefully, to gain insight into one another’s positions. Likin’ that!

Get on the plane…fly to Dallas…fly to Austin…Lance and io are waiting, they pick me up and take me home…I have two hours…I do laundry, unload the cd suitcase, repack the guitars, repack my clothes and back-pack, and off we go, Lily in tow, to the airport to go to Chicago for springbreak. Yes!

Here is an overview of the most perfect family week together:

Saw Blue Man Group…have you ever experienced strobe lights and reams of cascading toilet paper with your children? IF not, I suggest you add it to your “TO DO” list. It was a blast. If you have no children, perhaps you can borrow your neighbors and enjoy the festivities! But have them home by 10, please. So much F-U-N, all capital letters cuz I am not kidding.
ALSO:
Ate Chicago style pizza at Lou Malnado’s.
Went to Millineum Park and stared at 65 foot faces of people blinking and yawning. They usually spit out water, but the fountains were shut down. Still excellent!
Saw the Aquarium.
Saw museums.
Played in the snow.
Taught iolana how to play “Solitaire”. Although she is only five, she could see the advantages of entertaining oneself should the need arise in the future. Also got to explain what “Solitaire” means.
Sauteed fresh shrimp!
Rode the El (the train) everywhere.
Did things. Did nothing. Sat and talked. Sat and laughed. Ate homemade ice cream at Peterson’s, a 1928 ice cream shoppe where one scoop of ice cream was $5.99! Kinda like the price for a gallon of gas….(Bucket-a -fish!)
Bought beautiful art at the Gallery 37 store that helps fund Youth Art programs….

Then the week was over. My lovely family flew home to Austin, I flew to D/FW for a fantastic show at Jefferson Freedom Cafe.
Oh, there was love and there was laughter and the next morning I had breakfast with Robert S. and we talked of life and heartache and ate some good food next to the hotel fire (but no chocolate, although I did think of having a cuppa hot chocolate…but settled on tea with cream)…And I flew home in the very clothes I had worn the night before, the cold rain slamming against the plane, nothing but gray on the wings, gray as far as I could see….amazed that the pilots have so much faith in math and can land when there is nothing to see but gray.

And…there was my family…waiting by the curbside…an officer yelling at my husband to stop driving around in circles…he, my darling husband, who has been patiently circling to pick me up…and he glides over to the side and I drop my backpack in, give quick hellos and love and let them know the guitars have not come down the chute, so off they putter, driving slowly, but they will be back, and I will have my guitars in tow and I will hop in the car and we will talk about the last fourteen hours we have been seperated and we will cuddle our dog, our snake, our cats when we arrive home. But all that must wait. We need to go to the grocery store. And so we go…and push the carts…and the girls go to one side of the store with a list, and Lance and I head over to the meat department, and we all meet in the middle, and I am thankful for these people I can call my own. These people who claim me, too. What a tribe!

I love my family.
I love my audiences.
I love the chance and opportunity and the mystery of it all.

I am corny and I do not care! I’m from Illinois, you know.

posted by Sara Hickman at 03:18 pm
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Hope you have a tallllll screen
March 04, 2006

[Photo by Scott Walker]

posted by Sara Hickman at 12:48 pm
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One Degree of Separation from Ellen
March 03, 2006

Ok, Ellen, you know that cool game about Kevin Bacon? “Six Degrees of Separation from Kevin Bacon”? Well, I think there needs to
be a new name for that game:

ONE DEGREE OF SEPARATION AND IMMENSE POSSIBILITIES IN MEETING ELLEN DeGENERES

Can’t you see that on t-shirts? People who have been on your show could give the shirt away to their friends/family members, their congresspeople, pop them on their snowmen in winter and their children in the spring!

You see, I bring this thought to light because of what happened last Friday night. Let me explain:

One of my oldest best friends,Julie, was going to be celebrating her birthday last week and she really wanted to go see Bonnie Raitt in concert. So, I asked George (Marinelli) if he would mind sharing two tickets to the Houston show, where Julie lives. He said,and I quote, “No prob, Bob.” He knows my name is Sara, but he just likes to call me Bob.

Anyway, before I know it, I have driven down to Houston, and Julie and I are walking into the Verizon Center downtown. George has left us FOURTH ROW seats!!! Woo-hoo! We are giddy with it! Bonnie comes out and slides all over her guitar (well, I mean she plays her slide all over her guitar) and pretty soon, this one lady who is walking past the front of the stage…she stops…and starts dancing!

“C’mon, Julie!” I holler, and we hop outta our seats, and soon, we are dancing and singing along and wow! It was such fun! such a blast!

Afterwards, George comes out in his Paddington Bear hat, and he takes us backstage to the band’s dressing room (everyone is dressed, yes!) And we have yuks and snacks, when, suddenly, Hutch, Bonnie’s bass player up and leaves the room! I hear him talking in low tones to someone out in the hall, and then I hear this:

“Sara Hickman? Sara Hickman’s here? I want to meet her!”

And it is Bonnie Raitt!

And my palms start sweating (ok, I’m being dramatic, but it makes for good blog!), and I tuck my head between my legs and start chanting, “There’s no place like home, there’s no place…” When in sails Bonnie and she is telling me she loves my work and so glad to finally meet me and I am being hugged by this tiny, hard as rocks body! My Goodness! She must eat yogurt and lift weights on the bus!

Bonnie struts over to the sofa and plops down on next to Julie, who is grinning like Jimmy Carter and pleased as punch to be right where she is, and I am in AWE! Julie hands Bonnie some pita chips, that is how cool she is! I’m just standing there stunned!

Well, that Bonnie is sweet as honey. She sat with us for about forty minutes, and her little dog, Lexi came and sat with us, too. Lexi is a black poodle with glass eyeballs! Isn’t that something? And she looooooooves her Bonnie.

Finally, Bonnie heads on up to the bus, and Gentleman George walks us back upstairs…and Julie and I dance down the street to the parking garage, happy as hamsters with a new wheel in a clean cage!

NEXT NIGHT

After a relaxing day at Julie’s inner city farm, complete with roosters, dogs and Shipley’s donuts from our late night run, Julie helps me over to Dan’s Electro, an old wooden club with black, neon-starred carpet on the walls and concrete floors. Dan’s has been around for thirty years, but this is my first time to ever play there. It has the feeling of a college joint (not the kind you smoke, the kind you go hear live music in.)

My band has driven down from Austin, and we rock away! I am doubly animated, still thrilled with last night’s concert, and I am pretending, as I sing and play guitar, that I am at the Verizon center and everyone is up and dancing, and I notice the grumpy security guards and say, “Come join in the fun!” and the guards say, “Heck yea!” and throw care to the wind and join in.

In reality, there are maybe forty people in attendance, but does that mean we give a lesser concert? No way, Jose! It means we burn up the jams even harder! And we have cake!

Yes, cake, in honor of Brad, the drummer’s, birthday! I bought a cake at the Panderia down the street, a giant, round tres leches cake,complete with pineapple filling! My slice is on a plate by the base of my mic stand, and as I grab the mic and twirl and strut a la Mick Jagger, the mic stand comes slamming down to rest right in the middle of my cake. SMUSH!!! It’s rock and roll and I like it, I like it, yes, I do!!!

TODAY

I am in Ft. Worth for the Kennedy Center’s Imagination Celebration. I have been visiting local schools and giving performances for pre-k to 2nd grade. Oh, the kids are so amazing! I love doing these programs.

Ellen, do you do school programs, too? You could talk about what it takes to become a comedian/talk show host/movie star/bon vivant and the kids would EAT YOU UP!!!

And, I have another idea:
I’m going to create a proposal and deliver it to NARAS (National Association of Recording Arts and Sciences) next Wednesday.

I notice that many of the schools I perform at…ok, about 85% of them!…have no P.A. system. It is very frustrating for principals, performers, storytellers and children to be prepared to share with children, and yet, not have a system to be heard!

So, I think NARAS could partner with a sound company and donate P.A.s to schools. I know there are little mobile/self-folding systems that don’t cost much…maybe $500-600…and when a school is to become a recipient of the P.A., an entertainer within the NARAS community could deliver the system, show kids how easy it is to set up/break down, and then perform for the school! This would be a great way for NARAS to talk about the many aspects of the organization…from Music Cares to education iniatives…and the fact that it does more than just hand out Grammys.

Plus, it gives low income schools the opportunity to learn more about the music industry and have an inroads to a relationship with NARAS. Every kid has a dream, and we should give them a way to have their dream heard in the very beginning of their lives!

posted by Sara Hickman at 03:29 pm
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