Hot Stove Cool Music Huge Success!

On stage with Home for Little Wanderers, with Peter Gammons and Tanya Donnelley

Saturday night Jan 14 was the Hot Stove Cool Music event.  I really had to coax some of the kids from Home For Little Wanderers to take part in performing their own song “Be You”.  Didn’t know how they’d get along with the girls from “Real School of Music” who were helping augment the singing.  Big resistance, so I had a bunch of anxiety leading up to the event. When I arrived at The Paradise, two of the Home Kids were already there waiting. The first thing out of J’s mouth was…”I don’t like it here”  Then in came the chirpy girls from “Real School of Music”.  These girls wrapped J and S under their wings as new best friends and after being on stage, J, having sung his little scat to much applause, was walking on air, pumped with a feeling he does not know too well having grown up homeless…appreciation.

Peter Gammons, Bill Janovitz, Ed Valauskas and the whole Hot Stove Band and Allyce Najimy from Foundation To Be Named Later, have made me feel truly included and that yes indeed these songwriting programs are vitally needed to help heal the wounded parts so many of us have.  Right there on stage you could see it transforming these kids.  Not just hear someone talk about the benefits of music.  It was right in front of your face, this song these kids…so inspiring. Music giving back in the best way possible, by helping others create it themselves.  The more I am able to continue these programs, the more I can help other musicians and therapists learn the trauma informed methods I use so they can teach the songwriting programs themselves; not hard, just a little training, a big heart and some musical talent.   We at Songbird Sings are bearing witness as those silenced by trauma are becoming the alchemists of their own lives, turning their tragedies into diamond jewels, though song.  I realize this sounds simplistic, but it works.  It’s not a cure but participants have an opportunity to tell their story, and their experience is heard and validated through the songwriting process and group experience. This is powerful.  Music as we know rules for it’s healing capabilities.

Tanya Donelly from Throwing Muses, Breeders, Belly was so moved by the kids rehearsing back stage that it didn’t take much to persuade her to jumped on stage to sing “Be You” with us.

Later on in the evening I sang my song “When Things Go Wrong” and “Rockin In The Free World” with Theo Epstein (late of the Red Sox now of The Cubs) on stage playing guitar with the band.  Very cool night!!!!!  Wish you all could have been there.

We have been asked to perform the song again at the next event Monday, Jan 30 at The Sports Roundtable. http://www.foundationtobenamedlater.org/

Imagine me and sports.  Well that is what Foundation To Be Named Later is about and Hot Stove Cool Music so I am very happy to be part of music and baseball giving back.

Don’t forget to check out Friday Jan 27, Boston Globe for a huge article about Songbird Sings.

Another one of the Hot Stove Cool Music kids (and me) backstage

More of the Hot Stove girls and me backstage

Backstage with Kay Hanley and Kimberly Pfister (part of my group of young singers)

Peter Gammons and me with the girls