Earth Day free song Jungle

Earth Day is every day in my world, but this week and especially today Monday April 22nd is the 'official' Earth Day, now 43 years in existence.  I remember the first one back in the 1970's and thank my Mom for opening my eyes to being more mindful and earth friendly. 

Why bother with Earth Day? Living a life with consideration for our planet's sustainability takes time, takes conscious effort and intent.  My take is the effort is well worth the time well spent, it’s good to feel good about caring about our world!!

In time, even one thing done to help make a difference, does make a difference.

In thoughtful celebration, here's a free Download of my song Jungle  

words + music C. Grier SESAC Singerfish publishing

Below are 10 actions for My Earth Day is Every Day: Call it sacrifice, learn to embrace it, or better yet, find a solution. But….Doing nothing is the wrong option.

!0 Actions to consider: it's not if but when you...

1) ...will decide it's too expensive to drive alone for one trip you could easily consolidate with other trips.  Rethink your relationship with your car and consider some kind of commuter transportation.

2) ...unplug all the electronics in your home when not in use, and do anything you can to truly understand your energy consumption.  Then make adjustments.

3) ...reduce, reuse and recycle.  How many bags do you throw away,  how many items could you reuse but find too time consuming to do anything about.  What do you do with all your now obsolete gadgets?  Find an e-waste depot near you.

4) ...ask local and national government to consider next generations, not next election cycles. If you find resistance, vote for change.

5) ...switch to homemade or non-petroleum based cleaning products (yes most household products from dish detergent to shampoo use petroleum).  And no fooling, switching is much healthier for your home environment.

6) ...support your local economy.  There is a reason you can get cheap goods at big box stores-off shore corporations pay labor cents per hour and get huge tax breaks to do so.  

7) ...eat out less and use what you have in your cupboard more.

8) ...update appliances and recycle the old (do not reuse those energy guzzlers). 

9) ...take advantage of state and national tax credits for updating your energy systems and home weatherizing.

10) ...teach a child to care about the environment and they will carry it with them throughout their lives.  It's their future.

One thing is certain: the world of today will be different tomorrow - and the day after that, and on and on ad infinitum. The question is not whether we must learn to live sustainably, but how fast we can do so. from University of North Dakota 

Amazing Grace when we need it most

Here's my response to Monday's horrific tragedy in Boston. Sports writer David Zarin's comment resonates with me "We should feel empowered in collective spaces not frightened."  All the more reason for me to go out and sing in collective spaces. My subway gigs this week have made me feel very empowered.

And this from friend and singer Meagan Michelson who lives in Boston: Leonard Bernstein said it best:  "This will be our reply to violence:  to make music more intensely, more beautifully, more devotedly than ever before."

About the music video, I invited bassist Dan Kleederman to join me for the wonderful opportunity to support a great cause, a benefit concert for Habitat for Humanity in Hudson, NY at Club Helsinki. Dan and I were the opening act. It was a great night that featured great musicians who also call Hudson home: Tommy Stinson, Melora Creager, Meshell Ndegeocello, and Melissa Auf der Mauer. Hence the name for the benefit Home Bass: 4 Strings, 4 Hearts. It was fun performing with another musician on stage.

Fallen Friends for my cousin Peter

On April 4th 1989 my cousin Peter VanderPutten lost his life to AIDS.  I lived with him in his wonderful guest house The Cypress House in Key West.  Like so many of the people around me, we were all consumed with the loss and devastation. Today I especially like to remember Peter and want to share my song Fallen Friends with you. As we remember let's not forget that AIDS is still ravaging the world. 

It's a free download.

Fallen Friends_Cathy_Grier.mP3 

words and music by Cathy Grier SESAC singerfish publishing 

 

previous blog with lyrics to Fallen Friends.

Also on this day I'm remembering Martin Luther King Jr who was assasinated in Memphis

April Fools free download

For April Fools Day a free download my song What Fools Do

click on the following link: No fooling

 

"Comin' Back to Me" w/ Dan Kleederman live at Club Helsinki

I invited bassist Dan Kleederman to join me for the wonderful opportunity to support a great cause, a benefit concert for Habitat for Humanity in Hudson, NY at Club Helsinki. Dan and I were the opening act. It was a great night that featured great musicians who also call Hudson home: Tommy Stinson, Melora Creager, Meshell Ndegeocello, and Melissa Auf der Mauer. Hence the name for the benefit Home Bass: 4 Strings, 4 Hearts. It was fun performing with another musician on stage.

Comin' Back To Me words and music by Cathy Grier SESAC singerfish publishing

10 years ago

10 years ago today we went to war in Iraq.  Under false pretenses, under fear of weapons of mass destruction, since proven never existed as a threat.  I was against it all, still am.  I wrote, I sang, I joined New Yorkers Say NO To War.  I marched.

Today even through my cynical and sad eyes, I can still honor all the fallen, all the victims on all sides, all the heros. men, women, the National Guard members who were swept up into the non-debate of a non-draft country and government which remembered what happened when it's citizens rose up against another misbegotten war in Vietnam. I saw through the slick, tricky, slippery slope creation of "Military Contractors" who were making more money in 1 year than countless US soldiers combined.  And the corporations who really are the  financial "winners" in this human tragedy never could be won war.

I still believe our US entitlement throughout the world is hurting us all.  I continue to support efforts of diplomacy in the name of peace.  You may say I'm a dreamer, but without dreams what's life for?

Here's a song for today.  My song "Dedicate"

10 years ago today peace was still an option, download free Dedicate,  I dedicate my life to peace. Can you dedicate? 

annual Music Under NY applications due 3/20

Just a reminder to musicians interested in applying for the Music Under NY program. The auditions are held once a year and applications are due postmarked no later than March 20th.

For more information

Here's a clip I made from judging last years auditions.

Save the date for the 2013 audtions held in Grand Central Monday May 13th 9am-3:30pm, it's a wonderful event worth attending.

More Rising

One Billion Rising flashmob in Union Square + ABC carpet + home,  I chatted with organizer Daniela Plattner and photographer Cole Blumstein. Deepak Chopra gave his wisdom and I sang my song Rise up inspired by Eve Ensler and the One Billion Rising movement.

What inspires Daniela? " Dance shows us that we're never stuck...and teaches us to say no and to learn our boundaries and defend our love."

Deepak "let this moment be a new revolution for humanity, no more violence against women. The empowerment of the goddess energy. A new civilization. Beauty, intuition, nurturing, affection, tenderness will rule the world. We love our mothers, our sisters, our spouses, our lovers and let this be a sacred moment and a revolution at the same time."

Rise Up words and music Cathy Grier

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My One Billion Rising

15 years ago Eve Ensler's play the Vagina Monologues turned into V-Day, a campaign to end violence against women and girls. 15 years later she created One Billion Rising, proving 1 person can get 1 billion people to rise up and say stop it, no more violence.  Today we pledge to do something to make non violence a reality. I am proud to have been there 15 years ago and proud today as the movement continues.

I performed on the steps of ABC carpet + home as a One Billion Rising flashmob arrived.  Deepak Chopra spoke passionately about the importance of this movement.  A truly amazing moment for me to be sharing his energy and wisdom. Later I went to Hammerstein Ballroom for the big 4 hour NYC event.  It was videoed and you can watch it here. My performance comes in at 3:12. 

Deepak Chopra excites the crowd saying "a new revolution for humanity," on the steps of ABC carpet + Home before I sang my song Rise Up

flashmob outside ABC carpet + Home

Hammerstein Ballroom One Billion Rising event

photos by Nousha Salimi

Update on Thursday, February 21, 2013 at 4:46PM by NYC Subway Girl

From Eve Ensler: 

Thank You ONE BILLION RISING For Rocking The World To all of our activists, regardless of how you rose THANK YOU for making 14 February 2013 the largest global action in history to end violence against women and girls!  “Together on 14 February, we expressed our outrage and joy and our firm global call for a world where women are free and safe and cherished and equal. One Billion Rising brought together coalitions of groups and individuals that have never worked together before and galvanized new supporters and associations and masses of men who were not previously engaged, but now see violence as their issue. It did all of this while putting violence against women to the center of the global discussion. One Billion Rising has broken taboos, lifted the veil of silence, and inspired a radical outpouring of support to reveal the worldwide system of patriarchy, which sustains the violence. One Billion Rising has shown that violence against women is not a national, tribal, ethnic, or religious issue, but a global phenomenon, and that through this worldwide rising and support, survivors can be given the confidence of knowing that violence is not their fault.” – Eve Ensler  Today we celebrate these victories, and we hope you do to. Now ask yourself WHAT CAN I DO IMMEDIATELY TO END VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS - and then go out and DO IT! One Billion Rising was always conceived to be a catalyst and a wind rather than a new organization. So use it to fuel your next activities, you can: PLAN local actions for International Women's Day (8 March), STAGE a V-Day benefit in your community, WORK for political action in your community or country like the VAWA (Violence Against Women Act) effort in the U.S.

tonight in Hudson NY 1 Billion Rising

Tonight another One Billion Rising event will occur @8pm for my friends in Columbia County NY, I'll be performing my song at Stageworks 41 Cross Street, Hudson, NY during a fund raiser for The REACH Center  and One Billion Rising. The event features the play The Vagina Monologues by Eve Ensler. I will be also perform musical interludes throughout the play. For tickets please call the Stageworks box office at: 518-822-9667 or use the link here to directly purchase tickets 

Yesterday was a perfect day in NYC with One Billion Rising.  I sang in Grand Central then rushed to Hammerstein Ballroom for my sound check where I had an amazing dressing room vocal slam with the incredible Myah Azucena. Then I stood on the steps of ABC Home as a flashmob led by brass instruments and drums and dancing people surrounded us.  Deepak Chopra spoke a deeply heartfelt and empowering blessing and then I sang my song Rise Up. The energy was fantastic. Then off to Hammerstein for the big event.