Virginia is a strong believer in empowering local voices to create informed communities. That's what my project is all about. It was fun to hear the excerpts she chose of some of the voices of the people I meet that share what inspires them.
check back for a link to the interview. Here's a screenshot I took from the NHPR website.
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Link to live broadcast:
www.livestream.com/arlenesgrocery *7pm day of show
Held in the iconic Vanderbilt Hall in Grand Central Terminal commuters will get a glimpse of some of the most interesting and talented artists selected from 100's of applications. A panel of professionals, within the music industry, cultural institutions, station operations and fellow musicians, judge each of the performances based on the criteria of quality, variety and appropriateness for the mass transit environment.
Recently the singer Michael Bublé joined an acapella group in a New York City Subway station for an impromptu jam. He remarked "it is the most authentic + organic way to make music."
here's a clip I made for my Inspiration Project from last years auditions where I was also a judge.
Hope to see you there.
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Link to live broadcast: www.livestream.com/arlenesgrocery *day of show
This is such a wonderful event. It takes place on Monday May 13th in Grand Central Terminal Vanderbilt Hall from 9:30am-3:30pm.
Here's a video I created for my Inspiration Project from last year:
Hope to see you there.
]]>I met Tony at Union Square he filmed me for his website sawyouonthetrain.com I love that he is so inspired by subway musicians and helping others get a chance to hear us. Thanks Tony
What inspires Tony? "Success, the good in people." He was hit hard by super storm Sandy and experienced the goodness of the people who helped him out. he wants to give back, pay it forward.
What's your inspiration?
here's the clip Tony made of my song Comin' Back To Me
If I had to pick one artist that completely inspired me throughout my musical life I would say Richie Havens. Reading his obit today, "I'm not in show business" he said " I'm in the communications business." Well he taught me that.
My early days of learning the guitar at age 12 Richie Havens album Alarm Clock woke me up and wound my inner curiosities about civil rights, the environment and essentially the power of song. I remember listening to WHCN radio out of Hartford, CT and getting up my nerve to call and request a Havens song. Hard to believe, but I actually never got a chance to see him live and up close until I lived in Paris in the '90's. He played in a tiny club, telling amazing stories and playing the hell out of his guitar. It was a rare moment of American pride to claim this man and his music as my heritage.
He showed that a cover song was not something to apologize for but to command and make your own: His versions of Here Come's the Sun, Woodstock, All Along The Watchtower, are legendary.
Sure there were others that inspired me to become a lifelong musician, social activist: Mitchell, Dylan, Baez too, but it was Haven's voice, his amazing right-hand strumming that had me mesmerized. I never embraced his open tuning style, but that right hand craft work taught me that as a soloist, it's the drums and even a punchy horn section; it's the rhythmic patterns that hold a song together.
Richie Havens will be missed. Today I sing in Union Square from 3-6pm above the N/R platforms. A fitting place to sing out and dedicate my performance to the man, the musical guru who inspired me.
He sang "Freedom, freedom" in that low rich vibrational soulful lure. Freedom indeed.
City Winery Monday April 29, 2013 memorial of Hven's ashes and guitar
official Richies Havens website
link to Richie Havens on itunes
]]>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
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