SMITHBITS RADIO MAGAZINE
Friday, December 27, 2019
Sunday, December 22, 2019
Tracy Newman and the Reinforcements
Singer/songwriter Tracy Newman and actress Lynne Marie Stewart have been friends for over 40 years, having first met at the famous Groundlings Theater in Hollywood, CA. Within that time, Newman became an Emmy and Peabody award winning TV writer/producer. Stewart became a staple on Saturday morning TV as Miss Yvonne on Peewee's Playhouse and currently playing Charlie's Mom on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. The friends collaborated on Mama, I Know You Ain't Santa, a heartfelt holiday tribute to single mothers as seen through the eyes of a child.
“Dolly Parton was the inspiration for this poem which I wrote after hearing her sing Me and Little Andy,” says Stewart. “I performed it at The Groundlings. Tracy loved it and said 'let’s turn your poem into a song.' Tracy was a wonderful writing partner. She’s so disciplined. I just wanted to stop and go out to eat! That poem would still be in a drawer, if it wasn’t for Tracy.”
According to Newman, “I saw Lynne recite it at The Groundling Theatre, ala Dolly Parton. I teared up. I felt lucky she was willing to turn it into a song with me. Collaborating with me is hard because when I think it will be something great I get obsessive and want to work long hours without eating or taking a break. It must have made Lynne crazy, but she stuck with me. Fortunately, Lynne knows how to stay true to the emotional core of a story. So do I. So this final product is the very best of both of us, and we’re deeply proud of it.”
The song has been well received. The LA Times' Randy Lewis deemed it as "one of the saddest Christmas songs ever, " along with Judy Garland's Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas and Merle Haggard's, If We Make Through December among others. (LA Times 11/28/12.) Even Dolly Parton weighed in saying, "It is one of the best songs I have heard in years... especially a Christmas song. I cried!"
Mama I Know You Ain't Santa is on Tracy Newman's album, A Place in the Sun which is available on Apple Music and Amazon . For more info on Tracy Newman visit her website at tracynewman.com.
Tracy Newman has been playing guitar since she was 14. In 1965 she did a TV series for PBS called "What's New." Look up those "What's New" YouTube videos, especially the song "Cripple Creek where she plays banjo." Fun! Tracy was a successful TV comedy writer for 20 years, and won an Emmy and a Peabody Award for co-writing Ellen DeGeneres' ground-breaking coming-out episode in 1997.
She has three CDs out for grown ups that she did with her band The Reinforcements, and three solo CDs out for children, under the company name Run Along Home. The song submitted here, "Mama, I Know You Ain't Santa," was written up in 2012, by critic Randy Lewis, at the Los Angeles Times, as one of the saddest Christmas songs ever. Keep a hanky close by!
She has three CDs out for grown ups that she did with her band The Reinforcements, and three solo CDs out for children, under the company name Run Along Home. The song submitted here, "Mama, I Know You Ain't Santa," was written up in 2012, by critic Randy Lewis, at the Los Angeles Times, as one of the saddest Christmas songs ever. Keep a hanky close by!
Friday, December 20, 2019
Cassandra
Musik Radio Promotions
presents
Cassandra
Genre
Christmas
Location
Canada
Label
Indie
Website
https://www.cassandraonthenet.com/
Songwriter/Publisher
Cassandra DiFruscio, Kris Bergsnes, and Maks Gabriel. - SOCAN
“I Love Christmas” by Cassandra
All proceeds are going to Amnesty International.
Cassandra is a Recording Artist from Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ontario.
She is currently pursuing a songwriting and recording career and is being mentored and advised by accomplished Nashville songwriter and artist developer Kris Bergsnes (Tim McGraw, Wynonna Judd, Justin Moore, Tyler Farr, Randy Travis…). She has written over 120 songs with acclaimed writers such as Kalsey Kulyk, James Slater (Grammy nominated, Carrie Underwood, Martina McBride, Enrique Iglesias…), Chris Boardman (6 time Emmy winner, Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion…), and Andy Gibson (Jason Aldean, Kelly Clarkson). She has had songs cut by Arielle, Sydney Maxine, and Noah Barlass.
Cassandra’s favourite performance yet was a duet with Keith Urban on his “Raise Em’ Up Tour” in front of nearly 24,000 people.
Recently, she opened for hit Canadian Country Artists, Aaron Pritchett, Kira Isabella, and David James, in Niagara Falls. She had the pleasure of singing background vocals on the Texas #1 hit, “Restless” by Jake Ward.
After graduating from high school, Cassandra was hired by Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines as a lead singer on the Independence of the Seas. She performed in 3 main theatre productions in front of audiences of more than 4,000 guests per cruise. In addition to the large productions, she also did regular performances in the Jazz Lounge as a lead singer, and on the Royal Promenade with a live band. Cassandra toured in Europe and the Caribbean for almost a year.
After returning from her tour, Cassandra decided to pursue a career as a solo artist. During this time, she wrote and recorded “Bring It Home” for CBC’s Hockey Night In Canada SongQuest and was featured on several Hockey Night In Canada broadcasts with viewership exceeding 6 million.
With over 25 of her original songs already produced and recorded, she has comprised her best work into an EP for release in 2020.
*The “I Love Christmas” Music Video will be released this month!*
-Filmed in Toronto with DaVinci Cinema Productions
Mixed by Dave Pensado, Mastered by Colin Leonard at SING mastering, and produced and arranged by Bobby Hamrick.
presents
Cassandra
Genre
Christmas
Location
Canada
Label
Indie
Website
https://www.cassandraonthenet.com/
Songwriter/Publisher
Cassandra DiFruscio, Kris Bergsnes, and Maks Gabriel. - SOCAN
“I Love Christmas” by Cassandra
All proceeds are going to Amnesty International.
Cassandra is a Recording Artist from Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ontario.
She is currently pursuing a songwriting and recording career and is being mentored and advised by accomplished Nashville songwriter and artist developer Kris Bergsnes (Tim McGraw, Wynonna Judd, Justin Moore, Tyler Farr, Randy Travis…). She has written over 120 songs with acclaimed writers such as Kalsey Kulyk, James Slater (Grammy nominated, Carrie Underwood, Martina McBride, Enrique Iglesias…), Chris Boardman (6 time Emmy winner, Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion…), and Andy Gibson (Jason Aldean, Kelly Clarkson). She has had songs cut by Arielle, Sydney Maxine, and Noah Barlass.
Cassandra’s favourite performance yet was a duet with Keith Urban on his “Raise Em’ Up Tour” in front of nearly 24,000 people.
Recently, she opened for hit Canadian Country Artists, Aaron Pritchett, Kira Isabella, and David James, in Niagara Falls. She had the pleasure of singing background vocals on the Texas #1 hit, “Restless” by Jake Ward.
After graduating from high school, Cassandra was hired by Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines as a lead singer on the Independence of the Seas. She performed in 3 main theatre productions in front of audiences of more than 4,000 guests per cruise. In addition to the large productions, she also did regular performances in the Jazz Lounge as a lead singer, and on the Royal Promenade with a live band. Cassandra toured in Europe and the Caribbean for almost a year.
After returning from her tour, Cassandra decided to pursue a career as a solo artist. During this time, she wrote and recorded “Bring It Home” for CBC’s Hockey Night In Canada SongQuest and was featured on several Hockey Night In Canada broadcasts with viewership exceeding 6 million.
With over 25 of her original songs already produced and recorded, she has comprised her best work into an EP for release in 2020.
*The “I Love Christmas” Music Video will be released this month!*
-Filmed in Toronto with DaVinci Cinema Productions
Mixed by Dave Pensado, Mastered by Colin Leonard at SING mastering, and produced and arranged by Bobby Hamrick.
Wednesday, December 18, 2019
State of Nevada Kidnapped My Parents
LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Driving change is our mission at KTNV because we want to elevate Las Vegas making it a safer place to live for everyone. We launched a years-long investigation into massive abuses against the elderly and disabled.
Now we're ready to tell you about the results You've all heard the saying, "if it's too good to be true, it probably is." But the heartbreaking stories of exploitation in Clark County courtrooms prompted us to say, "This is so bad, it can't possibly be true."
Unfortunately it was. In February 2015, our first story aired about guardianship exploitation in a system that's supposed to protect our most vulnerable. Where are we now, 4 years later?
"They would take him to the ground. They would tie up his hands and his feet," said Hearing Master Jon Norheim.
The scene played out when guardianship cases were still heard in Clark County Family Court in 2015. Hearing Master Norheim was admonishing Terry Black, who was trying to move her father back home to care for him.
From the bench Norheim continued, "He would be in a padded cell for a minimum of three days up to a year until he could be made docile enough to be transported to North Carolina."
THE GUARDIANS is a revealing investigative documentary set in Las Vegas, Nevada that exposes allegations of corruption within the Nevada Guardianship and Family Court systems involving the legal kidnapping of elderly people. The film shines a light on a lucrative business that drains seniors’ life-savings and robs them of their freedoms.
Victims and their families are caught in a scheme that has allowed corrupt court-appointed guardians to take total control over their healthcare and financial decisions. Armed with court-orders obtained under dubious circumstances, guardians are able to forcibly remove elderly wards from their homes, isolate them from their families and systematically empty their bank accounts.
In an unfolding saga that reaches to the top level of government, a growing number of Las Vegas victims come together to seek justice, restitution and freedom. Through their fight, the film exposes the scope of the systemic abuse of some of the most vulnerable members of our society.
As our aging population is about to record the largest transfer of wealth in history, we must protect them and their families from those that have been using a broken system to take advantage.
For 40 years nothing and no one has stood in their way. Until now.
Community Broadcasting Association of Australia
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Tuesday, December 17, 2019
Gene Moore
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Monday, December 16, 2019
JES
Born and bred in Manhattan, JES knew from an early age that music would be her chosen path. During her early years, she honed her craft working with many of New York’s top producers. However, this award-winning singer, songwriter, DJ, producer and label owner wouldn’t find the door to her success until she relocated to Los Angeles. JES immersed herself in a new world of music that grew out of a diverse underground scene spreading across the US. As a singer and songwriter, she would go on to front some of the most influential songs in the dance music during an era of the mid-2000’s that was transitioning out of the clubs and into the charts.
Looking for a change of direction from NYC’s pop centric music business, JES moved to Los Angeles and found herself working in a Hollywood recording studio. Developing her own songs during late night sessions, she was introduced to a new world of music through the exploding Electronic Dance Music scene. One of her first songs from that period was championed by German trance pioneer Paul van Dyk and included on his Internationally famous mix compilation “Politics of Dancing”. JES’ confessional songwriting and soulful voice left a deep impression on the EDM scene and opened the gate to a flood of collaboration requests. Although no one could have foreseen it, the stage had been set for one of EDM’s most influential songs to arrive.
After meeting Bay Area producers Gabriel & Dresden at a club in LA, JES traveled to San Francisco to collaborate with them in their basement studio. During the first session, they wrote and recorded a song called “As The Rush Comes.” Released in 2004 under their band name Motorcycle, “As The Rush Comes” went on to top charts Internationally. JES’ impassioned writing and vocal performance proved a key ingredient in the song’s genre blurring sound and it achieved new levels of success for a dance release. The song gained legendary status worldwide and brought JES a coveted International Dance Music Award the following year. After meeting Tiesto at an arena show in the United Kingdom, the World #1 DJ personally signed her to his own label, Black Hole Recordings.
A solo career beckoned with the release of the 2007’s artist album Disconnect. It generated three Billboard top 20 hits including “Imagination” which reached #1 and stayed on the chart for 45 weeks. JES toured extensively with Tiesto on his groundbreaking “Elements Of Life” tour and collaborated on the accompanying album. “Disconnect” was followed by 2008’s “Into The Dawn,” which featured chill out remixes of some of JES’ most popular works. JES performed at the Beijing Olympics for Coca Cola’s WE8 artist program and was featured on her own specially designed bottle. 2010 saw the release of her next full-length artist album High Glow, which spawned the radio hit “Awaken”. Her innovative 2011 continuous mix album Unleash The Beat Vol.1 (the first of a now popular series) lead the way to a one hour weekly radio mix show of the same name which is syndicated worldwide.
Collaborations with the world’s leading DJ’s have generated a steady stream of hit tracks and remixes with Tiesto, Armin Van Buuren, Cosmic Gate, BT, Ferry Corsten, Paul Oakenfold and ATB. JES had received two Grammy nominations and numerous songwriting awards. In 2015 JES launched her own music label called Intonenation Records. The debut release Hold On, enjoyed immediate support from some of the biggest names in EDM and went on to win her a third Grammy nomination.
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