News Archives

Tom Kimmel's November 2005 Newsletter

1. Greetings!
2. News
3. Drawing Board
4. Perspective


1. Greetings!

I have ranged far and wide since last months newsletter, playing shows
in England, Florida, Colorado & California so a very warm welcome to
everyone whos signed on along the way.

2. News: Book update, new covers of TK songs, free iTunes download and
more

Book

The release of The Sweetest & the Meanest, my book of poems,
has been delayed till January, Im sorry to say. While I do very much
look forward to making it available, Im afraid Ive lost hold of its tail
here with my heavy fall tour schedule.

Music News

a) Hayley Westenras album Odyssey was released here in the states
October 18 and is getting a warm reception. It features my song Never
Saw Blue Like That (the title shortened to Never Saw Blue on Hayleys
album). I co-wrote the song with Jeff Franzel & Mark Luna, and it was
first recorded by Shawn Colvin for the film Runaway Bride. Hayley
does a beautiful job with it and is accompanied only by piano and the
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. (Same guys who played on my last album.
Kidding!)

For more on Hayley, check out www.hayleywestenra.com There you can
also hear a clip of Never Saw Blue.

Almost forgot! For the week of November 18 you can download Hayleys
Never Saw Blue for free at iTunes! Pretty cool.

b) Just found out about two other recordings of Never Saw Blue Like
That, one of which is by cabaret star Lee Lessack www.leelessack.com
His albums called In Good Company, and its an excellent collection
of duets with Susan Werner, Maureen McGovern and other luminaries.

The other recording was actually out last year, but I missed it
somehow. The artist is Cincinnati-based Katie Reider www.katiereider.com
and her album, Simplicity, is tasty acoustic pop folk. You can hear
the song along with clips of other songs from the album at
http://cdbaby.com/cd/reider04

c) I was in LA last weekend for the 2nd Annual FAR West Regional Folk
Alliance Conference. Unfortunately a nasty case of laryngitis forced me
to cancel my scheduled showcase, but at the conference I ran into Jenny
Yates www.jennyyates.com my co-writer on Pages, a song on my
Light of Day album and Jenny informed me that the songs the title song
of a new album by Bering Strait, an excellent young country band from
Russia! Thats right, Russia. Theirs is an amazing story; I saw an
excellent documentary about the band at the 2004 Nashville Film Festival
and have been a fan since. Theyre quite remarkable, as anyone whos
heard them will attest, and they do a groovy, beautiful job with the song.

BTW you can tell that the bands arrangement is inspired by Andrea
Zonns lovely recording of the song on her album Love Goes On. Visit
Andrea at www.andreazonn.com

Interestingly, the Bering Strait records been out since late June, but
somehow I hadnt gotten the news. OK, just dont call me late for
dinner!

If you visit www.beringstraitonline.com you can listen to clips of all
the songs on the new album, including Pages.

d) Then I was looking for an album at a record store yesterday and
discovered another recent recording featuring one of my songs! [This is
getting weird, I know.] The Putumayo collection American Folk features
Christine Kanes She Dont Like Roses, from her Rain & Mud & Wild &
Green" album. Truthfully, I had but a very small hand in the writing of
the song, but its always been one of my favorites of Christines.

See www.christinekane.com and
http://www.putumayo.com/catalog/item.php?&item_number=240

e) Last music news, but not at all least, I have a new assistant
onboard Shay Boone a Belmont University grad with a degree in music
business. That means she knows more than I do! Shes jumped in with both
feet, already creating order of the chaos that those close to me
recognize as my career. Thanks to my wife Robin Andrews for the excellent
recruiting.

And while were at it, Shay asked me to mention that shes put up a
page for me at MySpace, a community-building friend-connecting online
network, and you can find it at www.myspace.tomkimmelmusic.com

Shay says, Encourage all the people on your mailing list to add you as
a 'friend'!" Sounds good to me. I don't think we can have too many
friends. Plus it looks like fun. Shay and I will be adding to that page
soon.

3. Drawing Board

Well, the abovementioned book and a studio album before the
end of 2006. And later a country record. And Shallow Water II.
And an album of film and TV songs. And a rock and roll
bootleg-type retrospective.

4. Perspective

At the West Coast Folk Alliance gathering last weekend
I was at first dismayed over losing my voice, but I soon felt a very
odd sense of gratitude at being able to be quiet and just LISTEN. I
noticed things I don't notice when I'm performing, and I heard so much good
music. I was reminded once again that I am truly blessed to be a part
of the international folk community.

On the last night of the conference my dear friend Kate Wallace
www.katewallace.com invited me to visit a song circle she was leading with
her talented partner Doug Clegg www.dougclegg.net Since I couldnt
sing I commenced to curl up with Katies new tiny Rat Terrier "Bodhi"
snuggled in my lap and Katie surprised me in the sweetest way by singing
my songs during her turns in the circle. Got me right here (points to
heart).

Love & Peace,
Tom