music

Country Spotlight: Sherrié Austin

January 20, 2012 at 3:48 pm, by Ron Kelly

Some have pegged Sherrié Austin as the Taylor Swift of the Sex and the City generation. While it was Swift who titled her 2008 album Fearless, it’s Austin who’s had a longer track record of making big, brave moves to get to where she wanted to be. From moving as a teen from her native Australia to L.A. (when she won a role on the sitcom The Facts of Life), to leaving L.A. behind to chase down her dream of making country music in Nashville and even later tackling a few roles on Broadway, Austin’s made a habit of staring down challenges and coming out on top.

If you think about it, Austin’s new CD Circus Girl could also have easily been titled Fearless: She funded the CD, coproduced it and is promoting it, all without the support of a major label. She also took full creative control, penning three of its songs and cowriting all of the others. The task would be a tightrope walk for any country act but it was even more so for Austin, considering that this marks the first time she’s thrown her own hat into the Nashville ring in eight years. Though the singer enjoyed a string of country hits that started in the late 90s (“Lucky In Love,” “Put Your Heart Into It”, “Never Been Kissed,” “Streets of Heaven”), she’s remained mostly behind the scenes the past few years writing songs for others, including some pretty big hitters (think Tim McGraw, Blake Shelton, George Strait and Trace Adkins).

When Austin visited us here at LHJ recently, she was honest about how daunting her Circus Girl endeavor was, even though she came out the other side stronger than ever. “There were times when I just woke up and said, ‘Why am I doing this? I’m taking such a big risk here with my time, with my money,’ ” she admits. “But every day this voice just kept saying to me, ‘Keep going. Take another step, take another step.’ I just listened to it. And I have no regrets.”

Why would she? From its first track to its last, Circus Girl soars, bursting with a real sense of Austin’s effervescent personality and pluck. There are tracks that will make you laugh out loud (“I Didn’t,” “If I Was a Man”), tracks that will make you cry (“Get Your Leavin’ Done,” “Tryin’ to Be Me”) and even tracks that will make you want to … ahem … get a little frisky (“I Just Want to Love You Tonight”). Lyrically, Austin absolutely nails it when she captures the internal thoughts that run through everywoman’s head. In her single-lady lament “Friday Night Girls,” for example, she sings, “Trying to look twenty-one / is getting old and it ain’t no fun / That mirror don’t lie / like it used to.” And in “If I Was a Man,” she vows to burn her push-up bra, singing, “Wouldn’t mind me a girl / with some meat on her bones / I’d love me just as I am / If I was a man.”

For the time being in her life as a lady, though, Austin’s main man is singer-songwriter Shane Stevens (a cowriter on Lady Antebellum’s “American Honey”), with whom she stars on the Sundance Channel’s Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys. The show, just nominated for a GLAAD Media Award for outstanding reality program, follows the relationships of four straight women and their gay best friends down in the heart of Music City. While being a part of GWLBWLB has helped reintroduce Austin to her fans, it’s also reminded her that performing is something she loves to do. And that’s certainly music to all of our ears.

For a video of Austin’s live and acoustic performance in our LHJ Ladies’ Lounge, read on after the jump. You’ll also get the scoop on this once again rising Nashville star and find out what her hesitations were about doing GWLBWLB, the unique way she wound up writing her favorite song, what country (and pop) stars she’d love to hear sing her tunes, and lots more.

Read more

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LHJ Book Club: Allison Pearson’s Favorite Crush Songs

October 5, 2011 at 3:40 pm, by Lauren Piro

The October LHJ book club pick, I Think I Love You, is truly all about love—the BFF kind of love, the unexpected romance kind of love, and, of course, the starry-eyed teenage kind of love. After all, its about 70s heartthrob David Cassidy, and his songs (and his smile, and his eyes, and his dance moves …) made girls all over the world weak in the knees. The folks at Random House asked author Allison Pearson for her favorite lovey-dovey crush songs, and they really take us back. Click the links to listen to them (and then pick up the book!)—we dare you not to swoon.

I Think I Love You – David Cassidy - “The classic Partridge Family anthem to unrequited love still comes up paint-fresh after an incredible 41 years. Great tambourine work from the younger Partridge kids and, of course, vocals from the boy in the posters on my bedroom wall, David Cassidy himself.”

Daydreamer – David Cassidy: “Oh God, I can still feel his breathy voice on the back of my neck. He was so gorgeous!”

Oh Lori – Alessi Brothers: “The quintessential summer love song, sizzling with youthful infatuation and testosterone. And they manage to work in the word ‘bicycle.’ Respect.”

Dear Mr. Gable, You Made Me Love You – Judy Garland: “Check out the young Judy in her nightgown singing to a photo of Clark Gable. One of the songs that made me want to write my new novel – to try and explain why it is we never forget our first crush.”

I’m Not In Love – 10cc: “Like a metaphysical poet, the singer tries to clamber out of the pit of obsessive infatuation, but only slips in deeper. John Donne, eat your heart out. This is beautiful.”

Seasons in The Sun – Terry Jacks: “This infuriatingly catchy ballad of doomed teen love gets into your brain like gum. I prefer Franki Valli’s heart-stoppingly lovely My Eyes Adored You.”

(They Long to Be) Close To You – The Carpenters: “This is the ten ton truck of crush songs. I wasted several sentences in my novel trying to capture the genius of Karen Carpenter’s voice—molten chocolate etc.—but you only have to hear her opening ‘Why’ to submit utterly. ‘On the day that you were born, the angels got together and decided to create a dream come true/So they sprinkled moon dust in your hair and golden stardust in your eyes of blue.’ ”

Puppy Love – Donny Osmond: “I was a Cassidy fan back in the early Seventies, when you were either a Donny or a David girl, but I have to admit this ballad of teen yearning holds up well and Donny looks better every year. He’s right when he sings that we patronize first love and underestimate its primal power. Here he is at the Ohio State Fair in 1972, with a backing track of screams. Way to go, girls!”

(via Random House Reading Group Center)

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How to Get Kids to Read Music? Introduce them to Freddie the Frog

April 7, 2011 at 6:03 pm, by Louise Sloan

My 4-year-old son, Scott—”I’m not four! I’m four and three-quarters!”—was not quite two when, of his own accord, he started tapping out the rhythm of the subway trains. Ba-bum ba-BUM. Ba-bum Ba-BUM. The boy loves music, has great rhythm and sings right on-key. So naturally I’ve tried to encourage music at home.”Hey, Scott, can you do this?” I’ll say, as I tap out a rhythm on the conga drum. Scott practically rolls his eyes and wanders off. I’ve tried to teach him simple songs on the keyboard, using whatever his current favorite tune is, and no dice—he’ll either start randomly banging and laughing, cracking himself right up, or he’ll play two notes and then bail. If Mom’s trying to teach it, it must not be worth knowing. Same reason I had to sign him up for swim classes, even though I was on a fricking swim team! God help me when he’s a teenager.

So anyway, when I heard about Freddie the Frog, a four-volume children’s book and CD series designed to help familiarize young kids with musical notes and rhythm notation, I thought, “Surrrrrrrre.” But I was willing to check it out. We’ve been reading the first three off and on for a couple months now, and I’m a total convert. The books follow the adventures of Freddie and his best friend Eli the elephant. They are typical kids’ picture books with mystery, drama, humor and fun illustrations—and a nefarious plan to teach your kid about music.

Each book has an accompanying CD that helps the story come alive with music and voice characterizations.The first book in the series is set on Treble Clef Island—can you guess what it covers? Second one is on Bass Clef Island, and the third, Tempo Island. The music-reading stuff is kind of woven in to the story, but not really… Like, in the first book when it mentions azaleas, there’s a drawing of an A note on the treble clef, just kind of jammed in there. But you know what? After just a few reads, Scott’s already starting to recognize the notes! Read more

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Crystal Bowersox Pays a Visit to Ladies’ Home Journal!

February 14, 2011 at 11:46 am, by Sonia Harmon

Last year’s American Idol runner up Crystal Bowersox clearly hasn’t let fame go to her head. When she visited the LHJ offices last week she actually arrived early—not late, like you might expect from most rock stars—and was chatty and down-to-earth.

She treated staffers to a special acoustic performance of several songs from her debut album, Farmer’s Daughter, including the deeply personal title track that brought more than a few people to tears. Bowersox, an avid songwriter, also performed two bonus tracks not on the album: the uplifting “Finally Got it Right” and the more somber “Numb.”

Since her time on American Idol, Bowersox has toured with her fellow Idol contestants and gotten married to musician Brian Walker. A type 1 diabetic, she’s also decided to use her celebrity to work with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. So how is the 25-year-old handling it all? “My life definitely isn’t the same but I feel like I’ve returned to a sense of normalcy,” she said. “I’m a married woman now and my son just turned two so life is good! The best part about all of this is just finally having the ability to share my music with the fans and with other musicians. I’m doing what I love for a living. I’m so happy right now.”

Watch a bonus performance from Crystal after the jump! Read more

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Ladies’ Man: singer Nelson Serieux, aka “Cherry L”

January 13, 2011 at 6:04 pm, by Louise Sloan

In a post a few months ago, I briefly mentioned our new friend Nelson, a Brooklyn neighbor who happens to be an up-and-coming r&b/reggae/hip-hop artist going by the stage name “Cherry L.” The other LHJ ladies and I were astounded when my mommy-blog post was basically mobbed by adoring Cherry L fans. “Who exactly IS this guy?” we wondered. So we invited Cherry L to stop by the Ladies’ Lounge and tell us a bit of his story.

LHJ: Nelson, you do seem to be quite the ladies’ man.

Cherry L: [laughing] Yes, I do love the ladies.

LHJ: In your native St. Lucia, looks like you’re pretty much a rock star. You’ve had top radio hits there with “Turn Me Loose” and “Like That,” won the Best New Artist award, and—according to the Youtube videos of your live concerts—you’ve played to packed venues with screaming women in the front row trying to get their hands on you. When did you come to the U.S. and what’s the reception been here?

Cherry L: I came to New York in 2008, and that first year, I was the only reggae artist to win one of the biggest hip-hop showcases in New York, called Faces in the Crowd. I’ve been performing at various clubs and bars around the city and people love the Caribbean element I bring to my shows.

LHJ: Your lyrics sometimes get raunchy but there are none of the demeaning expletives about women that so many other hip-hop artists use to sound cool. Why not?

Cherry L: It comes from the way I was brought up. I love my mom, who is a music teacher, and Read more

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LHJ Catches Up with the Chapmans

December 8, 2010 at 11:42 am, by Sonia Harmon

In 2008, Grammy winning artist Steven Curtis Chapman and his family suffered a tragic loss, when their 5-year-old adopted daughter, Maria, was accidentally struck and killed by the car her older brother was driving. Since then, Steven, his wife Mary Beth, and their five children have used their faith, along with support from family, friends and fans, to help pull them through. They’ve also focused on their passion for adoption— Mary Beth wrote the New York Times best-selling memoir, Choosing to See, and together they started the non-profit organization, Show Hope, which helps others adopt.

Steven, meanwhile, turned to his music. He just received his 15^th Grammy Award nomination for his latest album, Beauty Will Rise. He also recorded the heartfelt tune, “Meant to Be,” for the latest VeggieTales DVD, It’s A Meaningful Life. We caught up with the couple to see how they are coping, and to hear an exclusive performance of “Meant to Be,” which you can check out below.

Ladies’ Home Journal: Is “Meant to Be” a tribute to Maria?

Steven: Maria’s story and life was definitely a thread woven through this song. I think what anchored us through the time of grief and loss was knowing that God really does orchestrate things. I met Maria when I was in Beijing and I bumped into a family working for an orphanage in China— they wanted to get an autograph—and they were holding these two little orphan girls and I just wanted to hold one of them because I was missing my two girls at home. Her name was Maria and I fell in love with her. So I think about that “chance” meeting and how meant to be her life was. The song for me was very much inspired by the life of Maria and how she touched the lives of so many people. Read more

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Ladies We Love: Carrie Newcomer

March 3, 2010 at 12:08 pm, by Sonia Harmon

Before and After is the latest album from singer/songwriter Carrie Newcomer, and while her name might not sound familiar at first, this is her twelfth album and she’s toured with acts like Alison Krauss and Union Station. Her sound is smooth and folksy, and she’s on tour promoting her album through May.

Carrie is mostly praised for her spiritual, storytelling lyrics, but we also love her willingness to give to others—ten percent of her tour sales will be donated to the Center for Courage and Renewal‘s scholarship fund. Last year she also represented the U.S. as a cultural ambassador in India, where she taught workshops on songwriting and community service and visited slum programs for at risk women and children.

What makes me a lady: I believe that being strong and courageous usually has little to do with being fearless. Courage is more about loving something or someone so much that you’ll risk doing what is hard or scary. So many times I have stood at that crossroads and chosen the hard or scary path, because that was what love required. It is the depth of our love that makes us strong women and courageous ladies.

Favorite guilty pleasure: Dark chocolate. I love traveling and performing, but it can be very physically and spiritually demanding, so I try to eat healthy and move everyday. But most days, in the choice between a carrot and a piece of good chocolate—the chocolate would easily win. Read more

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