May 2011 E-News

Quote of the Month

"What potent blood hath modest May." Ralph W. Emerson

Rex’s Blog

I was saddened to learn that Phoebe Snow passed away last week at the tender age of 58. I remember with awe hearing “Poetry Man” for the first time on WNEW-FM. Her 1975 LP was one of, if not the most impressive debut albums of all-time. My then wife Joy and I literally wore that record out.

Phoebe was discovered at The Bitter End, a landmark folk club on Bleecker Street in Greenwich Village where Neal and I had also played before we were discovered busking in Central Park on a sunny May afternoon in 1971.

The scuttlebutt on “Poetry Man” was that Phoebe had a gigantic crush on Buzzy Linhart, a lovely man and extremely talented musician who mentored her back then. I got to know Buzzy personally in the late seventies. He was a truly great singer, performer and songwriter in his own right but as fate allowed, his best known songs “Friends” and “The Love’s Still Growing” were made famous by Bette Midler and Carly Simon.

I feel blessed to have finally met Phoebe at a series of 9/11 benefit concerts in October of 2001 that ATS performed at along with Bruce Springsteen and a dozen other distinguished Jersey artists at The Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, NJ.

On a happier note, Spring is busting out all over and Neal, Freddy and I have already recorded ten songs for our Cause and Effect album. We’re revisiting many of our socially conscious songs as well as some newer ones that fit thematically with this concept. As I mentioned last month, it will be a stripped down all-acoustic record that captures the energy of our live performances. We hope to have it out this fall.

I’m still digging The Edna Project by our friends Seth Farber and Liz Queler who have brilliantly set some of Edna St. Vincent Millay’s poetry to music.

Please don’t forget that my Imagined CD celebrating the musical majesty of John Lennon is up for the Independent Music Award’s People’s Choice Award this July. Please VOTE FOR US ASAP. If you haven’t already, please PICK ONE UP SOON!

Last but not least, if you’re planning a fundraiser or a private party, our agent Bobbi is a delight to work with no matter how small or large your event or gathering may be.