Musings on Weird Things

I was thinking yesterday about what I had to do over four years to get this album completed, and the thing that first sprang to mind is all the stuff I sold on Ebay to finance it.  As an indie musician there is no "big money" behind me so I had to come up with every cent to pay for it, and believe me, I didn't skimp as you can probably tell from the production values on the CD.  I wanted everything to be just right...an album I could say is truly the best I have to offer.  So I sold my treasures...including ancient Barbie dolls I'd had since I was little and my set of ceramic buildings from "Mitford," the wonderful little town in the "Father Tim"  books I love so much from Jan Karon, among other things.    These are things that were very important to me, but I told myself at the time that doing the thing I love the best now and moving forward with my creative life was more important than holding on to material things and memories from the past.  But I have to admit, it wasn't easy selling those things.  Still I was happy while working on the CD with my producer and one of my dearest friends, Jim West, and I was excited about my idea of a concept CD that would take kids on a journey across the USA with me.  I've just loved traveling and discovering new things in this amazing country and I wanted to get kids excited about learning all about our great country and the many wonderful and varied treats it has to offer.

It would be a lie to say I wasn't also apprehensive, though.  I was doing a concept CD, something that is rarely done anymore in this age of downloading single songs, and I had all kinds of doubts:  "Is it boring?  Am I doing okay on the narration?  Does it make sense? WILL KIDS ACTUALLY LIKE IT?"  Jim had to reassure me at just about every session, but he's really good at that and bringing out the absolute best in me, so we forged on.

Now, the CD has been out there for a year, and it has done more than I ever expected it to do.  Lookie here:

*Paula Slade from Examiner.com called it a "one-of-a-kind" CD and said it was an "engaging musical road trip," plus:

All in all, Weird Things are Everywhere is a very special trip for children ages five through 10 that offers plenty of entertainment and packs an educational punch perfect for classrooms and home school families.

* It received a coveted STARRED review in School Library Journal, which said I was a "vocal chameleon"  (my kids are so sick of hearing me say that!) and:

The focus on literacy and reading, the fun segues between songs, and the performer's superb voice makes this an excellent choice for use in a school setting.

*Amber Bobnar from BostonChildrensMusic.com said it was one of the 12 best children's CDs of the year!

aaaaaannnnnnndddddddd....

There IS that little matter of a GRAMMY NOMINATION!!!

So, all in all, I'd say it was good decision to sell that stuff. 
Still, the indie musician struggle goes on.  A Grammy Award nomination does not instantly make one rich, so now begins the matter of buying the plane tickets, paying for the hotel, finding a DRESS to wear on the red carpet and all that stuff. And I wasn't expecting to have this kind of expense in the quiet month of January so I didn't exactly plan ahead!  We should all have such troubles, huh?  That's easy for you to say....you don't have MY husband who is peering over my shoulder every second saying, "How are we gonna pay for all this?"
I swore to him this morning that I would do it, just like I've managed to do all the other stuff...the CD, the tour, etc. etc. 
So my point is?  I need to sell CDs...lots of CDs...between now and the end of January. Would you consider purchasing one?   Is there a child in your life who has a birthday any time this year?  How about getting that end of year teacher gift out of the way now?  Is there a librarian you know who has a small budget but would LOVE to have a CD that's been given a starred review in School Library Journal? Buy one for your special niece, your Godchild, the kid next door....
It's $15 and that includes the shipping and handling.  You can pay through PayPal or send me a check.  For the details, click here:  http://judypancoast.com/tune_room_store.htm

You can also get them at Amazon.com and at CDbaby.com but the only place you can get a personally autographed one is from my website or at one of my shows.  Plus buying it directly from me means you aren't giving any of your hard earned money to a middleman.


Thank you once again for supporting my music and helping to make my dreams come true!

HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT

I'm just thrilled to announce that I have just received news that I've been nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of Best Children's Album. I am absolutely over the moon!!!!!
I know I really don't stand a chance of winning but it really is true that it's a total thrill just to be nominated!!!!!

http://www.grammy.com/nomineesThe only other times in my life when I have been this filled with joy and excitement were the times I found out I was "with child." This is a dream I've had since I was 12 years old. I really just can't believe it!!!!
Thank you, my friends and fans, for supporting my music through the years!!

Halloweeeeeeeen!

Here in NH the leaves are doing their fall thing and it's starting to be really beautiful this year. In my own yard things look pretty dismal. I haven't taken the summer stuff in yet, and my perennial garden looks sad. I'm the dummy that managed to plant everything to bloom in high summer, and nothing is blooming now...in fact things are turning brown. Maybe I'll just put up a sign that says "Garden of the Dead" for Halloween this year!
Speaking of Halloween, I will be officially putting up my display outside and decorating inside over the next few days. I refuse to put anything up until the first of October, and then I go nuts!
Does your family get in the car during October and go around looking at the displays, like folks do at Christmas time? A lot of the same people who go nuts with the lights at Christmas also like to do it up at Halloween, and there are some pretty creative things going on out there. In fact....take a look at my next post to see what one ingenious decorator did with one of my songs!

The Fall-Back Plan ...a Fear-based Notion

The other day my husband and I were enjoying a dinner out and got into a conversation with our lovely waitress (it was rather late in the evening and the restaurant was quieting down). Turns out she is an aspiring singer who dreams of making it big. She's waitressing in Manchester, NH and trying to decide what her next move should be. So I asked her if she had a demo, and she's going to work on one. And I asked her if she had a pro FB page, or a website, and she doesn't. And I asked her if she writes songs, and she said she used to but hadn't in a while. So I said, "What are you doing to make your dream come true?" and she said not much, really because, she said, she is afraid to fail. And right now she is stuck in the day-to-day of waitressing, seeing her friends and her boyfriend, paying the bills and so forth. She needs desperately to get unstuck before today's choices become tomorrow's stumbling blocks.

I've had conversations like this with young people before, and it always drives me kinda crazy because I wish that someone like me had spoken to me 30 years ago. What I mean is...I wish someone older had really encouraged me to GO FOR IT in a big way and not be afraid.

I was not raised to GO FOR IT. Without disparaging my parents, who did, in fact, give me the gift of piano lessons, I have to admit that they were not the type of people who thought of the possibilities outside of our home. I was discouraged from going to college ( I went anyway, thanks to my sister) and the first time I was invited to go to another town to sing (at a church) was when I was 19 years old and my mother absolutely refused to let me go because she was afraid something bad might happen to me. I don't want to go any more into my upbringing than that; I just want to say that I wasn't raised with "wings." I was raised with fear. Wings were something I had to grow on my own, and it took me a looooong time to develop the confidence that is needed to make it big in the performing arts world.

When I did get the chance to go to college, I was told by several of my high school teachers that I should study Music Education, because I should have a "fall back plan." I wish I'd never heard those words, because (as I've learned later in life) they are based on fear. You're afraid you're gonna fail at what you're good at and what you love, so you plan something solid for when you do fail. You know what? If you have a fall-back plan, you fall back. You never work hard enough at your dream to make it come true.

It ended up that though I spent three years in the Music Ed. program, I never got a degree in Music Ed. I dropped out after my Junior year when I accidentally became a radio deejay (that's a story for another time). I worked at a radio station and sang at a piano bar for a year, and when I went back to school and got my degree it was a Bachelor's in Music. I still had a fall-back plan, but now it was radio and not teaching.

At the age of 26, having worked in radio full-time for several years and singing "on the side," I finally got up the guts to leave Maine and move to Nashville and try to make it there. I had radio as my fall-back plan (oh, and a husband by that time too!). I was so terrified and intimated by all the excellent musicians around me that I hardly dared to open my mouth to say I was a songwriter, let alone go on auditions. I finally did audition for the famed Bluebird Cafe, got a slot on open mic night and was received well enough that I was invited back. Meanwhile, the radio station I worked for went bankrupt and, in a panic because I needed that fall-back plan, I got another radio job outside of Nashville which involved our leaving the state and I never got that chance to play at the Bluebird again. Fear, fear, fear. If I'd known then what I know now, I would have lived on the street to get the chance to play at the Bluebird again. Who knows what might have happened?

I'm not sure if I'm expressing myself eloquently enough here, but I guess the real point I'm trying to make is that if you are reading this, and you have a dream, you need to be courageous, not fearful. Forget the dang fall-back plan. Yes, you need to earn a living, but do something (like waitressing, if need be) that you are not invested in and spend ALL of your free time working on your passion to make your dream come true. There is no blueprint for making it in the performing arts world, but if you are dedicated, courageous and willing to take chances, you will find your way.

So I never got to be as famous as Madonna (who I believe does not have a fearful bone in her body) but I finally got the guts to make the leap and go into music full-time just 15 years ago...and I have never regretted it. My only regret is that I was not courageous enough when I was young to really go for the gold. Now, however, I've learned how to take risks and go out on limbs to try to make my career bigger...which is why I'm going on this nutty tour in December. I'm still hoping for that hit record, and if it never happens then at least I will know when I'm 97 years old that I tried as much as I could and I never gave up, and that's the legacy I leave for my children and maybe my grandchildren.

I'll probably never be invited to speak at a college commencement, but if I did I would say to the graduates: Don't have a fall-back plan!! The world is filled with gifted people who have fallen back. You are young, you are talented and you have no encumbrances....put all of your energies into developing your talent into a career and take every chance and every risk and never sit by the phone afraid to pick it up and make that call, and never be afraid to walk through that door or ask that person for help. BE COURAGEOUS.

I would end that speech with my favorite quote in the whole world, and I hope you take it to heart....
"Of what use is a dream if not a blueprint for courageous action?"

School Library Journal Gives "Weird Things" a STARRED review

I'm just honored and so happy to let you know that School Library Journal has given my latest CD, "Weird Things are Everywhere!" a starred review in their August issue!
This is one of the most wonderful things that's happened in my career and a great reward for all the hard work I put into the CD over four years, but a raft of credit has to go to my producer and co-conspirator, Jim West of West Sound and Video in Londonderry, NH. He's THE best!!


Multimedia Reviews: VIDEO/DVD/AUDIO

More About My Great In-Laws: Nick's Ride for Kids

My wonderful brother-in-law, Nicholas Pancoast, is the GeneralManager for the Hampton Inn, Boston Logan Airport and the Area Director of Operations for The Linchris Hotel Corporation. He will be riding his bicycle 630 miles in 10 days in an effort to raise funds for three New England Children’s Hospitals.

On September 3rd Nick will leave the northwest tip of New Hampshire and spend the next 10 days traveling to all 22 Linchris hotels throughout New England. He will leave Littleton, NH, riding along northern Vermont from St. Johnsbury to Colchester. He will then ascend down the western part of the state through Rutland and over to the east side in Springfield, at which point, Nick will then re-enter the state of New Hampshire. He will ride along the southern border from Keene to Manchester and visit Salem before entering Massachusetts. Nick will cover the east coast, stopping at 13 Massachusetts hotels before ending his ride in Provincetown, at the tip of Cape Co. on September 12th. Nick will also visit the three children’s hospitals along the way and I will be doing concerts for the kids at all the hospitals as well.

This is a wonderful project and I am so proud of him. I hope you will support his efforts by visiting his site and leaving a note of encouragement, and perhaps donating as well. The website is http://www.nicksrideforkids.com/

Thanks!

BUSY Summer! How's Yours Going?

Hi Everybody...
My summer has taken off at a whirlwind pace. Has yours? It just seems to be flying by. I do try to take a couple of minutes whenever I pull into my driveway to take a look at my perennial garden, however. It's in full bloom right now and it's really beautiful. I keep reminding myself that these are the moments I look forward to all winter and I should really take the time to enjoy them now!
I'm very excited about the NH debut of my new band, The Groovy Dudes, tomorrow night in Manchester, NH. I hope tons of people come out! It's going to be a great time!
Later this month I'll be heading down to Gloucester, VA for a "Christmas in July" concert sponsored by XTRA 99.1. I'm really looking forward to meeting a lot of my fans down there. XTRA 99.1 plays "The House on Christmas Street" every Christmas season and it's a big hit down there, so it should be a packed house and I can't wait!
Please visit my calendar to see my schedule and plan to take the kids to one of my concerts this summer. It's always more fun for me when you're there!
Happy Summer!
Judy

WIN TICKETS TO MY NEXT BIG SHOW

The New England debut of my brand new back-up band, The Groovy Dudes, is Tuesday, June 29th at the Next door Theater in Winchester, MA, and you can win a family four pack of tickets from BostonChildrensMusic.com. All you have to do is visit her site here and post a comment about my music! It's easy! Someone's got to win...and maybe it will be you!

http://www.bostonchildrensmusic.com/win-free-tickets-to-see-judy-pancoast/

MAY I HAVE YOUR VOTE?

Hi! I'm VERY excited that my latest CD, Weird Things are Everywhere, is on the list of potential nominees in the Nickelodeon Parents' Picks Awards for Best Kids' CD. I'm nominated to be nominated!
Now I need your vote! Please visit the site, register and vote for me. I'm up against some serious competition and I know this is a longshot and that's why every single vote counts. It will only take up about five minutes of your time but means the world to me, so please vote.
http://www.parentsconnect.com/parents-picks/best-parents-picks-kids-music-cd

THANK YOU!

PARENTS' PICKS AWARDS!

Voting is now going on...but only for 6 more days...for the Nickolodeon Parents' Picks Awards for Best Kids Music CD...and "Weird Things are Everywhere!" is on the list. Please vote for my CD so that I can be one of the nominees!!


Nominate Judy Pancoast for a Parents' Picks Award! http://www.parentsconnect.com/parents-picks/best-parents-picks-kids-music-cd?xrs=pp10-social-fbembed-parents-picks-kids-music-cd-PRODUCT-Judy-Pancoast&hl=Judy-Pancoast


THANK YOU!!!

Judy's Tune Room on the Radio

Have you been in Judy's Tune Room yet? That's my radio show for kids and families, which is produced by Jordan Shea, a student in the broadcasting program at Londonderry High School here in New Hampshire. It airs on their Low Power FM Stations, LEO 103, on Saturday and Sunday mornings at 8 and 11am. But no matter where you live you can hear it streaming live at this address http://www.londonderry.org/leo/leo103.cfm

We play fun music for kids and we have jokes and lots of silly stuff. Sooooooooo
I'm looking for your jokes, birthdays and special announcements, too. Please send them to me ASAP here at my website. I'll also be featuring a "Star of the Show" in Judy's Throne Room, and I'm looking for kids to celebrate. If you know a special kid who should be celebrated on the radio, let me know about him or her!

Thanks!

Judy Pancoast & the Groovy Dudes

Hi...
Here's my biggest news to come along in a long time! I've started a band to play with me at some of my larger shows! The band is called The Groovy Dudes, and features Mary Gatterman on keyboard, Bob West on guitar, Maxx Arbuckle on bass and Tim Maxwell on drums. They are fantastic and you'll be seeing more about them soon on the website. In the meantime, please read what Boston Children's Music.com has to say about my new adventure!

I haven't updated my calendar in awhile...but don't worry. I'll be getting to it soon! Hope to see YOU sometime this summer!

Stuff you should know about

Wow...I can't believe it's been almost a month since I've blogged. Guess I've gotten too hooked on Facebook. If you are on FB and would like to join my fan page there, you can find it here on Facebook.

But anyway, I wanted to tell you about a couple of things I know you'll like. I'm going to assume you'll like them, since you like me, and this is the kind of stuff I like. Does that make sense?
Anyhow, the first thing is this brand new song and video by Hanson. Yes, THAT Hanson. The three little brothers from the 90's are all grown up and still making fantastic music. Their new video totally rocks the house. You should watch it here:

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=104317949

And last, but not least, did you know that April is National Poetry Month? I just discovered a new poet for children who writes wonderfully funny stuff reminiscent of Shel Silverstein. His name is Darren Sardelli and you can check out his poetry, his book and more about him (including how you can get him to come to your school) here:

http://www.laughalotpoetry.com/

I've got a lot of fun shows coming up this summer....watch the calendar on this site for the latest gig updates!
See you soon!

Funding for Your Judy Pancoast concert

If you are affiliated with any kind of performing arts presenting organization, you should know that my concerts are eligible for NEST (New England States Touring) funding through the New England Foundation for the Arts. Don't let cost keep you from bringing music to the children of your community. Here's where to find all the info: http://www.nefa.org/grants_services/new_england_states_touring_nest

Judy's Tune Room Back on the Air!

I'm delighted to announce that my radio program for kids and families, Judy's Tune Room, has found a new home! I am now working with the students in the broadcasting program at Londonderry High School here in New Hampshire to produce the show. Beginning in March, it will air on their Low Power FM Stations, LEO 103, on Saturday mornings. But you'll be able to hear it no matter where you live as it will be available on the web through the High School website and on my website.
I'll be playing great music and interviewing children's performers, and I'm looking for your jokes, birthdays and special announcements, too. Please send them to me ASAP here at my website. I'll also be featuring a "Star of the Show" in Judy's Throne Room, and I'm looking for kids to celebrate...whether they got a great grade on a project, learned to ride a bike, or were simply "Caught Being Nice" I want to hear about it.
Keep watching this spot for specific info about the premiere air date and time! And send me those jokes, birthdays, and other news!
Thanks!

Please help me get adopted!

In 2007, on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, my husband, our two daughters and I made a trip to the Animal Rescue League shelter in nearby Bedford to look for a cat. Our beloved cat Dinah had passed away the previous July after 14 wonderful years as a member of our family, and we were finally ready to bring a new kitty into our home. Our daughter, Emma was freshman in college at the time.
The shelter was having an adoption event and the place was packed, and the kitten room was bustling. One cage stood out from the rest with the most gorgeous tortoiseshell kittens you ever saw. Louisa, then age 13, immediately took a shine to them. Emma turned to me and said, "Mommy (you know you're in trouble when your college age daughter calls you Mommy), I want a kitty too. Can I get one?"
And I replied, "But you're in college. You can't have a cat!"
"I'll bring it to live with me when I graduate. PLEEEEEEEEEEZ?"
Brilliant Mom that I am, I replied, "Go ask Papa. If he says "yes," then we'll adopt two."
Now I must explain that, first of all, Papa is not the grandfather, it's what our girls call their father, AND I'd had to twist his arm to get him to agree to adopt even one cat. So I figured, heh heh, heh, this was a failsafe plan cause he couldn't possibly say yes.
How could I be so foolish as to disregard the effect a daughter can have on her father?
That was my first mistake.
We took the three tortie kittens into the kitten room to get to know them. One of them, the brother, was way more mellow and less entertaining than his sisters, who literally bounced off the walls and had us laughing our heads off. They were so much more fun....so guess which ones we took home?
That was my second mistake.
Now, many broken Christmas ornaments, much scratched furniture, one pestered dog and two frazzled years later, little Hazel and Deeley (named for Cat Deeley, the hostess of "So You Think You Can Dance") are firmly ensconced in our family. They each have their own distinct personalities and quirks. Deeley, the larger (oh let's just face it...she's fat!) one, won't eat anything but cat food, while Hazel will eat the food off your plate if you let her (and she's the skinny one.) Deeley likes to sleep at the foot of the bed, while Hazel will curl herself right around your head and wake you up with her wet nose poked up your nostril.
They let Louisa carry them around like rag dolls and are two big babies, and I can't imagine ever splitting them up.
What's the point this story? Well, the Animal Rescue League of NH, where our two babies were adopted, is having a "Kennel Up" event on March 25th, and I am participating. I must raised a certain amount of dollars in order to be freed from my kennel, and I hope you will help. The League has saved countless kitties, doggies, bunnies, hamsters and other critters from the New Hampshire cold, disease and destruction and brought laughter and joy to many families like ours through their good work. In these tough economic times their services are needed now more than ever as families have to give up their pets.
Please donate whatever you can afford and help me reach my goal. I would be very very grateful...even if it's only one dollar!
You can donate safely here: http://www.firstgiving.com/judypancoast
And on behalf of Hazel and Deeley and all of the animals in need of a friend, I thank you.
And remember, although there's "nothin' like a dog," as the song says, kitties come pretty close!
Thank you!

Weird Things are Everywhere!

HEADLINE:

CHILDREN TAKE SUDDEN INTEREST IN US GEOGRAPHY

Parents Puzzled

No need to be puzzled, Mom & Dad! Someone must have given your child my new CD, "Weird Things are Everywhere!" for a present. Have they suddenly expressed interest in going on a road trip? Are they asking for a US map or atlas? Are they telling you about the weird things out there on the American Road? YAY HOORAY!

Early reports are in, and it seems that kids are playing the CD over and over and over again...having a great time, singing along, and learning! One child recently said to me, "So....you were born in Maine?" and at first I was surprised. Then he said, "Well, in the first song you said there was a giant Paul Bunyan statue in the state where you were born, and then later on you said that Paul Bunyan was in Maine, so I put two and two together." Now that kid was REALLY paying attention!

"Weird Things are Everywhere!" is an educational CD unlike any you've heard before. It's not just packed with dry, uninteresting facts...it's loaded with fun songs and cool stuff specifically designed to catch kids' attention and make them want to go out and see for themselves. It's a great addition to any elementary school classroom and a wonderful present. Navigate to the Tune Room Store NOW to get your copy! http://judypancoast.com/tune_room_store.htm

The Next Holiday is NOT Valentine's Day

It's the birthday of the KING of ROCK N' ROLL tomorrow, Jan. 8th! Elvis would be 75 years old had he not passed away in 1997...and I bet he would still be going strong. Too bad there were no celeb rehab clinics back then...not until First Lady Betty Ford got hers going.

But Elvis lives on in the hearts and minds of many of us who still enjoy his music. He was one of a kind!

In honor of the big day, I have uploaded my tribute song "A Little Bit of Elvis" to my MySpace page. You can hear it at www.myspace.com/judypancoast.

And if you love Elvis, be sure to play his music for your kids so they can love him too!

Where is The House on Christmas Street?

As of January 3, 2010, The House on Christmas Street has been used in outdoor home lighting displays in these locations (these are the ones I know of. If you know of any more, please let me know! I like to keep track!)
AUSTRALIA:
Ballarat, Victoria
CANADA:Tillsonburg, Ontario
Thorsby, Alberta
UNITED KINGDOM:Wells, Somerset

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA:
ARIZONA:
Fort Mohave
CALIFORNIA:
Folsom
Millbrae
CONNECTICUT:
Brooklyn
Vernon
DELAWARE:
Newark
FLORIDA:
Deerfield Beach
Eustis City
Kissimee
Orlando
Punta Gorda
Riverview
GEORGIA:
Smyrna
HAWAII:
Hilo
ILLINOIS:
Kankakee
Leroy
Tolono
INDIANA:
Fishers
Huntington
MAINE:
Wilton
MASSACHUSETTS:
Stoneham
MICHIGAN:
Livonia
MISSOURI:
Jefferson City
Kansas City
NEBRASKA:
Friend
NEW HAMPSHIRE:
Claremont
Hudson
NORTH CAROLINA:
Monroe
OHIO:
Cincinnati
Columbus
PENNSYLVANIA:
Easton
Pittsburgh
SOUTH CAROLINA:
Conway
TEXAS:
Cypress
Garland
VIRGINIA:
Ridgeway
WASHINGTON:
Spokane
WYOMING:
Torrington

TALLY: Four countries and 23 states, 54 Search results on YouTube.
Christmas decorating enthusiasts ROCK!!

Okay..so once in a while I google my own name!

....and sometimes I find some really cool stuff that I didn't know was out there....like this blog from Vermont which was written by someone who attended our Dartmouth Hop-Stop Series concert about a year ago.
Thank you, Bettina! Hope to see you again sometime!

http://damnyankeevermont.blogspot.com/2008/10/judy-pancoast.html