My Christmas Wish

I woke up this morning, Christmas Eve, from a nightmare I sometimes have. I won't go into the details, but it led me to writing this, my Christmas wish.

I wish no child had to worry about Mom or Dad (or both) getting drunk this Christmas season. I wish no child had to sit at home and wonder if Mom and Dad were going to make it home alive from that Christmas party. I wish no child had to suffer through family gatherings where just about every adult was drinking alcohol, and some were so drunk they got sick or passed out, or had fights with each other. I wish no child had to ride home from such a party with a drunken parent at the wheel.
I wish no child had to hear horrible things being said because an adult was drunk, things that would or could never be forgotten. I wish no child had to be in fear of being hurt at Christmas-time (or any other time, for that matter) because a caregiver or other adult in their life was out of control due to alcohol. I wish no child had to experience a Christmas morning with a hungover parent...or, worse yet, one who was still drunk from the night before.

I wish children could learn that Christmas celebrations are happy and healthy times, times of celebration and love that DON'T have to include a mind-and-mood altering substance like alcohol. I wish children could learn that you could have fun, watch a sporting event, have a party, go out to eat, and LIVE HAPPY without alcohol.

I wish that every grown-up would remember that children learn what they live, they watch what we do, and they model themselves after us. What we do is far more impactful than what we tell them to do.

I wish that you and your family have a wonderful Christmas full of light and laughter ...a Christmas to remember always. One that won't give anyone nightmares forty years later.

God bless you and yours.
Judy

House on Christmas Street a HIT on the Jersey Shore!

LOOK at my email that just came in from a station in Cape May, NJ:

HI JUDY, GOOD NEWS!
Your song made it to our regular Christmas Playlist!
Less than 5% of Christmas songs offered by Indie Artists to our regular playlist.
All Indie Artists are featured on the Indie Artist Spotlight, a special show that is aired on LIFT FM but your song made it to the regular Christmas Playlist- Congratulations!

We would like to send some copies ofr the song to our listeners. Please send some autographed and we'll do an on-air give-away to some fortunate callers. God Bless!

Joe Burke - our address is on our website http://www.liftfm.com

Added Today!

WNAM 1280 in Oshkosh, WI "America's BEST Music!" and 1490 WMRC in Milford, MA!!

TWO MORE!!

WJXB in Knoxville TN and WRSA in Huntsville AL!

MORE STATIONS!!!!

This is SO exciting..The House on Christmas Street is being added to stations all over the country. In addition to the stations already mentioned (listed below) it is now playing on:

LIFT 98.5 in South New Jersey
KKMI in Burlington, IO
Magic 104.1 in Tucson (check out THIS: http://morningmix.mixfm.com/)
KG95 in Sioux City, IO

If you are in the listening area of any of these stations please let them know you like the song!!!


BIG HITS Y-101.9 in Portland, ME
98.7 The Bay in Dover, NH
WRCH Lite 100.5 in Hartford, CT
WKAY-FM 105.3 in Galesburg, IL
EXTRA 99.1 in Gloucester, VA95.9
WGRQ in Fredricksburg, VA94.3
WROE in Green Bay, WI


AND on these WONDERFUL internet stations!http://www.soundsofchristmas.com/http://litefavorites.com/http://www.planetchristmas.com/PCRadio.htmwww.jacksonville.com/radiojaxhttp://www.orsradio.com/ (the Christmas Mix channel)

Judy's Christmas Music on AccuRadio

Here's a link to the stations on AccuRadio that play my Christmas Music. If you listen, please let them know that you like it!
THANKS!

http://www.accuradio.com/searchresults.php

Check THIS out!

This is turning out to be a VERY exciting December for me!
I just found out the WRCH in Hartford is not only playing "The House on Christmas Street" for the third year in a row, but they have a video on their website called "Extreme Christmas Lights" and they are using my song in the video.
This is wonderful exposure for my song. Thank you so much WRCH!!
And thank you to all supporters of the song who are calling radio stations and requesting it this year. So far it is being heard on these "terrestrial" stations:

BIG HITS Y-101.9 in Portland, ME
98.7 The Bay in Dover, NH
WRCH Lite 100.5 in Hartford, CT
WKAY-FM 105.3 in Galesburg, IL
EXTRA 99.1 in Gloucester, VA
95.9 WGRQ in Fredricksburg, VA
94.3 WROE in Green Bay, WI


AND on these WONDERFUL internet stations!
http://www.soundsofchristmas.com/
http://litefavorites.com/
http://www.planetchristmas.com/PCRadio.htm
www.jacksonville.com/radiojax
http://www.orsradio.com/ (the Christmas Mix channel)

Please let me know if you hear it on any other stations.....or if there is a station near you that should have a copy of the song!
THANKS!

TEXAS-SIZED HELP NEEDED ASAP!

Howdy all you Lone Star Staters...
You guys have been so terrific to me in helping "The House on Christmas Street" become known. I just discoverd that the state with the fourth highest number of visits to my website is : TEXAS!!! I love you guys! And now...I have a Texas-sized favor to ask you.I have managed to interest a station in Irving called 94.9 KLTY. They are the NUMBER ONE Christian radio station in the country serving the DALLAS market.

I first submitted "The House on Christmas Street" to them in 2007 and they turned it down because it wasn't a "Christian" song per se. I do disagree with that, by the way.....it includes secular imagery but I did not shy away from including Jesus and His Family in the description because I am also a Christian and HE is the centerpiece of my own small display.Anyway, I've also noticed that a lot of Christian music stations are playing more secular Christmas music this year in an effort to draw more listeners ...KLTY, in fact, is playing "White Christmas" by Bing, among others.

I just now received an email from the program director asking to hear an mp3 of the song. So I need back-up! Would you PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE call and email the station asking to hear it? I told him my song has lots of fans in Texas but I really want him to have proof!The website page for contacting the station is here: http://www.klty.com/contact_us.php

If you use the song in your display or if you have heard it and just like it please contact them and request it. If they added it to their playlist it would be a HUGE HUGE HUGE step toward making the song a hit.If you can do this I would be so grateful I'll come to Texas next December and do concerts at your houses all over the state. I PROMISE!Please let me know if you can help by adding a comment here. And God BLESS you!!!

Merry Christmas!

Hey...I hope everybody had a great Thanksgiving!
We were in NYC to pick up Emma from school and we stayed to watch the parade and have our usual Hard Rock Cafe Thanksgiving dinner.
Since we were all home we went out and cut down our Christmas tree yesterday. Emma selected it because she liked that it was wide. It was wide, alright. When we got it home it looked HUGE in our small living room. I didn't even have enough lights to cover the whole thing. I put all the strands we have on it last night and the needles were so sharp they kept making little holes in my hands. You should see...my hands and fingers are all red today! When I finish the job later today I'm going to wear gloves!
So the tree is up and will be decorated by this evening....now all we need is some snow! Then it will REALLY feel like Christmas-time!

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

House on Christmas Street Contests

Hey all you crazy decorating types!
There are currently TWO contests out there for homeowners who are using The House on Christmas Street in their synchronized lighting shows this year.
First, check out www.planetchristmas.com. I've talked about this site before as THE go-to site for decorating enthusiasts. There's a wonderful community there who are more than willing to share their expertise and help you get going in the world of mega-decorating. The site holds an annual decorating contest and this year there is a category for The House on Christmas Street. Go there and check it out!

The other contest is being run by http://www.litefavorites.com/christmas, an internet Christmas radio station. They are giving away copies of my CD to their winners. Check out the details on their website!

And good luck!

Christmas Time's a Comin'

Hello!
Well, the turkeys are still in hiding and the Christmas decorations are out in the stores! I hear rumors floating around that certain radio stations are going "All Christmas" sometime soon...and so I come to you with my yearly request for your requests!
PLEASE begin calling early and often and request The House on Christmas Street at your local station...even if they only play one Christmas song an hour.
If the station says they don't have a copy, please get the name of the contact person and their address and I will mail one out right away.
This blog is going to automatically show up on Facebook, and so I especially implore my FB friends near and far to please take the time to email or call your favorite station...especially all you PC and Lonestar Holidays folks!
This song has already made it farther than I ever thought it would all because of people like you...yes, you! You who have used it in your home displays, already got some of your local stations playing it, requested it on internet stations, written about it, blogged about it and told your friends about it. Now it just needs that extra little push to make it a hit.
Someone asked me recently how I will know that its a hit.....well, one way will be when I actually start getting royalties from it being played on radio stations. So few stations play it now that I really don't get much at all. Not even enough for ASCAP to cut me a check! The only way that will change is if there really is a grass roots campaign of people calling and requesting it. Think of it...that's how "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" became a hit. It was played in a California radio market for seven years before it finally "broke out." We can do the same! I know so many of you love the song because you have written to me about it! So please take this extra step.
I also want to let you know that this year I will not be selling my own CD of the song to make way for the new SOUNDS OF CHRISTMAS 2009 CD that features it, along with other Christmas songs by artists like Huey Lewis & the News, Stephen Bishop, Richard Marx and more. This CD is to benefit William Shatner's Hollywood Horses Charity which pairs special needs kids with horses and does great things for them. I donated my song to this project because I believe in it and, let's face it, it's pretty cool to see my name on the same label as Huey Lewis!!
Thank you for all you have done so far and all you continue to do. Being a self-employed indie artist is a risky proposition and can sometimes be kind of scary, but your emails and comments of support...and of course, the laughter and smiles of the kids...really make it possible for me to keep going even when times are tough. I could never thank you enough!!
Please be sure to let me know if your local station needs a copy of The House on Christmas Street!

House on Christmas Street in Columbus, OH

Yes, I know, Halloween is still about three weeks away but decorating enthusiasts all over the country and the world are already thinking about Christmas....getting out their blow molds and blow-ups, untangling lights and checking wires and bulbs and more.
One of those folks, a guy named Joe, sent me an email to let me know that he's going to be synchronizing his display to "The House on Christmas Street" this year, and he personally made a REALLY cool sign to go with it. He sent me a picture of it and I just had to share it with you.
So if you are roaming through Columbus, Ohio during December be sure to look for The House on Christmas Street and say "hi" to Joe!

If You're a Grown-up Who Likes My Music....

....then you will probably love the music of Mike Viola. Even if you don't know his name, you have heard his voice and songwriting talents in the movie "That Thing You Do" for which he wrote the title song and provided the voice. He has written music for other movies, too, including "Walk Hard, " which stunk as a movie but had good music.
I saw Mike in concert last night in Cambridge and he was so great and it was so much fun! It was the first time I've walked into a bar alone since 1985 and I was feeling a little awkward but it was well worth it because he was just so fantastic. He was so down-to-earth and every single song was incredible. He talked about how he was influenced by the pop music of the 70s and right then I knew we were soul-mates because that's my main influence too.
Check out Mike and his music at : www.mikeviola.com

He also recently produced, wrote songs for and sings on Mandy Moore's newest album. There's one song, "Merrimack River," which is the most gorgeous thing I've ever heard. http://www.last.fm/music/Mandy+Moore/_/Merrimack+River

That's Mandy & Mike doing it live. You'll love it!

HUGE AMAZING ANNOUNCEMENT

Next month, my song "The House on Christmas Street" will be featured on a CD compilation called “The Sounds of Christmas 2009”. Proceeds from this CD will go to William Shatner’s Hollywood Charity Horse Show, which benefits disabled, disadvantaged and special needs children (and you can find out more about them at http://www.horseshow.org ).
The CD will also feature these songs and artists:
Lis Soderberg “All I Need”
Huey Lewis and the News “Winter Wonderland”
Lisa Kessler “Christmas Vacation”
Pete Hopkins “Home For Christmas”
Stephen Bishop “Rock Little Reindeer”
Tina Lambert “O Christmas Tree”
Roy Holliday “Christmastime On The Beach”
Hayseed Dixie “Misty Wonderland Hop”
Dennis DeYoung “When I Hear A Christmas Song”
Annie Pattison “Love For Christmas”
Tey “Silver Bells”
Richard Marx “Santa Claus Is Back In Town”
DJ Icy-Ice and the Fresh Elf “The Night Before Christmas”
William Shatner “Good King Wenceslas” (yes, I'm going to share CD space with CAPTAIN KIRK!!!!!)

Lis Soderberg is a singer/songwriter from Toronto. Her song “All I Need” finished 3rd in Billboard’s World Song Contest, and you can hear it right now on her MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/lissoderberg
Huey Lewis and the News originally sent copies of “Winter Wonderland” to their fan club (they were mailed out on pretty green cassettes). This was in December of 1984. It has never been available on CD.
Lisa Kessler is a gifted Soprano whose first CD, A New Life, has songs that continue to appear on iTunes and Amazon‘s best-seller lists. You‘ll be able to hear “Christmas Vacation” on her MySpace page soon at http://www.myspace.com/lisakesslervocalist
Pete Hopkins is a singer/songwriter from L.A., and was recently a semifinalist in the Shure National Songwriting Contest. You can hear “Home For Christmas” on his MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/petehopkins
Stephen Bishop has been nominated for Grammys and Oscars, and appeared in “Animal House“ and “The Blues Brothers“! He also released his own Christmas CD through his website a few years ago (it‘s now sold out). His original song “Rock Little Reindeer” has been freshly re-mixed for this compilation!
Tina Lambert is releasing her second Christmas CD next month, and both feature her a cappella, singing all the parts, and then mixing them together , with the result being a beautiful chorus of Tina‘s! You can hear her Christmas songs on her MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/tinalambertmusic
Roy Holliday describes himself as “Vegas meets the beach for a unique, yet classic, blend of original Christmas music.” Check out his MySpace page to hear this song and you’ll get exactly what he means at http://www.myspace.com/royholliday
Hayseed Dixie has made a career out of their very original bluegrass interpretation of rock artists like AC/DC (a style they call Rockgrass)! Their song here is a unique blend of “Winter Wonderland” sung to the music of Led Zeppelin’s “Misty Mountain Hop”. You can hear samples of their other songs on their MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/hsdx
Dennis DeYoung, former lead singer for Styx, released “When I Hear A Christmas Song” a couple years ago through his website. This marks its first national release!
Annie Pattison is a nine-year-old singer who was recently a finalist on Calgary Junior Idol! You can hear her original song “Love For Christmas” on her website at http://www.scorecreative.com/anniesings/
Tey is an L.A. singer/songwriter, who was recently described by Music Connection Magazine as a “gifted songwriter and vocalist who sets herself apart with a raw sexuality and palpable soulful influence." You can hear more from Tey on her MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/teypunsalan
Richard Marx has had so many hits, that he actually holds a record as he first solo artist to have his first seven singles hit the Top 5 on the US charts! While he doesn’t have his Christmas song up right now, you can hear a lot of his music on his MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/officialrichardmarx
DJ Icy-Ice and the Fresh Elf are a pair of rappers that you probably know. At this time, though, we can’t reveal any other info about them.
William Shatner. James T. Kirk. T.J. Hooker. Denny Crane. The Big Giant Head. The Priceline Negotiator. You know who he is. He originally recorded this song for KROQ (Kevin and the Bean), as a part of one of their annual Christmas cassettes (yes, cassettes!). This is its first appearance on CD!
You can hear a clip of William Shatner on the label's website at http://www.socmusic.net (and you can pre-order the CD, too)!
This is one of the most exciting developments ever to happen in my career, and I have Ken Kessler, the owner of Sounds of Christmas Music and the mastermind behind Sounds of Christmas Radio, to thank for it! And of course, you....for supporting my songs and me all these years.Merry Christmas!

Decorating Madness

The leaves are just beginning to turn color here in New Hampshire, and I saw some folks putting out harvest and Halloween decorations on their lawns when I went for a walk this afternoon. Not me! I have a rule that no Halloween decorations go up until October 1st, and then I go to town.
But believe it or not, there are people out there (some of you reading this) who have been working on their Christmas yard displays for weeks....some even months! These are the totally wacky decorating enthusiasts world-wide who have made "The House on Christmas Street" an "underground" hit that is probably playing at a decorated house near you this holiday season.
I just want to take a minute to give kudos to those folks who are hard at work planning where the next 20 strings of LED lights are going to go, how to get Santa to pop out of the chimney this year, or where to put their 5th mega-tree. They do it with a jolly, joyful spirit just to cheer the young and the young at heart.
If you've thought about getting into 'extreme" decorating, and perhaps learning how to synchronize your lights to music, there are a couple of websites I want to recommend to you. The first is www.planetchristmas.com . Chuck Smith and the folks at PC will help a newbie every step of the way until you, too, can be planning your holiday display year round. You can find the folks from Texas (and other places too) over at www.lonestarholidays.com where they also specialize in decorating madness and all things Christmas (and other holidays too). There are many other sites online that can help you get started if you want to create your own "House on Christmas Street" this year. Oh, and be sure to stop by www.lightorama.com too. You'll want to peruse the many gadgets and gizmos they offer to make the job easier. They've got a software sequence for "The House on Christmas Street" too.
Hope to hear my song playing at YOUR house this year!

Weird Things Are Everywhere

You can now PRE-ORDER "Weird Things Are Everywhere" on the Judy's Tune Room Store page. http://judypancoast.com/tune_room_store.htm

I believe this is my finest and funnest work!!

I hope you like it too!
It will be on sale to the general public November 9.

My Book Case

In the immortal words of Kip, Napoleon Dynamite's brother, "You know I love technology". Without it I could not be writing to you right now. But I think sometimes we get so excited about technology and its convenience that we forget how special it was sometimes just to wait for something.

For example: waiting for that one night in December when Charlie Brown's Christmas Special would be on TV, and we'd all gather around the set to see it that ONE TIME. If you missed it, you'd have to wait a whole year! That's what made it so special! Ditto for that yearly showing of "The Wizard of Oz."
Or waiting the half hour for my Swanson TV dinner to be ready to eat. Yum. The anticipation was half of what made it so delicious when it finally came out. You just can't microwave fried chicken and mashed potatoes properly.

But there are other technological "advances" that I'm cautious about. The privacy issue, for one. When I was a teen, there were many times I just wanted to be alone. Today's kids are NEVER alone...someone always has access to them through their cell phone or computer. They never have the excuse that "My father was waiting for a call so I couldn't use the phone, that's why I didn't call you last night." It seems sometimes they don't even know what privacy IS. But lately I have noticed my daughter turning off her phone more often...maybe the need for solace has finally appeared.

There's one technological development that we have so far resisted in the Pancoast family: The Kindle or other e-book reader. I know, I know....you can carry around a million books in your purse and take it to the pool or beach or blah blah blah. Well, guess what? I carry around a paperback in my purse, and when I finish it, I replace it with another. I keep a book or two of short stories in the car at all times, too. If I had a million books in my e-reader I may not ever finish any of them!

Also, I'm really attached to my book cases. I still remember the year my brother and I both got book cases for our rooms for Christmas. It was one of my favorite gifts ever. I used to love rearranging my books in that bookcase.
The first pieces of real furniture my husband and I purchased after getting married were a big bookcase and a smaller one from This End Up. You could take away my sofa, coffee table, even my bed...but I'm never giving up those book cases. I like looking at them and seeing the books I've read, some I've had since childhood.....the ones that are too dear to me to give to the annual library book sale. There are a milion happy memories of the places I've been and the stories I've been part of while reading those books...in addition to the memories of where I was in my life when I read them.
When I broke my ankle and was housebound a couple of years ago I went kind of crazy rearranging those books over and over. And I re-read more than a few of them. If I'd gotten all of those books on an e-reader, all of that fun would be gone.

I've already lost the joy of reading the liner notes and staring at the artwork on album covers. It doesn't help that I can barely read the small print on a CD insert...since beginning to download music we don't even get that anymore. (in fact, I've been wondering why I'm spending so much time designing my new CD cover when most people who buy it will probably get it by downloading!)

I can't bear the thought of losing my books, too.

So keep your e-reader; I'll keep my Mystery Guild membership, thank you very much!

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

My brand new CD, WEIRD THINGS ARE EVERYWHERE, will be going on sale to the general public on my website on November 9 and shortly thereafter on CDBaby.com and on iTunes.com.

Pre-order it now and it will ship to you in late October, before anyone else has it!
WEIRD THINGS ARE EVERYWHERE
is a road trip with Judy that takes you across the United States, with stops along the way to visit interesting sites related to children's literature. It's jam-packed with geographical and historical facts, and lots and lots of WEIRD THINGS, along with brand new songs!
Featuring:
Reading Our Way Across the U.S.A.
Yucky
Bum de Bo
Superman Can
Take Me to Your Reader
Once Upon a Time
The Dog Did It
I Can't Go Surfin'
A Little Bit of Elvis
Weird Things are Everywhere
Where I Live

Special Note to Teachers and Home Schooling Parents: This CD is filled with fun songs and information that will enhance your US Geography, Literacy, History and Music programs. Your students will ask to hear it over and over again....and they'll be learning while having fun!

Pre-order today by sending check or money order in the amount of $15 (includes shipping and handling) to:
Judy Pancoast
43 Pinehill Avenue
Manchester, NH 03102
Pre-order today and enjoy WEIRD THINGS ARE EVERYWHERE before anyone else can buy it!

For those of you who prefer to buy online, a PayPal link will be available on my website soon. Watch here for news on that!

Hip to be Square

I just reviewed my posts from the last couple of years and I can't find a post where I wrote about this particular topic, although it's been on my mind for quite some time.

I have noticed a trend in children's music...and in other aspects of parenting. It's this media hype that parents must be "hip" and raise their children with all things "hip."....hip music, hip books, hip clothing...blah, blah, blah. There are tons of articles and blogs on "hip parenting."

What exactly does "hip" mean in 2009?

I posed this question to a bunch of other children's musicians in a networking group in which I participate, and there were as many different answers as there were people. In general it seems to be that "hip" parents feel that they are on the cutting edge of pop culture, and wouldn't be caught dead providing their children with anything that might be considered "traditional" or "un-cool." Here's a quote from an editorial in the Toronto Globe that better explains what I mean:

Alternaparenting, it seems, is all about putting your kid in the right T-shirt. And not cutting you kid's hair (because Kate Hudson and Chris Robinson didn't). And furnishing the baby's room with a rocking Eames chair (even though it's uncomfortable)

Anyhow, I began to wonder about this trend when my music was rejected by a radio program for kids. This particular programmer was looking for music that was "hipper" than my stuff. Then it happened again with a reviewer, someone who writes a prominent online column about children's music. He said he preferred music with a more "raw" sound. HUH?

This leaves me at odds. You see, no one has EVER accused me of being "hip," not even in the 70's, when I was a teen. Back then, of course, it was not "cool" to call someone "hip," because "hip" was an outdated term from the 60's, but I guess it's "hip" again in the 2000's.

Nope, I was decidedly un-cool. I liked The Carpenters, John Denver and Barry Manilow. I wore their t-shirts to school. I listened to bubblegum pop and watch "Dark Shadows" regularly. I never drank or did any kind of drugs, and I was in the chorus AND band in my high school. I was fat, had acne and fine, limp hair. I didn't get invited to the right parties and when I went to college in 1977 I was the one who got kicked out of the dorm room so my room-mates could have boys over.

I never underwent some big transformation, either. If you check this blog for last summer's posts, you will see that I was absolutely giddy about meeting David Cassidy. That's NOT "hip." In fact, it's so unhip that I found out that particular post was flagged on some hipster website and over 700 people came to my blog to check it out and laugh at me. I'm not exaggerating either. Just like back in high school!

But getting back to the issue of music.....since I am not "hip" and never have been, I don't know how to write "hip" music. I try to write music that sees things from a child's perspective. Amazingly, this comes pretty easily to me because (as my daughter often says) my emotional development seems to have stalled at age eight! However, I don't know how to write for "hip" kids. I write for kids who like to catch bugs in jars, stomp in puddles, and wouldn't know Juicy Couture Kids clothing from something on a Target sales rack. I think this is pretty much all kids, until their parents sway them in some other direction.

Unfortunately, and I'm going out on a dangerous limb saying this...I suspect that these very same "hip" little kids are going to turn into really obnoxious teens. And I don't want to be around when they do.

So, I guess I'm never going to be very successful on a large scale in the children's music biz since I'm so un-hip. My music is decidedly influenced by The Partridge Family and The Monkees and when I perform I don't wear striped tights and crazy hats. Believe me, no one would want to see that!

I hope that parents, whether they are hip or un-hip, will let their kids hear my music and decide for themselves whether or not they like it. On the other hand, with luck, maybe someday I'll be so "un-hip" that I'll be "hip!" Stranger things have happened......

School Starts in two Weeks!!

I always dread the start of school. I have always enjoyed having my girls around and I miss them terribly when they go back to school. Because I'm self-employed and don't usually do a lot of concerts in September, I'm home a lot working on the business side of things. Sometimes it gets kind of lonely.

Plus, my summers are always jam packed with traveling, concerts, meeting new friends and lots of excitement. When it all comes to a crashing halt in September I can't help but feel down.

The first day that Louisa, my younger girl, began first grade, I taught our dog how to shake hands. Now Louisa is about to begin tenth grade, and my little doggie Buffy is still my main companion during the week.

Anyhow, I guess I'm just writing because I'm feeling my usual end-of-summer melancholy, and I wonder if anyone else feels this way. It's true what the old folks say, the years go by faster and faster with each passing one.........

Dying to tell you

..something so exciting that it is very hard for me to keep a lid on it. But I must. But be looking for a big announcement for me coming soon!
Beam me up, Scotty!

Sad

I just finished a show at a daycare, and there was a wonderful little boy, 7 years old, who was so full of happiness and life that he sprang right up and danced, surfed, sang, swam in jello and "bleahed" with an unabashed joy. It made me so happy to be the inspiration for that. But I have to admit that deep inside, I also felt a little sad....
Just about a week ago, I learned that the boy who was part of the inspiration for my song "The Jump Rope Queen," passed away last year at the age of 18. When I knew him back in 1996 he was the state jump rope champion among boys from first grade, and the jump rope queen was the state jump rope champion among girls from first grade, and the lovely coincidence is that they were both in the same class. They jumped rope with that same unabashed joy on the playground, and they were just happy little kids, full of life and promise. I couldn't help but make up a song about them.
Somewhere over the last 12 years something went drastically wrong, however. The young man became involved with illegal drugs, and passed away from an overdose. I keep asking myself over and over, "How does this happen? How do they go from joyful little children to troubled teens?" But if we knew the answer to that, and heeded its message, there would be no teen casualties from drugs, drinking or violence, and they would all grow up to fulfill the childhood promise. I worry about it constantly with my own children; I fear that no matter how many times my husband and I have talked to them about these things, somewhere they might fall into that pit. Oh, that we could be there to make everything right for them 24-hours a day, like we did when they were little!
My heart breaks for his family and friends.
I will always remember him as that joyful little boy, jumping rope like made on the playground, with everyone gathered round and cheering him on.

RESEARCH PROJECT PLEASE HELP

I've decided to do some research to help me make decisions about my future career, and I hope you will help. Thanks to the support of many Christmas decorating enthusiasts, "The House on Christmas Street" has become somewhat popular in a sort of "underground" way, playing at houses all over the world. I've received a lot of email from folks who love the song and some who have said that it really tells their story (thank you!!) but I really don't have any kind of numbers about who has used it, who is planning to use it, or who has even heard it, so I'm going to post this survey here and also on Planet Christmas and some other websites. The results of this research will help me decide whether or not to venture into producing a House on Christmas Street children's book, t-shirts and sweatshirts, bumper stickers, etc.
Please take a few minutes to help me out by answering these questions:
1. Have you heard the song "The House on Christmas Street?"
2. If you answered "yes" to #1, where did you hear it?
3. Have you used the song, or are you planning on using the song, in your own home lighting project?
4. Would you personally be interested in purchasing t-shirts, sweatshirts, or any other kind of licensed item connected with the song?
5. If the answer to #4 is "yes", then what kind of items would you be interested in?
6. Would you be interested in promotional items such as bumper stickers or buttons to hand out to your visitors that say something like "I've Been to The House on Christmas Street?"
The next question is for those of you who raise money for charity through your home lighting display:
7. Would you be interested in offering "House on Christmas Street" items to your visitors in return for a contribution to the charity of your choice?
8. any comments about the song or these potential plans?
You may send your answers to this survey to me personally at judy@judypancoast.com or you may post them here as a comment. As a small token of my appreciation, I will send an mp3 of the song to everyone who sends a request to me judy@judypancoast.com
.Thank you VERY VERY MUCH for helping me with this project.

Weeeeeeiiiiiirrrrrrddd

Just wanted to pop in quickly here and say that I am alone at the radio station here in the middle of the night, and a mouse just ran through the studio.
Somehow I don't think Karen Blake is going to like this when she gets here!!

Travel Tips

Today I am in Solon, Ohio and this morning I will perform my last show of this tour. I have had a wonderful time and enjoyed meeting so many new people. I want to thank those of you who have taken the time to visit my website and also who have downloaded my music. I really and truly appreciate your support.
After the show today I will make the 11-hour drive home, but before I head out, here are some travel tips I have learned on the road:

-PRICELINE.com! Naming my own price got me Motel 6 rates at three star hotels on this trip. I HIGHLY recommend it.
-AUDIOBOOKS from the library: I got several before I left and they have kept me entranced during my many hours of driving.
-ROADSIDEAMERICA.com: Hands down my favorite website for planning a trip. If you and your family like to see the oddball things that are out there on the American Road, by all means visit that website. Seeing a lot of this stuff is a great testament to the ingenuity and wackiness of the American Spirit, and it's just plain fun!
-McDONALDS! One measly dollar for a 32-ounce drink all summer, and 99% of the time the soda is mixed correctly (unlike at convenience stores, which are often cheaper but you never know what you're going to get).
-COOLER: I always take a cooler with me and fill it up with ice at the hotels. I keep it stocked with milk, water, fruit and soda
-CEREAL: I had a box of munchable cereal in the car at all times. It's a healthy driving snack...and way better for you than chips, crackers or pringles!
-STARBUCKS! Hooray for free wi-fi on the road. A lot of places advertise that they have wi-fi but then they charge you for it once you get in there. Beware! Starbucks wi-fi is free as long as you have a registered Starbucks card.
-DUNKIN DONUTS: never eat at a Dunkin's outside of New England. I've never had a drink mixed correctly at any DD outside of my home area.
-GOLDEN CORRAL: Usually a great place to pig out if you are only going to have time for one meal that day. I've never found one in New England but they're all over the place in the west.
-TAKE THE SURVEYS- If you are selected on a restaurant receipt to take a survey, then take the 15 minutes and do it. I got several codes for $$$$ off restaraunt meals just by doing this.
-SEND POSTCARDS TO KIDS: Kids LOVE to get postcards. Before you leave, stock up on postcard stamps and ask the families of children you love to give you some of their return address labels. Keep them with you, and when you are traveling, find the most fun postcards from the places you visit. Write a few lines to the child or children, slap on a stamp and address label, and you've given that child a special treat that they may keep for a lifetime (I still have a stack of postcards that my big sister sent me when she traveled across the country when she was 19 and I was 7!)

Okay...that's all I can think of and I gotta go. Take care and wave to me if you see me on the highway today. I'll be the one with the license plate that says KQQ-KQQ!

Texas Hospitality

I had a wonderful day in Texas today!!
I spent the night just outside of Amarillo and drove into Dallas this morning. This is my second time coming to Dallas, and I still won't make it to Southfork Ranch. One of these days!
I was invited by the Christmas Lights Community folks to perform at the Park Forest Community Pool where they were having their meeting this evening. I had a nice little crowd of (mostly) girls who were reluctant at first (most were over the age of nine, and you know how that is!) but by the end they were going just as koo-koo as I was! It was really a lot of fun. The folks have invited me back to perform there again next year, and along with my invitation to go back to Roswell for the UFO festival next summer, looks like I have the beginnings of a 2010 tour already.
As a matter of fact, I've noticed that, outside of my home neighborhood of New England, most of my website "hits" come from Texas. It seems there are a lot of Christmas decorating enthusiasts out here who really like "The House on Christmas Street." So next summer I'm going to plan to have more performances here in the Lone Star State, and hopefully get to meet some of these nice people in person.
So, maybe next summer I'll get to see JR at Southfork after all this time!
By the way,....here's a big shout out to all my Drive-In fans...I'll be back NEXT weekend!!

Still on the Road!

Wow...it's been so busy since we got to New Mexico that there hasn't been any time to write here. We had the most amazing time at the Amazing Roswell UFO Festival! The best part was the parade on Friday night....we were on the Literacy Council float with two boys (brothers) who were being the MEN IN BLACK. They were so sweet and cute! Google was there with us and I sang Take Me to Your Reader about ten times, with the theme from Men in Black in there a few times as well. Google really was the hit of the festival. Everywhere we went people wanted their picture taken with him. He was really glad to be back in Roswell....we looked around and actually found some of his long lost cousins. It was a great time!
If you have never been to New Mexico I really encourage you to visit here some time. They don't call it the "Land of Enchantment" for nothing. The land is mostly flat desert, but then these incredibly beautiful mountains and mesas seem to rise up out of nowhere. The sky is so big you can see the sun come up right at the horizon and go down the same way. And the days are mostly sunny and hot. If you don't like the heat, this is not the place for you...but as for me..I love it!
Louisa and I went hiking in the Sandia Mts. on the edge of Albuquerque one evening. We only went about two miles because we weren't really well prepared (it was king of spontaneous) but it was so beautiful. The ground is really colorful, as if God painted it. And there were lots of huge rock formations with cave like areas that I just had to explore. Next week, after she has flown back home, I'll probably go out there again. So if I don't write again, you know where to look for me!
Today we did two performances. The first was in Truth or Consequences, a funky little town with a cool name. It's right near Elephant Butte state park, which we visited for a couple of hours between shows. It's a man-made lake that's very beautiful, surrounded by mts. and mesas and buttes...very magical!! Also a good place to get a sunburn, which we did, a little bit.
The evening show was in Deming at the Marshall Memorial Library. A lot of people who've seen me there before came back, and that's always a great feeling. A sweet little girl named Cassandra was our ladybug. She didn't want to sing but she made a beautiful ladybug!
We are staying in Deming tonight and tomorrow it's on to Las Cruces. Louisa is leaving me on Saturday (MY BIRTHDAY!!!!) and going back home, then I'll be here by myself, with my last show in NM next Thursday in Tucumcari. Then I'm going on to Dallas for a show, and one last show in Ohio before I go home and do the rest of my shows around New England this summer.
I really appreciate all of the friends who have come out to see me here in New Mexico, and I can't wait to see the rest of you back home!!
And make sure you plan a trip to beautiful New Mexico some time soon!

On the Road Again

Hello from TULSA!
We are on day four of the tour, which began in lovely Manchester By the Sea in Massachusetts on Monday, with a very well-attended and fun show at the library.
We have been traveling hundreds of miles a day these past few days to make it to Roswell in time for tomorrow's shows...and we are going to do it. Today is actually a light day..only 7 and a half hours in the car! That's a breeze compared to yesterday's THIRTEEN.
Here's some of the cool stuff we've seen on the road so far:
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/pet/stiffy.html

http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/18225

More soon!
Judy

Words Cannot Express.....

I am not ashamed to say that I am a Michael Jackson fan. I have been a Michael Jackson fan all my life. I believed in him, his music and his innocence, and when I say innocence, I mean not just "innocent" in terms of the heinous accusations that were made against him, but his innocence as a person. There is no doubt in my mind that Michael Jackson and I were kindred spirits.
When I saw him on that special, talking about the special tree he used to climb at Neverland Ranch....while everyone else made fun of him for that, I got it. I have places like that too. When I saw the inside of his house, filled with toys and video games, I got it. My house is like that too, though on a much smaller scale.
All of my adult life, when I've walked into a situation where there were adults and children...like a wedding, a barbecue or a picnic, I've always felt much more comfortable hanging out with the kids than the grownups. That's why what I do for a living is such a perfect fit. ...I'm really just a kid in a grown up body, and that's how I always saw Michael. The difference is, Michael was a man and I'm a woman...somehow it's more acceptable for me.
When he was on television, forced to defend himself against the accusations of a bitter and suspicious world, I wept for him. Even though I suspect that most of you who will read this will think me a fool, I wept for him. I knew exactly what he meant when he said, "That's how the world thinks...but that's NOT how I think."
One of the very first record albums my mom bought for me, when I was about 12 years old, was The Jackson Five's Greatest Hits. I had his first solo album....and all his other albums.
I remember rushing home from taking my "little sister" (Big Brothers & Sisters) trick or treating to watch the Thriller video on MTV. In 1988, when I finally went to Disney World for the first time, the only reason I went to Epcot was to see "Captain EO." On my 30th birthday, at about midnight, I was settling into bed. Philip asked me if I wanted to watch a video, and I said "Okay." He put the "movie" in, and I was absolutely delighted to see that it was the MOOONWALKER video that I'd wanted.....over an hour of Michael videos. I raised Emma on that video...she LOVED it!! One of the first songs she danced to was "Black or White..." we loved it how the people morphed in that video. Louisa loved him too, and spent hours perfecting the moon walk.
I was miserable when I couldn't get tickets to his 1984 tour....but I scored some on Ebay to his 30th anniversary show at Madison Square Garden on 9/10/01. I didn't tell Philip how much I paid for them, but believe me, it was worth every penny, and he thought so too. Last night he thanked me for having made him do that. I'm SO GLAD I got to see Michael live. It was the THRILLL of my life.
As a songwriter, I could tell everything I needed to know about Michael Jackson by listening to his music. My favorite song of his was "Heal the World." All you have to do is listen to it to know what a good soul he was. He was all about loving and caring for the innocent and helpless of the world.
Here's a secret you probably don't know...in 2004, when we were on tour in California, I took my family on a little adventure. I'd found out how to get to Neverland on the internet, and we went searching. We drove out on this long road....that seemed like it was going nowhere, until we saw one of those highway cleanup signs that said the stretch of road was sponsored by "MJ."
We finally got to a side road that led to a guarded gate. I got out with a package of my CDs and a note telling him they were for his kids, and the guy in the guardhouse asked me what I wanted. I said, "These are for the Master of the house." and the guy responded that he would see that he got them. There was no sign, nothing to indicate that we were at the right place. You couldn't see the rides or the elephants from the road, but you could feel that it was the right place. I would give my right arm to know if he ever listened to my music and shared it with his kids.
I always thought, in the back of my mind, that one day I would get to meet Michael Jackson. Now I know I won't on this earth, but I'm sure that I will meet him in heaven. In the meantime, he left us a lifetime of wonderful music from the time he was a little boy until now. I know I'll listen to it for the rest of my life.
I could write so much more, but I've got to get outside. I'm planting a butterfly garden in memory of Michael.
Love, Judy

FINISHED AT LAST

Finally, finally, finally! I have sung the last note in the recording studio for the new CD! Now all that remains is the mixing and producing and it will be available for release. The final title will be WEIRD THINGS ARE EVERYWHERE (A Reading Adventure Across the USA). Pre-order info will be coming to the Tune Room Store page of this website soon.
I really believe that this CD is my MASTERPIECE. I hope you like it too!

Twilight and the Back Fence

Okay, I'll admit it...I have been sucked (no pun intended) into reading some of the books in the Twilight series. Actually, I read the first one, and my poor husband suffered through me commenting out loud about how terribly written it is every night as I read before falling asleep. I stand by that assessment, but that still hasn't stopped me from listening to that book on audio (it was slightly better on the audio book, because the young woman who read it sounds likes a teenager, and the way the character spoke made more sense hearing the words spoken in that voice...) and following it up with the next two on audio. I can't help it, I'm a pop culture fiend.

I justify my craving for all pop culture knowledge because it gives me a common ground...a starting point for conversations with people I don't know all that well. I once read that the old-time tradition of passing gossip between neighbors over the back fence had died out in modern society because we no longer know our neighbors. Celebrities are our new gossip fodder. Most of us don't really know them, and we figure that they have sought out fame, so we don't feel guilty talking about them. It makes sense. If I try to talk to an acquaintance who happens to be standing in line next to me at the grocery store, what better conversation starter than, "How about that Jon & Kate? I'm so sick of hearing about them?" or "So, who do you think is going to win American Idol?" Just about everybody hears about this stuff, unless they live under a rock or are just too snobby for pop culture. And if they are THAT snobby, I probably wouldn't care to talk with them anyway!

So, getting back to Twilight...I resisted it for quite awhile, but then I heard so many adult women talking about it that I just had to get it from the library and see for myself. Okay, I'll admit, the story is somewhat intriguing, and I have enough of a "thirst" (pun intended) for the story to see how it turns out. But I have a MAJOR problem with the description of the main female character, "Bella." This is a girl who has NO interests (other than a boy vampire), NO aspirations (other than becoming a vampire because she loves the boy vampire), NO favorite subjects in school, NO hobbies, no anything to make her interesting at all. She is merely there to provide a focal point for the vampire, who falls in love with her initially because he can't resist her SMELL!!!! And women MY AGE are calling this story "romantic!" Lord help me if this is the kind of character we want our daughters to emulate. I can't even believe people are letting their daughters read this in this day and age.

The other day someone in my circle of friends compared an adult reading the Twilight series to an adult reading the Harry Potter series and I almost had a brain explosion. The Harry Potter books are LITERATURE that will stand the test of time and be read by generations to come. It's like comparing Archie Comics to "Catcher in the Rye."
Even more importantly, Hermione Granger is a fully developed character, and a heckuva role model for any girl. She is smart, strong, creative and funny. And yes, she is allowed to have a crush on a boy, but that never gets in the way of her being true to herself. I would be delighted if my daughter asked herself "What would Hermione do?" and horrified if my daughter asked herself "What would Bella do?" I think you get my point.

Furthermore, I know moms and dads who are letting their 10 and 11- year old daughters read these books, and I'm sure they are blissfully ignorant of the fact that some of the themes therein are quite mature, including the budding (at the point I'm at in the series, anyway) physical relationship between "Bella" and "Edward." Parents are the best judge of what their children can handle in this department, but the problem is that I don't think many parents are informed about the actual content of these books. They've become THE thing for girls to read, and perhaps parents think that because so many kids are reading them they must be okay. Personally, I think the message the books send to girls about valuing themselves (or NOT valuing themselves, I should say) is far more heinous than the sex, but I still think you ought to know.

One final thought: there is one other series for youth that I have picked up recently, and I've enjoyed it a bazillion times more than the Twilight series. Diary of a Wimpy Kid made me laugh right out loud! If your kids are reading these books, take ten minutes and pick one up and read a little. I'll bet you'll laugh out loud too! And funny books are way better than romances any day of the week, if you ask me!

What I'm Good At

I've been working hard in the recording studio putting the finishing touches...and I do mean the FINISHING touches...on my forthcoming CD. It's been about three years in the making! (no, I haven't been working on it steadily...it's been a couple songs here, a couple songs there). It's a concept CD called Reading Our Way Across the USA; that's why it's taken "a little" longer to produce than my other recordings. Anyhow, it will be released THIS SUMMER. Thank you for your patience in waiting! When I mentioned this at a show last week a Dad in the audience said, "Finally! New material!" So, I especially appreciate you Moms and Dads who have listened to the same songs over and over again with your kids! You're troopers!Anyhow, I want to get kind of personal here, because this is something that occurred to me as I was listening to one of the finished tracks: "This is the best of me. It's what I have to offer this world, and it's what I hope will outlive me."By that, of course, I mean that I feel that music has been my calling since I was old enough to sing. Writing songs has come naturally to me for most of my life (wrote my first one when I was 11). So when I'm in the studio creating a recording of one of my songs, I feel like I am putting the whole best of myself into that recording. When you hear it, you are getting the best of what this person has to give. I'm not that great at anything else, but I appreciate you who think that I'm pretty good at doing this, and who have supported me in my quest to make a living doing what I love. Thank you so, so much. I will continue giving you and your families the best I have to offer as long as I can...and with God's blessing maybe a couple of generations will grow up with my music. That would be the greatest gift for me, and all that I could hope for on this earth.I have to put a caveat in here: Obviously my daughters are the greatest thing I've produced in this life, but I can't take the whole credit for how terrific they are!!

RETURN TO THE DRIVE-IN!!

Big Announcement:
Judy and the Crew will be returning to the Milford Twin Drive-In this summer for a bunch of shows when kid movies are playing! These concerts were a highlight last summer and brought us a lot of new fans. Hope to see you there!!
Dates so far: May 29th for the opening of "UP". Rain date May 30th.
July 24th for "G-Force." Rain date May 25th.

More to come!
The Drive In is great family fun and we are so fortunate to still have a couple of these American cultural treasures here in NH. Please plan to bring your whole gang to at least one of the shows this summer and help the Drive-In stay with us for a long time. Check out their website at: www.milforddrivein.com. And tell them Judy sent you!

PS...my very first job was at the Winslow Drive-In in Winslow Maine, summer of 1976! That summer remains a cherished memory.

Boston Children's Music

Hurrah! I just found out that I'm on the list of "FAVORITE PERFORMERS" on the Boston Children's Music blog. If you live in Greater Boston you might want to check out this very informative and fun blog with info about children's performances of note in the area. You can find it at www.bostonchildrensmusic.com.

Please let Amber know you are a Judy Pancoast fan! Thanks!

Check this out!

Looks like "The Good Times Goose Bumps Motel" is going to be my next big hit among the decorating enthusiasts! Check out this video made by a fan:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cRx6qZ4kv0

Isn't it cool? :)

New Blog for "The House on Christmas Street"

Hellooooo...
On the advice of a trusted PR friend I have created a brand new blog specifically for information about my song, "The House on Christmas Street." You should see the link for it here on the homepage of this blog...but in case I'm wrong, here's the link: http://houseonchristmasstreet.blogspot.com/

This blog is intended to be a "go-to" spot for all information and comments on the song. If you are a fan of the song or my Christmas CD, I hope you'll stop by and leave a comment!
Thanks!

Music Page on Face book

I finally figured out how to make a music page on Facebook. You can find it by clicking here (I hope) http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=62250577026#/pages/Judy-Pancoast/70289139838?sid=44f83ef0dd2616ea7475a3be895a7b78&ref=search

That looks like a long link but I can't figure out how else to do it.
Anyhow, I haven't yet uploaded any music, but I'd love to have you come by and become a fan. I'm going to start listing all my shows there, and if you want to discuss my music or shows or children's music in general there's a discussion board.

In the immortal words of Olivia Newton-John,...Come On Over!

Prunes

Last night Louisa and I went over to SNHU to see the band honeyhoney open for Gavin DeGraw. Yes, we went to see the opening act and then we left. I was very excited that they were actually right here in town, since I only discovered their music about a month ago and have been hooked ever since.
We jammed ourselves into a space on the floor, not too far from the stage. As I looked around I noticed that I was not the only person in my age range there, which was comforting. (as opposed to when I go with Emma to see Hanson, where I am clearly a fish out of water, if you know what I mean.) Anyhow, I yelled and cheered for the band, and apparently (Louisa told me) some teenager was giving me nasty looks, as in, "what kind of freak are you, old lady, yelling at a concert?"
We-e-e-e-lllllllllll, here's what I wish I could have said to her: listen kid, your life is going to whiz right by you and someday you will look in the mirror and find yourself at the ripe old age of almost fifty, and yet, inside, you will remember what it felt like when you were 24 and screaming at a Rick Springfield concert, and you'll say "What the heck happened?" And furthermore, I hope to high heaven that you don't let the fact that you are twice the age you were then keep you from being the real person you are, and if you feel like yelling out because you love the guy or band onstage, then I hope you will yell out and have a great time and are able to ignore the snotty kid who is now giving YOU dirty looks.
So there.
And furthermore, to the miserable people who actually posted on message boards making fun of this blog because of the stuff I wrote when I met David Cassidy last summer: Why don't you go eat some prunes, cause you clearly need them!
I am who I am and who I have always been, and I'm not going to change and become some inhibited old lady just because society says I have to act a certain way. If someone can't handle that, it's their problem. I got made fun of when I was a teenager for the same thing: too loud, too funny, too ridiculous, too off the wall, too fat, sings too much, talks too much, too this, too that. But you know what? I've had an amazing life and sometimes laughed so hard I thought I'd have a heart attack and I'm still having a great time (alcohol and drug free always, I might add.) So you can come along and join the fun or you can sit around and make mean-spirited comments, but I hope you have a box of prunes handy, because you really need it.
Too the rest of you who have loved me and joined me in the whirlwind, I love you too. I'm so glad you get it!
Love always, Judy

SIGN MY GUEST BOOK PLEASE!!

Hey You Guuuuuuuuuuuyyyyyysssss....
In an extension of what I said yesterday about blogging being weird because you don't know who is out there reading it, if, indeed, anyone is: I noticed that since I installed the newer guest book on my website 250 people have visited it, yet only a teeny weeny fraction of those people have actually signed it. Come on!! It's lonely out here in cyberspace. Every once in a while I look at the guest book to see if anyone has left me an exciting or unexpected message. You know, like fan mail from some flounder. If you are stopping by to read other people's messages to me in the guest book, you should at least leave one of your own. That would make me sooooo happy!

Health Update

I find it very weird to blog, I'll admit. I have often thought that no one is out there reading any of this stuff and I'm just writing to amuse myself. But I was proved wrong when I posted about my cancer scare several days ago. I received many emails and inquiries from people concerned about my welfare, and it really touched me.
Here's what finally happened: after a really terrible Easter weekend during which I pretty much had myself gone and buried, I went to the specialist at the Elliot Breast Health Center on Monday morning. He looked at my pictures from my ultrasound, and then did one of his own, and he said there was absolutely nothing there to worry about. He said the original radiologist had mis-read the films. How about that? All of that worry and nail biting and tearing up was for nothing. I don't know if I was more relieved or angry. Relieved for the obvious reasons, but also angry because the specialist mentioned that this is apparently a pattern for the particular radiology office where I went for my mammogram and ultrasound in the first place.
The good news is that they feel that, because of my mother's breast cancer 15 years ago, I should be under their wing at the Breast Health Center, so that's where I'm going for mammograms now, every six months.
I do want to say a very, very sincere and heartfelt "thank you" to everyone who kept me in their prayers and sent notes of concern. It's so good to have friends! And all you Mommies out there: be sure to have your yearly mammogram and take good care of yourself!!

Dreams Can Come True at Any Age

Ok...it's a difficult weekend. But someone sent me a link to this video, and it made me feel so good I had to share it with you.
I have never seen a look on Simon Cowell's face like you will see in this video. It's really worth watching. http://digg.com/d1oVwl
Happy Easter!!

Design Your Own Judy CD

I've had a brilliant idea! Coming very soon you'll have the opportunity to design your own Judy Pancoast CD. You pick ten of your favorite Judy songs, pay $9.99 via PayPal, and we'll make a CD just for you. I'll autograph it for you and ship it off free of charge.I've decided to do this because the demand for CDs has slowed down considerably, while downloads of my music from iTunes and other sites have really picked up. I think CDs may be going the way of the dinosaur soon. So, instead of reordering thousands of copies of my past CDs and having them take up space, I'm going to let them sell out (Swimming in Jello already has) and make only custom CDs of my current library by request.However, I will be releasing a brand new CD of new material this summer, and there will be plenty of copies of that to go around until those sell out as well! I'm gradually going to add the new tunes to the existing online library to make them available for your customs CDs. This option will be available soon! So, if you would like to introduce your favorite Judy tunes to a child in your life, start picking out your ten songs and you'll have your personalized, custom made, autographed CD on your way to you in no time flat for only $9.99!

The California Muse

The California Muse is an interesting blog I found when I was searching around for people on Blogger who areinterested in children's music. Here are 6 questions she sent me, and here are my answers:

1. What is your musical training/background? Are you self-trained/did you have formal musical training? I am a self-trained songwriter, but I did have formal training in piano from the time I was ten years old, and I have a degree in music from the University of Maine. I took voice lessons there as well but I wish I hadn't.


2. Why children's music? What draws you to compose and perform music specifically for children?
I began composing songs for children when my first child was born. It was just natural to make up little songs for her. Then I went back to school to become a teacher, and during my field work in classrooms I just began making up songs with the kids. One day the principal of the school where I was working asked me to do an assembly, and the rest is history. I began working professionally as a children's musician in 1996 and I have never looked back. I'd rather sing for kids than any other audience in the world. I'm not an "adult" musician who does music for kids part-time or just to make money. This is truly my purpose in life.



3. What were some of your musical favorites as a child and what were some favorites you played for your own children?
Well, like every kid I loved Disney songs and my first record was an album of songs from Disney movies that my mother got at a gas station, believe it or not! They were selling it as some kind of promotion! I wore that thing out. But I was the youngest of three kids so I got into pop and rock pretty early. I'm a child of the 70's and my favorite music has always been bubblegum pop...and I'm not ashamed to say it! My kids were raised on The Partridge Family, the Carpenters, and lots and lots of oldies. They also really liked Joanie Bartels, any music from Sesame Street and Rory


4. What countries have you traveled to in the world and what were your favorites?
I have been to Canada, Mexico, England and Kenya. My favorite was Kenya because of my experiences there at the orphanage at which I volunteered.

5. What are 10 things you still want to do in this life?
Yikes... that's an interesting question. Let's see....
1. See my song "The House on Christmas Street" actually become a real bonafide seasonal hit that plays on the radio long after I've left this earth
2. Meet John Travolta
3. Win a Grammy
4. Go back to Nyumbani orphanage in Kenya
5. Take my husband to see the Tour de France
6. Buy a small cottage or shack by the sea
7. Visit Japan
8. Write a musical
9. Hold my grandchild in my arms (of course, one has to be born first!)
10. See my daughters happy and successful

6. What are 5 words friends would use to describe you?
I'm not really sure, but I'll take a whack at it...
1. creative
2. funny
3. talkative
4. good mother
5. hard worker

There you go!

Monsters VS. Aliens

Went to see Monsters VS. Aliens yesterday and I loved it. I laughed out loud in several places and the kids in the audience seemed to really enjoy it. Ya gotta see it in 3-D....I think it would be worth traveling a little ways to a theatre that offers it that way if your local theatre doesn't have the technology.
It is rated PG and there are lots of loud action/scary scenes which may upset very young children ( I always say, you are the best judge of your child and you know what may upset them, this is just my opinion). But I think it's basically okay for the average five year old and up.
If you know me, you know that I really despise so-called family movies that include inappropriate language and any kind of adult/sexy stuff (oh, they are out there, believe me.) This movie had nothing like that. It was very well done: great animation, funny script and excellent voice characterizations by people like Reese Witherspoon and Hugh Laurie (Dr. House!)It gets an A+ from me!
Let me know if you like it!

Family Music Extravaganza April 4

I'm getting very excited about a big concert coming up on April 4 at the Timberlane Performing Arts Center in Sandown, NH. Its a big FAMILY MUSIC EXTRAVAGANZA and I am peforming along with Steve Blunt, Ben Rudnick and Friends and Jay Mankita. It's going to be a BLAST! Please visit the website here: http://www.timberlanepac.org/08-09/avon.htm for more info on this event. All of the proceeds go to fund breast cancer research.
When I was approached to participate the organizers had no idea that this is a cause near and dear to my heart. My mother is a breast cancer survivor (14 years now!!) and so that puts me in a high risk category as well. I have to admit that the possibility does scare me, as I'm sure it does most women. So bring the family (especially those awesome breast-fed kids!!) and help out this worthy cause!

Free Songs for Kids

Hello and Happy Spring (though there is still snow in my yard here in New Hampshire)
I just uploaded two songs to my new profile at http://freesongsforkids.com/. This is a wonderful site where many children's artists have contributed tunes that you can download for FREE for your children. Check it out!

March...UGH

Hello and happy St. Patrick's Day! If you are looking for a fun St. Patrick's Day song, check out "Kiss Me, I'm Irish Today" on my Tune Room CD. You can get it on i-tunes, too : http://www.apple.com/search/downloads/?q=judy+pancoast

Anyhow, Louisa's birthday is March 1, and then there's St. Patrick's Day, but other than that, there's really not much to celebrate about March here in NH. There's still plenty of snow on the ground, and most of it is yucky and dirty. The days go from warm (and I mean 50 is warm) one day to freezing the next, and you never know when we just might get ANOTHER snow storm. It doesn't help that it's the longest day of the year.
I've never liked March ever since I was a kid. In fact, I've only had one nice March in my WHOLE life! So I'm looking for suggestions on fun ways to get through March. Anybody got any?
Here's one that might work toward the end of the month...dress really warm and go down to the beach and fly a kite. We've done that before, but sometimes it's toooooo windy and doesn't work out. Still it's fun to head out there. I'm looking for your suggestions now!
THINK SPRING!!
Judy

Family Music in a Tight Economy

Every year from January to April I spend hours and hours lining up my summer touring schedule. This year, however, I'm noticing a trend...the libraries, festivals, parks & rec departments and others who regularly book me are suffering from slashed budgets and are cutting their program offerings to the bone. Usually I do two or three performances a DAY in the summer, but right now it is shaping up to be far less than that.
That's where you come in, loyal friend and fan! If you would like to see me perform in your town, here's a new idea for you:
Get together with your neighbors and host a block party! These are becoming more and more popular these days. In these tough times we all need some music and laughter and fun to cheer us up. An old fashioned block party may be just the ticket for you. Get together with your neighbors and plan a date, then go to your Town Hall for a permit. Everyone can share in the expenses of providing food and beverages, and if each family chipped in a few bucks, you could hire me to entertain the kids.
The only thing that may get in the way is the weather, so you will need a contingency plan in case the skies open up. We could book a rain date, or I could perform in a home family room or community rec room.
If you are interested in exploring this idea further, don't hesitate to contact me via email at judypancoast@comcast.net!

A Visit With Mrs. Claus

Would you like to see Part One of "A Visit With Mrs. Claus?" It's now up on youtube right here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWFbXPZ90vo

I co-produce this show every December on our local cable access station, and we feature Mrs. Claus LIVE from the North Pole via satellite. This year I wrote a new theme song for the show, which is sung by one of the elves at the beginning of the show.

Please let me know if you like it! The show is a real labor of love for me each year.

Now, this may be about Christmas, but please THINK SPRING!!!

Operation Nice

A friend sent me a link to this blog: www.operationnice.com I think it's wonderful! If everybody tried to be a little nicer, think of what a great place this world would be. I'm very lucky that I've met mostly nice people in my life. All of my fans are really nice!!
Have a NICE day!

Swimming in Jello for the Millionth Time

Actually, I don't really know how many times I've sung Swimming in Jello, but I bet it's well over a thousand....and every time I sing it, I have fun. It's fun because the kids make it fun...their dancing, their singing, their crazy faces and silly moves....all work together to make the song fresh to me every time. Because it's all about the audience. Whether a kid is hearing the song for the first time or the tenth time, they're loving it and that makes me love it.
I'm talking about this because I have been reflecting on my experience at the Grammys last week. Two artists who have been performing live since the early sixties performed...each did one of their biggest hits...and I'm sure it was probably the millionth time each one had sung that particular signature song.
One artist, who shall remain nameless, pretty much slept-walked his way through the song, more speaking it than singing it. It was like the worst Vegas lounge act ever, and he showed no respect for the song OR the audience and their love of the song. The other artist, who shall remain Sir Paul McCartney, sang I Saw Her Standing There as though it was the first time he ever sang it, resulting in a huge outpouring of enthusiasm, excitement and love, love, love from the audience. For those of us seeing him for the first time live it couldn't have been better, and for those who had seen him sing it before and those watching on TV I'm sure the experience was almost as exciting because he was clearly so into it.
That's the difference between a real pro who has music in him and LOVES it and his audience, and one who is probably still just doing it for the dough.
I hope I'm still singing Swimming in Jello with that much gusto when I'm nearly 70! And I sure hope there's an audience that wants to hear it!

POST-GRAMMY UPDATE

Louisa and I had a fantastic weekend in Los Angeles attending the Grammy Awards. We did the whole thing on a shoestring budget....I found a great little European-style hotel for only $49 a night! And it wasn't yucky!
The Grammy Award show was so much fun...but first let me tell you about the pre-show.....we got to see a couple of wonderful children's music artists take home Grammys. The award for Best Children's Album went to They Might Be Giants, and the award for Best Children's Spoken Word album went to Bill Harley. If your kids haven't heard these great musicians, you should check them out. They produce high quality and very humorous music for children. If you like my stuff, you'll LOVE theirs!
The televised show was just outrageous. Paul McCartney, of course, was the highlight for me. I was screaming so loud that my husband swore he could hear me on TV! I very much enjoyed seeing Stevie Wonder as well, although I'm not really sure what the Jonas Brothers thought they could bring to the table there...I mean, he's STEVIE WONDER...no assistance needed!
Now we're back home and I'm back to work on my secret project!
Don't forget to visit me at MySpace.com and follow me on Twitter!

Off to the Grammys!

Louisa and are leaving tomorrow to fly to LA for the Grammys. I am so excited because I just found out that Stevie Wonder will be performing, and I was already excited because Paul McCartney and Dave Grohl will be performing together!
There are some terrific children's artists nominated in the Children's Music and Spoken Word for Children categories and we'll be at the pre-show rooting for our favorites. Hopefully next year I'll be nominated.....one of the reason sthe new CD is taking so long is because it has to be just perfect! But I'm sure I'll have it available by summer...I can't let another year go by without getting it out there.
Gotta go...can't wait to get out of the cold!

Super Secret Project

Hi...sorry I haven't blogged in a while...I've spent the month of January immersed in a super secret project...something creative that I have never done before and I am very excited about it. it's almost finished and will be ready to debut in July 2009...but keep watching this space for more details!
In the meantime, if you Twitter be sure to look me up and follow me! I manage to do that just about every other day, or at least three times a week!
Gotta go update the calendar now....see you soon!

Martin Luther King Day

Hello and happy Martin Luther King Day!
I just want to say a few words about that....I have visited his burial site in Atlanta and also seen the location of his untimely death at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, and both were very powerful experiences. I was lucky enough to be alive, though a very young child, when he was working in the world, although I really didn't understand racism at that time. I think that while he would be so proud to see an African-American take the highest job in the land, he would also be very sad to know the amount of discrimination and racism that still flourishes in America today. If you live in an area where this does not exist, then good for you, but I am very sorry to say that I have seen examples of terrible hatred first-hand more than once while touring through the country. It is shocking to believe that these kinds of behaviors still exist today but they do! Each and every American must vow to work toward ending hatred, violence and racism. We have come a long way in electing a President who is an African American, but there is still so much more to do.
In some of my assemblies I teach children to treat one another the way they want to be treated...THE GOLDEN RULE we all learned as children. We must continue to teach our children not to hate others. Nothing is sadder than bringing up children in an atmosphere of hatred. Let's use the occasion of our new President's inauguration to really live the GOLDEN RULE. Wouldn't it be a happier world if we all did?

Happy New Year!

Well, 2008 went out with a bang for me, as I suffered from a disasterous bout of food poisoning that lasted right through Christmas. The good news is, I am still hearing from wonderful people all over the world who enjoyed "The House on Christmas Street" during the holiday season! There are now 32 House on Christmas Street videos of houses all over the world playing my song! It's all very exciting, and I'm working on some big projects for the song in the new year.

On a more somber note, I was very sad to hear of the death of John Travolta's son. I cannot imagine the pain of losing a child, and even though I don't know them, I am keeping the family in my prayers.
I hope you do, too.