Be The Master Of Your Own Domain On Facebook!

Posted on June 11, 2011 by scullylovepromo| Leave a comment

Qadesh, the Siberian tiger shows me who is master of her domain!

Probably the most overwhelming thing to deal with when learning about social media marketing, is the sheer volume of how-to information out there that you have to wade through, in order to find what you’re looking for.  There are thousands and thousands of so-called experts in the field but how will you really know who the masters of their own domains are on Facebook?  Who are the social media tigers? You’ll find out when you pay attention to the content they’re sharing as well as how big their audience and their value really is.

I have been paying attention for the past year to what some of the masters are teaching others and these are some whose opinions I trust:

I can never seem to find as much time as I’d like to attend all these experts’ webinars or watch their hundreds of videos, but they are out there to offer you all kinds of valuable information for free and even more for a fee.  They are all very successful entrepreneurs.

These are some of the tips I picked up at the Facebook Mastery Summit earlier this year:

  • Link your personal profile to your Facebook Page
  • Create a custom graphically designed profile picture (180 x 540 pixels) – or have someone skilled do it for you!
  • Use pictures to entice fans with what you offer
  • Use videos to entice fans with what you offer
  • Create a customized opt-in tab for your landing page (this requires the knowledge of iFrame language so if you don’t know how to do it, hire a professional) and offer something valuable to those who LIKE your page, whether it’s a free PDF, video, tips, coupons or simply a terrific graphic representation of your product or service
  • Choose your Facebook page name wisely – make it easy to remember and easy to think of as it will improve your Facebook SEO (search engine optimization)
  • After 25 people have LIKED your page, secure your username or vanity URL by going to www.facebook.com/username
  • Put your keyword(s) in your Info tab
  • Social proof is important so more fans give you more credibility and more effective Facebook ads (although I personally think it’s more important to have a quality audience over quantity!)
  • Identify 3-5 groups where your customers and centers of influence (COI’s) hang out.  Join them and interact in them regularly.
  • Add members of those groups to your personal profile (a maximum of 10 friend requests per day) by sending them a friend request with a direct message and a question
  • Suggest your page to your personal friends (50 per day max)
  • Engage in social networking AS YOUR PAGE and like and comment on other people’s pages, adding value to the conversations
  • Build your eTRIBE by showing the pages you like on your page
  • Facebook Ads are extremely profitable if you know what you’re doing.  Keep them social and ask questions!
  • Create viral actions by uploading photos and tagging others or writing notes and tagging others
  • Above all, create and post engaging content that offers the highest value you can provide
  • High value content is timely, exclusive only on Facebook, asks questions, weighs in on controversial topics, shares high buzz relevant content, incentives, coupons, promos, contests
  • Share your successes (i.e. “Just passed 1,000 fans!  Woohoo!”)
  • Reply to comments quickly
  • Link your Facebook page to Twitter (www.facebook.com/twitter)
  • Viral video marketing!  Upload your videos to Facebook and then tag others
  • Use applications (for landing page promos or coupons – www.NorthSocial.com) or anything that’s relevant to your business
  • Host contests (but be sure to read Facebook’s Promotions Guidelines: www.facebook.com/promotions_guidelines.php)
  • Ask for a Review from your customers and clients as it creates an automatic viral testimonial (there is a Review application that you can add to your page)
  • Incorporate seamless marketing which includes your Facebook page URL in your email signature, website/blog (LIKE Box – http://developers.facebook.com/docs/plugins/), front desk, business cards, brochures & marketing materials
  • Coordinated sharing – which means you can arrange to LIKE people’s pages if they like yours and share them with others
  • Create exclusive Facebook Events (but be sure to geo-target them so that they go out to the people in the region(s) that they’re meant for!)

These are just some of the ideas that you can incorporate to create a successful and enticing Facebook page that will firmly declare you to be the master of your own domain.  However, you must never forget that ENGAGEMENT is everything!  If you’re not already a household name or brand, you won’t maintain your audience without it.

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The Rest Of Our Lives by Dan Stone

Posted on May 19, 2011 by scullylovepromo| 5 Comments

Book Review
Title: The Rest Of Our Lives
Author: Dan Stone
Publisher: Lethe Press
Released: May 25, 2009
Pages: 228
ISBN-10: 1590211472
ISBN-13: 978-1590211472
Stars: 4.0

I’m pretty sure I must have been a gay man in a past life. I love gay men. No one else understands a woman or what she’s looking for in romance quite like a gay man. My first boyfriend in public school turned out to be gay, a major high school crush was gay; my first lover was bisexual and I spent the entire year from the summers of 1994 to 1995 in Vancouver hanging out with gay men. Man, do they know how to party! Up until October 2003, I always had a gay man for a close friend, but my dear friend Don died of HIV-complicated issues that month and there really hasn’t been anyone like him since. There’s definitely a pattern there and of course there’s the fact that I’m still single at 47. Yes, I’m quite sure I was a gay man in a past life.

I have never read a gay romantic fantasy before but The Rest Of Our Lives by Dan Stone is exactly that. It’s utterly delightful in a Bewitched kind of way and I would love to see John Waters direct the movie version. If you love The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Priscilla Queen of The Desert, or To Wong Foo Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar (as I do), you’re going to enjoy The Rest Of Our Lives like Divine loved her Marilyn Monroe-blonde wigs. However, The Rest Of Our Lives isn’t raunchy like a John Waters film, it’s incredibly sweet, enchanting, sexy, thoughtful and romantic, as well as unabashedly gay. There are even a few chapters set in Provincetown!

Colm and Aidan are two passionate, beautiful souls who have been linked together lifetime after lifetime: one fire and the other ice – unable to exist without the other.

Colm McKenna has spent his whole life feeling like an outsider and a freak. A natural blonde elemental witch who has the ability to control water & ice, freeze everything around him and literally stop time, he was raised by his Aunt Belle in St. Clair, North Carolina and never felt as if she or anyone else in his family truly understood him. When we join him in the present chapter of his life, Colm is a quiet, shy, isolated assistant manager (clueless about his own beauty) of a rare bookstore/photographer in Washington, DC whose ice-blue eyes spot the dark and dangerously handsome Aidan Gallagher for the first time at the annual Pridefest parade. Aidan just happens to be an elemental witch as well, only his element is fire and where Colm “creates stillness, he creates motion and the warming of the South Wind.”

Colm’s boss and good friend Kermit later introduces them at a house party but Colm doesn’t trust that his dreams might come true and that a man who is perfect for him not only actually exists, but truly wants to love him forever. (I suffer from the same stultifying fear.) It takes a cast of colourful characters including Aidan’s psychic Aunt Lu and Colm’s dying Aunt Belle to ultimately convince Colm that in this lifetime, his and Aidan’s destiny will be different from that of their past lives, and they will get to live happily ever after.

Even against a fairy tale backdrop, Dan Stone knows how to write compelling characters and great chapter titles too. Some of my favourites in this book are “Cool, Colm and Collaborated”, “Humping Through The Ages”, “Hex Upon The Beach” and “For Whom The Belle Told.” He obviously has a wonderful sense of humour. For every moment of humour there is also one of poignancy, so by the time I read the final chapter and Colm’s mother’s letter to him, I had tears in my eyes. This is a charming paranormal love story that will burn bright in your imagination long after you read the last page!

I want to live in the world that Dan Stone created in this novel and I want to spend the rest of my life with the Aidan that I hope is out there for me. Sigh…

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Rankin Productions Presents Two More Great Concerts: Justin Rutledge and Oh Susanna on May 28th & Jenn Grant and Jim Bryson on June 28th!

Posted on May 19, 2011 by scullylovepromo| Leave a comment

There’s more great music coming to Kingston soon!

Rankin Productions will be presenting the acclaimed Juno nominated singer-songwriter Justin Rutledge with the very talented Oh Susanna at Chalmers United Church on Saturday, May 28th. Then a month later on June 28th at Chalmers, Halifax based Jenn Grant (multi East Coast Music Award winner) will be joined by Ottawa’s Jim Bryson for another terrific show.

These concerts are being sponsored by the Toronto record company Six Shooter Records and they have a pretty amazing deal for us. Each individual concert is $20 but if you buy tickets to both you pay only $30, PLUS you get a CD (worth $20) from any of the participating musicians – that’s incredible!

Here are the details and some info about all 4 of these great artists.

Saturday, May 28, 8 pm
Justin Rutledge and Oh Susanna
Chalmers United Church, Barrie St. at Clergy, Kingston, ON

Tuesday, June 28, 8 pm
Jenn Grant and Jim Bryson
Chalmers United Church, Barrie St. at Clergy, Kingston, ON

Tickets: $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Available at Brian’s Record Option (381 Princess St., 613-542-2452) or online at www.sixshooterrecords.com (go to store, and then purchase tickets on the left side of the screen)

Justin Rutledge

Justin Rutledge’s albums garner impressive amounts of critical acclaim. Between his debut, No Never Alone (2005), his sophomore release, The Devil On A Bench In Stanley Park (2006) and third album, Man Descending (2008), Rutledge has earned a Juno nomination, a Galaxy Rising Star award, countless year-end critics’ picks, the title of Toronto’s Best Local Songwriter (NOW Magazine), a spot on the 2008 Polaris Prize Long List and a Canadian Folk Music Award nomination.

His latest album, The Early Widows, is a stoic collection of songs that rehabilitate the heart and illuminate the dark. Produced with intense fragility by Hawksley Workman, Rutledge’s fourth album is an arrestingly moving and lyrically meticulous piece of art penned by one of the most progressive songwriters at work today. Shouldering an electric guitar instead of his trademark acoustic, Rutledge infuses the new material with a newfound conviction and drive. The Early Widows also includes songs co-written with literary giant Michael Ondaatje, and award-winning songwriter Darrell Scott from Nashville.

Oh Susanna

In a career spanning just over a decade, Oh Susanna has released five critically acclaimed records noted for their contemplative, thoughtful, folk-inspired songs that transport listeners into an imaginary emotional landscape. With the release of her sixth album, Soon The Birds, she has again achieved this dream with a collection of enduring songs that resonate deeper and deeper upon each listen. Her voice, always a marvel, is a haunting, expressive instrument that she uses to stunning effect on Soon The Birds, a beautifully rendered album by an artist who has realized the full power of her voice as a narrative songwriter.

Jenn Grant

Jenn Grant’s emotive voice and quietly complex folk-pop songwriting has propelled this Halifax-based singer to the top of Canada’s indie artist world. She is currently nominated for multiple East Coast Music Awards, including SOCAN Songwriter of the Year for her collaboration with Buck 65 (“Paper Airplane”), Entertainer of the Year and Video of the Year (“You’ll Go Far”). Her latest album, Honeymoon Punch, exchanges misery for ecstasy in matters personal and musical and drives the dark clouds away.

Jim Bryson

This Ottawa rocker is a festival and club favourite who has played with a host of Canadian musicians such as Kathleen Edwards and Sarah Harmer. Bryson has recently teamed up with The Weakerthans to release the critically-acclaimed Falcon Lake Incident.

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From Teacher to Concert Promoter: Al Rankin Brings in the Big Names

Posted on May 16, 2011 by scullylovepromo| Leave a comment

As I help Al Rankin to spread the word about his Live Wire Music Series and Rankin Productions shows and I administer the Live Wire Facebook page, I thought I’d post this article originally published in Kingston This Week for my readers.

Reprinted from Kingston This Week

His love for Canadian roots music has opened up a second career for retired-teacher-turned-music-promoter Al Rankin of Inverary.

Rankin retired as a high school teacher six years ago, but continues to promote emerging new talent as owner of the Rankin Gallery in Inverary and as a longtime volunteer with the Live Wire Music Series. He also brings in established award-winning artists through his company, Rankin Productions.

On April 22, Rankin Productions presented [sic] An Evening with Judy Collins at Sydenham Street United Church. In February, Rankin brought The Arrogant Worms to Kingston, and last year he presented Mickey Rooney at the Grand Theatre.

Rankin never set out to be a music promoter. As a theatre arts teacher and founder of the Theatre Complete program at Queen Elizabeth Collegiate and Vocational Institute in Kingston, Rankin often brought in theatre and musical performers. In the 1990s, he served five years as artistic director of the Blue Skies Music Festival north of Sharbot Lake, where artists such as Serena Ryder, Kathleen Edwards and David Francey made their festival debuts.

At around the same time, he built at addition on his 150-year-old house near Inverary, that was originally intended as an art gallery, but that instead became an intimate concert hall featuring up to a dozen concerts a year.

His skill?

He catches the acts on the road.

Rankin invites touring musicians travelling to or from gigs in Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa to fill a mid-week spot in their schedule at his place. Since opening, the Rankin Gallery has hosted artists such from across Canada and around the world, including Valdy, The Wailin’ Jennys, Bill Bourne, Coco Love Alcorn, Kate Reid, Rick Fines, Lynn Miles, The Marigolds, Dala, Fruit from Australia, The Pacific Curls from New Zealand, Jez Lowe from the UK, Maeve Mackinnon from Scotland, The Carolina Chocolate Drops and, most recently, Amelia Curran and the Good Lovelies. Next up is Oh My Darling on May 15.

“People bring something to drink, maybe a snack, and a donation for the musicians. The audience loves the intimacy of the space and getting to talk to the artists. The musicians love it too, as it allows them to connect in a way that is different than a large concert hall. It is open to anyone on my mailing list and works on a first come first served reservation-only basis. I have 50 spots and room for about 10 more standing and it usually fills up very quickly.”

Rankin has become well known to agents through his work with the Live Wire Music Series and Blue Skies and the Rankin Gallery is so popular that he has to turn down most of the requests he gets to play there. Musicians, particularly solo musicians, like it because they are guaranteed an audience of 60 people and they can spend the night in the Rankins’ limestone house, enjoy breakfast with Al and his wife and then be on their way.

Rankin Productions is the name he uses for bigger, riskier shows that are beyond the scope of Live Wire.

“Arlo Guthrie was the very first big show I did,” Rankin recalls. “I found out he was playing at Massey Hall and I saw he had a Thursday night available en route to Montreal. He had never been to Kingston.”

That was in 2006. A couple of years later, Rankin brought Pete Seeger to Kingston.

“Now the agents know we’re here and we get far more requests than I can handle.”

Ever the teacher, Rankin still brings young performers such as Ariana Gillis, The Good Lovelies and Welsh guitar phenom Gareth Pearson into schools with the support of the Limestone District School Board and Live Wire.

“They are such role models for these kids,” Rankin says. “And they are spectacularly talented.”

Pearson, whom Rankin describes as one of the best guitarists in the world, spent two weeks at Rankin’s house. Each day they would load up his sound equipment in Rankin’s car and visit different high schools.

“A lot of artists are uncomfortable going into schools,” Rankin admits. “They don’t just perform, they talk about what music has done for them. They play a few songs and the kids ask questions and they always love it. Gareth, for example, was dyslexic and barely passed high school. So he talked about struggling and finding his passion and turning his life around.”

Rankin says he has no “dream list” of artists he would like to bring to Kingston. “I’m happy with the quality of the musicians we do get and the performances are always so great.

“Pete Seeger was 89 when he was here – I love that – and he and his grandson put on a great show. I love the brand new acts too; I get a kick out of introducing people like Serena Ryder, Kathleen Edwards and Ariana Gillis. It’s fun to do both ends of the spectrum.

“I guess retirement gave me the opportunity to get more involved in music. I hadn’t anticipated that.”

Copyright © 2011 Kingston This Week

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The Canadian Networker Comes To Kingston!

Posted on May 11, 2011 by scullylovepromo| 5 Comments

The Canadian Networker (TCNW.ca) is an online resource centre for entrepreneurs to connect and share their knowledge both peer to peer and master to student. They receive thousands of visitors to their sites each day, enjoy a large readership of their newsletter and guests to their events that run in all regions. They provide inspiration, education and connections for their entrepreneurs.

The Canadian Networker was founded by Ronnie Hannesen in Spring of 2009.

“Through our Online Resource Centers, our Events and our Newsletters- we reach thousands of entrepreneurs each month. TCNW is not a Networking group though we hold Ultimate Networking Events to bring together members from all groups for fresh connections and it gives groups a chance to gain new members.”

The Canadian Networker is your place for:

Education – Inspiration & Connections

Website – Reach
Events – Face time
Newsletters – Impact

TCNW is excited to announce:

The launch of TCNW.ca Online Resource Centre for Entrepreneurs in…

KINGSTON, ONTARIO

Here are some of the benefits our members enjoy:

• Listing / Profile on Business Connector directory page – online
• Free tickets to every Ultimate Networking Event – 200 to 500 guests – all Regions
• Article writing opportunity both online & our Regional newsletter
• Front page – business card ad – online – in your Region
• Booth space at 2 Ultimate Networking Event – 200 to 500 guests – in your Region
• Speaking opportunities at all Ultimate Networking Events – 200 to 500 guests- In your Region
• Front page – banner ad – online – in your Region
• Bio Page Online in your Region
• Logo / website on all our Regional newsletters

Contact Kingston’s Regional Leader:
Michelle Dickerson
Ph: 613-539-1833
Email: michelle@tcnw.ca

The Canadian Network Magazine is a glossy offset printed magazine that is distributed via pickup points, at each advertiser’s place of business, at The Canadian Networker events and soon by subscription.

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Learn More About How To Raise Your Vibration and Transform Your Life From Author Dawn James!

Posted on May 7, 2011 by scullylovepromo| Leave a comment

Dawn James is a vibrational healer, gifted teacher on the art of conscious and ‘stress-less’ living, and author of the book “Raise Your Vibration, Transform Your Life”. Last September I reviewed her book and since that time Dawn has been very busy with book signing events, teaching workshops, public speaking and even using crystal sounds in sacred sound circles to perpetuate vibrational healing.

Her book introduces you to the laws of vibration and how to apply these laws to improve your health, increase vitality and cultivate inner peace.

Dawn teaches by way of workshops, public speaking, writing and a one on one coaching program called ‘ESP’.

“My passion is teaching others how to destress and detox every aspect of their life so they can live consciously with grace and ease. We are vibrational beings designed to be healthy and happy. It’s time to reclaim our birthright!”

She travels throughout North America sharing her knowledge and inspiring others to live consciously.

Dawn is delighted to announce that Raise Your Vibration has launched its BLOG- and will be posting high vibration information, and conscious raising comments from around the world!

Categories will include: Just for Parents, Wake Up, Good Vibrations and much more.

Stay Tuned- as she begins an Introduction to the 11 Universal Laws starting June 1st for 11 days.

Learn more about Raise Your Vibration, Transform Your Life in this informative YouTube video and find Dawn on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/raiseyourvibr8n.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uulL8gdLPM&w=640&h=390]

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One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson

Posted on April 29, 2011 by scullylovepromo| 2 Comments

Book Review
Title: One Good Turn
Author: Kate Atkinson
Publisher: Back Bay Books
Released: 2007
Pages: 418
ISBN-10: 9780316012829
ISBN-13: 978-0316012829
Stars: 4.0

I don’t usually choose crime novels when selecting fictitious fare, although I have read my fair share of them in the past (John Grisham, Stuart Woods, Mario Puzo, John le Carré). However, One Good Turn by Edinburgh-based, bestselling author Kate Atkinson was a welcome change of pace and a literary mystery novel that unravels several crimes slowly and with great intrigue as well as humour. Atkinson’s characterizations are so detailed and the plot so complex that I really don’t know what to say about it that will do it any more justice than all the professional, critically acclaimed media reviews that have come before. It was an absolute delight to read and one helluva gripping page turner!

One Good Turn is set in contemporary Edinburgh during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival which for me, made for an interesting backdrop because I’m such an Arts lover and I’ve always wanted to attend the Festival. I was a little disappointed that there wasn’t as much detail about it as I’d hoped but it didn’t put me off the rest of the story and it does include a has-been stand-up comedian named Richard Mott to lend authenticity. Although the book reintroduces former police inspector turned man-of-leisure millionaire Jackson Brodie and his aloof actress girlfriend Julia (who I didn’t like one bit but has a play running at the Festival which is why Brodie’s in Edinburgh) from Atkinson’s previous novel, Case Histories, you don’t have to have read it to enjoy the suspenseful One Good Turn.

The plot revolves around the participants in and witnesses of a fender bender that’s immediately followed by a brutal road rage attack. This action sets the stage for a series of exciting and complicated events that are all interrelated but we don’t know exactly how until the end of the story, which concludes in a matter of four days, in one of those whopping A-HA moments!

The narration oscillates between the main characters which include an asexual, diffident but thriving crime novelist named Martin Canning (a.k.a. Alex Blake who writes about a 1940s English female detective named Nina Riley and is vaguely reminiscent of Jessica Fletcher in Murder, She Wrote) who witnesses the baseball bat beating by thug Terrence Smith of unsuspecting motorist Paul Bradley. Martin reacts by throwing his laptop at Smith which knocks him off of Bradley just in time for the police to step in and then Martin finds himself accompanying Bradley to the hospital and strangeness ensues.

The incident is also witnessed by Jackson Brodie (who additionally discovers a female floater in the bay which sets up an equally interesting subplot), Archie Monroe and Gloria Hatter, a middle-aged, wealthy woman with a penchant for following rules, who is ironically married to criminal construction tycoon Graham of Hatter Homes – Real Homes For Real People – and stands as the moral center of the story.

Meanwhile, Chief Inspector Louise Monroe is struggling with a 24/7 career that leaves little time for her to keep an eye on her 14-year-old son Archie, who goaded on by his buddy Hamish, may or may not be sinking into dark waters that are too deep for him to tread…or is that Brodie who is falling deeper and deeper into the mystifying peripheral events of the story?

One Good Turn embodies really great storytelling and even the secondary characters will keep the reader enthralled.

The novel also includes a conversation with the author at the back of the book, questions and topics for discussion if chosen by a book club, and the first chapter of Atkinson’s subsequent novel, When Will There Be Good News?, which gives One Good Turn’s Chief Inspector Louise Monroe and Jackson Brodie another mystery to solve.

Jackson Brodie also stars in her latest novel, Started Early, Took My Dog and according to Atkinson’s website he will soon be appearing in a six-part television series adapted from Case Histories, One Good Turn and When Will There Be Good News? for BBC One. Now, I’ll have to go back and read all of these books because I know they’ll make for some terrific television! But who will play Jackson Brodie?! (I think Colin Firth or Eric Bana might be a good choice!)

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The Wailin’ Jennys at Chalmers United Church in Kingston on Thursday, May 5th!

Posted on April 24, 2011 by scullylovepromo| Leave a comment

The Wailin’ Jennys, one of the most critically acclaimed and award-winning groups on the North American roots music scene, will perform a very special one night only concert at Chalmers United Church on Thursday, May 5th. Since their sold out Live Wire show here in Kingston six years ago, The Jennys have captivated audiences around the world with their exquisite, breathtakingly beautiful voices and their dynamic live shows, winning Juno Awards and international acclaim across four continents. This will be an intimate concert in the acoustically superb Chalmers United Church and tickets will be snapped up quickly. What a deal at 20 bucks!

Here they are at The Shrewsbury Festival in the UK singing their anthemic “One Voice”, a song now covered by hundreds of singers, community choirs and vocal groups around the world:

Following are the details and some more info about this superb group:

The Wailin’ Jennys
Thursday, May 5th – 8:00 pm
Chalmers United Church, Barrie at Clergy St., Kingston
Tickets: $20 in advance at Brian’s Record Option, $25 at the door (if available)

The Wailin’ Jennys are Nicky Mehta, Ruth Moody and Heather Masse—three distinct voices that together make an achingly perfect vocal sound.

Starting as a happy accident of solo singer-songwriters getting together for a one-time-only performance at a tiny guitar shop in Winnipeg, Manitoba, The Wailin’ Jennys have grown over the years into one of today’s most beloved international folk acts. Founding members Ruth Moody and Nicky Mehta along with New York-based Heather Masse continue to create some of the most exciting and exquisite music on the folk-roots scene, stepping up their musical game with each critically-lauded recording and thrilling audiences with their renowned live performances.

In 2004, The Wailin’ Jennys released their first full-length album 40 Days in the to great critical acclaim, and in 2005 it won them a Juno Award for Roots & Traditional Album of the Year. Bolstered by their frequent appearances on Garrison Keillor’s public radio show A Prairie Home Companion, The Jennys exploded onto the roots music scene in the U.S.A, performing at packed venues across Canada, the U.S. and throughout the world. Their next CD Firecracker was a powerful follow-up to their debut album and found The Jennys stepping out of the folk realm and into the world of alt-country, pop and rock. Garnering much attention, it was nominated for a Juno Award and won a 2007 Folk Alliance Award for Contemporary Release of the Year. It charted for over 56 weeks on the Billboard charts and was followed up by their 2009 release Live at Mauch Chunk Opera House, which also spent over a year on the Billboard bluegrass charts. It captured the magic of their live performances with show-stopping harmonies, impressive instrumental prowess, breathtaking songs and witty stage banter. Now, The Wailin’ Jennys join the ranks of Lucinda Williams and Emmylou Harris, recording their new studio album Bright Morning Stars with award-winning producer Mark Howard. The album combines fresh and innovative sounds with the band’s signature harmonies–a perfect mix of Americana, pop and traditional folk that is certain to be an instant classic.

Press Quotes:

“Imagine if the crazy scientists from Jurassic Park put Gillian Welch, EmmyLou Harris, and the Dixie Chicks in a blender, and then formed a musical trio from the resulting puddle of DNA. That’s where we’re going to start talking about the stunning songwriting, sweet harmonies, and sultry sound of Canada’s The Wailin’ Jennys.”
Music Online USA

“One of the most dynamic contemporary groups of the 21st Century.”
Sing Out Magazine

“Vocal trio the Wailin’ Jennys have developed into one of the most exciting and polished acts in music today.”
Dirty Linen Magazine

“Winnipeg folk trio The Wailin’ Jennys are making no mistakes as they progress with grace, harmony and assurance — and a great deal of industrial smarts behind the scenes — to inevitable musical stardom.The Wailin’ Jennys are the darlings of the North American roots music arena.”
Toronto Star

“The three-part harmonies of Winnipeg’s Wailin’ Jennys should be considered some kind of national treasure. …”
Hamilton Spectator

See you at the music!
Al

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNeJlSBko2s&w=640&h=390]

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Don’t Miss Irish Singer-Songwriter Andy White In Kingston This Friday Night!

Posted on April 18, 2011 by scullylovepromo| Leave a comment

“Andy White, one of the great Irish singer-songwriters, tours the world with his 12 string guitar in one hand and a book of poetry in the other. He has worked with the likes of Peter Gabriel, Sinead O’Connor, Van Morrison and Neil and Tim Finn, been musical director at WOMAD UK and won Ireland’s top songwriting awards.

Since his breakthrough single ‘Religious Persuasion’, Andy has produced ten internationally acclaimed albums, the latest of which, Songwriter (Wildflower Records) is widely acknowledged as one of his finest.

Songwriter has many Canadian connections. After working with Po’ Girl in the UK, Andy wrote a series of songs with lead singer Allison Russell including the first single off the album, the duet ‘If You Want It’.

Andy then called up old chum Stephen Fearing to co-write live favourite ‘Turn Up The Temperature’, an emotional highlight of the album Faithful Heart.

Stephen and Andy met at the Winnipeg Folk Festival in 1998 and have co-written a series of songs for Blackie and the Rodeo Kings including ‘If I Catch You Crying’.

Songwriter was recorded in Vancouver and features Allison Russell on vocals, Paul Rigby (Neko Case/Jakob Dylan) playing electric guitar and pedal steel, and John Raham (Be Good Tanyas/Frazey Ford) on drums. It’s a new rootsier direction for the Belfast songsmith.

As well as releasing albums, Andy is a published poet and writer. His latest book is 21st Century Troubadour (Lagan Press), an On The Road style narrative.

People are fascinated by the world of rock music, and 21st Century Troubadour was written in its hidden corners — backstage, hotel rooms and departure lounges. The reader is introduced to depressive promoters, crazed club owners and diva superstars. There are lists, poems, and advice on topics such as how to how to avoid excess baggage fees, which hand signals to employ when driving in Italy, and what to do when you’re mistaken as one of U2.

You’ll not only find out why Johnny Depp bought Andy a beer at Peter Gabriel’s place, but enter a whole different world of glamour in Andy’s life as a modern-day folk singer.

In concert he’ll be featuring songs from his back catalogue, including Irish classics ‘James Joyce’s Grave’ and ‘Street Scenes From My Heart’ as well as songs co-written with Stephen Fearing for Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, and selections from Songwriter.”

“I love this man and his music. Rave on!” (Janice Long, BBC Radio 2).

www.andywhite.com

Andy White opens for the legendary Judy Collins at Sydenham Street United Church on Friday, April 22, 2011.

Venue: Sydenham Street United Church, 82 Sydenham Street, Kingston, ON K7L 3H4
Tickets: $35 plus HST
Available at the Grand Theatre Box Office
613-530-2050
www.kingstongrand.ca

and at:

Brian’s Record Option
381 Princess Street, Kingston, ON
613-542-2452

Find Andy White on his:

Official website
Blog
MySpace
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIV-EKIC8R0&w=480&h=390]

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DVD Review: City Island

Posted on April 16, 2011 by scullylovepromo| Leave a comment

DVD REVIEW
Title: City Island
Studio/Distributor: CineSon Entertainment
Director: Raymond de Felitta
Principle Cast: Andy Garcia, Julianna Margulies, Steven Strait, Ezra Miller, Dominik Garcia-Lorido, Emily Mortimer, Alan Arkin
Length: 104 minutes
Released: 2009
Stars: 3.5

The Rizzos are a family full of secrets who are about to collide head on with the truth in the quirky ensemble comedy City Island.

Everyone in the Rizzo family is lying to each other and no one but Vince’s illegitimate, ex-con son Tony (the very handsome, buff Steven Strait) knows what’s really going on…or does he?

Vincent Rizzo (Andy Garcia who is absolutely delightful in this!) is Correctional Officer 426 who lives in the beautiful Bronx suburb of City Island where you’re either a muscle sucker (originally from somewhere else) or a clam digger (born and bred in City Island). He’s lying to his wife Joyce (Julianna Margulies of The Good Wife) about his smoking and tells her that he’s out playing poker when he’s really taking an acting class in the city. Joyce lies to him about her smoking and thinks he’s having an affair, so she decides to flirt with Tony who Vince has helped to get an early parole and brings home to help build a bathroom in his backyard shed, without telling anyone else in the family that he’s really Tony’s father.

Vince’s daughter Vivian (Garcia’s real-life daughter, Dominik Garcia-Lorido) is home from school on a break and lets her parents think she’s studying hard and going to work in a legitimate job when she’s actually working as a stripper to pay for her tuition because she’s been kicked out of school for smoking pot. Her creepy and sarcastic younger brother Vince Jr. (Ezra Miller) is also hiding his nicotine and pot habits, not to mention the fact that he gets off on feeding fat girls and likes to look at them on the Internet.

With all these secrets obvious to the viewer, you know that the skeletons are going to burst out of the closet at any moment but the comedic timing in this little gem is pitch perfect. Garcia’s Bronx accent is authentic and his scenes with Juliana Margulies are hilarious while those with his acting partner Molly (Emily Mortimer), who is harboring her own secret, are engaging and poignant. Academy Award winner Alan Arkin has a small role as their acting teacher and one of the best scenes in the movie is when Vince auditions for a Martin Scorcese/Robert DeNiro film and blows the casting director away although Vince doesn’t even realize that he’s acting! Ezra Miller (Californication and Every Day) does a brilliant job of portraying the annoyingly sleazy Vince Jr. and the discovery for me of straight man Steven Strait (of Stop-Loss and 10,000 BC) was just a bonus!

The setting of the small, picturesque fishing village that is City Island (which I’d never heard of) is captivating and as much a character in the film as each of the dysfunctional Rizzos. This is a refreshing, well-directed, very well acted film that is absolutely worth renting if you’re looking for something warm, fun and just a little bit kooky. After all, “truth is stranger than family.”

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1V8ldV0jSdY&w=640&h=390]

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