Short of doing a decade overview – and this decade was quite a changing up decade with three albums released, tours of Italy and the U.K. and many awards and videos with great Detroit shows, too (and a wedding and teaching and Wayne State University degrees, health challenges, very challenging and sad loss of my father, but also much grateful love 🙂 – here’s a little recap of 2019
The first book is here! “Detroit (Maiden Energy)” is available now with “street princess poems & lyrics” with some prose, finally done. The next book features much more prose but first things first! Thank you to Aquarius Press/Aux Media and Heather Buchanan, to the great writers who sent me blurbs for the book and fantastic reviews and family, friends and Scott Dailey and the band for the support! And to WDET-FM NPR Detroit’s Ann Delisi for the great interview which ran for 2 weeks on WDET-FM.
One of the bigger highlights was returning to Detroit’s Concert of Colors with Don Was in July at The Michigan Theatre in Jackson, Michigan and the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) Film Theatre for shows filled to capacity.
I was featured in a PBS special “Those on the Front Lines of Cancer” and my song “I Will Rise” was also in the film. Scott Dailey and I performed the song at “Dancing with The Survivors” for The Pink Fund in Southfield, Michigan, a beautiful night!
We performed up at Earthwork Harvest Gathering up in Lake City, Michigan, with Erin Zindle joining on violin and started doing new recording for a 2020 release
The Downtown Detroit Tree Lighting was amazing in November with approximately 50,000 people attending in the freezing just before Thanksgiving with WXYZ-TV Detroit (ABC) and Downtown Detroit Partnership. Thank you!
November also included the first Book Events at the stellar bookstore Book Beat in Oak Park, Michigan, world-renowned for its particular attention to writers, artists and literary fulfillment. We were also at the River’s Edge Gallery for a Book Event reading in Wyandotte.
The packed house with The Orbitsuns at The Cadieux CafĂ© in November on my birthday, a May date at Trinity House Theatre with Mary McGuire and Chris McCall and other shows including Focus Hope in Detroit – culminating in a big 4 night stand with EBird and Friends in Ann Arbor in December! Thank you Erin w/ four tremendous sold-out shows at The Ark.
I’m also honored to have one of my poems in RESPECT: The Poetry of Detroit Music and reading at the Book Event at Third Man Records Detroit. I just another great Book/Music Event In Traverse City, Michigan with Horizon Books and a fun interview with DJ Racin’ Jason on WKLT’s Morning Show – thanks to fabulous DJ and friend Terri Ray as well.
Also, there’s a great new album titled “Recreation” produced by Freddie Brooks and Orchide Records – it’s a great, rare 10 inch red vinyl, and it features our celebrated band Detroit Energy Asylum and Patti Smith. Here’s a link https://orchiderecords.bigcartel.com/products
Scott and I also have a song “East of Eden” is featured on a new benefit CD which will be be streaming at all Starbucks and sold in conjunction with Pure Michigan – great artists and showing love for Ralston Bowles! –https://localspins.com/the-unprecedented-michigan-music-compilation-showing-love-for-ralston-bowles-local-spins/
With some nice radio airplay this year – thanks to WDET-NPR Detroit, WKLT-FM Traverse City, WHFR-FM Dearborn, 107.1 WQKL-FM Ann Arbor, Michigan, WAKT-LP 106.1 FM Toledo, Rock-Radio-UK Spins in Porstmouth England U.K., WYCE-FM 88.1 Grand Rapids, Ferndale Radio 100.7 FM, WLNZ 89.7FM in Lansing, thanks!
Love,
Carolyn
