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Lauren Sheehan, Songster
 April 2013
FREERANGE AMERICANA, BLUES AND FOLK : from the parlor and porch to performance
Hi everyone,
Wow, releasing this new CD has been exciting and there is already a first blush of responses. People like the project; the story, book and the CD. We are starting to get radio play around the country, the next release concerts are filling up and the first one, which was in our beautiful downtown library and free to the public, was packed.
We've had npr coverage on both coasts and other wonderful publicity that is making me smile, (see below for links). My hearty congratulations to John Thomas for imagining and completing this historic project. It's been a 6 year adventure for him and I can't thank him enough for inviting me along for part of the ride.
See the calendar for Portland and North Carolina release shows, as well as upcoming steamy acoustic blues with Terry Robb. I'll have my banner guitar at the shows and special guests with old Gibsons to celebrate those great old guitars. Be sure to let me know if you have a Banner and you'd like to have me play it in the show.
The Light Still Burns Lauren Sheehan
(companion CD to the history book Kalamazoo Gals: A Story of Extraordinary Women and Gibson WWII Banner Guitars, by John Thomas.)
http://www.laurensheehanmusic.com/album_TheLightStillBurns.php
Buy CD: http://www.laurensheehanmusic.com/buy.php
Buy book: http://www.kalamazoogals.com/
While the men were off to the war, women filled in and kept the lights burnin' at Gibson's. The guitars of this period have a banner across the headstock, hence "Banner Guitars" and are oft considered among the treasures of Gibson guitars. Who were the women, what was their story, why did Gibson cover up the fact that they made these guitars, why are the guitars so wonderful sounding and how were they made? These questions and more about the story are the subject of the book.
But then John thought about how cool it would be if folks could also hear the guitars the women made. He raised some funds, got guitars donated from all over the country for a recording project and then found a women to play them - me. Many songs seemed to suggest themselves to me after I read the manuscript so picking the music was easy and it's mostly appropriate to the times and themes in the book. We used a different guitar for each track. Eric Tate engineered it in New Haven, CT, at Firehouse 12 Studio, so that you , the listeners, would be able to hear and appreciate the sonic details and differences of the guitars.
It was an extraordinary experience to be in the studio surrounded by vintage banner guitars and to be able to take my pick of them. We made sure that we represented all the model types we had, so there is good variety.
Links to some fun publicity
» March 15, 2013 | NPR radio story, Laura the Luthier
» March 19, 2013 | Oregonian Story, "Portland's Lauren Sheehan salutes 'Kalamazoo Gals' with the guitars they built"
» Guitarkadia, Brooklyn NC story: http://guitarkadia.com/emon/blog/the-story-of-the-kalamazoo-gals/
» NBC NY: http://www.nbcnewyork.com/video/#!/on-air/as-seen-on/Women-s-History-Month--Women-s-Role-in-the-History-of-Guitars/196643701
Release concerts in Portland
April 13 Sat 8 pm Artichoke Music $ 15 503 232 .8845 3130 SE Hawthorne Blvd Portland OR 97214 http://artichokemusic.org/calendar/
Artichoke is one of Portland's most intimate listening rooms and it's always a great show there. Mr. James Clem, one of my favorite Portland pickers, will be joining me to help celebrate the Gibson spirit with some of his fine old Gibson guitars. Please let me know if you have a Banner and would like me to include it in the show.
April 18 Thurs 7:30 pm Wilfs $10 800 NW 6th Ave Portland 97209
http://www.wilfsrestaurant.com/entertainment/entertainment-calendar/
Wilfs is a very cool old school jazz club in the train station downtown. That show will be a bit swankier, with a full bar and restaurant, and I plan on bringing the 1956 Gibson hollow body electric out for the show. Again, let me know if you have an old banner and would like me to integrate it into the CD show.
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