Amanda McBroom

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January 16, 2019 5 Comments

JANUARY 2019!!!!!!

We made it! We have survived the maelstrom of 2018 relatively intact, although the worry lines in my forehead are deeper than usual. But that is the state of the world in general. Everyone on the planet could use a massage and some meditation right now!

The Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays were a joy this year, quiet and thoughtful, as opposed to last, when we, all seven of us, dogs, cats, us and our pal Rob, were in a state of high evacuation anxiety, even though we were holed up in the heart of wine country with our beloved and tolerant cousins. Who else would allow three dogs, three cats, and three actors to move in for more than a week? This Christmas, the world of fire and fear was just down the hill in Malibu and Woodland Hills. We could totally empathize!

And now the New Year has toddled in the door. What will it bring? Peace, please. Sanity for all leaders everywhere, we pray. My own personal plea to and for myself, is more tolerance and less judgement, with a healthy dose of listening, and a deep desire to do more for the good of the planet.

I sit here typing and watching the rains of January fall from these white and silver clouds that rim the mountains around me with deep gratitude in my heart for water falling from the sky. There has been so little of it these past few years. I am sure we will need to put those buckets back in our showers and sinks by the time summer rolls in. But for now, like the trees, I sigh and rustle with damp relief!

One of my resolutions this year is to update this page MUCH more often. Once every eight ten months will not do! Total slackerism.

So what were my great gifts of late? Being able to perform concerts with my beloved pals Ann Hampton Callaway and Michele Brourman here and abroad. Slumber parties of song!

Being invited to be on a panel with exquisite songwriters, Allan Rich and Artie Butler, waxing wise about writing songs for film…

AND cruising around the Pacific on a gorgeous ship, celebrating 45 years of a wondrous marriage to an amazing man …

… meeting new friends and fascinating strangers. (The brilliant Artie Butler! Oh Joy!)

I realize I need to get out more! Meeting new and fabulous folks is a gift the Universe so freely gives! You just have to leave your front porch! I resolve to do more of that too.

What have I seen, what have I read, what have I loved?

THEATER: COME FROM AWAY…the most heart warming, life affirming true story turned musical of the decade! Do not miss it if it comes within 200 miles of your town!

(We reunited with a dear long ago pal and brilliant actress, Julie Johnson, who is in the national touring company. SO a great reunion!)

FILM: THE WIFE…oh, Glenn Close, you slay me! Talk about mastering the art of subtlety!

BOOK: RISING OUT OF HATRED…wow! The true story of a White Supremacist who changed his mind.

MUSIC: At this moment, the score to THE LAST SHIP by Sting. Wow! What a brilliant mind! What artistry. I am intimidated AND inspired!

My practice for this year…to write a thank you note…on PAPER and mail it WITH A STAMP to someone EVERY DAY who has made a difference in my life…the plumber…the mail lady…my dentist…whoever.

So far, so good.

So I chant for less fear, more intelligence, patience, kindness, and warrior’s courage to stand against inequity and untruth in my life and in my country.

Happy Winter!

Filed Under: Uncategorized

July 16, 2017 4 Comments

THE SHOE HAS DROPPED!!! SUMMER has come at last!!!

The glorious green of a surprisingly wet Spring, which was astounding in its bounty to my garden and my heart, has departed. Every morning, as I walked through the yard, coffee in hand and dog at foot, I thought “The shoe of summer is going to drop with a big old stomp at some point.” And it certainly has.
As I lie flat on the floor, imitating all my cats, I realize they have the right idea. Summer is not to be trifled with. And only the young or very determined have the stamina to go out and dance about in it. I prefer a cool tile floor or its equivalent and a good book. I have officially declared myself on vacation. Pantyhose are in the drawer and shorts and sandals the order of the day. I find myself more and more declaring that the pantyhose should just STAY in the drawer and I should contemplate spending the rest of my life mascara-free.
But the Universe has a wicked sense of irony, and the moment I say STOP it says GO. As in, “Hey! How about you do a Kickstarter campaign, learn all you can about social media, and raise money for the next CD?” Which came to pass, starting almost a year ago, August 15th, to be exact! And what an adventure it turned out to be. Hardest work ever, with the greatest series of rewards in making connections with loving generous people, some known, many not.
And an end product I am very proud of. As I resurrected all these old ( and some new) songs from my cluttered cassette closet (yes, I still have cassettes! Do you?), I revisited my past and in a way rediscovered my purpose. I would often chastise myself for not being a really busy songwriter, learning how to write NEW songs in a NEW style for NEW people. I wandered about wearing a guilt sweater for not being more prolific or contemporary. Then I listened to some of my older songs, from way back in the days of youth and passion, and realized that what I am is a storyteller, a follower an old tradition. And what, I ask , is wrong with that? A friend I spoke to this morning said to me, “Your songs demand to be listened to. They are not just ambient music.” Thank you, Joel, for that reminder.
So now, my folk songs are in the world one more time…the musical children finally out of the closet. And they are thriving. Amazon listed my CD at #1 for a day. How amazing is that? In these times that go whizzing by, a day is a long time. And who knows what tomorrow will bring? An upcoming birthday with a 0 in it! Somehow, I have yet to be frightened by the concept. Despite the sometimes-creaky knees, I still feel 30-ish. The numbers mean nothing. (Speak to me on August 10th. See how I feel THEN!)
I find the daily challenge for me is to keep Pollyanna on my shoulder, to face every day with anticipatory joy and hope in the face of a world that seems more daunting every day. I remind myself that cynicism is for lazy. Hope is HARD WORK!
And I reach out to sources of inspiration… my beloved song writing partner Michele Brourman, my adorable husband of 45 years (how can that be????), my dear pal and patient manager for the past 30 years, Garry George, Annie LaMott, whose books always make me sit down and think. At the moment her book “Help! Thanks! Wow!” is my bible. Michele and I wrote a song based on her book. I share the lyrics with you below. It’s a pretty cool tune. Maybe it is the title for the NEXT CD!
HELP…THANKS…WOW
When there ‘s a storm on my horizon
When I see lightning cross my bow
There are three small prayers that get me through…
HELP. THANKS. WOW.

Help… My heart is breaking.
Help…I’ve lost my way.
Help…a friend is dying and I don’t know what to say.
Help…the bank’s foreclosing, and my child is ill.
Help…my devils call me and I have lost my will.
Sometimes it’s a scream, sometimes just a yelp,
But in my darkest hour the prayer I send is “Help”.
Thanks for this bright morning…for this gentle rain.
Someone found my wallet and my dog is out of pain.
Thanks for all the music…the books I’ve yet to read.
The little extra something I can give a friend in need.
Though inmates run the madhouse and crooks control the banks,
For every day and every friend I send a prayer of “Thanks”.
Everything’s a mystery, miraculous and odd.
And those who say they have the answers lie.
We put our faith in reason, or whoever we call God.
But everyone at some point has offered up this cry
Wow! You’re in remission.
Wow, this bread is good!
Wow! Look at this garden in my neighborhood!
Wow! Somebody loves me, though I don’t know why.
Wow! Look at that sunset screaming through the sky.
Every day’s a wonder I wander through somehow.
And the words that keep my world afloat
As I steer my rocking boat
With gratitude in every note are…

HELP. THANKS. WOW.
Thank you Michele Brourman. Thank you Annie LaMott!

And thank you all for visiting! I wish you a joyous ride on this carousel of summertime! Choose the Horse of Hope!
Love, Amanda

Filed Under: Uncategorized

December 31, 2016 4 Comments

Happy New Year!

jpeg12017???? Are we ready? What will it bring? Joy? Terror? All of the above? Who knows? What a carnival ride 2016 was! Shock and awe all over the place! And wonderful times too. I call last year “Oh, my flaming passport!” Between New Zealand and two trips to London to sing, my passport pages are STAMPED! This second trip was truly heart warming. My favorite female singer on the planet, the divine Ann Hampton Callaway and I performed an entire week of duo concerts at a wonderful place in the heart of Chelsea called The Pheasantry.

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Our brilliant musical genius pal Michele Brourman was our orchestra and trio harmony partner. We had great fun. We did some major healing. (We opened the day the U.S. election was decided. THAT was a challenging evening! Trying to be wise, entertaining, and calm, while our hearts were in disbelief and despair. Somehow we succeeded in bringing joy to the audiences and each other. May that be the pattern for the year!)

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AND Michele and I were taken on a private tour of Stonehenge

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and the Salisbury Cathedral

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to see one of the original Magna Cartas…the document on which our current democracy is based. So much wisdom and power on ONE sheet of parchment in such teeny tiny script. I learned that parchment was EXPENSIVE, which is why the lettering was so small. That was a deeply moving experience.And then dinner in a pub built in 1385! If that Pub were in Ojai, I would be there every night sitting by the fire drinking wine and eating curry. I LOVE GREAT BRITAIN!!!!!
The other huge event since last I blogged, (and boy, have I been remiss,) was the recording of my new CD, “VOICES”. Leaping into the exciting, intimidating world of Kickstarter…achieving my goal through the amazing generosity of so many friends, old and newfound…traveling to Nashville, where I had not been in more than twenty years, and spending ten days with some of the most brilliant and lovely musicians, under the watchful eye of a brilliant producer, my pal Fred Mollin…creating something so beautiful that I am so proud of…and then the enormous cherry on the top…the duet of THE ROSE with my vocal hero, angel-pipes Vince Gill…well, who could ask for more???

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(And then the bittersweet note at the end…the song that started it all is one I wrote long ago with my dear pal Gordon Hunt, called VOICES THAT COME THROUGH THE WALL. He co-wrote my song ERROL FLYNN with me. And passed away just days ago. Fortunately, I was able to send him the rough mix so he could hear what he created and I gather he was really happy with the result. That makes my heart happy.) The CD should be out in February at some point. A Valentine’s Day gift! Hooray!
Then we adopted a new pup for Thanksgiving. I went to the humane society looking for something in the world of pit bull and came home with a 7-year-old half-blind cocker/maltese mix named Rosie. My friends call her a cock/tese. I say she is a Malta/cocker. She fit right into the house and feels as if she has always been here. End of this month we find out if she can have cataract surgery to have some sight restored. That would be a New Years miracle!

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I am writing this on Christmas Eve, as a cold clear wind rattles the leaves off the trees. We had a beautiful, much-needed rain last night, and the trees are dancing Hosannahs as I type. The sounds of football from the living room, the smell of a fire in the fireplace, the promise of homemade Christmas tamales… the presence of several dear friends. A perfect way to end tumultuous 2016.
CULTURE CORNER:
TV: MOZART IN THE JUNGLE… humor, music, and no explosions!
BOOK: THE ROAD TO LITTLE DRIBBLING by Bill Bryson. I laugh so hard I weep whenever I pick it up!
FILM: MANCHESTER BY THE SEA. Oh, the humanity!
MUSIC: YOU WANT IT DARKER…Leonard Cohen’s last. Brilliant!
What is to come, who knows? I refuse to fall victim to terror. I will acknowledge uncertainty. All I know for sure is that we must cling to each other and keep our hearts open, our minds open, and sharpen our determination to do what is right for the world.
Here’s to beautiful sunsets, glorious mornings, your good health and happiness.
Love, Amanda

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Filed Under: Uncategorized

October 26, 2016 1 Comment

Happy October!!!

River

Fall is finally, truly here.

I can see it in the forests and hills of Nashville where I am this very moment recording my new CD, “VOICES”…my first CD in 8 years!

What an astounding ride! I’m with my dear friend Fred Mollin who has been my producer and pal for many years. He has produced such amazing folks as Johnny Mathis and Jimmy Webb and even Miley Cyrus! And now me!!

Amanda McBroom & Fred

This time we are recording some of my favorite songs that have never seen the light of day or echoed in anyone’s years but mine. Working in Nashville with these astounding musicians and engineers and deep-fried everything has been such a treat. It’s also nice to be somewhere green and moist for a change! (Let’s not even talk about the barbecue)!

Somehow I have to prepare myself to be able to get back into my concert togs for my trip to London in November where I will be singing with the divine Ann Hampton Callaway and my musical partner in crime, Michele Brourman.

(Will I be able to fit into my black silk show pants, ladies and gentlemen???)

The summer was truly astounding! Spending time in the green, green Berkshires at Barrington Stage singing with Michele and Ann Hampton was such a treat .I have to admit I was intimidated to be on the same stage with the greatest jazz vocalist of our time, dear Ann Hampton. You’d think by now I would be over being star struck, especially with as good a pal as Ann. But the more I think of it ,God forbid we should get over being star struck! Anytime we can be in a world of wonder we should try to stay there as long as we can. And learn!

Amanda McBroom & Ann

August was an amazing month as well, when I gathered my courage together and decided to go on the adventure known as Kick starter, to raise the funds for this new CD. Many a sleepless night I suffered as I tried to get my confidence up…to commit to the 21st-century and social media. And I am so glad I did.

I had no expectations of anyone becoming a contributor, so everyone who did was a new and joyful surprise. Just to spend an entire month in 24 hour gratitude is a fabulous meditation. I hope I can continue the practice.

I have to tell you about an afternoon in the studio in Nashville last week. We were recording a gospel choir that was going to sing behind one of my new songs, a song I had written in remembrance of my beloved mother- in- law Margaret, who was one of my best friends.

Six absolutely wonderful singers came in to the small recording studio and stood in the recording area while I stood in the booth and listened in awe as they sang the most beautiful music, blending and weaving these gorgeous tones all around my words. I’ve never felt anything quite like it. I was speechless at the wonder of it all. Being bathed in such pure sound, I feel as if my soul has been washed really, really clean.

Blessings on all their heads!

And when the session was over, Fred told them that I had written the song “The Rose”. They didn’t know that. They were so loving to me. And one of the wonderful men, Jason I think his name was, put his arm around my shoulders and sang it to me ala James Ingram. And I was toast! Happy, happy toast!

Amanda McBroom & Choir

So now all the recording is done on my part. The songs have been sent to a wonderful arranger named Matt Macauley who is going to put luscious strings on a few of the tunes. And I am headed home and happily so!

So now we watch the madness that is the circus of American politics as it comes steamrolling across the land. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry, which I’m sure is the emotional state of at least three quarters of the country. I can only hope that bringing to the surface all the pain and anger and confusion of this last election cycle will, as it were, pull the scab off, and let the sun in to heal all of us. I try to remember that we are all human beings, all family, no matter our differing opinions and we should have sympathy and respect for each other. Sometimes that’s hard to do. But I sure am trying.

CULTURE CORNER

Visual: “WEST WORLD” on SHOWTIME. WOW!
Michael Crichton would be proud!

Literary: “SLADE HOUSE” by David Mitchell.
Another winner by the author of CLOUD ATLAS.

Musical: SAME TRAILER, DIFFERENT PARK”-Kasey Musgraves-
The girl can write a story!

I wish for you a lovely October, with many pumpkins and golden leaves falling softly upon your shoulders.

Here’s an Autumn poem for you.

INDIAN SUMMER

Fooled again

By the teasing taste of autumn
The first crisp night
The last fig falling
The sound of football
Through the weekend windows

As frisking dogs are walked
And sweaters softly shaken
From their slumber
In closets sweet with cedar
As the last tee shirt is folded
And the pool is covered over
And the tongue is set for cider

The sun reappears
In his Fahrenheit fury
Like the face of the lover
You thought you
Buried deeply
In the camphor 
And the lilac
Of your heart

Indian summer
Fooled again

And don’t forget to vote!

Love,
Amanda

Forest

Filed Under: Uncategorized

June 21, 2016 5 Comments

JULY!!!

RoseWell, the season has finally arrived. June is waving a fond farewell, taking with her the glorious morning mists so spuriously called JUNE GLOOM around here. I guess that means we are about to experience JULY FRY. Get out your flip flops!

It has been a while since my last report. Spring was just squeaking in. And a lovely on it was too. A joyous reunion with the amazing Ann Hampton Callaway, the 21st Century’s answer to Ella Fitzgerald. We (Michele Brourman and I) met at her home in the Hudson River Valley and gorged on music for 72 hours straight putting together a duo concert, our first in many years.

Woman at pianoI love working with her, writing with her, listening to her amazing gifts…and all in pajamas! I remember one time a few years back, when she was in pajamas at my house, handing her a lyric. She immediately marched out to my music studio, coffee in hand, sat down at the piano, and proceeded to create a gorgeous song out of it (called ALMOST) in one pass! We will be performing it in this concert for the Barrington Stage in Pittsfield MA, end of July! Yippee!

And then to London for two weeks at the divine boite, Crazy Coq’s. We filled the room, killed the people, made pigs of ourselves at all the divine Indian restaurants. We were even taken on a private tour of Eton College AND Windsor Castle! (Nice little weekend getaway the Queen has there!)

Amanda at castleI do believe if I had to live in a city again, it would have to be London. SO exciting…one foot in the past, one foot definitely planted in the future!

Then to Scotland to visit our wonderful pals Desmond Carrington (the voice of BBC2 radio for the past 50 years!) and his partner in music and life, David Aylott, to celebrate Desmond’s 90th birthday. AND the fact that he commissioned me, Michele B, and my honey George to record several Broadway show tunes for him to play throughout the summer on his program! SO we will be warbling through the airwaves of Britain throughout the summer. (I modestly say my SEND IN THE CLOWNS is pretty damned wonderful.)Des and Dave

Then home to hearth, home, and American politics. Two out of three were wonderful. The third is an astounding and appalling circus. (When I was in London I kept introducing myself to people as Canadian.) What a strange world it is these days. I remember long ago, in the 60’s…yes, I remember the 60’s…when everyone was predicting the dawning of the Age of Aquarius and saying the world would be going through troubling times on the way to enlightenment, I had no idea they would be THIS troubling. I find each morning’s challenge is to wake in gratitude and NOT succumb to the devil’s whisper of cynicism and despair. I think THAT is the work of a grown up, which I am trying to become.

So now I am facing the prospect of recording my next CD (MUCH NEEDED) through the auspices of crowd funding…joining the ranks of Indie Gogo and Kickstarter. It is a big old challenge for me. To learn the whole process, and then to implement, after choosing the right source. The songs I know already and am very excited to bring out of the closet and into the world. Some are brand new, some are old, all are my favorite stories. They deserve to be heard. So if you see me knocking on your computer screen, don’t be alarmed. Or obligated. Just know I am attempting to bring a little more musical light into the world.

Here are my culture corner picks:

Music: The score of HAMILTON (an absolute work of genius! I bow. I bow.)
Book: ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE (gorgeous!)
I thought I would share with you my poem for July, based on the truly hilarious event that is the Ojai 4th of July Parade.

THE CHAIRS OF SUMMER *
It starts with just one chair
Alone…aloof…
Astride a busy corner
By a bus stop
Under a dusty oak

From Costco or Target,
Viet Nam or Taiwan
Worn white plastic
Ragged rainbow webbed
A solitary chair appears
Suddenly, surprisingly
Like the face of Mary
In a taco
A miracle of
The mundane
Tomorrow it will multiply
Magically into four…
Fourteen…forty-five
By week’s end
Four hundred plus
Bound together by bungee cords
Of anticipation

Waiting for the large pink people
Waving small bright flags
Who will plant themselves
Like sunburned petunias
Listening for that first squeal
Of high school clarinet
That rat-a-tat of
Snare drum
The buzz of fifty
Kindergarten kazoos
Flinging John Phillip Sousa
To the summer skies.
The fire truck will pass by

The flatbed filled
With princesses
Representing various
Vegetables
Pious folk on hay bales
With banjos
A float or two of bunting
And bed sheets
All will wave and cheer
Rise and go

Leaving the chairs
To sit in silence
As the sun dips
Behind the crisping hill
The sky explodes above
The football field
Then one by four by forty
They will disappear
Back to garages, closets
Invisibility
The annual migration
Complete

Until next July
Calls them out once more
To unveil their
True selves,
Their sacred
Purpose
To be
The chairs
Of summer


Have a safe and happy summer!
Love, Amanda

Picture of a dogI LOVE THIS PICTURE!

Filed Under: Uncategorized

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