Tracys' Blog

Suzanne Whang Opens Up about Her Journey with Breast Cancer

2011-04-04T11:33:00.000-07:00

For Immediate Release

Contact:

Jeff Jones

818-257-0671

JeffEJonesPR@gmail.com

Suzanne Whang Opens Up about Her Journey with Breast Cancer

Popular TV Host and Comedian Suzanne Whang Breaks her Silence, Asks Fans and Friends for Help

Los Angeles, CA, April 1, 2011 – Suzanne Whang is probably best known as the host of HGTV's #1 show House Hunters for ten years, and from her role as the outrageous and hilarious "Polly" the spa manager on NBC's Las Vegas. She recently spent 6 weeks playing the funny and loathsome wedding planner Carol Cheng on General Hospital opposite her real-life best friend and former Las Vegas co-star Vanessa Marcil Giovinazzo. Suzanne is also an award-winning stand-up comic, published author, keynote speaker, ordained minister, and political activist and yes, she was the first person to give Oprah a copy of The Secret. Many fans also remember her as the co-host of ABC’s TV’s Censored Bloopers with Dick Clark, and as a roving reporter on FOX After Breakfast with Tom Bergeron. After careful consideration and encouragement from her loved ones, this extremely private woman has chosen to openly talk about her 5 year continuing journey with breast cancer. She is also learning a big lesson in humility and is asking her fans and friends for help on her path to recovery.

Suzanne was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006. In typical Suzanne fashion, when she got the news, the first thing she said was, “Wow, this is going to be great stand-up comedy material someday.” After her lumpectomy, Suzanne named her tumor Igor and sent out a birth announcement to her closest friends. Choosing to approach this challenge holistically, she made major lifestyle changes for the health of her mind, body and spirit. Still, a year later, another tumor appeared. A second lumpectomy was performed in 2009. In February of this year, she was rushed to the hospital, underwent emergency back surgery, and learned that her cancer had metastasized. Her doctors also recommended preventative hip replacement surgery, which she completed three weeks ago.

Suzanne has approached this disease with a great deal of courage, optimism, and humor. She has spent countless hours reading about, researching, and participating in many treatments (Western, Eastern, alternative) throughout her five year ordeal, she has traveled the globe, and she has spent her life savings on her path back to health. She even used revolutionary new technology called ECM (extracellular matrix) powder to successfully regrow skin, tissue and blood vessels in her left breast after her last lumpectomy. Suzanne is currently undergoing concentrated radiation treatment targeting the most affected areas of her body, and is in the process of deciding her next steps.

In the last five years, Suzanne hasn’t let the cancer prevent her from continuing to act, write, host, speak at political rallies, volunteer for her favorite charities, give guest sermons, and perform her award-winning comedy. In fact, just two weeks after her back surgery, and less than two weeks before her hip replacement operation, you could find Suzanne co-hosting live commentary throughout the 2011 Oscar telecast on Oscar.com!

“I plan to create a website for people going through cancer where they can share their stories, resources and experiences, and create a community. Other possibilities include a web series, a documentary, a book, a one-woman show… so that I can take what I’ve learned and experienced, and share it with the world.”

Suzanne has learned many spiritual lessons about surrender, acceptance, asking for help, and receiving the love and support she is so accustomed to giving. Now that she has spent her life savings on medical costs not covered by insurance, and cannot work while she is recuperating, she has thrown pride out the window and is humbling herself by asking her fans and friends for help. It is not common for a celebrity to do this, but Suzanne leads an unconventional life.

The first fundraiser for Suzanne will be on Thursday April 14^th, 8-10 pm at The Talking Stick, 1411C Lincoln Blvd., Venice CA 90291. $50. Performers include Laraine Newman, Tracy Newman and the Reinforcements, and Eric Schwartz. For more details and to RSVP (required): tnewman1@ca.rr.com.

Check out www.SuzanneWhang.com to make donations, and for updates on Suzanne’s journey back to health.

###

A Really Nice Plug For Tracy from Larry Wines: Acoustic Americana Music Guide, August 12 to 31 (and into the Fall & beyond)

2010-08-13T14:01:00.000-07:00

From Larry Wines' Acoustic American Music Guide, August 12 to 31 Posted Thursday August 12th

Sat, Aug 14; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
7 pm TRACY NEWMAN & THE REINFORCEMENTS, with guest SHAUN CROMWELL, at the Coffee Gallery Backstage, 2029 N Lake Av, Altadena 91001; reservations 626-794-2424; venue phone 626-398-7917; info www.coffeegallery.com. (“the venue named in FolkWorks as L.A.’s best intimate acoustic listening room venue”).
+
She’s the only singer-songwriter who has both an EMMY and a PEABODY AWARD. If she can get a GRAMMY, she’ll have the trifecta. She’s working on it. It’s taken TRACY NEWMAN a while to get back to her musical dream. Along the way, she worked as a TV writer, with a partner – Jonathan Stark. Their first steady job was on "Cheers." After that they were on staff at "Bob" (starring Bob Newhart), "The Nanny," "Ellen" and "The Drew Carey Show." In 1997, they won the Emmy and the prestigious Peabody Award for writing the ground-breaking “coming out” episode of “Ellen.” In 2001, they created the ABC comedy, "According to Jim," starring Jim Belushi, which recently completed it’s eighth and final season of production. Tracy has been writing songs all along, and is once again performing full-time. Her debut CD, “A Place in the Sun,” debuted on radio’s “Tied to the Tracks,” en-route to global airplay.
+
THE REINFORCEMENTS have changed some and expanded a lot. They are longtime sideman Gene Lippmann on guitar and vocals, plus Rebecca Leigh on vocals and guitar, John O’Kennedy on mandolin, Doug Knoll on drums, and John Cartwright on bass – he played with Harry Belafonte for 35 years. Tracy Newman and the Reinforcements put on a funny, moving and memorable show.
+
Plus, SHAUN CROMWELL is a bluesman who was born in the unlikely blues incubator of Detroit (Royal Oak, Michigan, actually) and he lived there for many years. In Detroit he rocked in various jam-type groups, studied jazz and played in groups where he could play swing music. Shaun will tell you that he moved to Los Angeles because he no longer cared for snow and ice. Once here, Shaun took to, as he says, “finger picking his guitar and coming up with half-assed arrangements of traditional tunes.” He adds, “Too lazy to actually memorize a piece of music,” Shaun likes to perform his songs in an "improvised" fashion, resulting in slightly different versions each time he plays / sings them. While Shaun's primary influences on the guitar tend toward the Mississippi John Hurt, Ry Cooder, and Rev. Gary Davis ilk, his overall sound is one borne out of his varied musical influences garnered over a lifetime. Tix, $20.

From Jim Greenleaf of the ilivetoday blog: "Tracy Newman / Katy Moffatt Rock the Full-moon"

2010-06-29T13:19:00.000-07:00

Tracy Newman / Katy Moffatt Rock the Full-moon

Posted on June 29, 2010. Filed under: Butler's coffee house,Katy Moffat,Tracy Newman,american music | Tags: Jim Greenleaf, Tracy Newman, Katy Moffatt, american music, butlers coffee |

"Palmdale, CA 06.26.2010 JG – As I cruised down the 14 Freeway at dust the Full-moon spotted me. The cool blue globe smiled at me and winked in the warm summer eve. I knew tonight would be something special. I had no idea how special, but, the closer I got to Butler’s Coffee house the more I sensed I better make the most out of this experience."

See Jim Greenleafs' blog with videos by clicking here

From Kevin Burton Smith of Butler's Coffee: "Post-Mortem on Saturday's Show at Butler's: Why Portland?, Tracy Newman& Katy Moffatt"

2010-06-29T13:06:00.000-07:00

Wow.

That's all I can say.

This Saturday's show at Butler's was just one of those very special shows that just wowwed anyone lucky enough to be in attendance.

Openers WHY PORTLAND?, who've only been together for a short while, may have a ways to go, but their strongest material ("Like Owls," "200 Miles," "Outro") shows what awesome potential this young local trio has. Dynamite take-no-prisoners vocalist Kara, ably bookended by the intricate and inventive acoustic guitar interplay of friends and bandmates Frank and Ryan, show just how far they can go with their sweet-and-sour but defiantly upbeat approach when presented with the right tunes -- most notably those that lay big, bright, big-hearted pop hooks over their jingle jangle indie folk roots. This was their first full set at Butler's but I can guarantee you it won't be the last.

Next up were tried-and-true Butler's vets TRACY NEWMAN & HER REINFORCEMENTS, back by popular demand. Tracy, a former TV sit-com writer (Ellen, The Nanny, Cheers, According to Jim, etc.) has returned to her first love, music, and anyone who appreciates sharp, perceptive wit, heart-on-its-sleeve compassion and pointed pokes at the trials and tribulations of growing older in a youth-obsessed society will dig Tracy's unique and charming musical takes on life, liberty and the pursuit of a decent night's sleep from meditations on the trial of carpooling teenage girls, middle-aged couples stoked on weed and Merle Haggard. Sympathetically flanked by six-string maestro Gene Lippmann on acoustic guitar and new Reinforcement Rebecca Leigh on backing and harmony vocals, and backed by seasoned pros John Cartwright on bass, John O'Kennedy on mandolin, dobro, and other stringed instruments and Doug Knoll on drums, it was a musically rich and diverse set that the fortunate few will be talking about for a long time, but then it got even better.

Midway through her set, Tracy called up a special surprise musical guest: KATY MOFFATT to play a few numbers. Katy is, of course, the highly acclaimed, almost legendary Texas-born singer/songwriter and back-up vocalist whose unapologetic blend of country, folk, rock, pop, and blues has earned a substantial following among roots-music fans in the know. She's worked with the Allman Brothers, Willie Nelson, Jimmy Buffett, Poco, John Prine, Tanya Tucker, and Lynn Anderson, and has released so many albums she herself says she's lost count. Accompanied by John O'Kennedy from Tracy's band on mandolin, and accompanying herself on acoustic guitar, Katy belted out three songs: two she co-wrote with Tom Russell ("Walkin; on the Moon" and "Ain't I a Woman") and a jaw-dropping take on Phil Ochs' adaptation of the legendary ballad "The Highwayman."

It was an awesome performance, one that was only topped by Tracy and the rest of the Reinforcements' return to the stage for the completion of their set, capped off nicely by the one-two punch of "Laraine," a open-armed tribute to her sister, Laraine, formerly of the original Saturday Night Live Prime Time Players and their trademark closer, the infinitely catchy "Goodbye, Aloha."

Best of all, Tracy and Katy both had such a great time they've both agreed to come back and split a showcase between them, and maybe even work up a couple of numbers together.

But that's the kind of music that goes on at Butler's Coffee every week: fresh, exciting, engaging and passionate, open to rising young talent and seasoned pros alike. The kind of music that makes it worth leaving the house for. And all for the price of a great cup of coffee or a delicious sandwich or snack. The kind of music that makes my job as Butler's "music guy" such a pleasure.

The kind of music that puts the boots to the lie that there's nothing happening in the Antelope Valley...

Like, this July, besides our regular Saturday night Showcases, besides our monthly OPEN MIC (July 16), and our OPEN MEETING of the ANTELOPE VALLEY GUITAR SOCIETY (July 13), we'll be featuring well over twenty different musical acts, ranging from the goateed experimental jazz of TRANSWORLD JAZZ PROJECT (July 2) to the dusty old-time cowboy folk of JOHN BERGSTROM (July 13).

Along the way we'll have Celtic, country, rock, pop, soul, folk, punk folk, classical, blues, Broadway and some stuff there isn't even a name for yet, with acts as diverse as JULIAN CORPENO, LAURA BROWNE-SORENSON, RYAN BEUDER, ELLE CARPENTER, MISHA, COLTON SAYLOR and a zillion others. All playing their hearts out, and all right here in the Antelope Valley.

Butler's is conveniently located just down the road at 40125 10th St. West in beautiful downtown Palmdale, right next to Buffalo Wild Wings and right across the street from Wal-Mart. Their telephone number is 661-272-9530, and they're open seven days a week, serving up some of the finest java and light meals you're ever likely to swallow.

As always, local musicians or singer-songwriters interested in performing both original music and well-chosen covers oughtta drop by BUTLER'S web site and fill in an application. I'm ALWAYS looking for new talent: jazz, blues, bluegrass, 40s, 50s, rock, soul, rhythm'n'blues, doo-wop, whatever. If you wanna play, make like Debbie Harry and call me. I ain't that bad a fella, really.

Don't miss some great music! You can always find out who's playing next at Butler's by checking their calendar at http://ww.butlerscoffee.com/calendar.com .

Kevin Burton Smith
Butler's Coffee Music Guy
"Good honest coffee, good honest music."
http://www.butlerscoffee.com/

SAVE THE DATE: Fathers' Day at the Talking Stick, a new show by Charlotte Dean

2010-05-23T15:33:00.000-07:00

My daughter, Charlotte Dean is having an art show at The Talking Stick on Father’s Day, Sunday, June 20 from 1:00-5:30PM. This is a SAVE THE DATE flyer. I’ll send a reminder closer to the date. There will also be readings of her short stories at 3:00. Very funny. Food, drink, good work. I hope you’ll mark your calendar!

Here's a Link to the Facebook Evite
- Tracy

Listen to my California One Care Song

2010-05-05T11:31:00.000-07:00

California OneCare 365 Ad #66 Tracy Newman

Click here to see the video

Any good social movement needs a song,
and Tracy Newman has it:
"California OneCare--for all, for less, for you.
Doctors want it, nurses want it, don't you
want it, too?"

DONATE TO GET SINGLE PAYER,
UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE IN CALIFORNIA .
Please support the California OneCare 365
Ad Campaign.Help us produce a new thirty-second
ad supporting single-payer health care on websites
and television throughout California every day
for one year.
Click here to donate.

Help Support
the CaliforniaOneCare 365 Campaign
Make your donation today!

Our Boulevard Music show, in Culver City , April 17, 2010

2010-04-19T09:29:00.000-07:00

This series is presented by Gary Mandel. The venue is a guitar store by day, so the walls are filled with beautiful guitars, like at McCabe’s. They offer lessons there, too. The sound is the best of anywhere we’ve ever played. It’s perfect. It felt like we were in someone’s living room. Very natural. The system itself is excellent, and the sound man, Max Mayo is a young, enthusiastic easy-going guy. The lighting is really good, too. Not many of the places we play even have what you’d call “lighting.” I like theirs because from the stage you can only see the faces of the people in the first three rows, then it’s black. You could be playing a huge concert hall, so it’s good practice. I guess you’re getting the idea: This gig was a pure pleasure. The ticket price was $15 and it was a totally full house… maybe I should say “packed.” That would be about 60 people.

Shaun Cromwell (www.shauncromwell.com) opened the show and was his usual brilliant, charming self. I love seeing new people discover Shaun. They understand how special his playing is right away. I love “The Rise and Fall of it All.” I’ve probably heard him do that song 20 times, and I find something new in it each time. You can see a video of him doing it at the 2009 Tucson Folk Festival on his website – it’s the second one down under “videos” (the video is also linked to the song title above). Shaun Cromwell is the real deal.

After a short break, we got up. It was me, Gene and Lorie, Doug Knoll on drums, John O’Kennedy on mandolin and dobro, and John Cartwright on bass. We did songs from “ A Place in the Sun,” and songs from the new CDs we’re working on. Gary Mandel requested “Waffle Boy,” which I don’t always do anymore, and there was a man in the second row, crying. I love that! Actually, “Table Nine,” “All Coming Back to Me Now” (my carpool song), “Laraine,” “Diane” and “I Just See you,” all seemed to elicit tears from various audience members. I needed to break them up with lighter songs like “I Can Be Bad,” and “My Kisses.” Speaking of happy songs, we did a very new one called “Nothing Better than You,” which was pretty ragged but fun. I haven’t enjoyed doing a show on that level in a long time. Thank you, Gary Mandel for understanding how to set up a great situation for performers. Oh, and it helps to have a crowd that likes your work, comes to listen and is warm and appreciative. Thank you to them.

Acoustic Americana Music Guide says Tracy Newman & The Reinforcements plus Shaun Cromwell at Blvd Music Sat, Apr 17 is a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick

2010-04-13T10:17:00.000-07:00

Acoustic Americana Music Guide

Sat, Apr 17; a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick:
8-10 pm TRACY NEWMAN & THE REINFORCEMENTS plus SHAUN CROMWELL in a double-bill at Boulevard Music, 4316 South Sepulveda Blvd., Culver City, 90230; 310-398-2583. www.boulevardmusic.com.

Venue’s web site has a helpful local dining guide. Doors at 7:30 for the best seats. The music of both has been heard on radio’s “Tied to the Tracks,” and Emmy & Peabody Award-winner Tracy Newman has performed live on the radio show numerous times. Many of her clever original songs debuted there, as well. Shaun Cromwell is a fine young blues singer-songwriter. More at www.tracynewman.com, www.myrecordlabel.com/tracynewman, www.myspace.com/tracynewman1.

From The Acoustic Americana Music Guide

From Tracy - Talking Stick gig (Thursday 1/14/10 from 8-10pm)

2010-01-15T10:53:00.000-08:00

The Talking Stick in Venice , CA. – (Thursday, Jan 14, 2010 from 8-10PM.) When I host a show I usually like to be the opening act, so I can relax after I sing and watch the guests. There was a nice crowd at the Stick by the time we started. Even my brother, Dutch Newman and the lovely San Francisco Songbird, Mikal Sandoval were there. My band tonight was Gene Lippmann, Lorie Doswell, John Cartwright on bass and Doug Knoll on drums. We started with "Night Blooming Jasmine" because the young lady working the counter was named Jasmine. We did "I Can Be Bad," "I Just See You," "It’s All Coming Back to Me Now" (my carpool song), "Table Nine" and several others. Do you feel like you were there now? We did about 45 minutes.

Then I introduced Rob Laufer who brought along Carl Sealove to play bass for him. It was wonderful. The thing I love best about Rob is how free he is on stage… and the variety of his rhythms and songs. I can’t compare him to anyone but you can hear him and see videos of him here: http://www.myspace.com/roblaufer. It’s well worth a visit. He’s a rocker and sort of Beatley, and just so interesting and skilled. There was a nice crowd there just to see him … they came for my show too, and stayed ‘til the end. We players appreciate that so much. Go read about Rob there on MySpace. He’s had a pretty interesting career. I love him.

After Rob was another singer/songwriter I love, but you all know that. Shaun Cromwell dazzled everyone like he always does. I should have stopped everything after I left TV writing five years ago, and just managed Shaun. I think he’s brilliant. www.shauncromwell.com. I love the song “The Rise and the Fall of it All.” I love “Three Deaths.” I love “Working Title.” And for those of you who may have seen Shaun in one of my shows like… maybe two years ago, and complained that you loved his guitar work but you couldn’t understand his words… he’s pretty clear now. Not perfect yet, but you can really understand most of what he’s singing. And as it turns out, he’s also a great songwriter. I love playing shows with Shaun. Oh, my god, I’m turning into a middle-aged groupie.

My next gig at the Talking Stick will be probably be Thursday, March 11. Mark your calendars.

Respectfully submitted, Tracy Newman, Jan 15, 2010, 10:25AM.

From Tracy: The Living Tradition Concert Series in Anaheim , this past Saturday, November 21st

2009-11-25T13:13:00.000-08:00

From Tracy: The Living Tradition Concert Series in Anaheim , this past Saturday, November 21: We (TN $ R – Tracy Newman and the Reinforcements… that’s my new way of writing it,) opened for Susie Glaze and the Hilonesome Band.

-----

A word about the venue - Steve and Michele Dulson started this series at the Anaheim Community Center ten years ago. We’ve appeared there three times in the past two years, and felt privileged to be invited to play the final show under their management. Gary and Terri Trobridge from Dallas will take over in January, 2010. I look forward to working with them, but I will miss Steve and Michele. They were dancing together in the back of the house through many songs… mainly waltzes, actually. You don’t see that too often. The house was a good size, maybe 65 or a bit more… and very appreciative. The sound was spectacular… I felt like every word of every song could be heard. I was very much at ease because Lorie and Gene and I could hear each other so clearly! That doesn’t happen all the time and it makes a huge difference. Thank you to soundmen George and Steve… I don’t know your last names. Thanks, guys! I had my full band there – Lorie, Gene, John Cartwright on bass -- (Did you know that he played with Harry Belafonte for 35 years?) – the fabulous John O’Kennedy on mandolin, dobro and Weisenborn, and the steady Doug Knoll on drums. We did a pretty tight 45 minute set… an even mixture of songs from “ A Place in the Sun,” and new material. I love doing “Table Nine.” And each time we perform “Waffle Boy” I learn something new. This time I learned that I can sing it slower that I have been. There are a lot of words and the story is very detailed. It’s good to slow down. It worked very well that way for this crowd. Of course, the crowd always loves seeing Lorie Doswell’s special moves to “Goodbye Aloha.” Our encore was “Mama, I Know You Ain’t Santa,” which we only get to do a few times a year. Not a dry eye…

Now, Susie Glaze and the Hilonesome Band – so great. So entertaining and soulful. Bluegrass . Most of their songs are new and written by lead guitarist, Rob Carlson. All about murder and heartbreak. The only other artist I know who can pull that off is Ernest Troost. Rob’s songs all sound like they’ve been around for years, and have been honed and changed over time the way real “folk songs” are supposed to be. It’s quite an art and Rob is brilliant at it. Susie has a high, pure voice. I love it. You can’t really talk about Susie Glaze without saying how cute she is. Being a woman myself, and not always appreciating being called “cute,” I hope she’s not offended. But damnit, that’s what she is. Cute and in fact, quite beautiful. Her husband, Steve Rankin (who is also a hard-working actor – Google him – you’ll recognize his face; you’ve seen him a million times), plays guitar and mandolin by her side. The bass player is Fred Sanders. He sang an original about parenting that was very moving. All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed their show. Lorie, Gene and I sat in the back and quietly harmonized. Watching the show, I remembered a song I’ve known most of my life… the Ballad of Springhill, written by Ewan McCall and Peggy Seeger, about a mine disaster in Nova Scotia . I think we’ll learn it and do it. Needless to say, Susie Glaze and the Hilonesome Band were inspirational to me. We’re doing another show together – on Saturday, Jan 9, 2010 at Kulak’s. I can’t wait to see them again! I’ll post details soon.

From Tracy: FAR-West Conference in Irvine, Nov 6 & 7, 2009 (www.far-west.org)

2009-11-10T07:39:00.000-08:00

FAR-West Conference in Irvine, Nov 6 & 7, 2009 (www.far-west.org).

This year, the conference took place at the sprawling Hyatt Regency by the Jamboree exit of the 405. Lorie and Gene and I (Tracy Newman and the Reinforcements) played 15 guerilla showcases over the two days and nights of non-stop music. It was wonderful. We connected and reconnected with old friends, club owners, house-concert people, radio people and made many new friends and fans. I was happy to get requests for material on my CD, “ A Place in the Sun,” such as “Waffle Boy,” “Night Blooming Jasmine,” “Diane,” “Laraine” and “Goodbye. Aloha.” I also did my Christmas song, “Mama, I Know You Ain’t Santa” a few times… it is November. And I got requests for new material, such as the carpool song “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now,” and my tribute to Merle Haggard, “Table Nine.” Oh, and some people wanted to hear “I Just See You,” a song I wrote about what I see when I look in the mirror. The amazing guitarist, Steve Postell sat in with us for about 5 of the showcases. Luke Halpin (on fiddle) and Matt Cartsonis (on mandolin) sat in for a few songs, too. That was cool. That’s what it’s all about. The nighttime guerilla showcases didn’t even start until 10:30, so we were all exhausted by Sunday morning, but what fun! (These guerilla showcases take place in a host’s hotel room. It was all on the 3^rd floor. The hallway was very noisy. Sometimes it wasn’t a problem; sometimes it was. It would be nice to figure out a way to fix that next year.)

Also, there were some 40 Main Showcase performances, going on from 6:45PM to 10:15 on Friday and Saturday night. They took place simultaneously in three rooms, each with superb sound and lighting. If you wanted to see everyone, you would have had to pop into a room, listen to a song or two and then move on. I’m sure everyone who was there could speak at length about some great Main Showcase act, but this is my forum, so I’m going to focus on just three.

First off, Shaun Cromwell. I won’t go on and on about how great he is, I promise. It so goes without saying. Just this: Several of us – Ernest Troost and his lovely wife, Louise, and Nicole Gordon and I sat in the front row smiling like magpies through his whole set… a half hour of kvelling. I don’t think the smile left Ernest’s face for one second. I remember the first time Ernest saw Shaun… he wrote to me saying, “Holy Mississippi John Hurt!” That’s all I’m going to say. Check out Shaun for yourself: (www.shauncromwell.com)

Aztec 2 Step. I had never seen them. I had heard of them in the early 70s. I entered their showcase room, sat down next to Steve Postell and was transported by Neal Shulman and Rex Fowler. Neal has that abandon on the guitar that you dream of. It’s not just that he plays fast and accurately… it’s that he plays with abandon. He’s free. He’s not working up there; he’s just playing. And the charming Rex Fowler sings out loud and clear and fully committed to a timeless style. Their wonderful bass player was having the time of his life… I’m so sorry that I don’t remember his name! (www.aztectwostep.com)

Robert Morgan Fisher. Well, well, well. He’s wonderful but I see him fairly often in town. I don’t know what drew me to his room, but I went in and sat in the back. I don’t remember what he started with, but I was singing along. Then he started his song from the point of view of a guitar… Life in Music. I’ve heard it probably 10 times, but he was performing everything on this Far-West Main Stage with such quiet, gentle power that I felt myself get up and go to the front of the room. I realized about halfway into the song that I was watching Robert “come into his own” for lack of a better phrase. He was completely in his element. He was in the right place at the right time. Far-West is the absolute right audience for him. His stories are so well-crafted and his music is so perfect, and he was so happy up there. Robert has something to say and we were really listening. I just felt like his life was changing before my eyes. I’m so glad I was there! I should mention that the terrific Matt Cartsonis was up there supporting him on guitar. What a perfect side man for Robert at that event. (www.robertmorganfisher.com.

I will be returning to Far-West next year, in San Jose .

Tracy Newman Now Sings Her Stories by Leah R. Garnett from "Music After 50"

2009-11-05T10:06:00.000-08:00

Tracy Newman Now Sings Her Stories

by Leah R. Garnett on Thursday, November 5th, 2009 at at 12:47 pm

A former TV writer, Tracy Newman started a new career as a singer/songwriter in her 60s. Photograph by: www.sherrybarnettphotography.com

You may not know Tracy Newman’s name, but you likely know her dialogue. She’s a former TV writer who’s written for “Cheers,” “The Nanny,” “Ellen” (with Ellen Degeneres), The Drew Carey Show,” and many others. She and co-writer Jonathan Stark won an Emmy and the Peabody Award for writing the ground-breaking coming-out episode of “Ellen.” The duo then co-created the long-running sitcom, “According to Jim,” starring Jim Belushi. And for Newman’s encore?

In 2005, she left the TV business to become a full-time singer-songwriter. Tracy Newman cut her first CD, “A Place in the Sun,” in 2007. Her second CD is due to be released in early 2010. She’s also recording a CD for children.

A Los Angeles native, Tracy is in her 60s and has played the guitar and written songs since the age of 14. Tracy says that the years of experience creating “stories” within the confines of the 22-minute situation comedy improved her songwriting skills. Now her stories are 3 minutes long, and she gets to sing them. Music After 50 talked to Tracy Newman about her new career, her approach to songwriting, and her next gig.

LRG: I understand that both you and your younger sister, Laraine Newman of “Saturday Night Live” fame, were members of the Groundlings, an improvisational group and theater in Los Angeles. I imagine you weren’t just writing, but acting as well. Did that experience set the stage for what you’re doing now?

TN: Yes. Being in the Groundlings made me comfortable on stage and helped me hone my re-writing skills. TV writing is really about re-writing. So is songwriting. So is all writing. That’s where the hard work is.

LRG: What prompted you to leave television when you did?

TN: I’ve always prepared for my next job while I still had the money coming in for the current one. When we sold “According to Jim,” we had a great staff in place and I started to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I thought I could get out of television and do something else. I loved writing comedy, but I didn’t want to be going every day to a job anymore. I was burned out from the pressure of shooting and editing a live show every week.

When we sold the pilot in 2001, it was like winning the lottery. I stayed on as a consultant until the end of 2005. I then went to Nashville to study songwriting 101, where I wrote “Waffle Boy.” It’s about a kid suffering through his first day of making waffles at a Waffle House. I tried to give a very detailed description of everything he goes through on his way to triumph. It’s really about a wonderful father-son relationship. I’ve won several songwriting contests with that song. [LRG: listen to it here, along with other songs.]

LRG: I really enjoyed your song “Laraine,” which is about the love and friendship you feel for your younger sister. Do you think mature songwriters tend to write less about romantic love than young singer/songwriters?

TN: Not necessarily. I think all songwriters write about heartbreak, lost love, etc. The best songwriters cover everything, no matter how old they are; they are observant. Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Bob Dylan, the Beatles – all influenced what a lot of us write. They certainly wrote a lot of love songs when they were younger, but they also wrote character studies. “A Free Man in Paris” by Joni Mitchell is a good example. It’s a very detailed character study of then agent David Geffen, with a lot of heart in it. It has an emotional through-line. He’s a frustrated man. Everyone is trying to get a piece of him; everyone is begging him for favors. It’s heartfelt; you understand why he’s in Paris.

There’s “For Free,” about the clarinet player on the corner playing for tips. She meant to give money but the signal changed. Such a great comment on all of us. She’s a brilliant observer. She writes about life around her. She was young when she wrote that.

LRG: You mentioned that you’re much less nervous going on stage at 60-something than at 20-something. Why is that?

TN: I think many people feel more at ease…or maybe more accepting of who they are as they get older. When I started singing and playing in clubs again…as I had done in my early 20’s, I practiced and practiced until at least I knew I wouldn’t screw up the technical stuff. Then I wondered for a New York minute… “Jeez, I’m in my 60’s. What’s this going to look like? Who’s going to be interested in what I have to say?” Then, I just shrugged and said, “Who cares?” I am who I am. There’s nothing I can do about it, and as long as I’m interested in what I have to say, maybe someone else will be, too. I think that’s my new motto.

LRG: You mentioned you were also doing a kids’ CD. Talk about that, and about how you got involved in children’s music.

TN: When I was a teen, I was the camper who led singalongs around the campfire. In the early 70s, I was a nursery school teacher and I did a song circle every day. When I had my daughter, Charlotte, I sang her to sleep every night with songs I knew and songs I made up. Then I sang in her school for all ages. I have a lot of songs for kids. By the way, if you want to sing for children, make sure they know your songs ahead of time, if you can, so you’re a superstar when you walk through the door. Then, they’re riveted. Actually, it’s the same with adults.

LRG: On your CD liner notes, you thank your songwriting teacher, Harriet Schock.

TN: I’ve taken her class about 20 times…that’s 10-week sessions, over three years. Many of the songs on my current CD were written in her classes.

LRG: What sorts of people are in class with you?

TN: Some are there because they just want to write; they’re never going to perform. I think others are there for a kind of therapy. Others are experienced singer-songwriters who may have hit a wall, and need help. Sometimes there’s a teenager in there. Right now, I’m probably the oldest. One of my band-mates is in there writing up a storm. Harriet’s class is really fun. As far as I’m concerned, she has a sure-fire method.

LRG: What were some recent gigs and where is your next performance? Do you, or do you want, to tour?

TN: My last gig was at Kulak’s Woodshed in North Hollywood. That’s a funky 60s throwback with a 6-camera international webcast of the shows. My next one [Saturday, Nov 21, 2009] is at the Living Tradition Concert Series in Anaheim. That’s like a community center with a subscription audience. I play a lot at The Talking Stick in Venice. I play Russ & Julie’s House Concerts in Oak Park, Bob Stane’s Coffee Gallery in Altadena, Strings Music Store in Glendora, Arnie’s Café in Tujunga. As you can tell, I do a lot of shows locally. I don’t travel much yet. It becomes a matter of managing my energy. At this age, do I want to tour? If they made it comfortable for me? Maybe. I’d probably have to have a hit record. That would be very cool, wouldn’t it?

From Tracy - Kulak’s Woodshed in North Hollywood , Friday night, Oct 23, 2009 with John Wort Hannam

2009-10-24T11:35:00.000-07:00

Kulak’s Woodshed in North Hollywood,
Friday night, Oct 23, 2009 with John Wort Hannam

I love Kulak’s. Paul Kulak has nurtured this little place into a singer/songwriter haven. A jewel. It seats about 40 people. There’s a king size bed there, several couches, and all types of chairs and stools, some comfortable and some god-awful. The walls are completely covered with pictures and album covers. There are 5 or 6 video cameras, some gliding on rails. The equipment is operated by volunteers, including sound. Ken Holmes did ours last night, and it was perfect. Shows are webcast all over the world and usually the quality is excellent. The artists get to take home a DVD of the entire night, which is very cool. Kulak’s is supported by donations. Most people give about $10. Each night brings in $300 to $400, which covers the rent. There is no food, there’s coffee and a fridge in the back. Last night’s show was totally full, with people standing. I had my full band – Lorie, Gene, John Cartwright, Doug Knoll and John O’Kennedy. We did the first hour and John Wort Hannam did the second. We did about ten songs, I think. The audience was very enthusiastic. I had a ball. Lorie and Gene each did a solo. Then John Wort Hannam graced the stage. I loved every minute of his show. He’s such a wonderful writer. If you’ve never heard him, go to www.johnworthannam.com and listen to “Two Bit Suit,” “Infantry Man,” and “Sweet, Sweet Rose.” You’ll be hooked. His voice is so clear… he’s a true folksinger. He’s Canadian. I like that he was a junior high school teacher for five years, and quit to make a living as a songwriter. Pretty brave, but I think he’s succeeding. He sold a lot of CDs last night. He’s playing tonight (Saturday, Oct 24) at Russ & Julie’s House Concert in Oak Park . Oh, I forgot to mention, if you’re watching the webcast, you can email the players and your letter gets read during the show. I love that Russ & Julie were watching last night and wrote to us! The Kulak’s experience is always great. I recommend it!

-Tracy

From Tracy - Wednesday, Oct. 21 at WineStyles in South Pasadena

2009-10-23T09:23:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, Oct. 21 at WineStyles in South Pasadena: Brad Colerick put this night together. It’s called “Wine and Song Series.” The place is wonderful… Kathy Bergstrom serves wonderful wines and beers, along with a variety of cheeses, crackers, fruit, hummus, tapenade, etc. Big comfortable leather chairs, and those tall round tables and tall chairs. Brad set up a small but mighty sound system. He runs a very relaxed show. He’s so good himself, he doesn’t need anyone else, but I guess he likes the company. He opened with three songs, including one called “Lines in the Dirt” which I particularly loved. (www.bradcolerick.com)

Lorie and Gene and I were singing harmony from our seats. He writes great choruses for that. Damn, I just realized I forgot to ask for “Sweet Corn.” I guess I was too concerned about what we were going to sing. We came up next and did “Night Blooming Jasmine,” “I Can Be Bad,” and my carpool song, “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now.” There were a few people in the audience with teenage girls who seemed to relate.

The Reinforcements each sang alone: Lorie did “Dream Drivin’,” and Gene did “I Can’t Seem to Dial You In.” Ed Tree showed up and did a song. He’s a terrific producer, but I had never really seem him perform, so that was very cool. He’s so good at everything. Then it was time for Rob Laufer, who I had never seen. He’s a terrific writer and just really, really solid. He did a song about how it doesn’t take long to cry… or it only takes a minute to cry. I loved it. Check him out: (http://www.myspace.com/roblaufer) I’m going to try and set up a show with him so my fans can see him. This was a really good gig.

From Tracy - Arnie's gig last night (10/15/09)

2009-10-16T15:13:00.000-07:00

Last night, Thursday, Oct 15: Once again, we played Arnie’s Café in Tujunga, as guests of Mark “Pocket” Goldberg, Randy Sacks and the remarkable house band. I now pretty much know everyone in the band – Mark on bass, Nick Kirgo (guitar), Dave Fraser (piano), Debra Dobkin (drums,) and on pedal-steel, none other than JayDee Maness. So this time I did two things I didn’t do last time: First and foremost, I brought CHARTS. My friend, Stan Ayeroff made them for “Laraine,” “Night Blooming Jasmine,” “My Kisses,” “Table Nine,” “One-Way Road,” and “Goodbye, Aloha.” I printed them up on slightly heavy laser paper. Each song is two pages, which I taped together. I normally have fun on stage, so… I’m not sure it’s so amazing that I had a lot of fun. And to have JayDee Maness playing on “Table Nine,” my odd little tribute to Merle Haggard, was indescribable. More about the music in a moment.

The second thing I did that I didn’t do last time was eat. I had the chipotle chicken pasta dish. Original and great. I loved it. The chef’s name is Chris. He’s Italian. He’s just so good. Next time I’m going to try the pesto pasta. Gene (Lippmann) had that and it looked great. Someone at my table had linguini with clams. He seemed to like it, but to me it looked very watery. That was the first thing I’ve seen there that didn’t look good. I think when it gets too busy there, things fall apart a little. They need a helper in the kitchen and probably another waitress, although the one they had was fabulous. She handled a full house alone. It doesn’t hurt that she’s really cute and actually listens to the music.

Shaun Cromwell played after me. If you’ve never seen him, do. To coin an overused phrase – he’s the real deal. Or as one of my friends’ puts it – “this guy’s the guy.” (www.shauncromwell.com). It was interesting to see Shaun with that band. He had some charts, but not for all the songs he did last night. Everything sounded great and got better and better. Speaking of sounding great, last time we played this gig, the sound wasn’t as good as it was last night. It was perfect this time. I don’t know if something changed or we just had a better mix in the monitors this time. Randy Sacks was handling it all and he stayed on top of it.

Arnie’s house band just kicks ass and there’s no other way to put it. I love that song of Randy’s called “I’m Depending on You.” I don’t think he’d mind my comparing him to Costello. I love Mark’s song about Walking… I can’t remember the exact title… unless it’s “Walking.” And Dave Fraser did an amazing song. And Debra just keeps everything steady. Really, any Thursday night out there will rock - you can’t miss. Great food, great show.

I was also blown away by how many friends and fans showed up. The house was full. I guess they live out there. I look forward to playing there again. I’m having more charts made up.

Tracy

Tracy Newman

www.tracynewman.com

www.myrecordlabel.com/tracynewman

www.myspace.com/tracynewman1

The Talking Stick, Oct 8, with Women on the Move

2009-10-09T09:00:00.000-07:00

This was a remarkably mellow night. A full house and very quiet. I had my whole band – Lorie, Gene, John Cartwright (bass), John O’Kennedy (dobro, mando, Weisenborn, and Doug Knoll (drums). I did a new song, called “If It Were Up to Me,” which I wrote for my daughter, Charlotte. It’s reminiscent of John Sebastian’s “What a Day for a Daydream,” in tone, but the content deals with all we might wish for our child. It should be on my next CD.

We did about an hour, then turned over the stage to Women on the Move, aka Joan Enguita, Linda Geleris and Trish Lester. Actually, I was originally part of WOM, too. Two years ago, Joan Enguita produced a CD called “Beautiful.” It has 14 female artists on it: Anna Montgomery, Teresa James, Karen Hart, Julie Gribble, Kelly Z, Harriet Schock, Andrea Ross Greene, Holly Jurgensen, Debbie Hennessey, and Evonne Rivera , me, Joan, Trish and Linda. It’s quite lovely. The theme of the project is uplifting songs highlighting the plight of abused women. My song on there is “Diane Wants a Man,” about a woman who keeps getting plastic surgery in hopes of attracting a man, but is losing her essential self in the process. I’m not sure that fits the theme exactly, but the song seems to work on there. There are some great songs – my favorite right now is Joan Enguita singing a Garth Brooks song, “You Forgot That I Could Fly.” And I love the title song, “Beautiful,” also sung by Joan and written by the wonderful Marty Martin. Oh, and “Paper Thin,” sung by Julie Gribble and written by Garry Corman and David Smith. Actually, I guess I love a lot of songs on there -- Harriet Schock sings “Worn Around the Edges,” which she wrote with Arthur “Cry Me a River” Hamilton . To listen to or buy the CD – www.cdbaby.com/cd/womenonthemove.

Anyway, WOM were wonderful on this night. Trish started them out with “How Do We Go On,” then did her clever song, “It’s Just a Cookie.” I loved hearing Joan sing “Take a Breath,” (written by Joshua Rush and also on the Beautiful CD.) And I’ve never heard Linda Geleris sound so good! I don’t know what it was… she’s always wonderful, but something about her voice this particular night was more compelling than usual. I thoroughly enjoyed sharing a Talking Stick turkey sandwich with Lorie Doswell, and watching those ladies do their thang. Respectfully submitted. – Tracy Newman

From Tracy - Hallenbeck's (Fri 10/2/09)

2009-10-03T09:00:00.000-07:00

I’ve played Hallenbeck’s General Store probably 10 times, and have never written about it, so here goes:

First of all, it is indeed a general store. They sell all sorts of old-fashioned items. A while back, I bought a pepper tin that says Watkin’s Black Pepper on one side and Poivre Noir on the other. When I have dinner guests, the French side is of course displayed. I also bought a 10” Robinson Ransbottom Roseville Spongeware bowl for $15. It’s beautiful and very heavy. A great one for your Thanksgiving mashed potatoes. They sell sandwiches, soups, salads, and great drinks. (No alcohol.) It’s very quaint. I’m sure that is the best word to describe it. Hallenbeck’s also has a stage in the corner, two or three feet raised, so everyone can see… unless you’re behind the post and pot-bellied stove in the middle of the room. It’s a delightful venue. I love it.

Dave Harvey finds talent and puts on shows there for SongsAlive. Last night started with Angela Leo, a young poet who now sings and plays guitar. Her material is very personal. She’s got a wonderful voice and a lot of charm on stage. It doesn’t hurt that she’s really good-looking, smart and funny. She’s about to do a tour in India . I call that brave. www.myspace.com/angelaleomusic.com.

Next up was a group called “Serenity.” Billy Moschella sings, Keigo Yoshida plays guitar, and they had a percussionist/drummer named Troy , or T-roy. They were really interesting and their name suits them. To me, Billy’s songs sound like a strange combo of Japanese music and American easy listening. Billy’s a tenor which makes it really unusual and compelling. Keigo and T-Roy were extremely tasteful. (www.serenitymusic.us)

Then Alex Nester took the stage. Dave Harvey describes her as a “unique raw talent,” which is an understatement. She plays piano and sings her own songs in a blues, R & B, gospel style. Very good voice, pitch perfect, skilled. Young and lovely. (www.alexnester.com)

We followed Alex. I was there with my Reinforcements, Lorie and Gene. (The stage is small, so I didn’t bring the rest of my band, although John O’Kennedy, my mandolin/dobro/Weisenborn player showed up with his wife, Leslie, and borrowed Angela Leo’s guitar to join us for the last two songs of our second set.) We opened with “I Can Be Bad.” Man, I love to do that song! Not just because the audience laughs, but because it’s just damn fun to play. When Lorie and Gene come in, it just sounds so good to me. Then we did my carpool song, “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now.” Both those songs will be on my new CD. Then “Goodbye Aloha,” from “ A Place in the Sun.” Our second set was “You Loved Me Better,” “I Just See You” and “Table Nine,” my tribute to Merle Haggard. The sound was great, thanks to Charlie! The whole night was great fun. I’m trying to lose a few pounds, so all I ate was a banana. All the food looked sooo good though. I hate dieting.

Our next show is at The Talking Stick on Thursday, Oct 8, from 8-10. I’ll have my whole band for that. I’m hosting and my guests are Women on the Move, aka Joan Enguita, Linda Geleris and Trish Lester. It should be pretty nice. I hope to see you there.

Tracy Newman

www.tracynewman.com

www.myrecordlabel.com/tracynewman

www.myspace.com/tracynewman1

From Tracy: Last Night - Friday 9/18/09 at Butler's Coffee in Palmdale CA

2009-09-19T15:41:00.000-07:00

Last night, we played Butler ’s Coffee in Palmdale (www.butlerscoffee.com). They’ve really got their sound system together out there. I loved the fact that each of us singers had our own little monitor perched on a waist-high stand. That really helps when you’re harmonizing.

We weren’t scheduled to go on until 8, but we got there at 5 for a serious sound check. Wayne Slater Lunsford (DesertSong Productions - http://desertsong.net) worked with us, and it really got good. Dave Edwards (Wayne ’s partner in crime) was handling a mixer which he had in the back of the house in a cute little semi-enclosed child nursery area. Dave also plays a mean jews harp from back there.

So we really got our sound worked out beforehand. Unfortunately, because there’s an open mic before the featured act (us), all the stuff we set up was changed. There’s got to be a way to deal with that. That’s a problem at several places we’ve played. I guess agreed upon levels should be written down. The sound ended up great, but it took a few songs to get it all back to those great sound check levels.

Butler’s has a stage, which is cool. It’s quite small. Besides the Reinforcements -- Lorie Doswell and Gene Lippmann, I often bring a stand-up bass player, John Cartwright.*). Last night I also brought John O’Kennedy who plays mandolin, dobro and Weisenborn. The five of us were very crowded up there! Fortunately, my drummer, Doug Knoll, was out of town. We definitely missed him, but where would we have put him? Next time we play there, he will be with us. Yikes.

The acts before us were quite varied. There are some good songwriters out there in Palmdale. A guy named Dave played two very tasteful acoustic guitar instrumentals. Lennie Dodge, (a dynamic guitar man who I remembered from Kulak’s Woodshed in North Hollywood), did two songs. A young guy named Marlon James played with his dad, Paul -- (who looked way too young for that), and a percussionist whose name I don’t know but who was really enjoying himself. Marlon plays guitar and sings. He has a really good, memorable sound. They did a John Mayer song, then an original and ended with “Free Falling.” There was even a harpist in the Open Mic named William Blair. I forgot how much I love that sound.

By the time we started, there were maybe 30-35 people there. Admission is free at Butler ’s, but there’s a tip jar. They sell sandwiches and coffee drinks. Also, ice cream and shakes. A lot of people ordered the shakes. I have the feeling it’s a specialty there. One guy had a chocolate-mint shake that looked pretty good to me. He had a big smile on his face after his first sip. I’ll get that next time.

The audience was very attentive and appreciative. I felt like they followed every word I sang. Big laughs for “Waffle Boy” and my carpool song; tears during “Laraine.” One thing I loved: My song about Merle Haggard, “Table Nine,” really hit a nerve out there. Plus, everyone knew who the song was about! That doesn’t always happen. The Reinforcements each sang an original, too. Lorie did “Dream Drivin’,” which is the title song on her new CD (www.loriedoswell.com). And Gene did his one and only finished song, “I Can’t Seem to Dial You In.” They were both really good, as always, and well received.

I have to mention that some of the sight lines are a bit of a problem in that room. There’s a big display shelf right in the middle of everything. I think on music nights, the whole thing could be slid to the back wall, so that another few tables could be put in and everyone would be able to see. I hope they can do that next time we play. The owners, Pam and Dave Logan, seemed to enjoy the show. Maybe they’ll agree to that. (Pam is part of a trio with her sisters called The Brown Sisters. Celtic, I think. I hope to hear them soon.)

Oh! Damn! I meant to buy a Butler ’s Coffee cup! The black one with the white inside and the Butler ’s Coffee logo on it. Oh, well. Next time.

* John Cartwright was Harry Belafonte’s bass player for 35 years!

Am I lucky or what?

"According to Tracy Newman" article in Life After 50 Magazine

2009-09-01T22:26:00.000-07:00

Read This Article online at Life After 50 Magazine
Read This Article on the Press Page on Tracys' Website

TRACY NEWMAN

Emmy-winning comedy writer returns to her first love—music
By CARL KOZLOWSKI

Tracy Newman

You might not know her name, but you probably know her work. In 1997, Tracy Newman won an Emmy for co-writing the historic “coming out” episode of Ellen DeGeneres’ ABC sitcom, “Ellen.” In 2001 she was co-creator of the eight-season hit sitcom “According to Jim.”

She’s more than a comedy writer, however. In fact, in addition to being one of the first performers in the groundbreaking Los Angeles-based comedy troupe The Groundlings (which launched the careers of many “Saturday Night Live” stars including her own sister, Laraine Newman, and Will Ferrell,) and a member of the popular singing group the New Christy Minstrels, she was at one time considered the foremost (and possibly only) female card-manipulator in the world. That means, when you saw a woman’s hands expertly dealing or handling cards in a movie or on TV, they were most-likely Tracy’s hands. In 1974, she shared her expertise on “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson,” first doing a sketch with the legendary host, and then talking cards with him on the panel.   

It’s the current phase of Tracy’s life that excites her most, because it’s the most personal work she’s done to date. She’s joined the over-populated, underpaid ranks of singer/songwriters in the Los Angeles area, slinging her acoustic guitar for shows at such venues as Kulak’s Woodshed in Studio City, The Talking Stick in Venice, and Bob Stane’s nationally-regarded Coffee Gallery Backstage in Altadena.

In 2007, along with singers Lorie Doswell and Gene Lippmann—known onstage as the Reinforcements—she recorded the CD, “A Place in the Sun.” Now immersed in the recording of her second CD, Newman takes time to reflect on aging and a life spent in constant creativity.

“I think because we live longer and stay healthier, you need to plan your next occupation while you're entrenched in your current one,” says Newman, speaking over coffee in the spacious Hancock Park home she calls “California Practical.” Her “Ellen” Emmy and Peabody awards are perched prominently on a kitchen shelf. “I love writing songs and the idea that I can get up in the morning, sit at my computer with my beautiful Goodall guitar, and spend the whole day writing and rewriting a song is my definition of winning the lottery.”

GETTING STARTED

Newman, who started playing guitar at age 14 while growing up in LA, began writing songs in her 20s after a surprisingly young teenage stint in the New Christy Minstrels with whom she appeared on “The Vic Damone Show.” In 1964 she moved to New York. She played all the folk clubs including the legendary Bitter End at a time when groundbreaking comics like George Carlin were first making waves, and ultimately decided to pursue comedic acting back in LA as a founding member of the Groundlings. She performed, taught and directed there for 15 years, and it was there that Newman learned the value of rewriting scenes until they were perfect—a skill that would pay off years later when she became a staff writer for classic sitcoms including “Cheers” and “The Drew Carey Show.” Perhaps more importantly, she teamed up with fellow troupe member Jonathan Stark to launch her TV writing career.

“Aside from all the shows we worked on, we wrote eight pilots before ‘According to Jim’ sold. It was a big thrill to have that happen, but it was also mixed with the reality that now as executive producers we were responsible for producing a funny show week after week,” Newman says. “And though I’m proud of the show, eventually the fun went out of it for me, and I moved from producing to consulting on the show after three or four years.”

MAKING MUSIC

Newman’s music career is an equally happy challenge. She’s enjoying the feeling of getting back to her early passion and kind of starting over. “By the way, I didn’t stop writing songs when I was working in television,” she says. “I wrote many songs for ‘Ellen’ and ‘According to Jim.’ I even wrote the theme song for a sitcom that stayed on for one season, called ‘Hiller and Diller,’ starring RichardLewis and Kevin Nealon. That was very cool.”

The success of “According to Jim,” with Jim Belushi, allows Tracy to pursue music without having to worry about money. It’s also a pioneering time with Internet marketing, where performers can put out their own music and maybe even make a living. Tracy’s TV credits are a big help in that regard, she says. “But there’s a difference between being a successful writer and being a successful actor who might be recognized for his/her accomplishments. I’ve made this switch to music, but I’m not well-known on sight, so unless someone introduces me as co-creator of ‘According to Jim,’ the audience has no idea of me other than as this older woman who sings her own songs and plays guitar pretty well.”

Newman promises to have as much success with her music career as with her writing. Her song “I Just See You” was recently announced as a winner in an international contest with entries by more than 350,000 songwriters. As a result, her song will be part of a high-profile compilation CD released this fall called “Life in the Years,” with superstar artists like Carly Simon and Natalie Merchant performing songs to raise awareness about health care issues for the aging.

She’s also involved with producer Travis Allen’s website, www.myrecordlabel.com, designed to be a major hub for independent artist. “I’m really having a ball with that website,” Newman says. “In fact, I’m having fun with every aspect of this business. I’m sending my songs out to contests, mostly losing, but sometimes winning. I’m getting airplay on radio shows and fan email from all over the world. Besides enjoying my music, I think people are fascinated by the fact that I’ve returned to this career and I’m over 50… way over 50. And I’m a woman. Who’s going to be interested in seeing or hearing me? The odds are against it.

“In 1985, I was trying to ‘make it’ as a songwriter. I had a lot of songs, but there was one in particular called ‘I Would Fly.’ I thought it could be a hit single. I lived in LA and everyone told me I couldn’t sell a country song to a country artist without going to Nashville and hanging out and getting to know people. At the time, I couldn’t leave LA. So, I did a great demo of the song, and then I hired someone to help me send it everywhere. We sent it to producers and artists who were looking for material. We sent it unsolicited to just about every radio station that played anything remotely country. (It was already published, so we didn’t send it to publishers.) Finally, after 30 days, I got a call at home from Billy Strange who was producing a duet album of Mel Tillis and Nancy Sinatra. They wanted to do it! It was the leadoff song on the album, and I thought, oh man, that's it, I’m gonna make it as a songwriter.

“Well that didn't happen, but the strategy was sound. I had a lot of faith in that one song, and I got it placed, even though the odds were against it. The only way to fail is to stop. Hmm, am I quoting Dr. Phil? If I had to send that song out for six months, to 20 people a day, do you think that I could fail if the song's really good? At some point someone is going to listen. The only way you're not gonna sell good songs is if you stop playing them for people.”

Tracy Newman’s CD and performance schedule can be found at www.tracynewman.com.

From Tracy: Last Night - Thursday, 8/13/09 at The Talking Stick, Venice, CA

2009-08-14T10:36:00.000-07:00

Last night, we played The Talking Stick in Venice, CA. The guy working the food counter (Nick) was also handling the sound and damn if it wasn’t pretty much the best sound we’ve had there! I brought my own mic – a Sennheiser 835S – it’s what Ernest Troost suggested I get. I love it.

The show opened with four songs by newcomer Rebecca Leigh. She plays, she sings, she writes and she’s wonderful at everything. It doesn’t hurt that she’s young and lovely. Her songs are honest and personal. She’s very comfortable and natural on stage and was the perfect opener for us. She brought in a little crowd, too, and most of them stayed for the whole show. She’s currently making her first EP.

We went on next. This is our band now: The Reinforcements - Lorie Doswell and Gene Lippmann. John Cartwright on bass, John O’Kennedy on mandolin, dobro and Weisenborn, and Doug Knoll on drums. We did an hour. There were about 45 people there, I’d say. Other than the occasional obnoxious sound of coffee machines, the room was pin-drop quiet. I looked around the room and realized that most of the crowd either had never heard us, or hadn’t heard us in about a year. What a great feeling that was! I got to sing a few old songs, like "Night Blooming Jasmine" and "Goodbye Aloha", but I mainly did new material. The stuff I’m recording now for my new CD. We started with “I Can Be Bad.” That always puts us in the right groove. Bobby Kimmel’s “One Way Road” felt great. My tribute to Merle Haggard, “Table Nine,” seemed to be well-received. And my new song, “I Just See You,” which is a positive look at aging, really seemed to hit a nerve.

But the stand-out of the evening was Shaun Cromwell. I do a lot of shows with Shaun and he’s always amazing, but last night he was absolutely riveting. Over the years I’ve heard people complain that they can’t understand what he’s saying (diction), but last night, with the sound quality, and hundreds of shows under his belt (he’s been winning contests and playing all over the country,) you could pretty much understand his every word. His songs are brilliant, poetic, dazzling. “Working Title,” “The Gristmill” (aka “The Lord’s Confounding Ways ,”) “Three Deaths,” “The Rise and the Fall of it All,” etc. Shaun Cromwell is a genius and I’ll be saying that ‘til the day I die. He’s in a class by himself and most certainly by any standard, “the real deal.” I’ll let you know when we’re doing another show together. I like to open for him, then relax and watch him. One time at Kulak’s we did a show with Shaun and a guy from the audience came up to me afterward, pointed at Shaun and said, “When that guy started playing, something happened to my heart.” Get in line, brother.

From Tracy: Thursday Night (8/6/09) at Arnie's Cafe in Tujunga

2009-08-07T21:48:00.000-07:00

Last night was terrific. Arnie’s Café in Tujunga is “where it’s happening,” so to speak. First of all, and possibly more importantly than anyone realizes, the food is truly excellent. Pastas, salads, etc. Really inventive and mouth-watering, and not too pricey. Lorie and Gene each had a chicken/chipotle pasta that was creamy but not overly so, really delicious and original. I’m on a self-styled diet, so I didn’t have that, but I will next time… (after I lose those five pounds.) I think just about everyone there ordered dinner. It was a very good house, and everyone cleaned their plates. So, all I’m saying is, if you want to be a music venue that draws customers and makes money, have an innovative chef and menu. And great service doesn’t hurt. They’ve got the restaurant thing down at Arnie’s.

Now, about the music: Mark “Pocket” Goldberg knows how to put on a show and attract the great musicians. One thing that’s going on there is… lead sheets. Sheet music. Music charts. That way, a stellar pedal-steel guy like Jay Dee Maness (www.jaydeemaness.com) can be up there the whole night if he wants to. True, he might not need a lead sheet -- he had no trouble playing “Goodbye, Aloha,” on the fly, but I’m sure he prefers sheet music. I also was blessed with the solid support of Debra Dobkin on drums.

With music charts, Mark Goldberg can play bass along with everyone. It’s always nice to have that bottom. Can you tell that I wish I had brought charts? I also wish I had carefully written down names, because every musician that wandered up there to sit in was amazing. The guy in the red shirt at the piano, who sang some great originals; Glen Clark who has played with everyone – I know him from when I was producing According to Jim – he’s the leader of Jim Belushi’s band Sacred Hearts, and he’s played with everyone, which to me means Bonnie Raitt. Nick Kirgo and the woman in the black shirt, who I think is his wife – they had a wonderful vocal blend… I wish I had written down all the names! Randy Sachs… I love him. Stan Ayeroff who was there with his 13 year old son Zander, got up and played guitar with Glen. That was very cool. I know I’m forgetting someone very heavy, but I’ve already said enough. Don’t miss those Mark “Pocket” Goldberg nights at Arnie’s.

Tracy Newman, 8-7-09

Fan & Friend Reviews of "All Coming Back to Me Now"

2009-08-02T08:58:00.000-07:00

I just had my morning cup of java listening to "all coming back to me now". There is something about this song that touches a cord in my heart...it's the whole parenting experience of living through the teen years...and surviving!...for whatever reason as i listen, a flood of memories come of raising my son...a tear or two...perhaps hormonal!!.. or as you say..."it's all coming back to me now".
-Karen Sabo, a mom. July, 2009

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A pared-to-the-bone formal structure and spare lyrics combined with Tracy 's clear uncluttered vocals in her song, It's All Coming Back To Me Now, reveal her absolute command of the elements of songwriting. Her minimal style, which removes the extraneous, reveals itself as that same strength of style that underpins her previous songs.

In the span of just the few clear notes of her reductive eleven second lead-in and the two lines of lyrics that follow, Tracy multitasks. She gets our attention and keeps it. She creates a sense of place, inserts the central conflict plaguing the storyteller, defines the feelings that conflict elicits, identifies the object of the conflict as a female, and shows us that the storyteller is not comfortable with her own mood which is inauthentic because it is divorced from the expression of the real emotions she openly confesses. Then before we realize it, she's got our butt stuck to the front seat of her car and we're along for the ride.

Carefully chosen visual images, human discomforts, and even a prejudiced attitude towards an innocent and unsuspecting security guard in this narrative song are constructed of everyday words arranged into reductive skeletal type sentences. Much is said using little, as in "She glares at me cuz I'm so not cool.

We feel welcomed by Tracy 's intimate revelations and the informal conversational tone of her voice that makes it easy for us to relate to her experiences and attitudes. Her story is ours.

And talk about getting good mileage out of few words. The song's seven word title functions as it's one-liner chorus which is recycled contextually three times during the song, with a different meaning attached each time it reappears. First, "It's All Coming Back To Me Now" refers to Tracy recalling the reasons she decided to have a child in the first place. Then, at the end of verse two, the line's double meaning exposes the central conflict with a twist of irony providing the narrative climax. At the end of the song, Tracy repeats the line twice in succession where it now serves as the denouement that allows us to open her car door and return to our own life a better person having been invited along for her ride.
– Gillette West, Minneapolis 8/1/09

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To Listen to "All Coming Back To Me Now", please go to one or more of these pages:
http://www.myrecordlabel.com/tracynewman
http://www.myspace.com/tracynewman1
http://www.reverbnation.com/tracynewsmanandthereinforcments

And if you would like your review or comment to be included in this on-going blog, please send me a message. Thank you!

My CD

2007-07-14T16:50:00.000-07:00

My CD is out and available at www.cdbaby.com/cd/tracynewman. It's called Tracy Newman and the Reinforcements, "A Place in the Sun."

CD Progress

2006-11-19T17:06:00.000-08:00

Well, it's obviously taking me forever to do this CD! I already have enough new songs for a second CD. This one will be done by about March, 2007 and it will have the following songs on it:

Night Blooming Jasmine
Laraine
Waffle Boy
Goodbye Aloha
My Kisses
You Loved Me Better
Diane
Desert Silvery Blue
A Place in the Sun
Mama, I Know You Ain't Santa

I've been having fun with it. I've been working with Travis Allen who has a company called Nashville Tracks. I actually went to Nashville to do my tracks. The Reinforcements, Lorie Doswell and Gene Lippmann have been recording with me. I'm really proud of what we've done. I hope you'll enjoy it. I hope you'll buy a bunch of them and give them as gifts. I'll make it really easy when the time comes! If you want to hear some CD cuts right now, even though they're not finals, go to www.myspace.com/tracynewman1. I have four songs on there.

Great News!

2006-05-15T01:35:00.000-07:00

April 24, 2006

Hey – I woke up yesterday morning to this great news --

Dear Tracy Newman,

CONGRATULATIONS!

Cowboy has entered the California Top 10 at Broadjam!
Cowboy has entered the Country Top 10 at Broadjam!
Cowboy has entered the West Top 10 at Broadjam!
Cowboy has entered the Production - Female Vocals Top 10 at Broadjam!
Cowboy has entered the Production - Ballads Top 10 at Broadjam!

Click on the link below to check it out.

The Broadjam Staff

http://www.broadjam.com/top10

P.S. I’m still working on my CD!

New CD

2005-06-09T10:59:00.000-07:00

Hi all. The good news is I’m starting to record my CD in January. I’ll keep this up-to-date as I progress. Please check my gig page regularly. I have a lot of stuff coming up. I hope to see you. Have a great 2006!