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Kathleen Smith: news / blog

MTV & Sweet Tune & NBC too - April 28, 2011

got to play "sweet tune" at MTV yesterday for a WHOLE BUNCH of the employees. It was SO MUCH fun. They totally seemed to love it, and so did I. AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I LOVE SINGING!!!!!!!!!! I just stood on stage and sent love and sang to everyone there, and it was magical.

 I thought people might be trying to find "sweet tune" on the internets today, so I finally put it up on Bandcamp for free download for the time being. It's a finished recording, part of the Sweet Tune Demos I've been working on.

Also, in a few weeks, "sweet tune" will be showing up on NBC on the east coast (in certain markets)! I got to perform the song for the Jimmy Lloyd Songwriter Showcase. The shoot, which was in the end of February, was SUPER fun. My bff Christine was in town, and we taxi'd up to the Gibson Guitar show room where we hung out in the green room, eating chips and knitting. I played a few of the pianos there (AAAHA I LOVE PIANOS), and then I got to sit on a little stool in this big room filled with guitars, and I played Sweet Tune for the cameras and the crew and the sound people and everybody. What a fun time it was. Jonatha Brooke was there and Adam Levy, and Ari Hest had been there earlier, but I missed him. You can check out Jonatha's blog about it here and see her & Christine & me & the knitting. Wheeeee.

Will keep u posted about the air date of that once I know. I got to hear the first mix, and it sounds great. Watch out television, Kathleen will be showing up soooooon.

xxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoox

old news - March 4, 2011

NEWS:
Why should you come to The National Underground tonight, 1.21.2011, to hear music? Let's find out...

1.18.11 See you at The National Underground Friday 1/21 at 7!

UPDATE 1.12.11: KATHLEEN WILL NOT BE PLAYING TONIGHT'S SHOW DUE TO A FLIGHT CANCELLATION BECAUSE OF THE NYC WEATHER!!
Next gig is Jan. 21 at the National Underground. Happy snow-going. xo

1.10.11 Sidewalk Cafe Wednesday!
8 pm, Sidewalk Cafe, as part of the Shouldertap Records evening showcase. See you there. And happy happy new year.

Sidewalk Cafe Poster

old news - January 10, 2011

old news I can't bear to part with... maybe I need a Hoarders intervention...

12.3.2010 new gig, new news, etc.
Have been underground lately, writing all kinds of stuff, and enjoying this beautiful city! 
Holiday gig coming up on Dec. 17, and I just posted a new "news," which is actually a poem I wrote recently. The Sweet Tune demos are mastered, and will be art'd and pressed soon. xxo

10.26.2010 The National Underground TONIGHT! 9 pm.
Kathleen solo. All ages. A few new songs!! Hope to see you there. xxxoxoxoxo
Details. Also, Live at the Sidewalk Cafe is now available for download.  Enjoy.

9.30.2010 LIVE AT THE SIDEWALK CAFE is now available for streaming online!
Head here to hear. (;-)  You can also embed, share to Facebook, and all kinds of other fun stuff.  It will be available for download starting October 15, and I'll be adding pictures & other fun details to it until then.  Also, the recordings are live, so that means they're not perfect.  But, sometimes I like my art like life--perfectly imperfect. xxoo k


perfect - December 3, 2010

Here's a poem I wrote a few months back. Have been meditating more, and it's delicious. happy December! xxo

PERFECT

Wipe the night from your eyes
Day is waiting

Wipe the smears and dirt of daily life from your heart
Eternal existence is there for the taking

Infinity beckons

Why get caught in the daily tornados and dust storms
When great plateaus of light and music have always been just around the corner?

Why take these small matters so seriously,
When the real truth of your soul and your light is so joyful and funny?

Why worry about tomorrow,
When the gift of today is simply waiting for you to enjoy it?

Why wait, my love?
Jump in.
It’s all perfect.

old news - November 18, 2010

old news from the home page!

9.28.2010 See you at the Sidewalk Tonight!
Tonight at ten pm, come on out to the Sidewalk Cafe in the East Village to hear some music! Libbie Schrader will be gracing us with her vocal presence, and Perry Smith will guest on guitar.  All ages, no cover. See you there. xxo ks
 
9.17.2010 Sidewalk Cafe, live show coming up!
Next show is rapidly approaching: Tuesday, September 28 at the Sidewalk Cafe!  10 pm, free!  There will be a few guest musicians and maybe a new song or two. Celebrating all of the recent MTV love, the upcoming digital release of "Live at the Sidewalk Cafe," and the finishing of the newest EP that was recorded in January in Los Angeles.  Yay! Sign the mailing list for fun stuff like free downloads & the latest info. (it's that little box on the bottom left)

9.9.2010 More love from MTV!
"Waiting Around" was on this week's episode of MTV's Teen Mom. You can see the episode here.  Thanks MTV. 
UPDATE: If the downloading on this site is not doin' it for ya, go here to download the three star tracks this month.  wheee.

8.31.2010 Free Music, Free Shows. Whee!

"You Try" and "Waiting Around" available for free download for the next month to celebrate the recent placements on MTV's Teen Mom and Jersey Shore. Go HERE to download. ALSO, mark the calendars for TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28 at the Sidewalk Cafe! 10 pm, Kathleen solo set.  This Thursday, you can also catch her at The Living Room, doing a set of her own songs at 7 pm and singing backup with Libbie Schrader at 7:30!!

YouTube - September 17, 2010

Yours truly finally has a YouTube channel.  It's here.  It's not very full of video yet, but I'll be slowly putting content out there as part of Video Fridays. Who knows what might happen--it's all a mystery.

Also, someone else made a video for Waiting Around. You can find it here. Crazy & what a fun compliment ;-)

happy almost weekend!

news digest, etc. - August 20, 2010

Here's the digest of recent news I've been putting on the home page!  The other news is that I'm almost finished with the recordings we started in January, and those will be up for listening soon, AND, I'll be releasing a lil EP of live tracks called Live at the Sidewalk Cafe. That will be up for streaming soon, and then digital download & purchase (etc.) after that.  Whee.

NEWS DIGEST:
8.20 BIG NEWS: "Waiting Around" was on MTV's JERSEY SHORE last night!  Go here to see it if you didn't already.  See you at The National Underground tonight! xo

8.17: THE SHOW FRIDAY IS NO COVER!!! Yay. 7 pm. National Underground. see. you. there. xxxo

8.15.10 // UPDATE 
Back from vacation out west & ready to play some music this week! Friday, August 20, 7 pm. At the National Underground. 21+. $5.  Followed by the truly amazing Mikki Hommel, who is on at 9. 

7.29 THURSDAY
"YOU TRY" IS ON MTV's TEEN MOM!!! Wheeee.  Just found out, and it even got ID'd by the show. THANKS MTV!!!  It's the 2nd episode of the season--"Should I stay, or should I go." Check it here or on air.
ALSO, NYC'ers, come out TONIGHT to the LES for a few songs at 8.  Details
here. $5, 21+. xxxxo More..
.

oops - July 29, 2010

have been posting news on the homepage, but not here. OOPS.
Here's some new & SUPER EXCITING news that I literally JUST found out.
"YOU TRY" IS ON MTV's TEEN MOM!!! Wheeee.  Just found out, and it even got ID'd by the show. THANKS MTV!!!  It's the 2nd episode of the season--"Should I stay, or should I go." Check it here or on air.


ALSO, NYC'ers, come out TONIGHT to the LES for a few songs at 8.  Details here. $5, 21+. xxxxo


Also, yours truly is about to embark on two weeks on the west coast for full on r e l a x a t i o n.  I will be so disconnected from the internets, it will be like I'm in pieces. Except not, because I'll be in one piece. One big, relaxed, happy Kathleen piece, hanging out in Napa and Lake Tahoe and the homeland of Reno. Yay life.  Hope you are having the BEST summer yet.  I have live tracks from some NYC shows, and I'll be releasing them after vacay. Yay.

xxo

old news - June 30, 2010

For whatever reason, I feel semi-attached to these tiny  news bits that were on the home page. I know--it's probably silly, but oh well! 

***
6.18.2010
Show was a success last night. Thanks to everyone. Now, ON TO LOS ANGELES! See you at the SWAG Ladies Takeover of Crane's Hollywood
Tavern on Wednesday June 30.  Can't wait to see you. xo
***
6.17.2010 SIDEWALK CAFE TONIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!! 8 pm. FREEEEEE. see you
there....
xoxoxo
***
6.1.2010
LAST MINUTE SHOW TONIGHT!!!!!!!!!
7 pm,
The National Underground, downstairs. 159 E. Houston, btw Allen & Eldridge.
$5 cover, all ages. With Patrick Hamilton, Kelly Kellam &
Mikki Hommel.
Consider it a preview for the show on JUNE 17!!! xox
***
5.3.2010
a. How is it already May??
b. I'll be sitting in for a couple of tunes at
Dylan Sneed's show at Rockwood Music Hall, this Wednesday, May 5, 7 pm on the dot.  We are new bff's, he and I. ;-)
***
4.17.2010
   NEXT NYC SHOW: Wednesday, April 21, 9 pm!!! Crash Mansion on Bowery in the LES. Details. With the amazingly talented Julie Peel & Hailey Wocjik. Can't wait to see youuuuuuuuuuuuuu
***

blossom - June 29, 2010

I dreamt I had to write what I am in one sentence.

I wrote

"I am a blossom."

In other news, the show tomorrow night is going to be fun!  It's my first LA show in a looong time, and it's free, and we'll all get to listen to some of the most talented ladies in the southland for the SWAG Ladies Takeover of Crane's Tavern.  Hope to see you there!!!

xxxo
Kathleen

spring - April 7, 2010

I dreamt the other night that I was William Blake (the poet), and I wrote this poem.

 

Harbor

I love the cherry tree outside my window
even in the dead wasteland of winter
she harbors life
small verdant buds that bloom
at the first sign of sun, love
O, that I could betray death like her

 

In waking life, I spent some time putting together the Spring Interlude that is up on the music page.  Don't worry--there's nothing wrong with your headphones. I recorded it on a tape, which is why it's all crackly.

ox & happy spring has sprung
k

DSC_2125_resized.JPG

poem & stuff & sidewalk wrap up - March 29, 2010

Thanks everybody for making the first NYC show a SUCCESS!!!  It was fun for me to play some new and old songs, and to get to give you guys cookies.  Video and audio will be posted soon! For now, you can read "The Journey" by Mary Oliver over here. Also, Robert got a pic of me playing guitar--it's up on the F'book wall.
xo
k

nyc show - March 11, 2010

quick update:

yours truly here hit up an open mic the other night and successfully snagged herself a lil giggy gig.

NYC'ers mark the cal: Saturday, March 27, 8 pm. Sidewalk Cafe on the corner of 6th & Ave A in the E. Vil.

Details to come. 'Twill be a fun night of all cool lady folk rockers, and my first in NYC!!

streaming music - February 8, 2010

We've been having problems with the streaming on this website lately, so everything except for "Tinfoil Girl" (which is being offered as a free download in celebration of its appearance on MTV later tonight) has been temporarily taken down.

Please know we're working to get songs back up as soon as possible.  Feel free to hit MySpace or Rhapsody or Facebook to hear Kathleen's music in the mean time.

Thanks!

xoxo
k & team

newsletter - February 1, 2010

Well, Thanksgiving came and went, as did Christmas and New Year’s, and still I did not write.

So, to make up for not keeping in touch for months and months, this letter might seem a little long-winded. If you don’t want to read the whole thing, all of the really pertinent & exciting info is summed up at the bottom.

Let the tales begin…

As you may know, I moved from the comfortable, fabulous and beautiful life I had in Los Angeles, all the way across the country to bitter, cold, difficult New York City. Of course, New York isn’t ONLY bitter and cold and difficult—it’s also the most magical city I’ve ever been in where you can hear opera at 3 pm on a Wednesday inside the Union Square subway station!  Moving to New York from LA is no piece of cake, though, and no piece of pie or scoop of ice cream either. I DO highly recommend it to anyone, however, who wishes to “test the mettle of {her} heart” (borrowed from Joe Pugg) and also of her immune system!  Those subways are a breeding ground for germs!

New York City germs aside, though, there is some fun stuff a-brew. The little ditty “Tinfoil Girl” is very excited because she will be making her national cable television debut in exactly ONE WEEK!  You can tune in to see the excitement on Monday, February 8 at 10:30 pm on MTV’s new hit show “My Life as Liz."  It’s a funny show about a hip girl named Liz, who is, sadly, the social outcast at her crazy high school in Texas.  Go here to learn more about the show and get excited.  Please tell all your friends about this totally cool new show, and about your buddy Kathleen’s music on it in a week!

 Also, I had lots of fun making some professionally recorded noise while I was in LA over New Year’s (as opposed to the totally amateur recorded noise I used to make in my little place in Culver City).  The fabulous Oren Hadar was captain of our little music ship, and faves Erik Kertes, Perry Smith and Matt Mayhall rowed us very nicely across a beautiful recording sea with their bass, guitar and drums.  We’re still mixing and adding fun stuff like cello and jello and ocean sounds (kidding about one of those—guess which), but if you feel like clicking around and listening to some stuff, a preview of “Sweet Tune” is on the  Facebook page.

 It is looking like 2010 is gearing up to be a fun and fabulous year, and I might even really work on that novel I dreamed up, the kids’ book and songs I want to finish, the iPhone apps I plan to invent, and the world peace initiative I plan to implement. All while swimming backwards in the bathtub while singing a Bach aria. Okay, kidding about some of that—guess which.

 Oh, AND, website re-design. The current kathleenmusic.com is so 2005, and it's time for an update. If you know a fab and rad web programmer and/or designer, please feel free to send her/him my way. I pay generously with lots of chocolate chip cookies and quiches ;-)

So, in conclusion…

  1. “Tinfoil Girl” on MTV’s My Life as Liz. Watch the trailer. Watch the first episode.  Watch the episode on Feb. 8 when “tg” makes her national cable TV debut. Wheee. 
2. I moved to New York. It is crazazy. Also cold and magical.
3. Preview a new recording of “Sweet Tune” on Facebook.
4. Website re-design. Send me your qualified program/design candidates. And also do you have any specific wishes for the site?
5. Happy happy 2010!  May you find something you love and run with it and follow joy.

in musical love forever and ever and ever,
Kathleen 

news - January 26, 2010

Put your hard hat on, because this is a construction site now!  We're tinkering around with kathleenmusic.com to make it more fun, more fabulous, and more user friendly.  If you have a suggestion, feel free to send it on over to kathleen (at) kathleenmusic (dot) com--we know that two minds are better than one!

Please don't mind the occasional noise and dust--when it all settles, things'll look real nice around here.

Here's to 2010 and lots of new things.  Wheeee!

shine! - March 18, 2009

Monday March 23 will be a special evening involving some strings & pals Jamie Drake & Carly Escoto for some inspiring & uplifting songs. Okay, that sounds new-agey and silly, but really, it's not. Maybe c u there!
xo

blogging for mtv - March 11, 2009

am now blogging for mtv.
check it:
http://soundtrack.mtv.com "Featured Blog: Staff Pick"

free download - November 4, 2008

**Exclusive free download of "Waiting Around" & "Sweet Tune" available on the MySpace page.**

new bloggity blog - September 16, 2008

new blog up!
Heartbreakingly Beautiful is over at blogspot. Musings on new music & yummy food.

Official release for "dolls" - July 10, 2008

"dolls" ep official release / street date is Friday December 12!

xoxo
ks

valslist - July 8, 2008

Check out valslist.com

Val is a curator of music--she makes itunes playlists with old and new artists who she thinks you'll love...for free!! You can read about it on her site.
I think this is a brilliant idea!! If you're like me, and not too good at being "up" on all the cool new bands, (or even if you are), I highly recommend Val.
Another totally awesome site, which you probably already know about, is pandora.com. They create personalized radio stations for you based on music you like. It is uncanny.
That is my music techno-blather blog for the day. Love you madly.
xo
ks

old news - June 23, 2008

This is old news, fo sho, but I do know that this docu is currently playing on TV right now. How fun is that?!
My music in a movie and playing ON TV! Check out the score I composed for this short about the Los Angeles Rodeo. It's on TV now! Check out these pages to find out where and when you can see LA Rodeo!

kcrw play - May 13, 2008

Indie favorite radio station recently gave some airtime to "Waiting Around" from the "dolls ep." Thanks, KCRW!!

Talking Stick - November 12, 2007

The lil' show last night was super fun! Perry played guitar and I sang, sans piano. It was fun! We pulled out some oldies and had grand time balladeering for the coffee and computer people at the Talking Stick. When we started the set, it was so foggy outside we could barely see six feet, and the baseball field lights across the street looked like fuzzy, far away stars. By the time we were finished, the fog was gone! It cleared out and went home, just like we did after the music--straight to the couch to watch "Brothers & Sisters." Ah, it's a good life!

Songs we played (not necessarily in order): Waiting Around / 3000 Miles / For You / Home to You / Sweater Song / Dolls / Tinfoil Girl / Sometimes We Run
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